View Full Version : When will she shed?!?!
So I've had my carpet for over 2 months now, and I was told she was SUPPOSED to shed in August, but now it's mid September and she still hasn't shed. I'm just curious your input. As I've said in previous posts, she's about 3 1/2-4 years old. I'm not sure the last time she shed, and I'm not too worried about her not shedding but I'm just anxious for her to shed! ;)
Thanks in advance <3
She will shed when she is ready. Has she been feeding well since you got her?
That could be the case, she hasn't eaten much. For almost all of August she refused food. She just started eating once we got her mouth healed, so we started out with 2 small rats at a time and are working out way up to her jumbos, then either 2 jumbos or 2 larges at a time as the vet says she needs more food. Feeding her 2 more rats again tonight. :)
Be careful not to overfeed her. Have you got any recent pictures of her?
I'm trying not to over feed her, which is why I'm just kind of going up by steps. Offer her two, if she eats one and not the other, that's okay:) and not too recently for pictures, but I can get some up in a bit.
HoldenC
09-12-13, 11:05 PM
That could be the case, she hasn't eaten much. For almost all of August she refused food. She just started eating once we got her mouth healed, so we started out with 2 small rats at a time and are working out way up to her jumbos, then either 2 jumbos or 2 larges at a time as the vet says she needs more food. Feeding her 2 more rats again tonight. :)
Two jumbo rats for an Irian Jaya seems like a big meal, no? I've read care sheets that say a single prey item of appropriate size per feeding was ideal. Not sure if that's true or not..
2 Jumbo rats seem enormous for an IJ. Basic rule of thumb is that you should offer prey that is sized approximately 1.5 times the thickest part of your snake.
Terranaut
09-13-13, 08:51 AM
An adult IJ should get roughly 1 large rat every 3 weeks give or take based on size. 2 is overfeeding. My adult carpets shed 3-4 times a year tops. So 3-4 months between sheds is normal unless they are still growing.
might I add she's quite large for an IJ. She's about 7' now, give or take a few inches. Vet said she needs more food, as she has a low muscle mass. but I won't give her 2 jumbos, that might be a bit much.
Mikoh4792
09-15-13, 03:10 PM
might I add she's quite large for an IJ. She's about 7' now, give or take a few inches. Vet said she needs more food, as she has a low muscle mass. but I won't give her 2 jumbos, that might be a bit much.
I think a breeder of IJ's here told me that 7feet is quite normal for an IJ. It's just that a lot of people stunt their Ijs with early breeding never letting them grow.
Terranaut
09-15-13, 06:03 PM
Kera can you post a pic for us with a pop can next to it for scale?
At 7' she is almost as big as my female jungle and she can eat a 3lb rabbit. The 1.5 rule does not apply to carpets and many other pythons. Your carpet can do up to 4x its girth but this doesn't mean you should. I do a huge meal occasionaly but then waot longer to feed again.
Kera can you post a pic for us with a pop can next to it for scale?
At 7' she is almost as big as my female jungle and she can eat a 3lb rabbit. The 1.5 rule does not apply to carpets and many other pythons. Your carpet can do up to 4x its girth but this doesn't mean you should. I do a huge meal occasionaly but then waot longer to feed again.
That's what a thought but with a bunch of people saying that's not the case I figured I'd just agree. I'll try to snap a picture real quick.
it isn't letting me upload the picture. Oh predicaments.-.
Mikoh4792
09-15-13, 10:24 PM
it isn't letting me upload the picture. Oh predicaments.-.
you can upload your picture on photobucket or tinypic and put the url between this code without spaces
[ i m g ] url goes here [ / i m g ]
Terranaut
09-16-13, 04:34 AM
Yup get a photobucket acount. You can upload directly from your cell phone to photobucket and all you have to donia copy/paste the provided img code. Super easy.
okay thanks i'll do that :)
hopefully i did it right. couldn't get her completely straight or on the floor because I have a cat and a puppy so things wouldn't end well. In this case, curiosity would've literally killed the cat. :P
EDIT: didn't work, just click the link ;P http://s911.photobucket.com/user/standup2812/media/010_zps7884b1c4.jpg.html?filters[user]=137496860&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0
okay. that didn't work either. here's my tumblr, newest picture is her next to a soda can. :P http://www.tumblr.com/blog/i-eat-mundane-souls
marvelfreak
09-16-13, 06:26 PM
okay. that didn't work either. here's my tumblr, newest picture is her next to a soda can. :P http://www.tumblr.com/blog/i-eat-mundane-souls
Didn't work for me.
marvelfreak
09-16-13, 06:50 PM
oh poo. well.
It asked me to log in. I don't have a tumblr account is why. you could try imageshack.com
Mikoh4792
09-16-13, 07:07 PM
Kera you have to copy the image link and put it between the codes I gave you without the spaces.
Just go to your library, you should be able to click on the setting wheel at the top right corner of every image, then it should say links. just copy the image url.
[ i m g ] [ / i m g ]
Terranaut
09-16-13, 08:16 PM
So the pic with the pop on the bathroom sink worked for me. Feed one large only. If you want to add weight shorten the feed interval. Your snake is quite thin.
Mikoh4792
09-16-13, 09:08 PM
yeah she looks a bit thin but shes a nice looking snake. Love ij's
Terranaut
09-17-13, 04:29 AM
That spine is way to visible and the taper in the tail is not good either with a visible lump. Poor thing. Glad the op is gonna feed it good.
I tried feeding her one medium last week after it had been a week and a half maybe two weeks after I fed her two smalls and she refused them. I tried feeding her again Thursday and once again refused them. Not quite sure what to do at this point, she had never had problems eating before. :/
Mikoh4792
09-29-13, 03:30 PM
How long have you had her?
What are the temperatures in the cage. Can you give full details on your husbandry? Pictures of her enclosure would also help.
How long have you had her?
What are the temperatures in the cage. Can you give full details on your husbandry? Pictures of her enclosure would also help.
I've had her since July 3rd. Cool side: 73F Warm: 86F Basking spot: 92F Humidity: Not quite sure, but I have a large water bowl, big enough for her to fit her whole body in, on the cool side. Hide on the warm side, branch for basking. She's usually up there but lately she's been in her hide. And I attached a picture of her enclosure. Bedding is aspen, also.
Mikoh4792
09-29-13, 04:10 PM
You've only had her for 2-3 months? I would just keep trying to feed every week, and not bother her so much.
Also maybe a hide on the cool side would be good as well, so she doesn't have to choose between security and temperature.
When have you been trying to feed her, when the lights are on? My carpet pythons perch during the day, tucked in the corner and at night when the lights go off, they will get into a hunting position where they hang down and wait for something to crawl underneath them.
Next time you try feeding her try turning the lights off, wait an hour or so to see if she goes into a hunting position or roams around looking for food. Then try feeding her again.
Mikoh4792
09-29-13, 04:13 PM
Did the previous owner tell you if she was on rats or mice? f/t or live?
You've only had her for 2-3 months? I would just keep trying to feed every week, and not bother her so much.
Also maybe a hide on the cool side would be good as well, so she doesn't have to choose between security and temperature.
When have you been trying to feed her, when the lights are on? My carpet pythons perch during the day, tucked in the corner and at night when the lights go off, they will get into a hunting position where they hang down and wait for something to crawl underneath them.
Next time you try feeding her try turning the lights off, wait an hour or so to see if she goes into a hunting position or roams around looking for food. Then try feeding her again.
She's usually asleep or basking during the day, so I wait till about 10-10:30 to feed her, so she's up (her light turns off at 8:30) usually half an hour after it goes off she's cruising around. I've tried during the day but she doesn't eat then so I stopped trying. Thanks for your help though. I'm just going to try to feed her a large this week, as she is very thin. I just want to get her healthy again, I feel like I'm failing miserably at owning a snake D:
I'll also add in another hide on the cool side. I've been trying to buy one for her that's the same as the one she has but it's 50$ and don't have the money for it. I'll improvise with something for now, I'll get one in tonight:)
Mikoh4792
09-29-13, 04:54 PM
She's usually asleep or basking during the day, so I wait till about 10-10:30 to feed her, so she's up (her light turns off at 8:30) usually half an hour after it goes off she's cruising around. I've tried during the day but she doesn't eat then so I stopped trying. Thanks for your help though. I'm just going to try to feed her a large this week, as she is very thin. I just want to get her healthy again, I feel like I'm failing miserably at owning a snake D:
I'll also add in another hide on the cool side. I've been trying to buy one for her that's the same as the one she has but it's 50$ and don't have the money for it. I'll improvise with something for now, I'll get one in tonight:)
Yeah even a shoebox she can fit into will work for now.
Other members here have more impressive stories but my jungle and ball python did not eat for a whole month when they first arrived. I just tried leaving the prey item in the enclosure once a week and they eventually took it.
Yeah even a shoebox she can fit into will work for now.
Other members here have more impressive stories but my jungle and ball python did not eat for a whole month when they first arrived. I just tried leaving the prey item in the enclosure once a week and they eventually took it.
That's what I was thinking. It's harder to use the easy things like toilet paper tubes or flower pots for a 7' long snake._. She can definitely fit in a shoe box.
ErikBush97
09-30-13, 02:30 AM
Offer her two, if she eats one and not the other, that's okay:) and not too recely for pictures, but I can get some up in a bit.
Snakes are like people. They will over consume if you let them. Just like if you keep a dog bowl full of food 24/7 your dog will likely become overweight.
If you think finding a hide space big enough for your 7' IJ is hard, you should try finding one for a 7' Boa lol
Snakes are like people. They will over consume if you let them. Just like if you keep a dog bowl full of food 24/7 your dog will likely become overweight.
If you think finding a hide space big enough for your 7' IJ is hard, you should try finding one for a 7' Boa lol
;) someone should make a website for underpriced hides for oversized snakes. and normally I wouldn't feed her two it's just the fact that she's underweight.
Mikoh4792
09-30-13, 05:04 PM
;) someone should make a website for underpriced hides for oversized snakes. and normally I wouldn't feed her two it's just the fact that she's underweight.
Hows this?
Jumbo Hide Box - Reptile Basics Inc (http://www.reptilebasics.com/jumbo-hide-box)
Hows this?
Jumbo Hide Box - Reptile Basics Inc (http://www.reptilebasics.com/jumbo-hide-box)
well you're on top of things. Thanks :)
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