New keeper of an ATB

[msandman77]

Hello there. I just purchased my first snake and it is a juvenile male ATB. Did a lot of research into husbandry and like I posted in the new member forums, I'm a little used to high difficulty animals such as chameleons and totally get the "display animal" thing. After some playing around, I got my warm side of the enclosure in the mid-high 80s under a basking lamp and on the cooler end its hovering around 79. Just did a heavy mist that bumped humidity to 90% so I think I will take it a little tad bit easy when I mist again in the morning. I have a hide on the ground and in the coming days I will be looking into something elevated. I have some good leafy decor and cris-crossing perches and will be adding some live plants in there, probably pothos. I will get around to posting pic of my new boy soon.

[UwabamiReptiles]

Sounds like you have everything covered. Can't wait to see pics. Just be careful, atbs are addictive!

[msandman77]

I posted pics in my welcome thread but it seems I still am unable to put links in my post so I will upload them again hehe. Took them from a distance as to not disturb this new arrival too much. Is it safe to assume this is a "colored phase" ATB? Does it get more specific then that?

[EL Ziggy]

Beautiful ATB sandman. The enclosure looks nice too from what I can see. Best wishes.

[msandman77]

And here's a pic of the enclosure. I've covered up the screen top with the exception of where the lighting sits. My plan is to add some more branches and a live pothos.

Also I noticed that my ATB was perched high but had his head hanging down in S-coil fashion so I assumed that he was in ambush mode and was hungry. Did a live hopper and the boy didn't hesitate when the mouse got close. The store that I purchased him from has been doing live food so I figured I would roll with that for a few feedings and then try switching to F/T.

[UwabamiReptiles]

Good looking amazon. I would call him a yellow phased myself, others would say colored phased. These guys are so polygentic and there are only a couple of comfirmed morphs so its safe to just call him a yellow atb. He looks nice and healthy and full of attitude haha. Cage looks great and I'm certain it will look even better with more branches and some pothos. Please post pics when the cage is complete.

I saw that you mention including an elevated hide. You can actually put a hide up high or like I've done in the past is put some fake plants fanned and draped over a branch so they can get underneath the plants and feel secluded on the branch. When you add more branches, see if you can get some of the branches to cross each other. Atbs seem to prefer to drape themselves across intersecting branches where they have three points of contact. They seem more comfortable on branches like that instead of just a lone branch.

[msandman77]

Good looking amazon. I would call him a yellow phased myself, others would say colored phased. These guys are so polygentic and there are only a couple of comfirmed morphs so its safe to just call him a yellow atb. He looks nice and healthy and full of attitude haha. Cage looks great and I'm certain it will look even better with more branches and some pothos. Please post pics when the cage is complete.

I saw that you mention including an elevated hide. You can actually put a hide up high or like I've done in the past is put some fake plants fanned and draped over a branch so they can get underneath the plants and feel secluded on the branch. When you add more branches, see if you can get some of the branches to cross each other. Atbs seem to prefer to drape themselves across intersecting branches where they have three points of contact. They seem more comfortable on branches like that instead of just a lone branch.

Funny you mention the fake plants because he spends most of the day hours curled up around the fake vines I have hanging from the top of the cage. Also, I got brave enough to start handling him today and he's pretty chill once I get him out. Got him out twice today for about 10 minutes each. The only time he would strike is when I would try to take a picture of him with my cell phone. He hates that thing for some reason.

And now here's my best photo yet...

[sharthun]

Great looking snake and setup!

[Kera]

Love his face stripes!! What bedding are you using? It looks nice. :)

[msandman77]

Love his face stripes!! What bedding are you using? It looks nice. :)

Coconut fiber and forest moss by Exo-terra.

[Kera]

Thanks! :) congrats on the new addition, it's beautiful!

[Carl Spackler]

I'm also a new ATB owner. I got my guy a magnetic mushroom ledge and he loves it. I put it on about halfway up and he goes there to bask quite often.