mator the rat snake update

[Chancesgirl82]

So i named him mator off of cars because of his rusty color. Today he shed and i took him out so i could clean his cage. He decided he would like to say hi, oh and i can no longer feel his back bone so i dont know what his issue was but its gone now.

[prairiepanda]

Nice name! He's such a pretty snake. I hope you'll share lots more pictures of him! Looks like he's hard to take pictures of though :p

[Chancesgirl82]

He is, its either close to the phone like some of these or hes trying to run away up the wall or what ever im close to lol. I plan on keeping his pictures up and going thats for sure.

[EL Ziggy]

I like the name too. So, after a good shed does Mator get a nice hot rat?!

[Chancesgirl82]

Lol right now he eats two adult mice right now, im not sure if i want to give him a rat because im afraid thry might be to big. I dont think he has ever had a rat to be honest. I am going to check a couple places i know of where i can get some mice because the guy i get mine from is out of town at the moment.

[prairiepanda]

He could probably handle a small rat, but if he's never had rats he might not want to eat one. One small rat might be more economical than two large mice, though, if he's willing to eat it.

[sharthun]

Love rat snakes!

[Chancesgirl82]

I went to get him out today and he had an attitude of coiling up and shaking his tail. Im not sure what his issue is he may be hungry but i dont have anything for him yet, does anyone have a suggestion as to what i could give him until i can get my hands on some mice or a rat?

[reptiledude987]

nothing until you have a rodent.

[prairiepanda]

He can wait for you to get a mouse or rat. A gerbil would be acceptable too(pre-killed or frozen/thawed) but more expensive. Day old chicks are also an option, if they're easier for you to get(again frozen/thawed or pre-killed)

[Chancesgirl82]

He got a mice today to hold him off until Saturday. F/t of course, i had to put it right in front of his face to get him to eat it. He just went right to eating it, didnt coil or anything. I would say he is much happier now that he has something in his belly. Im going to give him a bath friday then feed him another mouse on saturday as long as he doesnt have an attitude that is. He acted like he was going to strike today but i think that is because he was hungry.

[EL Ziggy]

Congrats on getting him to eat but why are you giving your snake a bath?

[Chancesgirl82]

I think it might calm him down, when i hold him he is all over the place and is never fully relaxed. If some one thinks its a bad idea i wont

[prairiepanda]

Baths aren't really relaxing for snakes the way they are for humans(unless it's a water-dwelling or semi-aquatic snake, of course) Some snakes seem to like going for a swim in the tub, but others get quite stressed out by it. It wouldn't hurt to try and see how Mator feels about baths, but it won't help with the handling issues.

Regular handling is often the most effective way to "tame" a snake, as it gets the snake accustomed to you while also building up your confidence in handling. Your own confidence is very important as the snake will not be able to trust you if you are nervous! Giving him a few minutes of gentle handling each day(except during the 48 hours after feeding or during shed) will help him and you both to calm down. That said, some snakes are just very active by nature and will always be on the move when they're out. He might not ever just sit still and relax in your hands. But if you can build up some more trust with him he might be easier to handle despite wanting to move around a lot.

[Chancesgirl82]

Thank you praire panda i think i will try and see what he does. I know he loves to lay in his water bowl i have to continuously wash it out because he gets his substrate in it lol. Its not that hes not tame he just continues to mave around and is trying to climb the walls and what ever im around. Hes tame enough that my three year old daughter holds him with my help of course because hes so big and she doesnt like when his head gets close to her. I talked to the people i got him from and they said that his attitude is a big bluff and that he has never bit anyone.