View Full Version : Finally! Meet Mortarion!
Hi guys! Super excited to show off my baby!!! Just picked him up today! Ended up going with the 2-4yr adult male instead of the baby. I just couldn't say no to the green guy who's been sitting at their display desk for weeks cause no body wanted him. 8(
Super sweet when I picked him up and chilled with him. HOWEVER--! he did try to take a bite out of me when I was holding him. Just kinda pushed his mouth hard against my thumb knuckle and slooooooooooooooooowly opened him mouth. It was the weirdest thing. O_O
He seems to like his new tank; mom said she'd get me a longer tank for him since he's in an 18x18x18 (loves to climb the logs in the back). The guy who sold him to me told me to leave him alone for a week, to let him settle in and to feed him after a week just so he doesn't stress out.
Also, when I went to adjust one of the thermometers in his enclosure, he flew out of his hidey hole rock and tried to bite me!!! His mouth was open and everything. Should I be worried or is he just stressed cause he's in a new place? He was totally chill earlier today and all of a sudden he's trying to bite. =(
He is more than likely stressed a bit and grumpy from the move and new surroundings. Just being defensive bc that's all they have to protect themselves is a good bite. Keep up on making sure the husbandry is good and water is fresh and let him settle in. Congrats on the new hoggie!
I figured that's what it was so I'm not too upset about it, just got surprised. lol. Hopefully in a week he's settled down enough to where I can start playing with him. x3
Minkness
08-21-16, 08:38 PM
You must have super small hands! He looks giant! Lol
That attitude is part of the experience. I have one who started out easy and calm, but that was because he was super sick, and now he's more like how your green guy sounds.
Also, that slow bite on the thumb sounds like a feed response. You can attempt to feed him sooner than a week if you like and see if that calms him down. Ine if my females is like that. When hungry she's fast and wants to eat everything. When full, she's pretty chill.
Either way, he is a beautiful boy and I look forward to more updates. =)
I do have tiny hands. XD He's a little under three feet, haven't had the opportunity to formally measure him. lol
Yeah I won't be able to feed him until this coming Saturday. =( I may be able to feed him either Tuesday or Thursday. The guy said he eats live mice. I don't mind feeding him live mice but my concern is that if he doesn't eat the mouse I won't have anywhere to keep a live mouse. >_> How could I get him to switch over to f/t mice?
Definitely try to get it switched over to frozen ASAP rather than sticking with live. You can simply wait slightly longer to offer food so he's good and hungry. Then offer the frozen mouse straight up or leave it in the enclosure over night and hopefully it will be gone come morning.
You can simply wait slightly longer to offer food so he's good and hungry
So I should wait for this coming Sunday to feed him a f/t mouse? Or should I wait a little longer? I just don't want him to be upset with me. DX
Tsubaki
08-21-16, 10:51 PM
He looks great :) you could feed Sunday and see if he takes it, you could always try to heat it up the first time!
Awesome hog! That bite attemt was a hunger response. He thought he had lucked out and found a pinkie. :)
Aaron_S
08-22-16, 08:21 AM
Hope he doesn't betray you to his brother Horus.
Albert Clark
08-22-16, 08:33 AM
Snakes always stress a change of enviornment and especially a shipping experience would compound it. Give him time and dial in all your husbandry temps and percentages. The good thing about reptiles is they can withstand periods of time with out food. Just be sure to have clean drinking water.
Minkness
08-22-16, 08:36 AM
If he is nearly 3 feet long....I bet he is a she....might want to have another source sex him for you.most males will stay under 20 inches.
Also, I agree with the process of making him wait maybe 2-3 weeks to feed him then iffer him f/t. That long of a wait eill not do any harm but will surely get him good and hungry! =)
macandchz
08-22-16, 08:54 AM
congrats on the new hoggie. let us know how the feeding goes.
Magdalen
08-22-16, 09:19 AM
OOooh he's a little chunk haha. I'd say she's probably just off on the 3 foot mark. If that is 18x18x18 he looks small in it. Just a thought. Either way congrats :D
Oh and it seems pretty normal for them to have tude. My guy likes hissing at me.
Hope he doesn't betray you to his brother Horus.
Omg! Someone who knows! XD he woulda been names sanguinius if he was red, but whatevs. Lol!
Ok, so I'll let him starve for a bit before feeding him and hopefully he'll be good to go.
I'm waiting to finish my probationary period with my exotic clinic to bring him in and have his full check up done, including confirmation sexing.
ThirteenRavens
08-22-16, 12:42 PM
Congrats! He is gorgeous:D Hogs are fun...mine is a total snot and loves to try to call my bluff but fails epically every time lol. Looking forward to updates :)
Aaron_S
08-22-16, 02:01 PM
Omg! Someone who knows! XD he woulda been names sanguinius if he was red, but whatevs. Lol!
Ok, so I'll let him starve for a bit before feeding him and hopefully he'll be good to go.
I'm waiting to finish my probationary period with my exotic clinic to bring him in and have his full check up done, including confirmation sexing.
Mortarion is the better name but his back story doesn't fit. Agron would also work.
I thought about naming him Angron cause of how tempermental he's being, but I liked Mortarion better. Plus, he's green. XD
I had a question, if someone can answer-- how hot should his soil on the hot side be? On top of the soil on the hot side is anywhere between 85-90F (his cool side is 70-75F). Under the soil read 95.8F this morning. Is that bad? Should I use a thermostat to maintain the under-soil temp?
Also, had his first exam done and the doc said I should feed him a f/t today since he tried to bite me the day before. Recommended I try something small (like a fuzzy) to see if he was even interested in a f/t mouse. If he ate the fuzzy, then I could give him another later in the week, then start on adult small mice once weekly. What do you guys think?
Magdalen
08-23-16, 10:22 AM
Those temps aren't bad. They like it a little on the warmer side. Is the 95.8 reading from the glass bottom? Hmmm I don't remember, are you heating with a UTH or a bulb?
Lovely lady ;) I'm pretty sure it's a she. If you show us a pic of the underside of their tail we can pretty much tell. Some aren't as easy but most are. I've got one female who was sold as a male as a hatchling who's got a long tail. But she's definitely a she.
Minkness
08-23-16, 03:42 PM
Did the vet sex him for you?
Also, the idea of offering a meal now is fine, just don't be discouraged if he doesn't take it.
I'm using an UTH and the probe is at the middle of the top of the substrate and the bottom of the glass. I have another probe just over the soil. I wanted to use a bulb just so he had a basking spot, but from what I understand hogs don't need one?
You know, I completely forgot to have the doc sex him. DX I will have to bring him back in with me to work. Yay! XD And he seemed super active today. Hubbie was working out in the living room and sent me videos of Mortarion following his every move like he wanted to eat him. LOL! So if he eats today, awesome. if not, it won't bother me none... yet.
Hey! He actually at his f/t mousey! It was the coolest thing. XD SHoulda recorded it... It was a fuzzy just cause I wasn't sure if he would even eat it (he's suppose to be eating small adult mice). Threw on some thick gardener gloves cause I was terrified of him biting me, but he took the mousey so gingerly. I was so surprised. And then he got upset at me when I went to put him back into his enclosure he flattened out and hissed at me. Then he chilled out and went about exploring his cage. It was amazing.
Tsubaki
08-23-16, 09:22 PM
Congrats! :D glad (s)he ate. Why are you feeding him outside of his enclosure though? More risk of getting bit, and moving a snake that just ate isn't the best either!
Magdalen
08-23-16, 09:22 PM
Yay! Maybe your guy could talk to mine about eating. haha. Mine's in a super active trying to escape mode.
I was told to never feed a snake in his enclosure because you increase the chance of getting bit. Both the doc and other experiences snake owners have told me this. And I figured moving him outta his feeding box wasn't a good idea but I was ill prepared to relocate him when I moved him. >_> I have a box set up now to where I can grab him out of his enclosure into his feeding box, let him eat, and then set it up so he can crawl back into his enclosure.
I was told to never feed a snake in his enclosure because you increase the chance of getting bit. Both the doc and other experiences snake owners have told me...
Not to totally discredit those who told you this...but most reputable keepers/breeders and well versed exotic vets completely disagree with separate feeding containers and would state the exact opposite. Using a separate feeding container is something that is usually suggested by people relatively new to reptiles as well as vets without personal keeping experience. A simple search on the topic here will present you with facts as to why, but of course you should do what works for you (until it doesn't). :)
Minkness
08-24-16, 08:17 AM
What Andy said....yeah....
Congrats on a successful feeding though! =D
Magdalen
08-24-16, 09:18 AM
You know odd thing about the whole separate feeding containers, here everyone says not to. But go to another forum, that I don't go on as much and they are all about separate containers.
I had more to say about this but cannot get my thoughts together. Too early in the morning.
Minkness
08-24-16, 10:34 AM
Ok, this is MY opinion on this matter.
It is purely the preferences of the owner. And what works for them and their animal.
I have done it both ways and had no issues either way. Feeding in a box ,out of a box, shoot...I have fed IN HAND before and nothing terrible happened.
Now, keep in mind that it is also dependant on the snake. If you have one not feeding well or is a shy feeder, feeding in the enclosure is better for them to stimulate them to eat, but also to prevent any regurgitation.
Feeding inside the enclosure does NOT induce a bite response (unless you have a snake already predisposed to do so, and in that case, tap training is advised)
Like wise, feeding outside the enclosure does not 'always' stress the animal out.
There are pros and cons to each style. I mostly feed in the enclosure now simply due to the amount of animals I have to feed and the limited time I have to do so. However, every so often, I might feed out of the enclosure just because, and only an animal I KNOW is fine with doing so.
Example: my female rough scale sand boa has regularly been a stress free feeder. But last week all I did was walk by her tub (I can see through the top) and she regurgitated her half eaten mouse. Left her alone for about 15 minutes and it was gone again. That was stress induced and nothing really even caused it. She was just particularly nervous that day. Previously I could feed her in hand though.
So just know your animal and know yourself and do what is best for the animal. =)
Magdalen
08-24-16, 11:18 AM
Ah yes! Mink said exactly what my foggy brain couldn't process this morning. The other forum (and I wouldn't name names) they are all dead set about the separate container feeding. That the snakes know and that it is unclean to feed in the viv. Something about feeder guts spilling out. But I feel with my hognose he's a shy eater. If I took him out he wouldn't eat. But I feed my Kenyan Sand Boa in a separate container with no issues.
Minkness
08-24-16, 11:30 AM
Yup. Again, pros and cons to each atyle. Feeding in a separate container is indeed 'cleaner' and allows you to ensure no substrate gets caught or digested, and you get a front row view of the whole feeding process.
Feeding in the enclosure is faster and 'usually' promotes a better feeding response. The guts spilling out may make things messy, but hellooooo...they poo and pee in their substrate....I should hope that gets cleaned up. Spilled entrails would be no different.
Feeding in the enclosure is faster and 'usually' promotes a better feeding response. The guts spilling out may make things messy, but hellooooo...they poo and pee in their substrate....I should hope that gets cleaned up. Spilled entrails would be no different.
Exactly. We are talking about animals that will eat dead and rotting prey items or even their own kind if hungry enough to in the wild. To propose that they have a preference of cleanliness when it comes to a messy meal is quite frankly something that wasn't completely thought out. Everyone has opinions..but the facts remain that a feeding tub causes unnecessary stress and unwanted interaction with a snake that has full belly that if fed in their own enclosure would be left in peace to digest. To each their own, though. :)
Thanks for the input, guys. Since Mortarion tried to bite me the first day, I really don't want to stick ANY food in his enclosure when it's feeding time, only cause I AM afraid he may very well think my thumb is a mouse when I try and change his water/play with him/etc. He's definitely no nervous snake-- handled regularly at the viv before I got him and would even be pulled out during feeding time to show the curious kids how he eats and stuff. So yeah, I don't think him moving in and out of his enclosure will be a bad thing, but I'll definitely keep an eye on it in case he starts becoming stressed or what have you.
dannybgoode
08-24-16, 01:50 PM
Thanks for the input, guys. Since Mortarion tried to bite me the first day, I really don't want to stick ANY food in his enclosure when it's feeding time, only cause I AM afraid he may very well think my thumb is a mouse when I try and change his water/play with him/etc. He's definitely no nervous snake-- handled regularly at the viv before I got him and would even be pulled out during feeding time to show the curious kids how he eats and stuff. So yeah, I don't think him moving in and out of his enclosure will be a bad thing, but I'll definitely keep an eye on it in case he starts becoming stressed or what have you.
Just use long feeding tweezers. Won't get anywhere near your fingers. Each to their own but unless there was a very specific reason to feed in a different container I would not do so.
Minkness
08-24-16, 02:31 PM
Opinions and facts have been stated on this discussion. Lets leave it up to Kanadi do do what they feel works best for them and their snake. They have all the info they need to make an informed decision of their own.
=)
Also, that is very cool that you got such a voracious little feeder. Really makes me think of my females. The one you see me hand feeding is my albino girl. =)
Also, that is very cool that you got such a voracious little feeder. Really makes me think of my females. The one you see me hand feeding is my albino girl. =)
I SAW! Your girl is BEAUTIFUL!!! I could have waited and gotten myself an albino (REALLy wanted one) but I couldn't resist how sweet and chill my guy was. So there we go. Maybe in the not-so-distant future I can get myself an albino female (or any pink/coral morph-- I know I will pay a pretty penny for one) and maybe, should I be brave/patient enough, try and breed the two. XD But that's WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY down the line. I would really love a pink/coral female though. That would be amazing.:p
Minkness
08-24-16, 08:11 PM
My extreme red male after being lost for a few hours....
No joke, he is my Houdini snake. Escaped 3 separate times! I was frantically looking for him during this scene here and when Ifound him he was just quietly laughing at me from the milk crate he was in, head poked out and watching me freak out AGAIN.
Took the pinky no prob lol. Jerk.... He is now stuffed away in a locking tub...no more jail breaks for this little snot lol.
chairman
08-25-16, 05:52 AM
If you're looking for a best of both worlds solution, use a separate feeding container that fits inside the enclosure. That way you don't need to handle him after the feeding, just remove the lid from the feeding container and let him wander out on his own.
BTW, has anyone actually had a snake that managed to burst their prey and make a mess? My most aggressive eater ever only managed to pop a mouse eye out of the socket on one mouse out of the hundreds she ate.
Minkness
08-25-16, 06:51 AM
Chairman, I have had several feeders burst. It's more from the thawing and that the flesh of the abdomen is weak than the power of the snake and usually happens to the less furry sizes (pinks and fuzzies). I have had it happen with rats and mice. It's gross....but the snakes don't seem to mind XD
My extreme red male after being lost for a few hours....
No joke, he is my Houdini snake. Escaped 3 separate times! I was frantically looking for him during this scene here and when Ifound him he was just quietly laughing at me from the milk crate he was in, head poked out and watching me freak out AGAIN.
Took the pinky no prob lol. Jerk.... He is now stuffed away in a locking tub...no more jail breaks for this little snot lol.
He's so cute! What a brat. XD That's my fear with my dude is that he escapes and bites one of my dogs, or one of my dogs eats him. >_> I've locked down his enclosure hella well. His front door is locked with a mini lock and the top of his enclosure is clamped down. I've tested them myself-- ain't no way he's escaping. lol!
I am not looking forward to having any food burst on me. XD
Magdalen
08-25-16, 11:57 AM
haha Mink, your hogs crack me up. Just taking food like that from your hand.
I've only had one escape, my sand boa, and she had help with that. My ex-room mate's awful cat kept sitting on the her screen top until he eventually caved it in with his weight. Found the snake really fast in my closet.
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