Meet Bakunawa, a Candoia Paulsoni :)

[warbeast720]

Here's Bakunawa, the neonate Candoia Ground Boa I spoke about earlier :)


https://imageshack.com/i/poO68RaGj


Two weeks ago (July 28th), he ate a "fuzzy mouse" (according to the previous owner that is; based on the image he sent me, it looks more like a hopper to me). Probably explains why he's not so keen on eating till now. :D

Since last week and last night, he's refused the thawed pinkies I've offered (who ended up fed to my 06 Royal Python). I'll try again on the 15th. Thoughts?

PS: If it also "helps", His previous meals from his previous owner have always been live.

PSS: Based on images online, he looks more like a Halmahera Ground Boa. Is he? I'm just glad I got to own a Candoia again. :)

FYI Bakunawa is the name of a dragon/serpent in Filipino mythology, the bringer of the Eclipse (if I read the stories right).

[dannybgoode]

Read my thread on my C paulsoni (I will forewarn you it does not end well). They are very difficult when young and will outright starve themselves to death.

Do you know the age? I'd be extremely cautious about a C paulsoni under 1 yo.

Let me know if I can help in any way.

[warbeast720]

Read my thread on my C paulsoni (I will forewarn you it does not end well). They are very difficult when young and will outright starve themselves to death.

Do you know the age? I'd be extremely cautious about a C paulsoni under 1 yo.

Let me know if I can help in any way.

It was explained to me that he's 2 months old and I was shown a video of his last meal (a live hopper/fuzzy mouse) taken about 2 weeks ago.

I'll try to get a picture tonight; with the varied Candoia looks, I can't tell if he's on shed or if my set up is too spartan/bare (his water bowl can double as a hide).

I just realized that candoia don't have the heat pits royal pythons have.

PS: this the thread (http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/general-boa-forum/113529-finally-meet-daphne-candoia-paulsoni.html) you're referring to? sorry to hear about your recent loss.

[dannybgoode]

Yes I am referring to that thread and mine too was feeding for the breeder. I am not wishing to put a downer on your new acquisition but at 2mo there is a real danger it'll stop eating again. In the wild survival rates are very low - 10% or so - suggesting many wild young simply don't feed.

I really hope it does behave for you - they're awesome snakes and I may get another in the future.

If you have had no success in 3 or 4 weeks I'd suggest assist feeding. The problem when they're this small is if you do not intervene soon enough they aren't strong enough to digest and I suspect there part of the problem I had. I can point you to an excellent video on assisting paulsoni if required.

Note I would not suggest assist feeding all snakes so soon but paulsoni are an exception.

[BillyCostume]

You should definitely try feeding live before any attempt at assist feeding. Congrats on the pickup, Candoia are awesome snakes:)

[warbeast720]

thanks for the inputs guys. :)

as the last feeding was last 28th of July, should I hold out until august 15th? or should I try feeding earlier (say...the 10th)?

my last attempt was just last night (Aug 6 PH/Hong Kong/GMT+8 time).

i'll update this post again later with a pic of my set up; maybe it's "too bare"?

[warbeast720]

@dannybgoode

this is his current set up; https://imageshack.com/i/pobvCM3dj

it's an Exo Terra PT2300 faunarium; I'm aware that this is more suitable for a juvenile candoia (360 x 210 x 160 mm OR 14” x 8” x 6”).

substrate is plain discarded office documents. the water dish also doubles as a hide.

should I try again on the 15th? or I should be able to try again this coming thursday?

thanks!

[dannybgoode]

I'd put a ton of clutter in there so it feels more secure. I'd continue to offer weekly. It at all you can scent the mouse with a bit of lizard skin that may generate interest as well.

[warbeast720]

I'd put a ton of clutter in there so it feels more secure. I'd continue to offer weekly. It at all you can scent the mouse with a bit of lizard skin that may generate interest as well.

Just added an additional bowl/hide hybrid to "clutter". I didn't use shavings/chips as I want to reduce the risk of accidental ingestion.

I've been trying thawed pinkies; do you recommend I try a small mouse like what the last guy fed him? He said it was a fuzzy but based on the amount of fur of the mouse (see the first pic), it certainly looks older than a fuzzy to me.

Bakunawa's almsot the size of my pinky finger (and I'm a 5'6", 180lb adult male). :D

If it helps, Bakunawa LOVES hiding in his hide/water bowl hybrid. Normal? Expected?

Learning the hard way that Candoia neonate care ain't the same as royal python neonate care :|

[dannybgoode]

Just added an additional bowl/hide hybrid to "clutter". I didn't use shavings/chips as I want to reduce the risk of accidental ingestion.

I've been trying thawed pinkies; do you recommend I try a small mouse like what the last guy fed him? He said it was a fuzzy but based on the amount of fur of the mouse (see the first pic), it certainly looks older than a fuzzy to me.

Bakunawa's almsot the size of my pinky finger (and I'm a 5'6", 180lb adult male). :D

If it helps, Bakunawa LOVES hiding in his hide/water bowl hybrid. Normal? Expected?

Learning the hard way that Candoia neonate care ain't the same as royal python neonate care :|

No it isn't! In my opinion they shouldn't be sold until at the very least 6mo, preferably 12mo and properly established. Unfortunately because they do not command a lot of money this rarely happens.

Baby paulsoni are highly arboreal and mine was often found in the many branches I put in there.

I'm dubious a 2mo paulsoni could swallow much more than a pinkie. How did you find the breeder? Did you have much communication with them etc?

[warbeast720]

No it isn't! In my opinion they shouldn't be sold until at the very least 6mo, preferably 12mo and properly established. Unfortunately because they do not command a lot of money this rarely happens.

Baby paulsoni are highly arboreal and mine was often found in the many branches I put in there.

I'm dubious a 2mo paulsoni could swallow much more than a pinkie. How did you find the breeder? Did you have much communication with them etc?

tbh, not much communication since i was more interested in their feeding. i did see the photos and videos of the paulsoni feeding.

beginning to doubt that he's a "2 month old baby" given the feeding photo and vid.

https://imageshack.com/i/poO68RaGj

mine loves to hide in the...hide. I guess that's normal?

found a few links on Paulsoni feeding; hopefully I'l fare better this week.

CB13 Candoia paulsoni - Reptile Forums (http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/snakes/942801-cb13-candoia-paulsoni.html)

The Candoia Bible (http://www.kingsnake.com/candoia/book.html)

if only i can get in touch with Jerry Conway himself...

[dannybgoode]

Sorry to be sceptical (and it's simply because I've been there with a non-feeding paulsoni) but does the video show the snake actually finishing the mouse.

That mouse looks almost as big as the snake and there's no way I'd ever contemplate feeding such a large meal to access ensure that size and if the video doesn't show the whole thing I doubt it actually took it.

As I say I'm really not trying to put a downer on things - I'm just naturally suspicious.

[warbeast720]

Yes he did. Saw the lump too when I got him.

He already pooped twice. Just a while ago, he ignored the live hopper I placed. I snapped its neck and nudged it to his face, still no interest.

Gawd. This guys making me lose my cool.

Edit: just realized his last shed was april and none after that. How often do neonates shed? Google info so scarce :|

[dannybgoode]

They don't shed often. Adults even less frequently - maybe once or twice a year. Neonates every few months.

[warbeast720]

They don't shed often. Adults even less frequently - maybe once or twice a year. Neonates every few months.

Hmm. How often is "every few months" for neonates? are we looking at every 3 months?

[dannybgoode]

Hmm. How often is "every few months" for neonates? are we looking at every 3 months?

Mine didn't shed in 5 months

[warbeast720]

Mine didn't shed in 5 months

That's going to be quite a wait for me. Haha

How long did it take for their eyes to cloud up? Weeks?

I suspect he is about to enter the shed phase as he mostly hid in the hide/bowl and I hardly see him leave.

Do you recommend that I change his substrate to non cedar/pine chips/shavings?

[dannybgoode]

That's going to be quite a wait for me. Haha

How long did it take for their eyes to cloud up? Weeks?

I suspect he is about to enter the shed phase as he mostly hid in the hide/bowl and I hardly see him leave.

Do you recommend that I change his substrate to non cedar/pine chips/shavings?

Mine never got to shed. Definitely wouldn't recommend cedar / pine. Kiln dried should not present a health risk but it's still not ideal. Eco earth would be much better.

[warbeast720]

UPDATE

Last night, he just shed and passed more stool.

I tried a mouse the size of my pinky and constriction was attempted twice; both times, the mouse broke free.

He ignored the mouse when i killed it. I'll try again later with an even smaller mouse.

[warbeast720]

http://imgur.com/4iDg5mo


After two weeks of waiting...BAM (http://imgur.com/a/8cltG)!

[dannybgoode]

http://imgur.com/4iDg5mo


After two weeks of waiting...BAM (http://imgur.com/a/8cltG)!

Excellent news. Glad it is feeding for you :)

[warbeast720]

now i have a new problem...hehehe. since it's a new topic altogether, i'm creating a sep. thread for that. :D

[toddnbecka]

Looks almost exactly like my pair if Halmahera Island ground boas, same base color and pattern anyway. I keep them in tubs with a fairly thick layer of cypress mulch to maintain humidity, they like it really high. That one definitely looks older than a couple months, they're tiny buggers at birth, and I can't believe it wouldn't have grown large enough for a mouse that size in such a short time. From what I read they're sometimes started on lizard tails for the first feedings. I also found that they like to sit up on the shelves I put into their tubs, as well as spending a good bit of time soaking in their water bowls occasionally.

[dxb0911]

I need some help I have a Red Tail boa that has recently become aggressive he is a little over a year old and about 4 feet long I can't even get into his cage without him striking the glass, which makes me afraid to grab him. I don't know what to do I don't want to get rid of him. I've recently noticed my cat has been messing around a lot near the cage so I'm not sure if this is the reason for his aggression.

[Scubadiver59]

Snakes should not be in height traffic areas, and you need to put it somewhere the cat can't get at the enclosure.

Wash your hands before going in the enclosure. Use a hook to tap train (look for videos on YouTube), or a paper towel roll, newspaper, etc., so it realizes that when you come in w\o food that it calms down. I'd still suggest getting a hook, a large one (widespread hook, not length of handle), and using that to lift the front part of the snake while you use your free hand to support the rest of the snake (the thickest and heaviest part).

BTW, welcome to snakes! :D

I need some help I have a Red Tail boa that has recently become aggressive he is a little over a year old and about 4 feet long I can't even get into his cage without him striking the glass, which makes me afraid to grab him. I don't know what to do I don't want to get rid of him. I've recently noticed my cat has been messing around a lot near the cage so I'm not sure if this is the reason for his aggression.