necoris
06-11-04, 01:25 AM
Hey guys,
Just wanted to vent and think out loud to myself.
I have quite a few ball pythons (26 of 'em) and I have a few problem eaters; one I believe is an import (picked up from a friend locally; that's the last time I decide I'll take in a ball python for free). All of the others are either captive-hatched or captive-bred.
One of the things that is pissing me off is one of my largest females decided to go off feed. This may just be a mood swing, but I sure hope it's not because she wants to breed (I observed that behavior last year). She's only 1600 grams which isn't enough to breed (by my standards she'd have to be nearing 3000 grams to breed). I hope she starts eating again.
Another thing that is pissin' me off is that I have a male het that decided to stop eating. He has had the best feeding response I've ever seen until these past two weeks. He just hit 600 grams and I think he wants to breed. I put one of my other males in with him and he started shaking his tail violently and trying to get out of the cage as fast as he could. That was a stupid thing to do, and I knew better. I couldn't help myself... :mad:
Now, here's a question. I check all my enclosures twice a day for urates/feces. When I do this, I usually dig through the substrate so I know it's clean. I keep all of my animals in racks from Animal Plastics, Inc. using coconut bark as a substrate. Most of my enclosures also have hides in them for extra security. I was wondering what other experiences keepers have had with feeding and cleaning out the enclosure? I do clean it a lot, but I want to be one of the best known breeders eventually and I want my animals to keep their reputation. Plus I wouldn't want to live in my own feces. Well, anyone?
Hrmm, what else... Okay, how do you guys switch from mice to rats? And once you have, if the snake doesn't take rats do you go back to mice?
I have a few smaller females that switched over to rat pups. One of them decided she doesn't want to take rat pups anymore, but she already has. Anyone know what to do? Should I stay with the rats? Or should I go back to mice until she is larger? :/ Both have advantages...
Usually, I'll start hatchlings with live fuzzy mice. Usually these don't frighten the snakes and they are easy for me to get. There are little rat pups around me otherwise I would try rat pups first.
My mind likes to jump around, no?
At least I have a big female jungle carpet that takes all my left over rats (I have a blood that takes some too).
Ball pythons are really frustrating, aren't they? I wish I could prove out a "feeding response" line; god those would be worth a fortune, lol... A ball python that actually eats normally, Jesus Christ...
Here's another question, usually I will grab the frozen/thawed rodents behind their head above their neck and drag them along the ground slowly acting as if it was alive. This seems to work extremely well. However, when it doesn't, should I leave the rodent in the cage overnight? I hate wasting food. Usually the ball pythons never eat it anyway. :eek: I guess the best way is to leave it in, but I will waste a lot more money that way. Grr...
To get imports eating, I try to leave them alone (usually I don't buy imports or wild caught animals, only on circumstances; I prefer to have cb breeders instead of wild-caught; it will benefit me more in the long run) at first and then try different things. I try rats first, of course, frozen/thawed before live. I hate feeding anything larger than a rat pup alive. They could damage the snake sooo bad. I hate buying live...expensive but the snakes need it. I hope I don't sound cheap. I really try to take care of all my animals, that's why I'm posting this. Anyway...
Stupid imports...
I was thinking about trying a f/t mouse if the import decides not to touch rats. I'll try a live rat pup first though.
Yes! My male sidewinder rattlesnake (he is wanting to breed so I'm surprised that...) is eating right now! Woot! Finally. Stupid snake. He wouldn't even strike a live mouse. I had to kill it and leave it in there. :mad:
My tiger rattlesnake ate two frozen/thawed mice too, yay! He is a wild-caught individual from a specific locality I'm working with. I've had him for a year and a half now. He has only shed once. He ate frozen/thawed rats the first week I brought him home. I decided to feed him mice because small rats are a waste for him. He would get too fat. I want to find a locale specific female for him and try my luck at captive-bred tiger rattlesnakes. At the rate I'm going I should do it...I hope. We'll see.
Just fyi, tonight is feeding night. I just got done trying my luck.
Oh yea, I dislike it when people decide to import a lot of ball pythons, or other reptiles, and sell them without the intent on even trying to produce captive bred animals. I do agree with new morphs and such, but sometimes it's just sickening to see.
Okay rants done; wifey has to go to bed.
Later all,
Dustin
http://www.diapsid.com/
Just wanted to vent and think out loud to myself.
I have quite a few ball pythons (26 of 'em) and I have a few problem eaters; one I believe is an import (picked up from a friend locally; that's the last time I decide I'll take in a ball python for free). All of the others are either captive-hatched or captive-bred.
One of the things that is pissing me off is one of my largest females decided to go off feed. This may just be a mood swing, but I sure hope it's not because she wants to breed (I observed that behavior last year). She's only 1600 grams which isn't enough to breed (by my standards she'd have to be nearing 3000 grams to breed). I hope she starts eating again.
Another thing that is pissin' me off is that I have a male het that decided to stop eating. He has had the best feeding response I've ever seen until these past two weeks. He just hit 600 grams and I think he wants to breed. I put one of my other males in with him and he started shaking his tail violently and trying to get out of the cage as fast as he could. That was a stupid thing to do, and I knew better. I couldn't help myself... :mad:
Now, here's a question. I check all my enclosures twice a day for urates/feces. When I do this, I usually dig through the substrate so I know it's clean. I keep all of my animals in racks from Animal Plastics, Inc. using coconut bark as a substrate. Most of my enclosures also have hides in them for extra security. I was wondering what other experiences keepers have had with feeding and cleaning out the enclosure? I do clean it a lot, but I want to be one of the best known breeders eventually and I want my animals to keep their reputation. Plus I wouldn't want to live in my own feces. Well, anyone?
Hrmm, what else... Okay, how do you guys switch from mice to rats? And once you have, if the snake doesn't take rats do you go back to mice?
I have a few smaller females that switched over to rat pups. One of them decided she doesn't want to take rat pups anymore, but she already has. Anyone know what to do? Should I stay with the rats? Or should I go back to mice until she is larger? :/ Both have advantages...
Usually, I'll start hatchlings with live fuzzy mice. Usually these don't frighten the snakes and they are easy for me to get. There are little rat pups around me otherwise I would try rat pups first.
My mind likes to jump around, no?
At least I have a big female jungle carpet that takes all my left over rats (I have a blood that takes some too).
Ball pythons are really frustrating, aren't they? I wish I could prove out a "feeding response" line; god those would be worth a fortune, lol... A ball python that actually eats normally, Jesus Christ...
Here's another question, usually I will grab the frozen/thawed rodents behind their head above their neck and drag them along the ground slowly acting as if it was alive. This seems to work extremely well. However, when it doesn't, should I leave the rodent in the cage overnight? I hate wasting food. Usually the ball pythons never eat it anyway. :eek: I guess the best way is to leave it in, but I will waste a lot more money that way. Grr...
To get imports eating, I try to leave them alone (usually I don't buy imports or wild caught animals, only on circumstances; I prefer to have cb breeders instead of wild-caught; it will benefit me more in the long run) at first and then try different things. I try rats first, of course, frozen/thawed before live. I hate feeding anything larger than a rat pup alive. They could damage the snake sooo bad. I hate buying live...expensive but the snakes need it. I hope I don't sound cheap. I really try to take care of all my animals, that's why I'm posting this. Anyway...
Stupid imports...
I was thinking about trying a f/t mouse if the import decides not to touch rats. I'll try a live rat pup first though.
Yes! My male sidewinder rattlesnake (he is wanting to breed so I'm surprised that...) is eating right now! Woot! Finally. Stupid snake. He wouldn't even strike a live mouse. I had to kill it and leave it in there. :mad:
My tiger rattlesnake ate two frozen/thawed mice too, yay! He is a wild-caught individual from a specific locality I'm working with. I've had him for a year and a half now. He has only shed once. He ate frozen/thawed rats the first week I brought him home. I decided to feed him mice because small rats are a waste for him. He would get too fat. I want to find a locale specific female for him and try my luck at captive-bred tiger rattlesnakes. At the rate I'm going I should do it...I hope. We'll see.
Just fyi, tonight is feeding night. I just got done trying my luck.
Oh yea, I dislike it when people decide to import a lot of ball pythons, or other reptiles, and sell them without the intent on even trying to produce captive bred animals. I do agree with new morphs and such, but sometimes it's just sickening to see.
Okay rants done; wifey has to go to bed.
Later all,
Dustin
http://www.diapsid.com/