VBB Questions

[Kury]

Hello peoples,
hopefully someone can answer my questions, first I'll give you a bit of history.

I got a juvenile female Vietnamese Blue Beauty at the Red Deer show, from Katt. She's the funnest snake ever- as long as you respect her ^_^ She's been doing great, she eats incredible, and she's pretty active (although she doesn't like being watched) A week or so ago, I opened her enclosure to clean, and a peculiar smell drifted into the room. Musk; and yes I'm sure of it. The thing is, she's never musked me while I'm handling her. She'll snap if you touch her the wrong way or move too fast, but as for musking- never. I just figured maybe a cat had got into the room while she was out and scared her. So I cleaned it up and ignored it. But now, she musks in her enclosure all the time! Every time she urinates or poops, and just a couple days ago, when she shed. Is this bad? Why is she doing it? It's not a serious health issue- is it? Has anyone else had something like this happen? It's pretty putrid :p

Second question: today I took her out to clean (she'd musked again) her enclosure and to handle her a bit. She had this very odd bump on her side, around where her stomach is. It sticks out, you can see it if you look at her from a distance. It's quite hard, and about the size of a small pea. My mom suggested a mouse bone that hasn't been digested yet. She did eat an adult f/t mouse on the 14th (two days ago) It was her first adult mouse, previously she's been on rat pinkies (two per meal) and had no problem. It really scares me though, because I've never heard of a mouse bone sticking out like that. She does still have a small overall mouse bump, you can still tell it's in her. So my question is, is this nothing to worry about? Or is it really bad?


And Katt, if you read this- do you have her exact hatching date? I can't remember if I asked you when I emailed you.

Other than those things, she's doing great and is a pretty fun snake to have ^_^

[gonesnakee]

Well VBBs have pretty rank poo for a Colubrid is part of it & IMO the females no matter what Colubrid tend to musk more than the males & VBBs usually won't when older if handled regularily. They will musk when handled as youngsters sometimes though but its not real common. I think what you are calling musking in reguards to her peeing & pooping is just the fact that yes their poop does stink more than average. Wait until it gets older & starts going in the water all the time. Its not too bad until you dump it & its hold your breath, flush & start spraying something flowery quick LOL as yes they are pretty rank.
The lump thing I'm not too sure about. Like is it right where the mouse lump is located because it could indeed be part of the mouse? Did the snake jerk or react when you touched it? If so it could be a possible broken rib or injury? Does it possibly feel like a cyst or something? Can only guess & even if I saw it it could be hard too tell what it is for sure. I would keep monitoring it & if it appears to grow or anything or bother the snake get it checked out for sure. Maybe it will disappear with the mouse? Hopefully it is nothing but watch it & don't hesitate to ask others about it. Mark

[Katt]

Keep handling that little girl otherwise. Blues aren't corn snakes and they need more handling to tame down and stay tame.

I don't know her hatch date, but perhaps Mark does!

I can't believe how much she can eat!! Mine are eating hoppers, but I do under feed as I am concerned about regurgitation.

As for the lump. That's a bit disconcerting. Is she pooping normally? If not, I'd be worried it is an impaction.

I notice that musky smell from all my snakes when they poop or pee especially if they are kept on paper towel or newspaper. I think just the pressure from expelling wastes causes the musk glands to squeeze a bit and for musk to seep out. Like dogs and their anal glands.

Glad she is doing well for you and you like her so!! Keep handling her. She'll stop that snappiness!

Best of luck!

[Kury]

Yeah, well... musk is liquid isn't it? Poo is solid... She has pooped, it smells bad, but much more poopy. This, is a liquid yellowy brown, soaks the paper towel. And smells very similiar to corn musk- only worse (and yeah mark, the lil' corn I got from you musked me the other day! 'twas funny though, cause she didn't get my clothes ^_^) The only way I can describe the musk scent is... like male cat spray, and dried cilantro... mixed together O_O

The poo was solid, and smelled... like any other snake poo, although you are right- much stronger.

The lump now, is right where the mouse lump is. She let me rub my fingers over, and didn't appear to move faster or squirm. She actually paused for a minute, and I put my hand over her relatively tight and let her crawl through it, to feel how hard it was. She doesn't seem to be in any pain. The skin is normal, although if she turns her body in the right direction the scales on the bump are stretched a good bit. It doesn't SEEM like a cyst, but then, I've never seen one on a snake. I will definitely watch carefully, and if it shrinks I guess we'll know it's the mouse ^_^ Hope so. But she doesn't seem in any pain, which is a good sign I guess.

Thanks for replying so quick ^_^

[Kury]

Oh Katt, you replied while I was replying.

Is feeding her too much bad? Would impaction be caused by that? I just sorta let her eat what she wants... okay, that's a lie. She'd eat more if I let her O_O

That's interesting about the musk... she is on paper towel ^_^ Guess I'll have to switch to something else.

And as for the handling, she hasn't bitten me for about three or four sessions. It's really me more than her. She does not like being touched where the pattern ends, although gradually she is letting me go about an inch up... and if I move quick she doesn't like it, and when I feed her I have to put a towel over her enclosure- otherwise she goes into a frenzy and bangs her face into the side!! O_O if I leave it 15-30 minutes she's fine. She's only let me watch her eat the first meal, otherwise if I even LOOK at her she'll spit it out (she did that the second last meal)

The reason I like her "aggressiveness" is because it's a challenge. She needs my respect, and if I don't give it to her, she lets me know! I like her attitude ^_^

[Joe]

great snakes... here is a link of a care sheet put together by all the above and Jen(clownfishie), thanks Marc, Katt and Jen I really apreciate it!... http://slitheringserpents.com/bluebeautycare.htm

[Katt]

Oh man, reading your posts make me so glad that you like her so much!!

I did an evil thing and got myself some more blue beauties to diversify the bloodlines. Now I have three bloodlines to work with!

Here are my latest editions!

This male is quite big compared to his brothers and sisters.
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/Kattia/Rats/byronbluem.jpg">

This little female has a wicked pattern!

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/Kattia/Rats/byronbluef.jpg">

I would like to thank Byron for these guys. He has a classified add for them and I reccomend him for blues as well as Mark IsBell.

[Clownfishie]

OoOo... I LOVE that female Katt, she looks awesome!! Congrats on the newbies :)

And Joe, you're very welcome babe :)


Jen

[gonesnakee]

I too was going to recomend the caresheet from Joe's site. So its one of mine is it Katt, well lets see Laid on April 19/04 & hatched on June 18/04 with 15 other clutchmates. Parents being "Mr. Nasty" & "Nasty's Date" Mark

[Katt]

That she is Mark! I kept the two I liked the most. Next year I want a male from you!

Here are her sisters!

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/Kattia/Rats/bluecute.jpg">
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/Kattia/Rats/blueface.jpg">

[gonesnakee]

In that stupid kinky position they seem to like so much LOL Mark

[Kury]

Awesome caresheet! Hadn't run into it on any of my searches, think it's the best I've seen ^_^

Ah, so she's from Mark ^_^ Thanks for the hatching dates and all... now I'll have to go write them down.

Nice pics Katt.

I'll update on 'The Bump' tomorrow. Today I'm at my dads.

[Kury]

Late update... sorry.

Anyhow, 'The Bump'... is gone!!!! Yay! So, I guess that should mean it was a mouse. I'll keep checking her, to make sure it doesn't come back or anything (except of course if she's eaten a mouse recently)

When I held her this evening my mom was trying to feel where the bump had been, and she was NOT happy with that. First time she's shown her teeth in over a week, actually, two or three. Usually she just turns her head and "glares" at you, but today, as my mom walked away, she opened her mouth and "jumped" forward. No hit though.

She also... musked in the water dish. That's a first. And you're right, it's much easier to clean out ^_^

I really really want my mom to get a house. We're in an apartment right now, and, my bedroom is my snake room. Not good... and, worst of all; I was measuring around figuring out where to keep a 6 x 2 x 2 enclosure (for Nuriko, my VBB, when she's bigger) the only place in my bed/snake room is... where my bed is. Sooo, I guess, my bed goes. Next year. Unless my mom can find a house.

[Joe]

thats great that it's gone... here's an idea for your enclosure... make it a little longer then 6ft and make 2 of them... simply put your matress on top of them...lol, good luck bud and happy herping!

[Katt]

<laugh> We threw out a couch once to fit a cage into our living room when we lived in an apartment.

In actuality you can keep her singly in a 4x2x2 and she would be fine.

[Kury]

But she would be better off in a 6x2x2, right? Though the 4x2x2 is a nice thought...