Just bought Dumerils Boa

[forza_inter]

Hey everyone, i just recently purchased a 4 month old dumeril's boa, and i've been going crazy trying to make sure i have everything in order and perfect for her.

....below is a picture of the enclosure and a picture of her....if anyone has any suggestions or tips, please feel free to let me know. Thanks in advance!

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/6037/img2011051500049.jpg
By dan_mancuso (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/dan_mancuso) at 2011-05-15

http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/2219/img2011051500051.jpg
By dan_mancuso (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/dan_mancuso) at 2011-05-15

http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/189/img2011051400047.jpg
By dan_mancuso (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/dan_mancuso) at 2011-05-15

[infernalis]

sSnakeSs.com - Rules (http://www.ssnakess.com/index.php?page=rules)

http://www.thamfriends.com/mat.jpg

[TeaNinja]

looks like a nice snake :)

[forza_inter]

Thanks guys.....i currently have just the 1 heat lamp, but i plan on getting a heat mat as well....this is the first snake that i've owned and i've been doing a lot of research to help me get a better understanding of how to care for her

my 2 biggest concerns are the heat sources and if my snake is getting the proper heat and humidity she requires, and second the bedding that i should use....i've read that many owners claim that newspapers or aspen bedding works best....

opinions and experiences would be greatly appreciated

[TeaNinja]

i have my big male dumerils in a 4x2x2 wooden viv with just a heat lamp built into the top.
http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af184/teaninja/newviv001-1.jpg

i'm probably going to get some kind of belly heat eventually, but my BP and dum are both doing fine with just top heat right now.

for substrate i mix reptibark and coconut fiber/husk stuff. it holds humidity well and doesn't really mold.

http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af184/teaninja/substrate001.jpg

[Xochiquetzal]

I have always been led to believe belly heat is most important , and told also to use aspen bedding , but if she eats and sheds well then you must be doing it right! She is very pretty!

[forza_inter]

thats a really nice enclosure man....im a big fan of the red heat light as well. the white light seems too bright.....im assuming you turn it off at night or at some point of the day....so the heat from just a lamp is enough to keep your snake comfortable while its off?

and how often do you change the substrate?

[forza_inter]

I have always been led to believe belly heat is most important , and told also to use aspen bedding , but if she eats and sheds well then you must be doing it right! She is very pretty!


yea thanks, shes a beauty....as for the feeding and shedding, i just got her 2 days ago so i havent experience either of them yet....im feeding her tuesday, im praying that it goes well and she eats without any problems. i read way too many instances where people have had problems getting their snake to eat :S

[Ch^4]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on the new addition! She is gorgeous!

[Lankyrob]

With a heat lamp the snake still gets belly heat as the lamp heats up the substrate as well as the air - if you want to use a lamp but not have light use Ceramic heat emitters - they stay on 24/7 and as long as thermostatted correctly then they are fine. We have them for all of our snakes and have no problem with heat or humidity (all in wooden vivs rather than glass aquariums).

[stephanbakir]

Thermostats are a must.

[forza_inter]

With a heat lamp the snake still gets belly heat as the lamp heats up the substrate as well as the air - if you want to use a lamp but not have light use Ceramic heat emitters - they stay on 24/7 and as long as thermostatted correctly then they are fine. We have them for all of our snakes and have no problem with heat or humidity (all in wooden vivs rather than glass aquariums).

yea those ceramic heat emitters sound like a good alternative to an actual bulb....i've beem trying to go with a day/ night pattern for her, but because at the moment i only have the 1 light, in fear of temperatures dropping over night i have been leaving it all 24/7

[forza_inter]

also a general question to everyone.....when i do eventually get my heat pad, what should i use for the "hot" side of the tank, the light? or the pad? and also how much of the tank should be specified for the hot area, and how much for the cooler area

thanks

[Lankyrob]

About 1/3 of the tank should have the mat if you use one - and with regards to the day/night cycle in a glass tank he will definitely be getting that from natural light so actually providing additional light is unnecessary. All my vivs are enclosed on 5 sides and i dont provide extra lighting.

[MoonlightBoas]

Welcome to the forum, and grats on picking up a Dumerils Boa. They're definitely one of my favorites. It looks like you have a pretty nice cage setup. Although Dumerils do well with Aspen Bedding, other substrates work fine too. I typically use a temperature gradient from 75-85 degrees, and around 40-60 percent humidity. Unless you live in the desert, you probably don't need to be too concerned with humidity as long as she's eating and shedding well. Under-tank heat pads work great, and should always be connected to a thermostat. Also, I'd consider changing your white light to red. Although Dumerils boas aren't completely nocturnal, they're most active at nighttime. I hope this helps out. I also wrote a detailed Dumerils Boa Care Sheet (http://www.moonlightboas.com/care-info/care-sheets/dumerils-boa-care-sheet.php). I'd be happy to answer any questions you have.

[Marica]

Grats on the nice Dum forza_inter and welcome to the forum.

What are you using to measure the temperature in your tank? 1 heat source should be okay, and if you find the light is working well than I wouldn't bother adding a mat. If you do find that you need to use a heat mat and a heat lamp, they should be on the same side, as you want one side of the enclosure to be warm and one cooler.

Both of my little guys are in 20L Critter Cages with aspen bedding and an UTH for a heat source. Though as stated above there are several options for substrate and heating, you just have to figure out what works best for you and your snake.

Dums usually like to borrow, so plenty of substrate is always nice. For your enclosure I would recommend more cover (some plants or vines) and/or attach a print or aquarium backing to the sides and back of the tank to make it seem more enclosed.

I find I need to up the humidity when my guys go into shed so I give them a moist hide, mist occasionally and partially cover there tanks with a damp towel.

Good luck with your new girl and don't forget to post more pics of her once she's settled in.

[forza_inter]

Grats on the nice Dum forza_inter and welcome to the forum.

What are you using to measure the temperature in your tank? 1 heat source should be okay, and if you find the light is working well than I wouldn't bother adding a mat. If you do find that you need to use a heat mat and a heat lamp, they should be on the same side, as you want one side of the enclosure to be warm and one cooler.

Both of my little guys are in 20L Critter Cages with aspen bedding and an UTH for a heat source. Though as stated above there are several options for substrate and heating, you just have to figure out what works best for you and your snake.

Dums usually like to borrow, so plenty of substrate is always nice. For your enclosure I would recommend more cover (some plants or vines) and/or attach a print or aquarium backing to the sides and back of the tank to make it seem more enclosed.

I find I need to up the humidity when my guys go into shed so I give them a moist hide, mist occasionally and partially cover there tanks with a damp towel.

Good luck with your new girl and don't forget to post more pics of her once she's settled in.


thanks marica.....at the moment i dont have anything measuring the temp....im in the process of getting a thermometer and humidity gauge tho, so hopefully in the next day or 2. i have the 1 heat lamp at the moment, but because its a larger enclosure, i dont think shes getting the warmth she needs. thats why i was thinking of getting a heat mat as well.

im going to put the mat on the same side as the lamp (as you and a few other people suggested) and i was wondering what i should have under the light, in the cooler area and which side the water should be on?

im also looking into getting more hides and some foliage as well

[forza_inter]

Welcome to the forum, and grats on picking up a Dumerils Boa. They're definitely one of my favorites. It looks like you have a pretty nice cage setup. Although Dumerils do well with Aspen Bedding, other substrates work fine too. I typically use a temperature gradient from 75-85 degrees, and around 40-60 percent humidity. Unless you live in the desert, you probably don't need to be too concerned with humidity as long as she's eating and shedding well. Under-tank heat pads work great, and should always be connected to a thermostat. Also, I'd consider changing your white light to red. Although Dumerils boas aren't completely nocturnal, they're most active at nighttime. I hope this helps out. I also wrote a detailed Dumerils Boa Care Sheet (http://www.moonlightboas.com/care-info/care-sheets/dumerils-boa-care-sheet.php). I'd be happy to answer any questions you have.


thanks alot, i printed out the care sheet and added it to my other ones. its nice to see a lot of helpful owners in the forums. i appreciate all the help everyone has given me so far

humidity is another worry i have....how can i tell if its humid enough for her?

and yes the red light seems like a better idea....the white is way too bright, and if i ever do need to leave a light on all night, i would rather it be a dimmer kind so i dont confuse her with day/ night

[BHR]

never leave a heat lamp inside of the incluser with out some kind of guard tho i have seen snakes with real bad burns to the point that they had to be pud down .Just a word of cushion .here are my dums
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y8/pauls_snakes/femaledum.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y8/pauls_snakes/dumpair.jpg
I should be having little ones in the next 5 or 6 weeks

[BHR]

By Nick Findlay. Reviewed by Roy Stockwell.


Dumeril Boas (Acrantophis dumerili)

They are great boas… gorgeous unique pattern, get a reasonable size and are super docile!

Distribution:

Dumeril's Boas are only native to Madagascar. They can be found in an area called the Spiny Desert, the Spiny Desert is a region that looks like the desert areas in the southern United States, like New Mexico and Arizona.

The majority of Dumeril's Boas available for sale are all captive produced. They are CITES 1 protected and no longer exported from the wild.

Size:

This is a fairly heavy bodied boa. They tend to grow slowly. Babies are large and measure approximately 18” to 20”. Males mature at - 5’ ft. Adult females’ average 5’ – 6’ ft. They usually weigh less then 20 pounds.

Housing:

You can house your juvenile in a Rubbermaid or Sterilite bin rack. Adults should be housed in a cage that measures at least 4’ long x 2’ deep.

For substrate you can use aspen shavings, coconut husk or even cypress mulch or newspaper. Dumeril Boas love to burrow so a deep substrate or /and a hide are good options. Babies especially feed better if given some cover

Provide your Dumeril with a hot spot of 85-90F and and cold end temperature of 78F - 80F. This can easily be achieved by using an Under Tank Heater (UTH) or heat tape, placed on the one side of the cage, and controlled by a thermostat.
Gravid females will seek out hot spots of 90F and sit there weeks on end while gestating babies.

Humidity levels aren't critical. A large water bowl should be provided for this species .

Lighting:

Dumeril’s are nocturnal and do not require any light other than room lighting. A small fluorescent light could be used to show off your enclosure. However, if you provide lighting, put it on a timer and have it off at night.

Feeding:

Young Dumeril’s can be fed on mice or small rats weekly. Start with mice or rat fuzzies, the prey size should be increased as the boa grows. Live feed will often entice a better feeding response especially from neonates.

Adults can be fed every 2 or 3 weeks on large rats. Preovulation females should be fed heavily in the fall and winter if babies are desired.

Prey items should be no bigger around than the Dumeril Boas girth. Adults will take full grown rats.

Setting up babies in a 12 – 15 quart Rubbermaid or Sterilite bin, with 1 -2” of bedding so they can burrow. They like to hide under their substrate and strike from underneath. Start with live then switch to F/T if that is more convenient. Most will take dead prey at night once they are established and feeding.


Breeding Dumeril Boas:

This is not a fast growing species, sometimes it can take as long as 5 years to reach sexual maturity. Feed them well, but don't try to push them. Their bodies are not designed to reach breeding size in two years, and trying to hurry them along will only result in problems.

The breeding season is from Dec to May, during and following a period of night drops into the low 70's.. Gestation typically takes about six to eight months after mating . Dumeril’s produce 6 to 12 babies on average in first litters, and some litters from older females may produce 15 - 20 babies. The babies usually shed right after being born.

Breeding is promoted by cool nights.. a few months during the fall/winter with temperatures dropping to 72F – 80F will initiate the breeding season. Males and Females may be introduced on and off from December through March between digestion of meals

Other Related Species:

[Marica]

thanks marica.....at the moment i dont have anything measuring the temp....im in the process of getting a thermometer and humidity gauge tho, so hopefully in the next day or 2. i have the 1 heat lamp at the moment, but because its a larger enclosure, i dont think shes getting the warmth she needs. thats why i was thinking of getting a heat mat as well.

im going to put the mat on the same side as the lamp (as you and a few other people suggested) and i was wondering what i should have under the light, in the cooler area and which side the water should be on?

im also looking into getting more hides and some foliage as well

Your tank does look quite tall, so I can see your concern. However, you could try a higher wattage heat emitter (I don't use lamps myself so not entirely sure if this is a proper suggestion) or try the two heat source option. Digital thermometers and hygrometers (humidity gauge) will give you a much more accurate reading than analog, which really I'd just avoid. A temp gun is also a handy reptile tool to have around no matter the size of your collection.

Make sure you have at least a hide on each the warm and cool side. I usually keep my water dish in the middle of the enclosure, however, moving it closer to the heat source can help up the humidity. The average humidity in my house is 35-40% hence why I need to use alternate methods to up the humidity during the shed process otherwise it doesn't go so well. As indicated in Moonlight's care sheet, 40-60% humidity is a good range to stay within. Basically, if your snake has difficulties shedding that's a good indicator that your humidity isn't optimum. I doubt you live anywhere where it's too low, but if it's continuously much higher than 60%, you could run the risk of a RI (Respiratory Infection).

@ BHR - Nice pair :)

[forza_inter]

never leave a heat lamp inside of the incluser with out some kind of guard tho i have seen snakes with real bad burns to the point that they had to be pud down .Just a word of cushion .here are my dums
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y8/pauls_snakes/femaledum.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y8/pauls_snakes/dumpair.jpg
I should be having little ones in the next 5 or 6 weeks

thanks for the advice man....and those are gorgeous snakes! how old are they?

[forza_inter]

Your tank does look quite tall, so I can see your concern. However, you could try a higher wattage heat emitter (I don't use lamps myself so not entirely sure if this is a proper suggestion) or try the two heat source option. Digital thermometers and hygrometers (humidity gauge) will give you a much more accurate reading than analog, which really I'd just avoid. A temp gun is also a handy reptile tool to have around no matter the size of your collection.

Make sure you have at least a hide on each the warm and cool side. I usually keep my water dish in the middle of the enclosure, however, moving it closer to the heat source can help up the humidity. The average humidity in my house is 35-40% hence why I need to use alternate methods to up the humidity during the shed process otherwise it doesn't go so well. As indicated in Moonlight's care sheet, 40-60% humidity is a good range to stay within. Basically, if your snake has difficulties shedding that's a good indicator that your humidity isn't optimum. I doubt you live anywhere where it's too low, but if it's continuously much higher than 60%, you could run the risk of a RI (Respiratory Infection).

@ BHR - Nice pair :)


excellent.....thanks very much

[marvelfreak]

Hello and welcome! How big is your Dumeril?

[BHR]

they are 4 m 5 f years old now first year breeding this Pair the male is 5 foot now the female is just over 6foot

[forza_inter]

they are 4 m 5 f years old now first year breeding this Pair the male is 5 foot now the female is just over 6foot

thats cool....2 beauties man

[forza_inter]

Hello and welcome! How big is your Dumeril?

thanks....umm not even too sure. if i had to guess id say approx a foot and a half-ish

[TeaNinja]

BHR, your dums look like they have some nice size to them :)
nice snakes.

[forza_inter]

so tomorrow i'll be giving her her first meal....(a small frozen mouse that i purchased today)

from what i read, thawing it in warm water works fine....and i plan to feed her outside of her enclosure.....how long should i wait after shes done swallowing before i can put her back in her enclosure to digest?

[TeaNinja]

she will swallow it and realign her jaw. once it's passed her upper neck and into her belly and she seems done you can put her back.

i also heard it's not even necesary to thaw in water. i take my f/t out the night before and give it to them the next day and its fine.

[Lankyrob]

I also thaw my prey items overnight at room temp and then heat them slightly on a plate on top of a radiator before feeding - right as i pick them up with tongs i heat the skull against the radiator to give a good heat signature.

[FoxxyAzn]

Im so jealous! Is it a good pet and what's its name?

[forza_inter]

I also thaw my prey items overnight at room temp and then heat them slightly on a plate on top of a radiator before feeding - right as i pick them up with tongs i heat the skull against the radiator to give a good heat signature.

heating up the skull is actually not a bad idea at all....kinda gives it a target to go for. i might just try that man....i just hope everything goes smoothly today

shes doesnt come out of her hidings....(not even at night)....i make sure the substrate is smooth and flat so i can see her tracks the next day and aside from the very 1st night i got her she doesnt come out at all. i know its a new environment for her and she has to get used to her surroundings....but is it possible that i rushed into handling her before she had time to settle in??

im actually thinking about skipping her feeding today and just leaving her in the tank with covers over the glass for a few days, undisturbed so she can get comfortable....

[forza_inter]

Im so jealous! Is it a good pet and what's its name?

haha yea i've only had her for a few days now, and i've tried to handle her for about 30 mins - an hour a day so she can get used to me...and shes been amazing. she gets a little nervous and tense when i go to get her out of the tank, but she calms down right away once shes out and im holding her

[Marica]

Sounds like she's getting used to you and settling in well. It's usually recommended to give them a week to settle into there new home - this means no interaction except to maybe change out the water. Though, not everyone agrees with this - some even offer a meal the first day, which provides a no handling excuse while they leave them digest.

I like the warm water thaw method myself. One of my Dums will eat in his feeding tub, the other will only eat in his enclosure, and even after thawing I then have to heat the rat with a hairdryer otherwise he refuses. The picky one will also refuse if he's in any stage of shed, even if I can't tell yet, so that's usually my indicator. Both my boys didn't take their first meal with me for about 6 weeks and I've often read that young Dums can be finicky eaters.

Good luck with your first feed, hopefully she's got a good appetite.

[forza_inter]

Sounds like she's getting used to you and settling in well. It's usually recommended to give them a week to settle into there new home - this means no interaction except to maybe change out the water. Though, not everyone agrees with this - some even offer a meal the first day, which provides a no handling excuse while they leave them digest.

I like the warm water thaw method myself. One of my Dums will eat in his feeding tub, the other will only eat in his enclosure, and even after thawing I then have to heat the rat with a hairdryer otherwise he refuses. The picky one will also refuse if he's in any stage of shed, even if I can't tell yet, so that's usually my indicator. Both my boys didn't take their first meal with me for about 6 weeks and I've often read that young Dums can be finicky eaters.

Good luck with your first feed, hopefully she's got a good appetite.


so i shouldnt be too worried if she doesnt eat then? and if thats the case, can i refreeze the mouse?

[Lankyrob]

I dont refreeze human food and therefore wont refreeze my snakes food. You can leav the prey in the cage on a plate overnight and then ditch it in the morning if it isnt eaten.

[Marica]

Indeed, never re-freeze. If she doesn't feed in the tub after being left securely sealed and covered or in a dark room for about a 1/2 hour, then put her back in her enclosure and leave the prey overnight. If it's still there in the morning, flush or toss, leave her alone and try again in a week.

Also, are you going to offer a mouse or a rat? Do you know what she was fed previously? I ask because it can sometimes be difficult to switch snakes from mice to rats, and being as your snake will eventually require larger prey it would better to do so sooner. It takes a lot of mice to equal a jumbo rat ;)

[forza_inter]

Indeed, never re-freeze. If she doesn't feed in the tub after being left securely sealed and covered or in a dark room for about a 1/2 hour, then put her back in her enclosure and leave the prey overnight. If it's still there in the morning, flush or toss, leave her alone and try again in a week.

Also, are you going to offer a mouse or a rat? Do you know what she was fed previously? I ask because it can sometimes be difficult to switch snakes from mice to rats, and being as your snake will eventually require larger prey it would better to do so sooner. It takes a lot of mice to equal a jumbo rat ;)


alright sounds good, thanks guys.....i heard its better to feed them later on in the day since they come out at night to hunt, so i'll be attempting the feeding soon (little nervous :S)....if she doesnt eat i'll leave it over night then dump it

also...this is random question, but i read that if you put an article of your clothing inside the enclosure it will help get the snake used to you a lot faster....any truth to that? or is it a complete myth?

[Lankyrob]

Have heard the same about the clothing item, never tried it tho! It does kinda make sense but cant say yes or no.

[forza_inter]

so, as expected, she didnt take the mouse...i let it thaw out all day....heated it with a blow dryer and then tried to wiggle it in her feeding tank....she didnt seem interested at all. so i left her and the mouse together in the dark for a half hour....nothing. then i left the mouse in her cage over night....and nothing

little concerned, even tho ive read a ton of owners having trouble with feeding the first few times.....on a positive note, just before going to bed i crept over and took a peek inside the enclosure....she was out and about, drinking water and exploring around. which made me feel better because shes actually coming out and not staying in her hides all day

[forza_inter]

QUESTION FOR EVERYONE: i have a 55 gallon tank....a 150 watt heat lamp....and a 14 watt heat mat....how should i position the lamp and the mat to ensure i have a perfect set up for my boa??

all ideas and opinions are welcome

[forza_inter]

got a surprise when i got home this afternoon....

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/7022/img2011052200143.jpg
By dan_mancuso (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/dan_mancuso) at 2011-05-22

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/1933/img2011052200145.jpg
By dan_mancuso (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/dan_mancuso) at 2011-05-22

[TeaNinja]

thats a really nice enclosure man....im a big fan of the red heat light as well. the white light seems too bright.....im assuming you turn it off at night or at some point of the day....so the heat from just a lamp is enough to keep your snake comfortable while its off?

and how often do you change the substrate?

haha, i just saw this now. :)
i actually leave that red light on 24/7. in the summer i use a 100 watt red bulb and in the colder parts i use a 75 watt. i wondered if turning it off at night would get too cold so i tried it one night and hit it with the digital thermometer like 20 minutes later and it was already in the mid 60's so i just leave it on 24/7. as for substrate change, i just spot clean whenever i see him poop or something. sometimes when i have him out i stir up all the substrate in the viv and spray it all down and such. i havn't actually done a full substrate change in months.

my dum is an adult male and he put off food for like 4-5 months then finally started eating again a month or so ago. was nice.
http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af184/teaninja/nigmaeating001.jpg

yea those ceramic heat emitters sound like a good alternative to an actual bulb....i've beem trying to go with a day/ night pattern for her, but because at the moment i only have the 1 light, in fear of temperatures dropping over night i have been leaving it all 24/7

i have a ceramic for my BP. i leave that on 24/7 also.

http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af184/teaninja/bp007-1.jpg

and very nice shed btw ;)

[TeaNinja]

heating up the skull is actually not a bad idea at all....kinda gives it a target to go for. i might just try that man....i just hope everything goes smoothly today

shes doesnt come out of her hidings....(not even at night)....i make sure the substrate is smooth and flat so i can see her tracks the next day and aside from the very 1st night i got her she doesnt come out at all. i know its a new environment for her and she has to get used to her surroundings....but is it possible that i rushed into handling her before she had time to settle in??

im actually thinking about skipping her feeding today and just leaving her in the tank with covers over the glass for a few days, undisturbed so she can get comfortable....

snakes are ninja's. my huge dum doesn't even make tracks in his substrate unless he wants to. sometimes i'll wake up and he'll have dug around and there will be little substrate dunes and peaks everywhere lol. it looks crazy. but i've definetly seen my snake going around and go back into his hide and he hasn't made any tracks.
also i sometimes stay up till like 5am and both my BP and dum are usually only out at like midnight to 6am lol. that's when the nocturnal animals roam. of course there are acceptions. i come home sometimes and my BP will be out cruising and i'll walk into my room and he'll look at me like O.O , then he hides lol.

haha yea i've only had her for a few days now, and i've tried to handle her for about 30 mins - an hour a day so she can get used to me...and shes been amazing. she gets a little nervous and tense when i go to get her out of the tank, but she calms down right away once shes out and im holding her

i wouldn't hold a snake every day, they get stressed if handled too much. i hold mine MAYBE twice a week.

[Marica]

Beautiful shed! Could be why she refused her last meal.

[forza_inter]

haha, i just saw this now. :)
i actually leave that red light on 24/7. in the summer i use a 100 watt red bulb and in the colder parts i use a 75 watt. i wondered if turning it off at night would get too cold so i tried it one night and hit it with the digital thermometer like 20 minutes later and it was already in the mid 60's so i just leave it on 24/7. as for substrate change, i just spot clean whenever i see him poop or something. sometimes when i have him out i stir up all the substrate in the viv and spray it all down and such. i havn't actually done a full substrate change in months.

my dum is an adult male and he put off food for like 4-5 months then finally started eating again a month or so ago. was nice.
http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af184/teaninja/nigmaeating001.jpg



i have a ceramic for my BP. i leave that on 24/7 also.

http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af184/teaninja/bp007-1.jpg

and very nice shed btw ;)


thats cool man....yea im def loving the red light....ever since i switched it shes been a lot more active....then again i've kinda left her alone so maybe that might be why as well....but yea lots of improvement in the last few days from my girl....and the great shed was such a relief

[forza_inter]

snakes are ninja's. my huge dum doesn't even make tracks in his substrate unless he wants to. sometimes i'll wake up and he'll have dug around and there will be little substrate dunes and peaks everywhere lol. it looks crazy. but i've definetly seen my snake going around and go back into his hide and he hasn't made any tracks.
also i sometimes stay up till like 5am and both my BP and dum are usually only out at like midnight to 6am lol. that's when the nocturnal animals roam. of course there are acceptions. i come home sometimes and my BP will be out cruising and i'll walk into my room and he'll look at me like O.O , then he hides lol.



i wouldn't hold a snake every day, they get stressed if handled too much. i hold mine MAYBE twice a week.

hahaha @ ninjas....yea thats a good way to describe them. yea i'll creep in on her and catch her about to come out of her hide....then i'll walk in, trying to go unnoticed....ya she spots me right away and slowly backs into the hide lol

btw thats a sick picture of your snake with its meal....cant wait for mine to start eating

as for the handling it twice a week....i'll take that into consideration....can it be more frequent then that as they get older tho?? only twice a week seems so little

[forza_inter]

Beautiful shed! Could be why she refused her last meal.


thanks.....yea thats possible, i waited a week and im going to try again 2morow. im gonna do things a little more different this time as well.....i put her in a smaller clear tank and held the mouse with my hand (still waiting for tongs to arrive in the mail).....im going to try to feed her in a box lined with black garbage bag.....to make it darker, and i'll try to stay as much out of sight as possible....and with the garbage bag liner i imagine it would be simple clean up after

[TeaNinja]

if you have a snake that is very used to handling you can handle more often. once you're farmiliar with their signs you can spot if they are stressed easily. if you handle often and your snake doesn't get stressed out, i say go for it. stress is the main issue to not handle too often. of course Nobody touches them in the wild ;)

i was super happy when i got that picture of my dum eating that f/t, because he put off food for so long. was a relief to get him eating again.

[forza_inter]

if you have a snake that is very used to handling you can handle more often. once you're farmiliar with their signs you can spot if they are stressed easily. if you handle often and your snake doesn't get stressed out, i say go for it. stress is the main issue to not handle too often. of course Nobody touches them in the wild ;)

i was super happy when i got that picture of my dum eating that f/t, because he put off food for so long. was a relief to get him eating again.


true that....i guess i'll have to wait and see how she turns out then

and i just finished feeding her, yes she FINALLY ate....im extremely relieved!

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/23/img2011052400155.jpg
By dan_mancuso (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/dan_mancuso) at 2011-05-24

....i ended up putting her in a box and then after i could tell she had finished swallowing i picked her up and moved her back into the tank. she seemed very rattled tho when i went to get her out of the box.....and once i put her back in the tank she flew under one of her hides. little concerned about that. maybe i should just start feeding her in the tank....just to avoid putting added stress on her when i go to put her back

[TeaNinja]

either way. when i got my dum the guy fed him out of the enclosure and i started feeding him inside and i switched him to f/t instead of live. i feed my BP in a shoebox sometimes and i always make sure to leave him for a minute to get the rat into the lower part of his body, then once he seems ready to leave the box i just pick him up and set him back in his viv.

remember, when a snake is eating it gets super stressed if messed with. if you feed f/t, you can just leave it on the cold side of the tank, chances are it will get eatin by the morning. i've had a time or two when i take the BP out and put him in the shoebox, and he's stressed and refuses to eat. so i take the f/t and just leave it in the tank and it's gone by the morning.

your snake looks very nice :)

[stephanbakir]

Grats on getting her to feed.

[Lankyrob]

Will the "feed box" fit in the enclosure? IF so just leave it in there and remove it in the morning - snakey can leave the box when he wants then.

[forza_inter]

either way. when i got my dum the guy fed him out of the enclosure and i started feeding him inside and i switched him to f/t instead of live. i feed my BP in a shoebox sometimes and i always make sure to leave him for a minute to get the rat into the lower part of his body, then once he seems ready to leave the box i just pick him up and set him back in his viv.

remember, when a snake is eating it gets super stressed if messed with. if you feed f/t, you can just leave it on the cold side of the tank, chances are it will get eatin by the morning. i've had a time or two when i take the BP out and put him in the shoebox, and he's stressed and refuses to eat. so i take the f/t and just leave it in the tank and it's gone by the morning.

your snake looks very nice :)


That's not a bad idea (leaving the f/t in the tank over night) but on the cold side? I would figure the warm side would be better so it keeps the mouse warm and. "life-like" no?? I'm def going to try it tho if I have any feeding issues in the future. Thanks man

[forza_inter]

Grats on getting her to feed.


Thanks...it was a big relief

[forza_inter]

Will the "feed box" fit in the enclosure? IF so just leave it in there and remove it in the morning - snakey can leave the box when he wants then.


That's actually a great idea...It would mean having to switch to a smaller box, but if I can reduce any unnecessary stress I def will. She seemed very unsettled when I picked her up after she ate. And the way she took off as soon as she touched the substrate in her tank rattled me a bit. I guess the search is on for a smaller box. Thanks!

[Lankyrob]

Our bp was always fed in a plastic box before we got him so we started off by putting the box in the viv and feeding him and then one week changed the box for a plate like the rest of our snakes and he was slightly more tentative but did eat and has eaten since.

[SnakeyJay]

putting it in the warm side would surely increase bacteria growth.... Not 100% on this, just my view.

[sassy_snake_lady]

I leave refused food items on the warm side. When my boa refused i saw no point leaving it on the cool side, couldn't see her taking an already refused meal once it's gone cold.

Left on the warm side it got eaten within a couple of hours :D

[Lankyrob]

I would leave refused food on warm side also - its only there for a few hours before being binned so wouldnt worry about bacteria overly much

[forza_inter]

I leave refused food items on the warm side. When my boa refused i saw no point leaving it on the cool side, couldn't see her taking an already refused meal once it's gone cold.

Left on the warm side it got eaten within a couple of hours :D


nice.....i'll def be trying that if she ever decides not to eat

[SnakeyJay]

Lol. I was thinking what if they left it all night,and then decided to eat it early hours of the morning or something after its been there a while. I suppose they wouldnt do that tho so no worries.