BP Update

[Nos]

figured i'd update everyone on my new snake monty. i got this enclosure its 36 by 18 and i set it up with zoo med repti bark. he has two hides but he seems to like exploring. the light is just a normal bulb which doesn't provide heat, that is from a heating pad. was thinking about putting in a UVB bulb. anything anyone would recommend?
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/2568/montyo.jpg

[stephanbakir]

Snakes don't need UV, also, not sure why I didn't think of this earlier, but BPs are nocturnal, the light will bother them.

[NennaMeerkat]

Beautiful tank! Good job on the setup for sure.

[mykee]

Nice set up.
You might want to up that temp from 88.7 to around 92-ish.
Also, the hide is for his benefit, not yours, so I'll suggest you turn the giant opening away from the world towards the back of the enclosure so he actually gets some privacy and security.

[Nos]

Im most likely going to be getting a new hide, there's two in the picture but the one that you can see the door way open too is for like a gecko, it has another smaller opening on the back and isn't too good for him.

Also not sure what you mean by the light will bother them, if its only on during the day? i know they don't need UV but was wondering if it would benefit his colouring, guess not thou

[stephanbakir]

Bp's are nocturnal. They don't like light.

[NennaMeerkat]

Bp's are nocturnal. They don't like light.

Yet they deal with it in the wild...they are nocturnal...not cave dwellers that never see the light.

Light is not needed for him but at the same time there is nothing wrong with giving the snake a day and night schedule. Especially if the room you have him in doesn't get a lot of natural light.

[Nos]

Yeah really, they may be nocturnal but since i live in a basement and work during the day the lights in my room are off and it gets pretty dark.
all i was asking is if I have to provide a light cycle because he dose not get enough light during the day would he benefit at all from a UVB. want to know if it could harm him more then any other bulb.

[NennaMeerkat]

Personally I think it is healthy for any animal that would normally get light (even if "asleep" during the day) for at most 12 hours. It helps them be healthier. If you don't have a room that gets normal natural light I would suggest using just a normal low wattage bulb that won't produce a lot of heat. He won't benefit from a UVB at all, and it might be a bit bright as well. Cheaper overall to get a normal bulb that won't be bright. Won't harm him though.

[marionsclan]

Is it true that snakes can't see red light light from a red tinted heat bulb?

[Nos]

Is it true that snakes can't see red light light from a red tinted heat bulb?

I don't believe this to be true, and yes right now i have a normal low watt bulb that gives just enough light as you can see in the picture.

[SPARTAN 77]

Bp's are nocturnal. They don't like light.

yeah, you should get a bulb that gives heat but not light.

[ilovemypets1988]

you could also get or even put a descent heat lamp in there for the day, 1 that gives heat and light, that would solve your lighting problem, plus the benefit of heat aswell, as the heat would be from above during the day would give a more definite natural day heating stimulation.
even though bp`s are nocturnal, it will never hurt to have a day/night cycle which would stimulate the natural cycle that the snakes would encounter in the wild and should give them a more healthier mind as well.

seeing the fact that we have the pleasure in having these animals, we should be right do everything we can to give them everything that they would encounter within here natural wild cycle, these are wild animals how ever much we tame them by handling them and feeding the way we do.

[mykee]

"you could also get or even put a descent heat lamp in there for the day"
Heat lamps dry out air.
Low humidity is a bad idea.
Heat lamps suck for species that require humidity.

[Lankyrob]

Heat lamps dry out air.
Low humidity is a bad idea.
Heat lamps suck for species that require humidity.


Unless you have a proper VIVARIUM rather than an AQUARIUM - with a proper enclosed viv heat lamps arent as bad as people make out.

[ilovemypets1988]

Unless you have a proper VIVARIUM rather than an AQUARIUM - with a proper enclosed viv heat lamps arent as bad as people make out.

thats true, i use a heat lamp for my hoggie during the day, in a wooden viv and it doesnt effect the humidity at all

[Nos]

So I tried feeding Monty yesterday and he refused. I've had him for 12 days now and I tried before with a rat I bought at the expo and thawed out and neither he nor Koil would eat those rats. So i figured I'd buy some from the local pet store, I get my rats from on a regular basis. Sure enough Koil, who never refuses, ate yesterday, but Monty refused again.
Any thoughts on why this is. I can only imagine its from me first having him in a rubber maid, for the first week i had him, before I moved him to this enclosure. With the added stress of moving to a new home.
Would it be better for him to be in a smaller enclosure for now with just paper towel until he gets used to me. I don't want to move him back out of this enclosure just yet and cause more stress.

[Lankyrob]

I would leave him alone just changing water and offer food every 7 days - dont disturb/handle him AT ALL until he has eaten on two consecutive occassions for you, then start with some gentle interaction to ensure that he keeps eating.

[Nos]

I would leave him alone just changing water and offer food every 7 days - dont disturb/handle him AT ALL until he has eaten on two consecutive occassions for you, then start with some gentle interaction to ensure that he keeps eating.

Thanks for the advice, I tried to do this when i first got him I have a lock on the cage now so i might start taking the Key with me to work. My girlfriend who lives with me told me she gave him a bath the other day, in our shower, needless to say it really upset me.

Im have some updated photos
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/4431/nospet2.jpg
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/1272/nospet3.jpg
I put some press and seal wrap on the top to try and increase the humidity.
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/5048/nospet4.jpg
And bought a new hide which is not on the heating pad so its only about 87ºF with a 75w light over it that I changed over to today.
http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/5139/nospet5.jpg

[Nos]

should i be as worried as i am, my snake still hasn't eaten and I've had him for almost a month.

I've tried to feed F/T once every week and left him alone between attempts, the last time he struck at the rat once but missed and never tried again, lost interest after about 15 minutes and i kept trying but he seems very hesitant of it.

am thinking about trying a mouse maybe live mouse and stunning it or a live rat and stunning it. any idea's
only thing i tried was leaving the rat in at night in a small container with a hole big enough for the snake i also tried to feed him the same rat that night.

[Gungirl]

BPs can go for a long time without food just make sure you have everything right for him.
Temp, hides, humidity ect.. keep him in a quiet room and only try feeding once every 7 days. Maybe leaving the f/t in his viv over night ....

Mine just came off a 6 week hunger strike and finally took one last week. As long as he isnt loosing weight and looks good dont sweat it.

[stephanbakir]

Looks awesome, probably nothing to worry about.

[Lankyrob]

Wouldnt worry yet unless the snake is looking to lose condition. My BP will leave food if he misses his forst strike - almost like he is embarassed, have you tried leaving thre prey overnight for him?

[Jenn_06]

Like ppl said BPs will go off food, like mines has not eaten since Dec but that from breeding season. If i was you i would not try to feed for 2 weeks and they try f/t if that does not work do another 2 weeks and this time try live. what did the breeder feed it live or f/t.

[Nos]

Yes i have tried leaving it in his enclosure over night with no luck.

the breeder said: He is eating frozen thawed rats weekly. Maybe even try a mouse to get him interested. He ate here every week without any problems at all

[NennaMeerkat]

Have you considered if the environment is stressful? Like in a high traffic area or events going on all the time? I had to move my snake into another part of the house because she was uber stressed. Had to put her in a room where no one really goes except to sleep. Sure enough her nearly 3 months off food is over.

Also are you trying to feed at dusk or night when the snake is normally supposed to be out? BP's are nocturnal and I think they would probably want to eat at night as well.

[Nos]

I leave my house at 7 am for work and on a good day am home around 7 pm. so i have tried to feed him around 8 or 9 before, and he is kept in my bedroom, not really high traffic my girlfriend works most days and she's the only one in my room when im not here. i have a golden tegu enclosure beside his tank but Kramer (my tegu) always burrows around 3oclock and stays burrowed all night. (i never see him). Im in bed by 12 normally theres a little light from 7-12 thats about it though.
I have made a beautiful cabinet to put his glass enclosure in and am thinking of getting a curtain so my light dosn't bother him at night.

[stephanbakir]

Has his overall attitude gotten better?

[Nos]

Has his overall attitude gotten better?

hes less skittish but i havnt been handling him much other then feeding or cleaning. want him to get some meals down before we get to close.

[Nos]

he finally ate! I feed him tonite around 10 o clock and he ate a frozen thawed rat pup. :)
he seem really afraid when I went to pick him back up to place him in his enclosure. I've never seen a BP move so fast

[Nos]

figured id update everyone on how my snake is, he ate for the first time three weeks ago and then refused the week after but am happy to say both my snakes ate yesterday. :)