GTP update

[smy_749]

The new GTP with lots of stuck shed is starting to shed right now. Will update when hes finished. Hopefully whatever was stuck comes off in one piece, and the old stuck shed doesn't make for a messy shed.

[Starbuck]

i think my milk snake has had more practice, but best of luck ;)

[smy_749]

i think my milk snake has had more practice, but best of luck ;)

Yea but my little GTP has less distance to cover!

[Derek Roddy]

A damp pillow case is a good solution for dry shedding. Wet the pillow case and put the snake in few about an hour.

Cheers,
D

[smy_749]

A damp pillow case is a good solution for dry shedding. Wet the pillow case and put the snake in few about an hour.

Cheers,
D

Yea I got him that way and figured since hes still so young I'd wait till next shed before I try to bother him and rip him off his perch. He didn't shed it yet, guess he changed his mind after starting. Humidity is high so thats not the issue...will give him some more time

[Mark Taylor]

A damp pillow case is a good solution for dry shedding. Wet the pillow case and put the snake in few about an hour.

Cheers,
D


The damp pillow case is not a good idea it's been said lots of times on here the snake could suffocate ;)

Not had to worry about shedding myself so this is not from experience.

[smy_749]

The damp pillow case is not a good idea it's been said lots of times on here the snake could suffocate ;)

Not had to worry about shedding myself so this is not from experience.

The suffocating thing, from what I read, is based on human water boarding and nobody has actually had a snake suffocate from it from the people who speculated about that. Snakes aren't humans either ....:P

However alot of people DO use it, and say that it works. I will go with experience before speculation, and a damp pillow case is different than a completely sobbing wet one.

[Mark Taylor]

That's why I said not from my experience.

So if nobody has had a snake die from it why the hell did it get so much attention in other threads roamers.

Seems like I am easily led lol.:hmm:

[smy_749]

That's why I said not from my experience.

So if nobody has had a snake die from it why the hell did it get so much attention in other threads roamers.

Seems like I am easily led lol.:hmm:

Idk, maybe someone had one die...but I haven't heard about it. And there is definitely a huge difference depending how much water you add, so I'm sure someone has killed one with this method before. But you can kill your snake doing just about anything if you do it wrong so I think its irrelevant.

[Derek Roddy]

I've been doing it for over 25 years with no worries. You can drown a snake by soaking it in 3 inches of water before you'd kill it in a pillow case.

D

[Derek Roddy]

Now, I did hear about some keepers killing their snakes by putting them in a pillow case....then in a tub of water, not very smart.

D

[smy_749]

Now, I did hear about some keepers killing their snakes by putting them in a pillow case....then in a tub of water, not very smart.

D

Lol thats just stupidity at its finest.

[lady_bug87]

Easier than the pillowcase method:

Get a small tote and attach some kind of perch inside. Fill the bottom with water and place over a warm heat mat

Leave snake for a couple hours and voila... No stuck shed

[Mark Taylor]

Easier than the pillowcase method:

Get a small tote and attach some kind of perch inside. Fill the bottom with water and place over a warm heat mat

Leave snake for a couple hours and voila... No stuck shed

I will try that if they ever have a bad shed thanks. :)

[lady_bug87]

I find it works and you can check on the animal periodically I have only used this method on the arboreal species I own. For the others I use a damp wash cloth though its been a while since ive had to help anyone shed

[smy_749]

That sounds like a sauna? Is that the idea?

[lady_bug87]

Pretty much and if the skin doesnt come off for whatever reason it will make it soft enough that you can assist it with a damp cloth.

[smy_749]

Pretty much and if the skin doesnt come off for whatever reason it will make it soft enough that you can assist it with a damp cloth.

I tried to take him out, and he nailed me about 5 times. So I stopped trying to take him out.

[TheSuppishOne]

Is there a reason that GTPs are known for being more aggressive? What exactly about their "natural" environment caused them to become so bite-prone?

[Starbuck]

there are more predators in the jungles they are native to? ---> it is more likely that anything directly interacting with them is a threat (their camouflage doesn't work, so they have to resort to defensive posturing and bites)?
Just seems to me that opposed to a terrestrial snake, GTPs have less options if they are being antagonized by something, so they are quicker to resort to biting/striking. Terrestrial snakes can 'play dead', escape down a hole/crevasse, mimic a venomous snake via tail rattling, hooding, etc, and of course, bite and strike.

of course, this is all conjecture. It is an interesting question though :)

[smy_749]

I disagree with starbuck. They are a tree species, they feed on birds and bats (not exclusively) but when a bird or bat flies by they dont have time to think if thats food or what not. They arent aggressive. Evolutionary badass's who strike first ask questions later to survive is more like it

[Lankyrob]

I found with ours at first, if you approach them from above or below you are likely to get an exploratory strike, approaching the snake from the same level meant you could stroke it and have no response.

[Mark Taylor]

Good to know thanks I do agree with smy on what he just said.

[smy_749]

Some post shed pics :)

http://i1316.photobucket.com/albums/t614/Smy_749/IMG_0126_zpsfa2f6265.jpg (http://s1316.photobucket.com/user/Smy_749/media/IMG_0126_zpsfa2f6265.jpg.html)

http://i1316.photobucket.com/albums/t614/Smy_749/IMG_0117_zpse6b379b8.jpg (http://s1316.photobucket.com/user/Smy_749/media/IMG_0117_zpse6b379b8.jpg.html)

There is a spot on his neck here with a piece of stuck shed....I think there must have been multiple layers of stuck shed because it didnt come off as easily as expected, and if anything, the humidity was on the high end.

http://i1316.photobucket.com/albums/t614/Smy_749/IMG_0105_zps9edef140.jpg (http://s1316.photobucket.com/user/Smy_749/media/IMG_0105_zps9edef140.jpg.html)

[lady_bug87]

Give him another shed cycle with the right humidity and it should sort itself

[smy_749]

I got all of it off with the technique you told me with the heat pad underneath and making a sauna, then letting him run through my hands and it came right off. Only piece is that one on is neck because he won't let me get anywhere near it or he nails me.

[lady_bug87]

Glad I could help

so long as its just a patch and doesn't go all the way around his neck I would just leave it. His eyes look good from the pictures. And you said the shed came off his tail. As long as nothing is binding and there is no retained shed on the eyes, nose, vent or tail the rest can wait. No need to stress him out more than necessary

Just make sure your humidity is spot on

[Mark Taylor]

He is a spicy looking gtp I will get one some day keep the pics coming.

[smy_749]

Glad I could help

so long as its just a patch and doesn't go all the way around his neck I would just leave it. His eyes look good from the pictures. And you said the shed came off his tail. As long as nothing is binding and there is no retained shed on the eyes, nose, vent or tail the rest can wait. No need to stress him out more than necessary

Just make sure your humidity is spot on

According to the hygro its spot on, the question is how spot on is the hygro. I think its accurate...Anyways, I have like 5inches of substrate and peat moss, along with live plants so its pretty good. I'm going to a hotel on the red sea for 10 days though :S Taking my mom on vacation :D

[lady_bug87]

10 days isn't the end of the world just make sure to give him a really good spray when you leave and wet the substrate a little more than usual then give good spray when you get home

[smy_749]

10 days isn't the end of the world just make sure to give him a really good spray when you leave and wet the substrate a little more than usual then give good spray when you get home

My sister will be doing the spraying. I told her to spray once a day when its at like 60 or so in the morning. Itll get to like 85-95 depending on spray amount and drop back to 60 by the next morning. She wont have to open the cage so shell be ok lol

[smy_749]

Just another update. Went into my room in the old house where my reptiles are still, I haven't moved them to my apartment yet. Found a 100% perfect shed from him. Didn't know he was even in shed, been so busy moving. Its been About a month since his last rough shed because of all the stuck shed.

He's finally starting to get some noticeable green spots on his body (there was a few on his head before). Unfortunately I only have pics of the shed :P Managed to pull it out in one piece, but didn't measure it.

Heres the pic, sorry it sucks and the flesh is in the way.

[franks]

Nice,,, you should show off the chondro with a few pics

[smy_749]

Nice,,, you should show off the chondro with a few pics

Will do, tomorrow during the day I'll get some good pictures. I can't take a decent pic at night because the flash on my iphone screws everything up, and I don't have my camera atm.

[smy_749]

Heres a few bad pics after todays feeding

[smy_749]

So hes been in a rubbermaid for about a week now. 2 sides are covered, 2 sides open. And 4 pvc pipes which intersect along with all his old plants. I switched because of the move and the exo-terra was dirty, so I figured I'd give a wider than tall enclosure a try. I have to say, creating a better horizontal temp gradient, he is constantly moving around, using 4 different perch areas now. He sleeps under the lamp at night once he settles in for the night, but hes very very active now. He also ate a larger hopper mouse only 3 days ago, looked like he was on the hunt tonight, so I fed him another large one and he took it no problem. Looking chunky though.

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/p480x480/1002740_147292065462225_140259340_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/p480x480/1005580_147292062128892_239858088_n.jpg

[franks]

Wow smy, looks incredible! Not to get aaron all riled up or anything... but... your snake looks extremely affectionate.

[smy_749]

hes viscious. And I swear his strike range is 90% of his body length. He nailed me on the nose from across the tub a few days ago, was being stupid, dont ask.

[franks]

hes viscious. And I swear his strike range is 90% of his body length. He nailed me on the nose from across the tub a few days ago, was being stupid, dont ask.

*asked*

Were you giving him eskimo kisses?

I have never owned one, but from the videos I have watched, and from my friend's chondros, I have been astounded at how far they can launch. Incredible.

[smy_749]

Yea he never holds on though, and its hard to tell where his heads at sometimes. Hes so alert, he strikes food upside down if its behind him on the perch. Its the most fun snake to feed imo. Especially when you hold it far away and he extends his body out slowly , its incredible. When I walk by him, 9/10 you can hear him strike the enclosure lol

[lady_bug87]

Cool. Looking good.

My girl is pretty relaxed she doesn't strike. I can stick my hands right in her Viv and do whatever needs doing. I can touch her and take her out with no issues. All they need is a couple inches of their tail for grip that's why they can launch like that.

Its feeding night tonight in my house

[franks]

You should post a feeding vid ladybug.
I have a royal that will strike the enclosure when I walk by. That kind of stuff freaks me out, I am so worried about the snake hurting itself so I just covered it.