First timer.... yep I know im a noob... :-)

DrAgOnZ · 08-31-05, 06:55 AM

Hey everyone,

I’ve got my first python, a children's python.

Well ok I am looking after it for a friend while his GF gets to terms with him owning and wanting to house max at his house.

I am just wondering if I should be alarmed if she hasn't eaten anything for 2+ weeks I think 2 and a half, I have tried a small mouse and she had one snap at it then curled up on the other side of her house and left it.

I am not sure if it is because she is still trying to get used to her house (enclosure) or if the temperature / humidity is incorrect for her to be hungry. At the moment being in Australia it is coming into spring, so it will be warming up and I am not sure if she is coming out of being in a semi hibernating state. I am borrowing one of my mates humidity reader/ thermometer tomorrow to get a more accurate reading on the inside of the enclosure.

At the moment she keeps curling up inside her rock cave but when out of the cave will become interested in semi striking, once again not sure if this is her still becoming used to her house and used to me.

any ideas/suggestions/helpful hints would be muchly appreciated.

ReptiZone · 08-31-05, 10:49 AM

Give he some time to acclimate to the move, it dosent look like a few missed meals is gona hurt her. I think you have a carpet there not a childrens python. Might wana get a fecal done on it while you are waiting keep trying to feed when you get the results it will detremine if you have worms it or not.

Reticsrule · 08-31-05, 07:00 PM

yes i agree that is definetely a carpet (looks like an irian jaya, but im not sure on that). i think your friend's gf should be happy that thats all he wants as there are a lot worse snakes he could have chosen that she would be scared of even more. carpets dont get that big, especially irian jayas. they will pretty much stay in the 3-5 foot range. even if its a coatal (the largest carpet) they will get 6-9 feet but they are very slender semi arboreal snakes. good luck with getting him feeding

taz19772005 · 08-31-05, 07:39 PM

it looks like a coastel carpet to me.

DrAgOnZ · 09-02-05, 08:36 PM

thanks everyone, when I first saw her I thought she was a carpet, but my mate is adament she is a Childrens, I have a vet appointment on Monday and i guess most answers will come from that.

is it a good idea to keep the heat rock i have placed in the enclosure on all the time or only once she has eaten and needs help to digest.

Reticsrule · 09-02-05, 08:50 PM

i hate to break it to you but heat rocks are a TERRIBLE method of heating snakes. the can easily cause severe burns. i suggest you get rid of the heat rock and use an under tank heat source such as heat tape or a reptile heating pad. human heating pads also work but you have to make sure you get one without an auto shutoff or it will shut off every couple hours. heat lamps are another option but heat rises and snakes benefit best from belly heat that will aid them in digestion.