I got a free snake... I don't know how to take care of it and it looks weird

Kitty · 07-08-13, 08:16 PM

Me and my roommate went to go buy a 20 gallon aquarium to put our beta fish into. The guy who sold it to us offered to give it to us for free if we took the animal that he was keeping in it. He told us that it was a girl Rosy snake and it's two years old, but we didn't ask anything else because we didnt really want to keep it. We tried to take her to the only pet shop that's close to us (and it's a 30 minute drive) but the owner told us that he was full until he could sell another snake. We kept her the last two days in the aquarium and we're kind of rethinking our decision to sell her. The problem is that we don't know how to take care of a snake and it looks kind of weird. It's kind of saggy with some loose skin and it's face skin is stuck on it. It kept on running around everywhere until we went to go buy a snake house that looks like a cave. Now it just stays in there and doesn't go crazy unless we take its house out. We put a little cat water bowl in there but she just kept knocking it all over the place so we had to go all the way back to get one that's for snakes. It's huge and covers probably 25% of the aquarium. We also made it a bed inside the cave with a shirt, but now we don't know what else to buy it. The fish tank looks kind of small but it never comes out anyways so we don't know if it even needs more room. Also, how are we supposed to know when to feed it? I know that they eat rats and mice, but I don't know which one this snake eats or when I should give it one next.

Ummm, I think that's all the questions we had, but any advice is good.

KORBIN5895 · 07-08-13, 08:36 PM

The loose skin sounds like it hasn't been fed in awhile. It may also be getting ready to shed which means it will peel the top layer of skin off.

If you could post a pic or email one to me of the snake and the setup I could give a little more advice but I am not too sure of all of the husbandry requirements of a rosy.

Do you have a heat source? What is on top of the cage for containment?

marvelfreak · 07-08-13, 08:39 PM

Pictures of the snake and cage would really help us to help you. Also get a heat pad. I am guess ing from the sound of it you don't have a heat source?

sweatshirt · 07-08-13, 08:44 PM

Wow it sounds like the poor thing got horrible care

Don't forget the thermostat for the heat source, whatever it is...

Kitty · 07-08-13, 08:49 PM

The aquarium has a screen cover lid that has a place for a lock on it. I don't have a camera on my IPod, but I can look for a snake that looks like her if you want. And I'm guessing a shirt doesn't count as a heat source O_O What kind of heat source do they need? There was skin all over the tank so I think its done, but the part on its face is stuck. Am i supposed to pull it off? Also, do snakes like to be picked up? Mine runs away from me.
Thanks for the help everyone!

Amadeus · 07-08-13, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitty

The aquarium has a screen cover lid that has a place for a lock on it. I don't have a camera on my IPod, but I can look for a snake that looks like her if you want. And I'm guessing a shirt doesn't count as a heat source O_O What kind of heat source do they need? There was skin all over the tank so I think its done, but the part on its face is stuck. Am i supposed to pull it off? Also, do snakes like to be picked up? Mine runs away from me.
Thanks for the help everyone!

A ceramic heat emmiter, a heat mat, or a plain old light will do the trick.

If it's a rosy boa then it will need low humidity.

marvelfreak · 07-08-13, 09:20 PM

If it has skin stuck to it you need to give it a soak in luck warm water. Then after it soaked a bit carefully try to pull or rub the stuck skin off. The easiest way is to just let it crawl thought a towel as you dry it off.

For heat source a heat pad would work best. You put it under the tank. You'll also want to get some reptile bark or sand for substrate they love to burrow. Plus you will want a hide at each end of the cage. When you get a heat pad you will want to put it at one side of the cage. It should be big enough to cover 1/4 to1/3 of the bottom of the cage. Put a small water bowl at the opposite end of the cage from the heat. For Rosies. you only need to put the bowl in for a few hours every couple days. They don't do well with a lot of humidity.

franks · 07-08-13, 09:23 PM

You should try to pm Korbin to email him some pics. He will be able to help you out.

Here is what you need to know to get started:

You should buy a light dome at home depot, and a 40-60 watt halogen flood bulb. From a hardware store, these items will cost you a fraction of the price then if you were to get it at a petstore. This will provide heat.

You will need a digital temperature and humidity guage, which you can get at walmart in their outdoor section for $9.

You want a warm spot in the low 90's, and the other side of your tank should be cooler, 78*-80*.

There are many ways to heat a snake, but with Rosy Boas it is easier to put a heat lamp up, and these snakes do not need high humidity.

Your snake needs hides, it can be as simple as old clay jars or small boxes.

If you wanted to buy aspen shavings for bedding, your snake may burrow underneath.

You should feed it every 7-10 days, a meal that is one and a half times the thickness of the thickest part of the snake. Do not be fooled by their tiny heads, these little boas can put down.

And congrats! Rosy boas are pretty cool. The only boa made in America! Generally they are docile, they do not really get more than 3' and they make a great first snake in my opinion. Mine is the most active snake I have. They are easy to feed, easy to handle, easy to breed, and easy to keep.

To help with your snake's stuck shed, you can soak a hand-towel in luke warm water, take the snake out, and let the snake keep slithering through it in your hands. Also, make sure there is something rough (but not sharp) in your cage so your snake can rub some skin off it wants. You can also put a moist hide in to help it. In the wild, they seek out the dampest burrows they can find (although not always available) and it may help your snake out during its rough shed. You can cut a hole in a tupperware container and fill it with damp moss to do this. Good luck!

Amadeus · 07-08-13, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by franks

You should try to pm Korbin to email him some pics. He will be able to help you out.

Here is what you need to know to get started:

You should buy a light dome at home depot, and a 40-60 watt halogen flood bulb. From a hardware store, these items will cost you a fraction of the price then if you were to get it at a petstore. This will provide heat.

You will need a digital temperature and humidity guage, which you can get at walmart in their outdoor section for $9.

You want a warm spot in the low 90's, and the other side of your tank should be cooler, 78*-80*.

There are many ways to heat a snake, but with Rosy Boas it is easier to put a heat lamp up, and these snakes do not need high humidity.

Your snake needs hides, it can be as simple as old clay jars or small boxes.

If you wanted to buy aspen shavings for bedding, your snake may burrow underneath.

You should feed it every 7-10 days, a meal that is one and a half times the thickness of the thickest part of the snake. Do not be fooled by their tiny heads, these little boas can put down.

And congrats! Rosy boas are pretty cool. The only boa made in America! Generally they are docile, they do not really get more than 3' and they make a great first snake in my opinion. Mine is the most active snake I have. They are easy to feed, easy to handle, easy to breed, and easy to keep.

To help with your snake's stuck shed, you can soak a hand-towel in luke warm water, take the snake out, and let the snake keep slithering through it in your hands. Also, make sure there is something rough (but not sharp) in your cage so your snake can rub some skin off it wants. You can also put a moist hide in to help it. In the wild, they seek out the dampest burrows they can find (although not always available) and it may help your snake out during its rough shed. You can cut a hole in a tupperware container and fill it with damp moss to do this. Good luck!

All good info. Listen to this guy.

BTW you forgot rubber boas =]

franks · 07-09-13, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amadeus

All good info. Listen to this guy.

BTW you forgot rubber boas =]

Yes I did, Korbin just pointed that out to me. I knew nothin about them 30 minutes ago. Pretty cool snakes.

sweatshirt · 07-09-13, 01:46 AM

I just Googled rubber boas... they're awesome =)

warehouse13fan · 07-09-13, 08:50 AM

Pics please?