how active?

K1LOS · 04-04-05, 11:57 PM

Hello everyone,

just curious how active everyone's columbian red tails are.

I recently got one, about a month back. He is in "ambush" mode 100% of the time. By ambush mode i mean, just the tip of his nose sitting out of his hide, and thats it. I don't know if he moves around inside the hide or not, i can't see, but it doesn't seem like it. When i take him out to handle him he is pretty active and curious.

Last time i took him out, when i returned him to his cage he chose the warmside instead of the cool end. But he always just stays in the same hide until next time i take him out, and then maybe he'll choose the other side.

It shouldn't be a hunger thing because i am feeding him once a week, every thursday, and he still has a lump from last week. He has been getting fuzzy rats, and last week a mouse that was slightly larger then teh rats, but smaller then the widest part of his body still. But still he waits....

I haven't actually measured the humidity, i have just been spraying 2x a week. Could that be the issue. I'll switch the humidity guage out of the cham enclosure for the day tomorrow and see what i get.

I will take a picture of his cage, and post the current temps right on the photo. I'll try and get that up tomorrow.

Is this normal, or is something wrong?

Geoff

RB420 · 04-05-05, 05:24 AM

My bci will sit in her hide usually for the two days following feeding. other than that she rarely uses it except to sit on top of. I find she is rather active, always laying in a new place or postion when i come in room.

K1LOS · 04-05-05, 11:44 AM

there is his tank.

The reason it is coolest in the middle is because his basking area is on the left hand side, but to warm up the cool end i put an UTH under there.

that is not the temp of the water in the middle, that is just the ground temp around there. And the other ones are the temps inside the hides.

LMK what you think needs to be done. Is this the cause of his inactivity?

Thanks

Geoff

K1LOS · 04-05-05, 11:45 AM

pretty basic huh? im waiting for the weather to thaw a little more and then im gonna grab him some stix from the forest for him to climb. Maybe i'll try and get some foliage in there too.

Geoff

RB420 · 04-05-05, 03:04 PM

i'd take that stick on hyrometer outta theremy bp tried to support himslef on his and it ripped off and got stuck to him, not fun!

Invictus · 04-05-05, 03:35 PM

Your boa's lack of activity is because boas are not very active. That's it. It's not husbandry, it's because they are lazy. Sticking his head out is also totally natural, they will almost always do that. The few times I have seen my boas hide, they always have their heads out. I think it's just a way for them to stay alert of their surroundings. I'll show you what I mean:

What they usually do when I give them a hide:

What they do when they are buried or hidden:

Notice the head always out.

Remember, most snakes, especially boas, don't "hunt" for food. They are opportunistic feeders, so they pretty much wait for the prey to come to them. Such being the case, does it not stand to reason that they'd want to be able to know when prey is near? Hence the head always out.

RB420 · 04-05-05, 06:45 PM

nice pics

K1LOS · 04-05-05, 11:52 PM

but you say yours rarely hide, mine is ALWAYS hidden and in that position. It's not the head poking out that concerns me, its the always in the hide and never moving around or exploring that concerns me.

And that stick on thermometer is not mine, i would never buy them, they are junk. It came stuck on the tank. I figured i'd rather have the stupid thermometer then use some nasty chemical to remove all the goo it would leave behind if i removed it.

How do all those temps and the overall cage seem?

Invictus · 04-06-05, 08:31 AM

Again, you're worrying over nothing. 95% of all snakes will hide 95% of the time and do NOTHING. Sorry, they are not very exciting pets. Your temps are just fine.

Boakid · 04-06-05, 09:51 AM

lol ye the only time i see mine is when i get him out to play

K1LOS · 04-06-05, 09:58 AM

i wasn't worried about my own excitement, i was just concerned that he was unhealthy and something needed to be changed or treated. Feeding time alone is enough excitement for me! That little guy hits his rats HARD! thanks for clearing everything up for me invictus.

Geoff

jglass38 · 04-06-05, 11:53 AM

My hog is the same way. Even when he is curled up in his hide, he has the head out. The only time he doesnt is when he is curled up in the cool whip container (which he doesnt fit in anymore). It kind of sits on him like a hat!

K1LOS · 04-06-05, 06:14 PM

lol, sounds like a great photo op!

Geoff