Advice on Apollo (his viv, feeding, etc.)

Magdalen · 08-26-16, 09:09 PM

So I thought I'd pick everyone's brains on this one since I am new to hognoses. Now I've had Apollo since about 7/19 and he's eaten twice for me (not in a row). First time, very shortly after he came to me. Ate a f/t hopper no problem. Then he shed the following week or so. I didn't know until I found the old skin. He hid the entire time, so I didn't see him go into the blue. Then he refused food again. Well, mostly it was he was too busy moving and trying to escape (nose rubbing on the screen of his viv) to notice the mouse. Then he took another a few weeks ago. Dummy me forgot to grab his notes. Seems like he is just restlessly wandering and trying to escape. Except the other day he spent the day in his humid hide, when the mouse was waiting for him (again f/t).
So I guess my question is is this normal for a year old male to go thru? I think it might be because it seems from my research he might be searching for a mate. And males are off again, on again feeders. Or I may be doing something wrong. I've been hands off since he hasn't eaten any meals in a row. But he's looking good and I swear he looks brighter, redder to me today.

Anyway viv stats:
20 gallon long glass tank, with a background and sides covered in white paper
hot side 90-92 degrees
cool side 78 degrees with a night time drop of about 74 (will get colder during winter)
humidity low 50s plus a humid hide

Attached a pic of his viv too. Any thoughts. What should I change or am I ok? Too much stuff in there? Too big of a tank? What should I do about helping him feed better? Or is this just a male hognose being a male hognose who hasn't been with me long? Oh and I do live alone, so not a lot of traffic, other than a nosy kitten.

Ugh sorry if any of this doesn't make sense my right hand is numb and hurting.

**Minkness** · 08-26-16, 10:56 PM

Honestly you're set up is better than any of my hoggies lol.

It's pretty normal for them to have spurts of activity and go off food.

Have you tried leaving the feeder over night? Also, try. Fuzzy instead of a hopper. I have 3 males and none of them take hoppers, all are on fuzzies and they are about 2 years old.

Magdalen · 08-26-16, 11:40 PM

I did want to give him lots of cover

Hmmmm a fuzzy, even tho the hopper is a tad small for him? I guess I could try an even smaller meal. Yes have tried leaving it overnight. First time he fed he ate it (a hopper) within minutes of me putting it in there. Aaaah the more I research this the more I think this is normal haha. Good thing he's a cute little grump.

FinishingFlight · 08-27-16, 12:07 AM

I have two finicky eaters. The female refused to eat long enough that she lost almost 20g going from 72 to 55. Luckily we finally now are improving and back to 59g. The main things I figured out were that she needed a small enclosed space, so she went from a tank to a tub, and then just left alone. Then she likes the fuzzy VERY warm (around 100*) but dry, and held in front of her but no movement. She will only eat in her tub. She doesn't get handled at all. She gets taken out to be weighed and for bedding changes but thats it. I changed her bedding two weeks ago, she refused food twice after that before eating 10 days later.

The male is a more reliable eater, but he doesn't get handled much either. I did a bedding change for him as well two weeks ago, and he still hasn't eaten since. He will only eat in his tank and not if he has been handled within the past 3 days.

Then my last female would eat a cold fuzzy on a roller coaster if she got the chance. So I feel like I have all sides of the hognose feeding spectrum. Yet she was a pretty finicky eater when I got her a year ago. She even went on a four month no eating spree during last winter. So there is hope that it gets better.

**Minkness** · 08-27-16, 11:13 AM

As far as the size go if hoppers seems small, you cpuld stay with them. Some hoggies are just difficult at first. Usually knce you get them eating regularly they are usually pretty good.

You can try to also leave him alone for 2 weeks straight, don't offer food or any of that. Just fresh water, and see if that works.

I recently had one that went off food for a while and now he pounds down 2 fuzzies a week lol. Silly boy.

**Andy_G** · 08-27-16, 12:34 PM

If he's only a year old he would probably be feeding on smaller than hoppers. Most of my adult males would eat hoppers or very small adult mice. I'm sure you know how I think in regards to giving so much space to these little guys and how it does affect feeding patterns, so instead of sounding like a broken record I'll bite my tongue. Youv'e already gotten some great advixe and first hand experiences here.

**Minkness** · 08-27-16, 01:27 PM

Stop biting that tongue and just say it lol.

A 10 gallon would probably be a better enclosure size and fuzzies really are probably what he should be eating.

You could set up a tub and see if that works too.

I have 3 of mine in tubs and 2 in tanks. One male is in a 10 gallon and then one female is in a 20 long. Neither of them have given me issues feeding so they are fine. The other 3 go off randomly sometimes so they are in tubs until they feed 100% consistantly. Then I might try tanks again. But I will be ready to put them back in tubs if they go off feeding again.

Gotta do what's best for the animals. =)

Oh, also, if he's only abyear old, I suspect he might be a she. My 2 year old males could barely take a hopper I don't think.

Magdalen · 08-27-16, 11:33 PM

Hey Andy

I am asking you know, for answers. I don't mind trying a smaller enclosure and keeping this one for something else. Or even trying out a tub, bummer I wouldn't see him as much, especially if I'm not going to be handling him much.

Or she haha oy. I swear the hoppers I get are slightly smaller than the widest part of him/her. Hmmm so when he got to me he was about 18 inches and 90 grams. Too big for a year old male?

Aaaaah I just fear I'll get a set back moving him, but I'll do what I need to do. Any good sites about setting up tubs? How can I get holes into it if I don't have a drill?

What's a good tub size for him?

**Minkness** · 08-27-16, 11:43 PM

That sounds like a full grown male. How do you know for sure he is 1 year old? At that size hoppers sound fine, but that doesn't sound like a yearling to me at all.

In all honesty your set up is pretty nice. Try upping the ambient temps. A ceramic heat emiter on the same side as the uth should be fine.

It has plenty of hides and you covered the back and sides pretty well. The only other thing you could do would be to maybe cover the front with wax paper. (Allows light but blocks vision).

Otherwise, it may just be in a mood. Some get that way honestly and you just have to wait them out. Extend offerings to once every 2 weeks though. And then ince every 3 if he refuses again. It won't hurt him, but it will ensure he's pretty hungry by the time you offer again.

Magdalen · 08-28-16, 12:00 AM

hahaha oooh boy am I going to laugh if I have a female. I'll get a good look at his/her tail again. I got him from a breeder who said his hatch date was 7/14/2015. Of course I could be getting the year wrong. I'll look back at the email, when I'm a bit more awake.

Not that I would mind if I do indeed have a female. Just would have to think of a new name ugh haha. For now, so I don't confuse myself too much until I know for certain, I'm calling him a he.

I'll wait a few weeks then. Should be really hungry by then. But seriously, I don't mind any and all suggestions, including moving him to a tub. I'm new to hogs. I'll also try upping his ambient temp too.

hahaha of course he's not going to mind if he's a she.

Magdalen · 08-28-16, 12:02 AM

See the more I stare at this photo: male_female_tail.jpg Photo by patmufc | Photobucket
the more I think I have a female. Would his current size be closer to a yearly female?

**Minkness** · 08-28-16, 10:20 AM

I would say yes. I don't go by tail length though. I'd have him professionally sexed by a vet or a good local reptile store. My store does it for me for free.

FinishingFlight · 08-28-16, 10:35 AM

My female that is eating well is between 1.5-2 years. I don't have a length on her now but she is just over 100g now I think.

My male is around the same age and is about 70g.

The female that is a terrible eater is at 60g. I think she might be more of 1-1.5 years old.

Sounds like you might have a girl there based on weight. That tail looks a bit more like my males tail though but Minkness is right about the only true way is to have a professional check.

**Andy_G** · 08-28-16, 10:37 AM

As per Mink and OP's request not to bite my tongue.

Male or female?
-Sexing by tail length is extremely accurate with hognose as they are sexually dimorphic. From the pics, that tail looks very male, and from his size and what he can eat, I would guess him to be 2 but it could just be the pics. If it is a female, could very well be only 1 year of age. I'd need to see a few profile pics showing the vent and tail length to help you out there.

Sporadic feeding?
-IMO that enclosure is very large for him so that could affect how he's eating.

-Mature males that are looking to breed will certainly be constantly moving and will feed sporadically.

-The night time temperature drop will cause sporadic feeding, which is not always a detriment with adult snakes but can certainly be a source of frustration for the keeper. If it's going to drop even further in the winter, don't be surprised if he turns his nose up at food and perhaps consider brumation if you can't stabilize the temps at night a little bit better.

**Minkness** · 08-28-16, 10:54 AM

Learn something new every day! I knew they were sexually dimorphic but not by the tails. I should grab my hogs later today and get pics of their tails, then you can tell me what I really have. Because my 'females' seem kinda small imo. =)