Cuddles the Woma Python - Page 3

REM955 · 06-27-16, 07:27 AM

The current plan looks like this:
Give her a couple pinks tonight.
Next week offer another fuzzy, backing out to a couple pinks.

Any thoughts on the number of pinkies? I was thinking about composting the nutritional content on the two packages, but I recall song it mentioned that due to fur and the like it won't be as nutritious.

**Andy_G** · 06-27-16, 07:51 AM

Fuzzies would have more calcium and protein when compared to a pinkie so they are actually more nutritious. 2 pinkies is a bit larger of a meal as well when compared to one fuzzie, but see what happens.

REM955 · 06-27-16, 09:35 AM

Alright then. Just another 2.
Update around 10 hours or so.

REM955 · 06-27-16, 10:32 PM

She took her sweet time looking around, but she ate the two pinkies eventually.
I know the light is out, but should't she be heading over to the hot spot instead of leisurely doing another two laps?

SerpentineDream · 06-28-16, 05:52 AM

Probably patrolling for more pinkies. I wouldn't worry.

You might try another fuzzy after a couple of feedings and see if she feels confident enough to take it.

Derek Roddy · 06-28-16, 06:24 AM

Everything you're discribing is perfectly normal woma behavior.

Cheers
D

**Andy_G** · 06-28-16, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REM955

She took her sweet time looking around, but she ate the two pinkies eventually.
I know the light is out, but should't she be heading over to the hot spot instead of leisurely doing another two laps?

Nope. Cruising for more food. They'll use the hot spot when they need to. They know those kinds of needs much more than we do and have been doing fine in the wild thermoregularing without human intervention for many years. Offer the proper gradient and they'll do their thing, it's just that easy. Literally everything you've described so far sounds totally normal. Keep doing your best to relax a bit and not stress so much with this little one, do youself a favour.

REM955 · 06-28-16, 08:29 AM

Understood. Perhaps I am expecting a bit more from her than I should.
So far I done my best to be out of her sight and limit my interaction to be dropping to food in and water changing.
As SerpentineDream has suggested, I will consider another fuzzy attempt in the future, backing out to pinkies if not taken.
And I'll stop worrying that the snake is acting like a snake. Eventually. =)
Once again, thank you all for the input.

REM955 · 06-30-16, 07:36 PM

Behavior-wise, she appears to be getting bolder. More "day-light" activity. (Laying in open, moving in light, following activity) Doesn't seem concerned when I put my face near the glass. Comes to see. Still have not touched her.

The one concern I have now is that I recently just saw this change: she appears to have a crease going along her side. Pictures attached.

Internet search says:
+Dehydration: She has plenty of water available.
+Shedding: She has been doing rubbing on her cage objects, notably the log hides she's taken a liking to.
+Mites: Have not yet touched her...
+Malnutrition: As previously mentioned, she has only had two meals of 2 pinkies and hatched May 12 (1.5 months old/ 49 days)

The vet is coming Sunday at noon and I know I said I would chill, but I would like some more input.

SerpentineDream · 07-01-16, 09:29 PM

She looks thin to my eye. Maybe more frequent feedings if you can't convince her to tackle fuzzies yet, and/or add a third pinky.

REM955 · 07-01-16, 10:26 PM

I have a fuzzy in there now, just put in fresh to be left in over night.
If untouched by morning I will remove it and go for 3 pinkies.

REM955 · 07-02-16, 09:30 AM

After shutting everything down in the office, she had grabbed and thrown half a coil around it. I scampered out as not to interfere.
This morning, no fuzzy or snake for that matter. Typically means she is in the hot hide.

SerpentineDream · 07-02-16, 01:58 PM

Woo hoo! Success!

You might find that while she's rapidly growing, feeding her twice a week is better than once. And when she's ready, rats will fill her up better than mice. Rat pinkies are roughly the size of hopper mice (which is just the next step up from what she's eatng now). By the time she's grown she'll be eating rats anyway so it can't hurt to get her used to them early on IMO. Ophelia's only a few months older than your girl and is gleefully pounding 2 rat fuzzies a week.

REM955 · 07-02-16, 02:06 PM

Well, if she is just able to handle the fuzzy now, would it make sense to move towards a fuzzy every 5 days? Or were you thinking closer to 4 days?
And now that I think of it, this is her 3rd meal over the 2 weeks I've had her; where is the poop?

SerpentineDream · 07-02-16, 08:00 PM

I feed every Wednesday and Sunday just so I don't lose track. So sometimes she goes 4 days, sometimes only 3. She's always ready for dinner though. If you're not forgetful like me every 4 days would be great. I started out feeding mine weekly but it wasn't enough to keep her from going berserk every time she saw me. She's a lot happier with the twice weekly schedule and is growing like a weed.

I wouldn't worry about the poo yet. Her digestive tract is just getting moving after never having had anything in it. And I've noticed that mine seems to poop less often than my other snakes in general. She saves it up and then leaves a huge pile, usually where I have to hunt for it.