Help me please! :D

[Trollbie]

Originally Posted by Snakesitter

Trollbie, first let me say “congrats” on the new member of the family!!!

A tub is fine to start, but you will eventually need to move to a full viv, something at least three feet by two feet. Babies can and will climb, so a little height is useful. Adults are primarily terrestrial, so it’s not as big a concern. Whatever you pick, make sure it can retain both heat and humidity. Note that it’s far better to have too few vents and holes to start than too many -- it's easy to add, hard to cover up!

If you are going to re-use your milksnake’s cage, be sure to thoroughly clean it beforehand. No sense taking chances, ever.

Fish tanks, by the way, do not make the best vivs for Brazilians. They tend to hold humidity well (provided you fix the top), but retain heat poorly and provide little “I’m hiding” feeling for these secretive snakes.

It is a common myth that baby snakes require small vivs (this is true even for ball pythons). What they need is a place in larger vivs to curl up and hide, something they can wedge up against on multiple sides. Think about it: if babies could not survive in large spaces…why are there wild snakes? ;-) (In other words, GarterPython is right on the mark!!!)

Wal-mart tubs are fine. :-)

For furnishings, you need two crucial items: a water bowl large enough for the baby to fully submerge in, and a hide that can be packed with moss to create a damp “humid” hide. Everything else -- decor, climbing sticks, etc. -- is secondary.

For substrate, there are many good options. As you have only two snakes, something like orchid bark or cypress mulch -- which hold humidity well and are not too expensive -- would work well. Avoid eco earth, which I’ve heard gets everywhere. It’s best to get your substrate from a garden supply store rather than a reptile store.

For heating, do not use heat lamps with Brazilians. One, these snakes do not like light. Two, they dry the air. As baby Brazilians need 90% plus humidity, bulbs create a problem. I prefer undercage heating, which can actually help with humidity: when you spray the substrate over the heat, it promotes evaporation. Regardless, use a good thermostat.

For hygros, I’d recommend a digital unit. The small plastic wheel ones, well, blow chunks. ;-)

For handling, Brazilians are fine with being held, provided you do it right. That means letting him settle in and get feeding before holding him too much; and when you do start holding him, listen to what he tells you. His behavior will clue you into his comfort level.

I hope this helps! Again, congrats!

You're from LA!!!?

Thank you. any advice helps! The 20g is not going to be his forever tank, it's just I shouldn't blow money on 2 new cages at once, and Penelope needs a new one more.

What would be a better cage though? That isn't a tub. And that goes for my milk snake too because I was just gonna get her the Zilla 20L critter cage tank. But I'm open to other things.

Is garden store stuff trustworthy? I feel like with garden stuff there's too many chances for pesticide/fertilizer contamination... I'm probably just paranoid though.

Also I keep forgetting to ask this, but he's eating fuzzies. It's only pinkies that have to be fed live, right?

[Snakesitter]

Not from, but living there. :-)

OK, tank choice makes sense then.

I prefer Boaphiles. Animal Plastics also makes some good stuff. But plastic, opaque-walled, side-opening cages seem to work best for humidity-sensitive species.

The garden stuff is safer because you have lower parasite risk. I know people who have gotten mites from buying moss or substrate at pet stores. Plus, it's cheaper. Just ask for the organic/no additives stuff.

Nothing has to be fed live, ever. Frozen-thawed is safer, cheaper, and more convenient.

[Trollbie]

Originally Posted by Snakesitter

Not from, but living there. :-)

OK, tank choice makes sense then.

I prefer Boaphiles. Animal Plastics also makes some good stuff. But plastic, opaque-walled, side-opening cages seem to work best for humidity-sensitive species.

The garden stuff is safer because you have lower parasite risk. I know people who have gotten mites from buying moss or substrate at pet stores. Plus, it's cheaper. Just ask for the organic/no additives stuff.

Nothing has to be fed live, ever. Frozen-thawed is safer, cheaper, and more convenient.

That's what I meant :P

I'm scared if i put him in a tub, the humidity will get high enough to explode hygro! jkjk

The tubs to me just feel like I'd be detached from him emotionally and I wanna look at him and be able to see him through the glass/plastic!

I'll for sure look into the substrate though. It will definitely be cheaper.

I don't know why, but I was under the impression that pinkies have to be fed live. If fuzzies don't have to be live than I'm certain that he's been raised on f/t or at least that's what he eats at the pet store now because I know they prefer feeding pre killed. I was getting a little concerned... I'd have to make someone else put a live one in there lol.

[Trollbie]

I wanna see your snakies! I'll be in LA next week

[theapexgerman]

Frozen/thawed is better than live lot safer and pretty easy for people to stock up on but I still like live

[Trollbie]

Originally Posted by theapexgerman

Frozen/thawed is better than live lot safer and pretty easy for people to stock up on but I still like live

I know, but I just thought with pinkies you had to feed live. Either way, I don't have to worry so all is good in the hood

[theapexgerman]

Yea either way fine you should see the debate over frozen/thawed and live its heated lol

[Trollbie]

Originally Posted by theapexgerman

Yea either way fine you should see the debate over frozen/thawed and live its heated lol

Nop... My snakezillas are getting fed pre killed. If they want live, they have to catch it and feed it to themselves.

[theapexgerman]

Pre kill better anyways once my dum gets bigger imma going to switch him over to pre kill cause rats can do more damge than an mouse can

[Trollbie]

Originally Posted by theapexgerman

Pre kill better anyways once my dum gets bigger imma going to switch him over to pre kill cause rats can do more damge than an mouse can

Why are you feeing live now then?

[theapexgerman]

All my snakes on mice and an mouse is less danger than and good size rat I think rats are smarter than an mouse to my dum be the first snake I have that will be feed rats altho my nelson plenty big enough for an small rat I rather feed an large mouse I'm already taken an risk feeding live so for rats I will feed pre kill just to be safer

[alessia55]

Originally Posted by theapexgerman

All my snakes on mice and an mouse is less danger than and good size rat I think rats are smarter than an mouse to my dum be the first snake I have that will be feed rats altho my nelson plenty big enough for an small rat I rather feed an large mouse I'm already taken an risk feeding live so for rats I will feed pre kill just to be safer

This makes no sense. Why not feed f/t or p/k mice anyway? Why risk live at all?

[theapexgerman]

Cause I said befor I perfer live I don't why I just live better yes I know its an risk but I'm willing to take in my years of feeding live nothing ever happen so I'm stuck on live