Cuddles the Woma Python - Page 8

REM955 · 09-05-16, 06:27 PM

If that is the case, I am going to have to ask my reptile shop about them. I know they breed mice. Maybe rats too. We'll see tomorrow I guess.

REM955 · 09-07-16, 06:40 PM

I finally tried out the SerpWidget measure. Almost at 2ft. (If I did this right)

REM955 · 09-07-16, 09:12 PM

I took a look into her cage while dark today. Nothing seemed unusual until I shined the light directly on her. It appears that there is one mark of sorts near the neck and sections of scales that do not reflect back. I tried to get a picture of the mark on her neck area, but I can't get any of the odd patches. Was not willing to cooperate with me much.

What am I looking at? Precautions? Overreacting?

Captain837 · 09-07-16, 09:27 PM

Well I attempted feeding yesterday. After thawing the rat pinkies I noticed all 3 were in blue. Fortunately 2 of the 3 still ate. The third took the pinkie and constricted it but dropped it and went back in her hide, likely due to commotion in the room while I was feeding other snakes.

As for the skin issue, I would not worry too much about it. Let him she'd again and see if it goes away on its own.

REM955 · 09-07-16, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain837

Let him she'd again and see if it goes away on its own.

It is a she.

But she did just shed so that is part of the concern. Maybe some require multiple layers of repair.

Captain837 · 09-08-16, 03:00 PM

Sorry about that. I also noticed my phones auto correct has struck again.
Honestly as long as the scales are intact and not discolored, I would not worry too much about it. Our bp's have occasionally gotten what appeared to be a small dry patch here and there and they always seem to resolve themselves.

REM955 · 09-11-16, 07:45 PM

New behavior:
On occasion (2 times non-consecutive prior til tonight), she decides to strike her food rather than just pick it up and eat it. She knows it is dead as she poked at it and I assume she didn't think it was going to run away, but is there some reason for this?

Captain837 · 09-11-16, 08:50 PM

Not sure about that one. Our 2 females come right at it and strike taking it off the tongs. The male requires you to place the f/t rat pup in his hide with him.
On another note, all 3 shed yesterday. 1 had a pretty good shed with just a small piece on her face and eye cap. The other female was a bit of a mess and required a little soak to get cleaned up. The male had not started yet so I soaked him for about 10 min then placed him in his cage and gave it a good misting. Came back an hour later and he had done it and it all came off in one piece. Not sure the cause of the poor shed on the one female. Husbandry is identical for all 3.

Captain837 · 09-13-16, 07:50 PM

Correction, fed all 3 yesterday. As usual the two females came out to see what was going on and hammered their rat pinks. The male (who usually is very shy and requires you to leave his food in his hide) came out as well and hammered his rat pink. None of the 3 waited for it to hit the ground. They took the pinks off the tongs.

Derek Roddy · 09-17-16, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REM955

I took a look into her cage while dark today. Nothing seemed unusual until I shined the light directly on her. It appears that there is one mark of sorts near the neck and sections of scales that do not reflect back. I tried to get a picture of the mark on her neck area, but I can't get any of the odd patches. Was not willing to cooperate with me much.

What am I looking at? Precautions? Overreacting?

from burrowing. As she grows up you'll find more and more that she will beat herself up burrowing under stuff, etc. They peel scales, etc.....nothing to be concerned about.

D

REM955 · 09-19-16, 07:03 PM

I see. Thank you.
Another two topics:
1: Shall I attempt to see if a rat pink is in her interest next Sunday?
2: Her behavior is very reclusive. Gets more defensive. Spends most of her time under the newspaper, under the bedding, and under the hot hide. Nothing has changed in husbandry.

Captain837 · 09-19-16, 08:34 PM

I would try to get her on rat pinks as soon as possible. I would not want to risk ending up with a woma that only eats mice.
As far as her being reclusive I don't know what to tell you. When we first got ours they were nocturnal mostly. During the day they would sit in their hides with just their heads poking out. But even back then if they saw the slightest movement in the room they would come out to investigate. Lately they seem to be more diurnal. They are freely roaming about their cage during the day. They still come out occasionally during the evening. Maybe it is just an individual personality thing?
I will say I have now been bitten twice by our female Milo. Not a defensive bite either. Both times I reached in and picked her up with no fight, no running and no hissing. She did not strike either. She just casually turned her head and grabbed my finger and proceeded to wrap it like it was dinner. My hands had been washed and I had not been handling food either. To get her off i simply unwrapped her by the tail with my free hand. As soon as she realized she could not eat my hand she just as casually ley go and went back to her typical chill behavior. At her size it is not an issue but I can now see why some people tap train them as adults. That scenario would have been quite painful if she was 6' long.

REM955 · 09-19-16, 09:11 PM

Yeah. Last Friday I took her out and let her sit on the desk a bit and look around, poking at things. I look at the time and time to go back in the cage.
I give a light tap on the desk, wait for to look at me, and move my hand near her below her head. Done it before. This time she gets in her defensive pose and takes a strike. Bounced off the back of my hand. No damage.
Got the hook. Didn't matter to her. Still focused on me. Hook between her head and my hand and grabbed her back end and put her back.

The casual biting I have seen on youtube. They start rubbing then all of a sudden "chomp". Odd balls.

SerpentineDream · 09-24-16, 05:03 PM

I agree with getting her on rats as soon as you can. She'll need to eat them as an adult (unless you want to feed her half a dozen mice at a time) so best to get her used to them. Rats are also more nutritionally dense than mice and may help her feel full longer.

Mine also spends most of her time in her hide with her head poking out so she can see what's going on. If she sees activity such as people moving around the room she will come out to investigate.

Ophelia was very friendly when I first got her as a hatchling. I thought she would be puppy dog tame. As she got bigger--and hungrier--she began to view me as an all-you-can-eat buffet. I can take her out and she'll sit happily for a couple of minutes. Then she decides that it's time for a snack, and hey! There's a convenient, tasty hand! The human won't mind if she just takes a couple of fingers, right? Fortunately she moves slowly and deliberately, wrapping and slowly opening her mouth to swallow. This gives me enough time to see what she's up to and grab her neck before she can latch on. The second I let go she's back at it though.

Womas are intriguing, weird, beautiful and sometimes frustrating critters.

REM955 · 09-25-16, 04:47 PM

I do pick up a few pinky rats today from the reptile shop. Slightly larger than the fuzzies, with the head being the major contributor. One of them is larger than the other so I may not use that one given freshness and size constraints. Who knows.

My understanding on nutrition density is that it varies by age a bit. I do see what you mean on the increase. Not discounting what you said. Just reflecting on the change over time.
Rodent Pro Nutrional Facts
Mouse 44.2% protein Juvenile, 3-10 g
Rat 57.9% protein Neonatal, <10 g
Yeah, only was looking at the protein part, but thinking about what would help her development.

Will report back once I offer to see if she cares for the first rat pink tonight.