Baby Woma

toddnbecka · 09-10-17, 06:08 PM

I picked up a new baby woma python earlier today, the calmer of the 2 males that were available. Handled both, one was quite defensive, other one was much less flighty and didn't posture. Currently housed in a sterilite tub, one end on a heat mat, with the herpstat set to 96. Probe is on the outside of the tub, so inside temp will be closer to 90 under the warm hide.

Current setup is a warm hide covering half the bottom of the tub, with a thick layer of open cell foam on top of the warm hide, then another hide on top of the foam for a vertical temp gradient. Water bowl is off the heat mat. Do woma pythons soak in the water bowl like boas and carpets? If needed I can set him up in a 10 gallon tank with enough space for a larger bowl. I wasn't expecting him to be quite so large since he's only a couple months old. He's eating fuzzy rats now.

Scubadiver59 · 09-10-17, 06:20 PM

Sure, I buy one of your DRMB's and then you go and buy a Woma...can't keep an empty tub, can you!

Quote:

Originally Posted by toddnbecka

I picked up a new baby woma python earlier today, the calmer of the 2 males that were available. Handled both, one was quite defensive, other one was much less flighty and didn't posture. Currently housed in a sterilite tub, one end on a heat mat, with the herpstat set to 96. Probe is on the outside of the tub, so inside temp will be closer to 90 under the warm hide.

Current setup is a warm hide covering half the bottom of the tub, with a thick layer of open cell foam on top of the warm hide, then another hide on top of the foam for a vertical temp gradient. Water bowl is off the heat mat. Do woma pythons soak in the water bowl like boas and carpets? If needed I can set him up in a 10 gallon tank with enough space for a larger bowl. I wasn't expecting him to be quite so large since he's only a couple months old. He's eating fuzzy rats now.

Captain837 · 09-10-17, 06:32 PM

Womas do not need much humidity and are prone to skin problems if they get and stay wet. I have never seen ours soak in their bowls however they seem to drink more than our bp's do.

**EL Ziggy** · 09-10-17, 07:00 PM

Congrats on the new Woma TnB! Gotta show us some pics soon bud!

toddnbecka · 09-10-17, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scubadiver59

Sure, I buy one of your DRMB's and then you go and buy a Woma...can't keep an empty tub, can you!

Woma tub isn't in the rack, he needs a higher temp than the Dominicans. I'd been considering one for some time, but didn't see any at the Hamburg show last spring. Just yesterday 2 males turned up on a local FB group page, was only a 45 minute drive to meet and pick up today. Always keep a spare heat mat on hand for just such occasions, lol.

This one was born 7/19/17, not even 2 months old yet, and he's already much larger (bulkier, though not as long) as the yearling Dominicans. Parents markings are light brown, the babies are much darker. Guess they'll lighten with growth. I was told this one has his mother's calmer disposition, while the other one takes after his father, with a more active and testy nature.

I'll get some pics of the him and a few others while I clean and feed tonight. The new Abbott line Okeetee shed last night or today, but she's probably going to stay tucked up in her cave since she ate yesterday. Albert's baby garter should be available for a photo opp though, and I've never posted any pics of the normal female bull snake I picked up several months ago.

SerpentineDream · 09-11-17, 01:57 AM

Mine never soaks. In fact she doesn't even drink very much. We have very low humidity in our area but she never has any problems with shedding so I don't mess with it.

BillyCostume · 09-11-17, 03:51 AM

My woma never soaks, he does love to bite though

toddnbecka · 09-12-17, 01:34 AM

I only got 2 halfway decent pics of the new guy, but here he is. Only 7 weeks old and eating fuzzy rats, I was told they grow very quickly. Remains to be seen if he grows faster than my bull snakes, but if he converts most of the food to growth rather than passing it through I do believe he might. My fire bull was a little older and longer than this, though not as much girth, and was taking rat pinks back in March of last year.

First display of attitude immediately after I lifted the hide from the tub for a pic, but he settled down quickly once he realized there wasn't any cause for alarm.

Actually quite calm after I gave him a minute to recover from the surprise, then picked him up.

BillyCostume · 09-12-17, 03:02 AM

He's a looker! Congrats

Captain837 · 09-12-17, 08:26 AM

Ours are about 17months old and are just shy of 48" but are very lean. You want to keep in mind they will eat themselves to death. They have a feeding response geared toward a diet of low fat reptiles not high fat rodents.
Slow steady growth managed by a good diet will make for a much healthier woma later on. Just be sure to getting used to using a hook to get them out of the cage during their adolescence. They hunger will make them try to eat everything they see.

toddnbecka · 09-12-17, 11:34 AM

The seller said he had gotten a pair of adults, tried unsuccessfully to sell them, then the female dropped some eggs. He was aggravated, put the eggs into dry vermiculite in an incubator, and they all developed and hatched perfectly. He also breeds quite a lot of Cali king snakes, and said that he feeds them all frequently to keep their dispositions more calm. That may help explain the size of this one at 7 weeks of age, but I don't think any harm has been done yet.
I'm not a fan of power feeding, even my largest carpet doesn't normally get rats that leave much of a bulge. I also don't put much stock in appetite being a big factor in a snake's response to a person in general. Handling rodents before handling the snake is one thing, but as long as they don't scent food I don't expect them to strike or bite me just because they're hungry. (At least not regularly, lol.)
My female thayeri and the fire bull have both tried to eat a finger and a hand, respectively, once. Cold water to discourage them, never had a repeat, and the rest of the collection has never tried to eat me at all. A few defensive strikes or bites when disturbed, and even those have been very few and far between.

BillyCostume · 09-12-17, 12:19 PM

My woma is my only snake that regularly tries to eat me. It's cute and funny now a little less I think once he's full grown lol

Captain837 · 09-12-17, 12:54 PM

You are in for an educational experience. Adolescent womas are so food driven they will bite you, the snake hook and even themselves on occasion.
That cute look he gives you when he comes out of his hide at the slightest movement in the room, it is not him greeting you it is him sizing you up to see if he can swallow you.
The good news is it goes away, not with handling or training but with maturity. As the growth slows down so does the appetite.

SerpentineDream · 09-13-17, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain837

That cute look he gives you when he comes out of his hide at the slightest movement in the room, it is not him greeting you it is him sizing you up to see if he can swallow you.

This.

Pop Quiz

Ophelia is saying:

a) Hello, glad to see you! How are you this fine day?
b) Wow, rough night. Is it morning already?
c) Snuggle me.
d) Come closer, tasty human.

It's not a, b or c.

Scubadiver59 · 09-13-17, 07:27 AM

This picture needs to be in this month's photo contest!

Quote:

Originally Posted by SerpentineDream