Need some Help please?

NewLineReptile · 05-19-03, 11:45 PM

Hi i had a post in the python forums but it will not let me into it so i put the post here and hope a MOD will fix it up

Well this is my problem i have a Blood python that i got a short time ago and it will not eat at all. I have him in a rubber-maid with a under tank heater his humidity is about 60% freash water all the time. I try not to bug him that much as i no they stress out easy when i got him i think he had a bit of an RI but it seems to be doing a hole lot better now. But he still wont eat so i could use some help here as this is my first blood and dont know about some of the problem's they can get. He drinks well just wont eat?
any help would be helpfull.
Thank-you for your time Brandon

Gregg M · 05-20-03, 12:25 AM

You could try putting him in one of those PAPER shopping bags you get from the food store with a dead mouse....... Also try a card board box...... A shoe box my do the trick....... I have two snakes that will only feed in a shoe box....... You can also get one of those small plastic rubbermaids that you cant see thru, cut a hole in the top just big enough for the snake to squeez into and put it inside its cage, leave a dead mouse in there........ The snake will find its way in and most likely eat the mouse........ Good luck and hope I helped..... Let me know how things go.......

NewLineReptile · 05-20-03, 02:00 AM

Thanks Gregg you help i will give it a try and let you know how i make out thanks again
Brandon

peregrinefalcon · 05-20-03, 02:05 PM

Try a rat, they like them better then mice.
Adam

eyespy · 05-20-03, 02:34 PM

Also try braining the prey item so the stronger scent will interest the snake.

Tim and Julie B · 05-20-03, 02:49 PM

I agree with eyespy. I had a friends albino corn that didn't eat for a very long time and after braining some pinkies she began to eat on her own.

NewLineReptile · 05-20-03, 04:00 PM

Thanks for all the reply's i will also try that like you said eyespy and tim & julie

NewLineReptile · 05-21-03, 03:51 AM

YES YES YES!!!!!!! my Blood ate last night i feel so much better now that it has ate. I put a fresh killed fat rat in last night and now it is gone and the blood is fat lol thanks for the help everyone. Now to my next question should i leave the snake in the big rubber-maid that he is in or should i move him into a tank now and if so what size tank and bedding should i use? the Rubber-maid that it is in is 3 1/2 feet square by 3ft high and a under tank heater so what do you all think is best
thanks again
Brandon

unBOAlievable · 05-21-03, 06:22 AM

Congradulations on your blood,
I know the feeling of having a new snake that will not eat and then it finally eats.

Whether or not to move him from the rubbermaid totaly depends on your setup and the temperatures of your room. Rubbermaids work well if you keep a steady room temperature around 78 to 80 + or - a few degrees. Then you just use your heat pad to give them a basking spot of 86-90 degrees. If you keep your room colder say 72 then you will need to use an aquarium or custom cage with a heat lamp and thermostat to get the temps up in the cage.

As far as whether to move him or not that depends on the snake, I feed a lot of mine in rubbermaids and then put them back in there cages with no problems unless the snake is prone to regurging its meal.

In answer to the humidity problem, I like to use newspaper in my cages so with high humidity snakes I place a rubbermaid tub with the lid on it of an apropriate size for the snake and cut an appropriate size hole in the container and then fill it halfway with cypress mulch that is moist. This creates a humidity chamber for them and they can come and go out of it as they please.

NewLineReptile · 05-21-03, 12:14 PM

Well in my reptile room it can get real worm in the 80's but at night sometime's it cool's right down. But i guess what i really want to know is if it is ok to leave him in the Rubber-maid is that fair for the the snake or do you think he would be happyer in a tank set up. I have never used the Rubber-maids before to house snakes even snakes i get in to sell i make sure that they have a nice little home set-up.
But i hear of more and more people useing Rubber-maid's to house snake's as of now he has in his Rubber-maid set-up there is branches and plant's ECT. I use news paper bedding with him as i was told that it is ok to use for Blood's. When i got i put him in a tank and he seemed not to like it to much but it might of been because it was all new to him?. He seem's to be doing fine in the Rubber-maid but i just like the best for my reptile's I am into Burm's mostly and they live better then i do some people think lol but like i said before this is my first Blood and i know they need different care then burm's. So any help i get i thank you
eveything every one has said in this post has helped me out lot's thanks again
Brandon

unBOAlievable · 05-21-03, 05:31 PM

Is it fair, humn,
I believe that is a question that would be answered differently by every person on the forum.

If you feel that it is unfair then it is. I have worked with many, many snakes from colubrids, pythons, boas and venomous and most do quite well in rubbermaids and that is how I start with all my neonates into adulthood. After they become breeding size they all get there own custom cage of apropriate size.

People sometimes take the cage size way out of proportion and I love to see cages that are big enough to walk into. After you see cages like that a six foot cage for a 5 foot snake seems unfair.

So the bottom line is your snake will do well in a rubbermaid of apropriate size, the larger cages are just for our own conscience.

NewLineReptile · 05-21-03, 06:06 PM

Well thank-you UnBOalievable you helped me alot i think i will keep him in the rubber-maid seeing that it is more then enough room for him and it keep's the humidity up well i also know what you mean about the walk in cages i would love to have all my snakes in cages like that.