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02-26-13, 10:15 AM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Feb-2013
Location: Utah
Posts: 136
Country:
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First time snake parent here.
Hello from Utah.
Set up my 40 gal Tetra Fauna Viquarium last night in prep for my first snake I am picking up this afternoon. He is a Tangerine Honduran Milksnake. His name is Javi (named after the great Javier Morales). Javi is I guess what you would refer to as a sub adult (6 months or so) and looks to be in great health and a good eater according to the petstore owner. Store owner is very knowledgeable and has been in the reptile world for years. Javi is currently on fuzzies every 7 days (live). I actually hope to be able to move him to frozen/thawed if he takes to it.
Any advise / hints / etc is very welcome.
Thanks for the cool forums.
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02-26-13, 10:41 AM
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#2
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Moderator
Join Date: May-2008
Location: Central New York State
Age: 60
Posts: 16,536
Country:
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Re: First time snake parent here.
__________________
"Where would we be without the agitators of the world attaching the electrodes
of knowledge to the nipples of ignorance?"
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02-26-13, 10:45 AM
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#3
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Non Carborundum Illegitimi
Join Date: Mar-2010
Location: Keynsham
Age: 49
Posts: 9,556
Country:
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Re: First time snake parent here.
Welcome to the asylum, look forwardto some pics
__________________
May you have more good days than bad
You never know how strong you are - until being strong is your only choice
There are no dark clouds - just well hidden silver linings!!
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02-26-13, 10:46 AM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Mar-2011
Location: southampton, uk
Age: 36
Posts: 1,088
Country:
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Re: First time snake parent here.
moving a snake from live to F/T is a long and hard process if im honest but as long as you stick with it, you should be successful.
a few tips would be:
let him settle in for a week before handling.
dont handle 24=48 hours after feeding.
milk snakes can be snappy but after a while, they do calm down.
but overall, stay calm and coll and welcome to this amazing hobbies
oh and 1 last thing, like all reptiles, snakes dont have feeling or emotions
__________________
There are many things in life that we all take for granted, But the most important things that we affect are the animals and their habitats of this planet. If we can do something for these animals like give them a home and we can meet there basic needs then we are all heroes for making sure that the animals will still be there for future generations and should lead by example.
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02-26-13, 11:31 AM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Feb-2013
Location: Utah
Posts: 136
Country:
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Re: First time snake parent here.
Picture of Javi attached from yesterday when I bought him. I was able to handle him for about 5-10 minutes and he was as calm as could be. The owner even sexed him and said "if I am going to get a bit out of him it will be now", but he didn't bit and only seems somewhat agitated.
I am going to be using the exact same feeding method as the store has been using all along and that is to put him in a rubbermaid with damp papertowels and the mouse. I think I will just pick up 4-6 frozens and see if I have luck. If not I am not stuck with a big online bulk buy of mice.
Also the owner did say to stay hands off for the first week and then obviously a day or two after feeding. He also mentioned them sometimes being snappy during shedding (makes since).
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02-26-13, 01:52 PM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: May-2012
Location: Manchester
Age: 47
Posts: 2,075
Country:
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Re: First time snake parent here.
hello and welcome
__________________
1.1 Corns (Anery Stripe, Amel) 1.0 Rootbeer 0.2 Jungle Carpet Python 0.1 Caramel Coastal Carpet Python 1.0 Zebra Jungle Carpet Python 1.0 50% Diamond Zebra Carpet Python
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02-26-13, 03:19 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Feb-2013
Location: Utah
Posts: 136
Country:
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Re: First time snake parent here.
Small update to my hello thread here:
Got Javi home and couldn't ask for better first feeding! I am feeding in a separate container (just a locking lid rubbermaid with holes drilled for air). I got him to eat 2 pinkies in less than 1/2 hour. First took him a while and I actually didn't see him take it (left him for a few minutes to take care of the dogs). The second was fast. I am using tongues to feed so that he starts to get use to associate tongues and feed time so I can move him over to frozen/thawed mice at some point. He is actually up to small fuzzies now, but the store was out of them (yet another reason I would like to move to frozen/thaw).
After eating he went right into his enclosure and happily curled up in his little log hide. I have the temps and humidity pretty well right on target now too. So far so good on this first day!
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02-26-13, 04:54 PM
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#8
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Non Carborundum Illegitimi
Join Date: Mar-2010
Location: Keynsham
Age: 49
Posts: 9,556
Country:
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Re: First time snake parent here.
One issue with feeding on papertowels, thetowel can get stuck to the mouse and the snake ends upeating the paper as well. When i used to feed in a tub i just used a tub, no substrate or towels or anything else
__________________
May you have more good days than bad
You never know how strong you are - until being strong is your only choice
There are no dark clouds - just well hidden silver linings!!
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02-26-13, 05:04 PM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Feb-2013
Location: Utah
Posts: 136
Country:
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Re: First time snake parent here.
Ah, interesting info, thanks Lankyrob!
I did have the paper towels nice and moist as I have been advised to do. I wonder if this helps with that issue?
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02-26-13, 06:14 PM
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#10
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Non Carborundum Illegitimi
Join Date: Mar-2010
Location: Keynsham
Age: 49
Posts: 9,556
Country:
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Re: First time snake parent here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bloedig
Ah, interesting info, thanks Lankyrob!
I did have the paper towels nice and moist as I have been advised to do. I wonder if this helps with that issue?
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No idea, but personally not something i would risk
__________________
May you have more good days than bad
You never know how strong you are - until being strong is your only choice
There are no dark clouds - just well hidden silver linings!!
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02-27-13, 11:24 AM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Dec-2008
Posts: 1,560
Country:
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Re: First time snake parent here.
One thing that has worked very well for me when switching a snake from live to F/T is to get some of the bedding from live mice or rats, with poop. Put the F/T mouse on mouse bedding with poop, F/T rat on rat bedding/poop; let the prey item sit on that for half an hour to absorb some of the aroma. You can even roll it around on the bedding/poop. Then place in a plastic bag & warm it up pretty good.
All my snakes eat F/T, and several were initially fed live. I have some that I was told "won't eat anything but live!" I had no trouble switching them to F/T. The most challenging one was a BP that took three months to make the switch, and I tried all kinds of suggestions; the poop did the trick.
I feed all my Hondurans on dry paper towels and have never had an issue with prey sticking to the towels, not even with pinkies for the hatchlings. I do always monitor to ensure everything goes well, but I've never even seen a hint of sticking over about 10 years of feedings. However, if someone has had an issue, I'm wondering whether the quality or kind of the paper toweling might make a difference? I buy Bounty in big batches from Sam's Club, and the Bounty towels are fairly thick & stiff compared to some brands I've seen.
Good luck switching yours!
__________________
Sandy
"Always carry a large flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore always carry a small snake." W. C. Fields
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02-27-13, 03:57 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Feb-2013
Location: Utah
Posts: 136
Country:
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Re: First time snake parent here.
Good suggestions Chu'Wuti, thanks!
One other quick question that has come up. Do I need to mist the habitat on a daily basis or just if I need to raise up the humidity (which right now is in the 55-60% range).
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02-27-13, 04:10 PM
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#13
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Captain America
Join Date: Dec-2009
Location: Farmington IL.
Age: 55
Posts: 10,602
Country:
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Re: First time snake parent here.
__________________
Boas: 1.0 Pastel, 2.2 Brazilian Rainbows Pythons: 0.1 Lesser Royal, The Carpets 2.0 Jungle, 1.0 Jungle x Jag, 0.1 Tiger Jag, 0.1 Coastal Cheers Chuck
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02-27-13, 08:12 PM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Dec-2008
Posts: 1,560
Country:
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Re: First time snake parent here.
While some people recommend that Hondurans be maintained at 50% humidity, my Hondurans have been in the 30-40% range and do very well, e.g., have complete sheds. I have been keeping Hondurans for about 10 years and have never had a problem with this humidity level.
I don't mist them, but when I see them soaking in their water bowls, I put damp toweling in if our ambient humidity is especially dry. I live in central Oklahoma where "dry" can mean less than 10% humidity. However, the average humidity here is 30%, and the snakes seem to do just fine with it. They are not as sensitive as my ball pythons, which I have to ensure stay at higher humidity.
__________________
Sandy
"Always carry a large flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore always carry a small snake." W. C. Fields
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02-27-13, 08:24 PM
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#15
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Member
Join Date: Feb-2013
Location: Chester
Posts: 116
Country:
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Re: First time snake parent here.
Welcome, she is absolutely beautiful
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