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Originally Posted by AustHerps Just wondering who's had them?
What sort of housing they've supplied along the way?
Anyone have recorded growth rates?
What sort of feeding shedule have people used for hatchies through to adults?
We just ordered our first one (despite the fact that she bit us both, well, Misky more than me lol) and can't wait to bring her home. She's at about 3ft atm, with a beautiful yellow head (full of teeth hehe).
I checked out Brian Barnett's article on them, a good read. Just wondering as to others' experiences in general.
Cheers,
Austy. |
Hey Aaron (and Misky),
It's good to see someone getting a scrub that has the experience to do it and has thought it through well. So many rush into it and get one without any larger snake keeping experience (including me 3 years ago), but you've certainly got enough under your belt.
They are the most awesome snakes, my favourite python by far. They are definately different to other pythons along with their looks (those large head scales are awesome) and most certainly their temperment. As has been said, my experience with my 3 year old male is that they are definately calculated, very intelligent as far as a snake goes, and don't miss an opportunity for a bite
When I first had my boy as a hatchling, (I was way too inexperienced for a scrub) I had him in a large critter keeper with the hides, heat mat, etc, the exact same thing his breeder kept him in. He didn't like that, felt too vulnerable and wouldn't eat very well, when he did, it was only live mice. He had massive shedding problems also due to the venilation.
After doing some research, I moved him to a clouded large tub. Had a heat cord setup on one end, had a fake tree stump in there which he loved, and also two hides. He started eat thawed mice for the first time, as long as I popped the lid back on and left him be (he would never eat with anyone watching).
Now he's in a typical wooden box setup with sliding doors, heat lamp, big branch to climb on (which he never moves from). I thought I would have real problems with him feeding in that, but Steve got him straight onto thawed rats (despite me trying for a year to do so). Now he couldn't care less if anyone's watching him eat, he'd eat 20 rats at once given the chance I reckon. He loves to hang off his branch with the rat and swallow upside down. He was cooled this winter, his first cooling. He usually eats a medium 150-200 grm rats every two weeks, sometimes more.
He's now about 7ft, but as olivehydra says, they dont look it due to being a much slimmer snake. He is no longer able to be freehandled, despite being a non snappy juvenille. The last time I had him out unassisted, he was just draped on me resting his head on my forearm. Without any warning whatsoever, he just slid down and bit my hand. It was a quick bite and crunch with his jaws, but due to the size of his head and his jaw power, and of course, his much longer teeth than other pythons, he hit the bone in my hand, ruptured a vein and I wasn't able to use my hand for a couple of days. So it's hook time now
What got me with it, is I've had plenty of bites from him, but was that this was clearly calculated and even seemed like he did it that way so I wouldn't have any warning. I don't know if he's that smart, but he got my attention
We've been thinking lately what it will be like as he gets bigger, the housing requirements, etc. It's definatley something to think about owning a scrub, mine grew slower than most due to only eating mice when he was real young. Now he's growing much faster and we are plannign ahead to build an enclosure for him with thinker glass and of course much bigger. The handling with cage cleans worries me a bit when he's bigger, it's hard enough now and he always tries his best to have a good shot. But he's worth it. Also, the worst thing is worst than the bite is they way they pee everywhere when being taken out of their cage and it smells way worse than other pythons, and it's like a bloody river (and he's only 7 foot lol)
Here's a few pics of me holding him for size about a 9 months ago, I must get some more:
