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23-Jun-07, 05:48 PM
|  | Regular Member | | | | First Snake - Stimsons Python - Wild
Hey, got my first snake about 5 days ago. it’s a Stimson python. he is about 80cm long and has come from the wild only about 5 weeks ago. When I picked the snake up he was active and I was handling him no problems. I have got him in a cage about 90cm square. with the purchase the reptile guy have me a heat rock and a hollow log for him to hide. Once I got home I put him in his new enclosure and had a look around then when I was watching him he seemed aggressive and kept striking at the glass. It has been fairly cold lately and the ambient temperature was about 20deg or less. The next day I checked him he was curled up tight in the log and hasn't come out since. He has been in there for about 5 days and won’t come out if I touch him or leave food. Yesterday I setup a proper heat lamp with thermostat, the temperature now ranges between 28 and 32 deg. a little cooler on the other side of the tank. he has two new hide rocks one sitting on a heat rock. Checked today and he still is in the log and won't come out. Can someone offer some assistance? Thanks  Picture of my new Stimson python.  |
23-Jun-07, 06:00 PM
|  | Regular Member | | | | |
who did you buy it off?
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Go hard or go home
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23-Jun-07, 06:02 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Jun-04 Location: Wagga NSW Age/Gender: 25  | | | |
You have had him for 5 days. Let him settle in for a week or 2, try not to handle him in this time.
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1.1.0 - Antaresia stimsoni
0.1.0 - Morelia spilota mcdowelli
1.0.0 - Morelia bredli
1.0.0 - Aspidites melanocephalus
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23-Jun-07, 06:02 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Jul-06 Location: St Kilda VIC Age: 20 | | | |
G'day,
Where'd you get him from. Good looker.
My stimson spends all of his time in a ceramic pot. He gets active at dawn and dusk and when he's hungry.
Don't stress. He's probably aclimatising. I believe that they're nocturnal too. Wait till night time.
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I started with nothing and I still have most of it.
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23-Jun-07, 06:06 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Jun-06 Age/Gender: 34  | | | |
You've had him 5 days and he has come from the wild where he was free to roam, to being held captive in an enclosure. He will need quite some time to settle down. Don't panic about him not eating. Especially during the cool months. Even though you have him on heat, his body clock was preparing him for hybernation before he was caught. So he has lots of acclimatising to do.
BTW he is a lovely looking snake.
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Kathy and Tim
For every minute you're angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness |
23-Jun-07, 07:13 PM
| | Regular Member | | | | | I brought him from Reptile Trader - Rockingham WA - he has been very helpful setting up his enclosure. On the report sheet he has put it under "Unknown Sex" but told me it was a female when I brought it. How can I find out it's sex?
Thanks,
Last edited by Alpine; 23-Jun-07 at 07:19 PM.
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23-Jun-07, 07:31 PM
|  | Sponsor | Join Date: May-04 Location: Pilbara Region W.A. | | | |
That Reptile would not have come out the wild 5 days ago unless there has been a breach of D.E.H rules. The reptile maybe wild caught but for this to be legal the reptile would have to be held for a minimum of 21 days. As for sexing the reptile, ask them how they determined it to be a female then you will know if the procedure was done correctly to come to their conclusion.
Cheers Dave
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23-Jun-07, 07:50 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Feb-07 Location: redy-lands Age/Gender: 18 | | | |
i think he meant it was caught 5 weeks ago but he only got it 5 days ago
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23-Jun-07, 07:52 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Mar-05 Location: Logan City | | | |
"Can someone offer some assistance?"
Yes,leave it alone,it is what snakes do,especially in winter.If you want a more active pet get a lizard,or another snake, then you double the chances of finding one out and about.
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23-Jun-07, 08:08 PM
|  | Bendy! Sponsor | Join Date: Feb-07 Location: Brisbane Gender: | | | |
G'day Alpine,
First of all, it's a shame that you were sold a snake that was so freshly wild caught, especially when you made clear that you were a beginner. I am a big fan of sustainable wildlife practices like those implemented in WA, but 5 weeks in captivity is not enough time to ascertain whether the snake will make a well adjusted captive suitable for a beginner. Never the less, that is what you have now.
Next on the list, is throwing the heat rock in the bin. They are dangerous, and have been implemented in many fires. There are a lot more efficient heating sources than heat rocks, like heat cord, or a standard 25-60w party globe.
Even though your Stimsons Python was handling OK, it does not mean it was enjoying the handling. Chances are it was incredibly stressed. Most animals will show external signs of stress, but snakes are not quite as forgiving. This stress is the reason he has been hiding, coupled with the time of year and ambient air temperature.
You seem to have sorted out the heat light properly, which is a good start. Unfortunately your python will rarely be active - they spent the vast majority of their time in a rock crevice. One of the most common complaints of new python owners is "It doesn't do anything!".
Hopefully this explains a bit about why your snake is behaving the way it is...
Cheers
Jonno
__________________ Jonno Lucas - Educational Reptile Displays www.educationalreptiledisplays.com.au
Specialising in venomous snake relocation and husbandry courses, basic and advanced reptile husbandry courses, wildlife seminars, interactive birthday parties, media opportunities and wildlife consultancy. 0413 128 248 |
23-Jun-07, 08:32 PM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Mar-04 Location: Perth WA | | | |
Wow that is a disgrace that as a beginner, you've been sold an animal thats only been in captivity for 5 weeks!
Try leaving it alone for a few weeks and let it adjust to the new home.
This time of year I'd be inclined to drop the temps do mid 20's as that's what Nth WA temps are now - also it won't be interested in eating until Aug/Sept, so dont waste the food.
Bit of a concern that a dealer would sell you something as unsexed - but is female??????
Last edited by glacey; 23-Jun-07 at 08:33 PM.
Reason: typo!
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24-Jun-07, 02:53 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Jan-03 Location: Perth W.A | | | |
there are some successful business people in W.A , who have got into reptiles in the last 4 years because they see a profitable new market. I would suggest people in W.A take a bit more time before purchasing their first snake.
I would advise all W.A keepers to have a look at "Pilbara Pythons" website and in particular , join the forum. This is a great place to ask questions and get some unbiased opinions from experienced keepers. Some of the members on P.P's forum have decades of experience with W.A herpetology, and could help new keepers with some valuable advice. I am not trying to promote or plug P.P's business. I would just like to show others that they can get unbiased advice before they get talked into buying something from successful sales people.
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24-Jun-07, 03:58 PM
|  | Subscriber | Join Date: Apr-07 Location: PERTH Age: 46 | | | |
Looking at what you have said it seems to start with you only had a heat rock and a log for a hide,if thats correct he may have been on the cold side and scared so hid in the log,it could take a good week or more of no contact before he comes out and starts looking around again now that you have a heat lamp and other hides.
Once he comes out I would take the log out as once they get into something like that they tend to stay there,also you will find once he starts moving around he will be more active a night not day time,out of interest sake was there a reason why a heat lamp,thermo etc was not brought the same time as your snake ? Remember just give hin time to settle in with no contact.
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24-Jun-07, 04:34 PM
|  | Regular Member | | | | |
he wrote that he bought it 5 days ago and it was caught 5 weeks ago.
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24-Jun-07, 05:08 PM
| | Sponsor | Join Date: May-04 Location: Pilbara Region W.A. | | | |
We have had more than a few wild caught reptiles eat straight from our hands only one hour after capture, this is fact. It is rubbish to claim that 5 weeks is too soon to offer a wild caught reptile for sale, it depends on the individual specimen, and it’s as simple as that. Some specimens we have, will never be made available to the public as they have proved unsuitable and unfortunately (for disease risk etc) we are not legally allowed to re release them.
Cheers Dave
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