Hatchlings enclosure question.

[Chris89]

Originally Posted by gold&black...

I'm sorry but just out of curiosity, how old is Ziggy now Chris??? At what age did u move her out of her CC and into the VIV in the second pick??? Did u get her in the CC in the first pick??? U have mentioned most of what I'v asked but I was hoping u could explain in a lil more detail....

Ziggy was hatched on the 04/01/07, so that makes her 1 month, 10 days old. When I bought her, she came with the click clack container that she was in for the 2 - 3 weeks when I first got her. I got her enclosure custom built, I wasn't sure if she would be able to go in it, so I let it air out for around a week or so, then set it up just incase.

I moved Ziggy into the enclosure around 4 or 5 days ago, so she is around 5 weeks old and about 30cm long when I moved her into the Enclosure, since she has been in the enclosure, she has eaten and done her business fine with no worries. She still comes out and hasn't been snappy or defensive at all. And doesn't appear to be stressed what so ever.. As I had said before, she likes to spend alot of her time sleeping on the branches under the heat lamp, and at times she'll be on the branches in the cool side.. She has hides provided for her, and there's a section that has a cover over it in the cool end so that there's no light going to it, and her hide is in there aswell. She sometimes goes into there, but likes to spend alot of her time in the branches.

I think that she is happier in the enclosure, Because when she was in the click clack she spent all day in the hide and then at night time, she'd spend around 2 hours searching to try and get out of the click clack.. Soon as I moved her into the enclosure she automatically went onto the branches, and has enough space for her to be able to explore.. She doesn't look like she's trying to escape anymore. She is coming across to be very content.

[gold&black...]

u just answered a whole lot of my other question too with the last post......... Guess my hatchies can be moved into a lil larger enclosure now that they are abt two months old and are feeding just fine........ Thanks a lot for that Chris........ Also will post picks of their new enclosure the second I set them up......... cheers.......

[stipe]

Firstly yto Hazard. I put in months of preperation and research into this. I never jump into anything without research. I have turtles, frogs, now a snake, lizards, both marine (reef) and fresh water tanks. I love my animals and do what i can to keep them happy.

Do you know what a thermal gradient is and what temperature to keep your particular animal at?

In the four foot at day i have his heat side on 33 in a hot spot on a ledge and further down at 29-30. On the other side the temp is between 23-25. Temp to keep my mac, by what ive been told and read is 29-31 in hot and 23-26 in cold zone.
'
Do you have a thermostat or some means of controlling this heat?

No i do not have a thermo stat at the moment but ive been monitering the tank all day and temprature has been stable. I could look into getting one, Bunnings has one?

You are probably better off with a heat mat rather than a lamp.

I heard and read that snakes do not have good feeling under thier bellies so i did not want to risk him getting over heated.

You've mentioned you don't even have anything to feed it.

I also mentioned that it was eating and tood a pinkie rat. SO it does want to eat. I just never expected the hatchling to be that small. But i will be looking into gettign pinkie mice very soon.


Thanks for all ya help. My actual question was CAN i place him in a four foot tank or does he need to be put into a little box. That was my question. And thatkyou for giving me that answear.

[hazzard]

If you have ant hassles getting it feeding just give me a PM and I will help you out. I've bred spotteds for 8 years now consecutively and beleive me I know how difficult some can be to get to feed (Hence the small enclosures used).

Cheers

[Chris89]

I think waht Hazzard is trying to say, correct me if I'm wrong (please).. If you move a hatchy into a larger enclosure there is a chance that it's going to stop eating.. When it's in a click clack, because it's a small space the snake feels mre secure and safe and is willing to eat? Because they aren't stressed of a larger enviroment..

I guess what I did was kind of go against, that.. But Ziggy is fine, and eating fine.. Each snake to their own I suppose

[croc_hunter_penny]

i just wanted to add that i have noticed with all my snakes that are in clicky clacks, they hide under newspaper during the day, and try to escape at night, even when i put hides and branches in wih them...

i also noticed that all my youngin's are quite content in larger enclosures, as long as they have plenty of places to hide, and things to climb on.

just my observations
-penny

[Chris89]

Originally Posted by croc_hunter_penny

i just wanted to add that i have noticed with all my snakes that are in clicky clacks, they hide under newspaper during the day, and try to escape at night, even when i put hides and branches in wih them...

i also noticed that all my youngin's are quite content in larger enclosures, as long as they have plenty of places to hide, and things to climb on.

just my observations
-penny

that's the same for me, even though I only have the one snake. You described her behaviour

[AussieMum]

i had my baby girl in a click clack and she hated it, now she is in her huge enclosure and she explores and eat better than before.
i guess every snake is different just like people.
its good to have a guide, but better to do what is best for your perticular snake.

[Kali7]

Somewhere warm enough to stimulate activity and hunger, somewhere cool enough to regulate body temperature, somewhere to hide in case she feels like it, something to climb on should the urge overtake her.
Not warm enough, and she can get respiratory problems, no cool spots can cause stress as can no hides - maybe not now, but sooner or later...

[stipe]

My problem is not feeding, but not finding the right size food. I had everything ready but wasnt prepared for this.

[mitchdiamond]

Great Stimmi Chris.

[Hsut77]

Finding pinkie mice at the moment is a bit of a problem - lots and lots of hatchies. The good thing is he will only need 3 or 4 feeds on pinkies before he can take fuzzie mice / pinkie rats. I got a spotted 3 weeks ago and he was the same age as yours. 3 feeds later and i think he can start on something bigger. Good luck with him.

[brucey]

yep, if shes fine leave her in the big enclosure, i have with my spotted and never had a problem

[stipe]

Ok thanks guys.