New Northern Adder

[AustHerps]

Thanks Mark (Punja) for our newest snakie.

He's about 8 or 9 inches













Loves to burrow





Enjoy

Cheers,
Aaron.

[Rocket]

Very nice Adder AustHerps!

Never realised they liked to climb, always thought they were strictly terrestrial.

[ryanharvey1993]

wow what a beauty, love death adders

[AustHerps]

Originally Posted by Rocket

Never realised they liked to climb, always thought they were strictly terrestrial.

Haha they are, until you hang them over a tree/plant lol

Cheers,
Aaron.

[Splitmore]

That looks like one very underweight and/or dehydrated snake. I hope it's just the picture but to be able to see it's backbone like in the first pic, I'd be getting some food into it asap. For an adder it's very skinny

[AustHerps]

Originally Posted by Splitmore

That looks like one very underweight and/or dehydrated snake. I hope it's just the picture but to be able to see it's backbone like in the first pic, I'd be getting some food into it asap. For an adder it's very skinny

You're quite right. It was not feeding voluntarily and Mark gave us the snake to concentrate on other species of elapids. It's had one forfefed meal since we brought it home, and another assist fed meal of four mice since then. I'm sure in a few weeks time it will be well up to weight.

Whilst I generally refrain from interacting with snakes that aren't feeding, I make an exception for adders. If force-feeding an animal, I always wait a few days after defecation before feeding again. Adders, unlike other elapids, tend to hold onto their poo for two to three weeks, and I find that a roam outside of the enclosure generally results in passing the previous meal.

I'd bet my bottom dollar that by this evening, we'll have seen a bowel movement, and can feed again in a couple of days.

Thanks for your concern,

Cheers,
Aaron.

[Rosemary]

good pics and he has a really cute face...love him

[Ryan93]

mate nice snake i wish i had one. and the last pic looks awsome cause you cant even see him/she

[Splitmore]

adder are one of the few snakes that I torment with the food item in order to get them to strike at it. If you can get a live fuzzy, hold it in a long pair of tweezers and see if you can get the animal to strike it. Usually they instinctively hang on while the prey is still kicking then will usually eat it.

[Ryan93]

lol watch how fast the snake actually strikes. i am yet to see this me self

[AustHerps]

Splitmore,

I've tried all the tricks - This isn't the first fussy eater I've had to deal with, trust me.

I'll get some weight back onto it before tormenting it.

Cheers,
Aaron.

[Jonno from ERD]

Out of all the captive and wild caught Northerns, Southerns and Deserts I've dealt with, none have had to be forcefed (save for a few neonates). No doubt the problem is completely husbandry or technique related. Forcefeeding with juvenile or older Adders will only add to the stress - for it to get to the size it is now it would have had to have been previously eating, so locate the reason it's not and fix it.

Chris's suggestion of tormenting is normally the best way to have a go at it, but if you want some other suggestions that have worked wonders for a collector of A.wellsi in WA, send me a PM.

[AustHerps]

Jonno,

Having only received the snake a short time ago, I made the call to not fuss about letting it 'settle in', but rather just get a couple of good meals into it.

To quote myself:

Originally Posted by AustHerps

It's had one forfefed [sic] meal since we brought it home, and another assist fed meal of four mice since then.

It was forcefed one pink mouse on it's first night here - a small meal, but enough to get it's stomach juices flowing and perhaps build an appetite! Four days later, it assist-fed on four mice (it's appetite becoming more evident with each feeder). We've had the snake for 7 days now. For it to go from no interest at all in food, to actively chomping down on and crawling it's fangs (in stereotypical adder fashion) over each item placed in it's mouth is, I think, a good step in the right direction - Wouldn't you agree?

If you have any other advice for me, by all means, post it here. However, I have no doubt that the adder will be eating by itself in the next few days.

Cheers,
Aaron.

[DazHerps]

Nice animal Aaron, and I'm sure he'll look even better with a bit of weight on. I too have assist fed a few adders over the years to get them going again and sounds like yours isn't going to be too dificult about it. Good luck, and be carefull
It'll be good to see some updated shots of him down the track.