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11-Jan-08, 03:19 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Jan-08 Location: Wollongong & Canberra Age/Gender: 30  | | |
Hi all,
I'm a new user here and am hoping for some helpful hints on a little problem we've been having with our diamond.
He's five years old, and we've had him since he was a hatchling. During the first couple years, he was absolutely angelic... Ages 3-4 we only had a few little episodes where he lunged, but these were few and far between.
Unfortunately, this summer we seem to have become a whole new pet. He is almost impossible to remove from the tank now without an attempt at biting or constriction. Last weekend we spent half an hour trying to work him off my arm while he constricted it. The following morning he lunged at the screen lid of his tank as I walked by and actually got his fangs stuck in the mesh. Great weekend for us both 
We're hoping for some insight into the personality change because I don't particularly enjoy being scared of my pet! I'm also worried that he's going to accidentally get hurt (I can't not jerk away when he bites).
Here's the vital stats:
Age: 5 years
Sex: no idea
Length: almost 6 feet
Maximum thickness: 5 cm diameter (he's still a skinny fella)
Diet: Thawed mice, approximately one once a week during summer (I'm thinking maybe he's not getting enough food?)
Thanks in advance!
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11-Jan-08, 03:26 PM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Jan-08 Location: Wollongong & Canberra Age/Gender: 30 | | | |
I forgot to mention that we keep his tank at ambient temperatures in Wollongong, with no heat lamp except during winters when he's been fed. We also have a standard UV light set to 10:14 light dark.
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11-Jan-08, 03:32 PM
|  | Be The Rat! Subscriber | Join Date: Jul-07 Location: SEQLD Age/Gender: 22  | | | |
5 years and only on mice. and hes nealry 6 ft he must be starving, soudns like you need to up the food size
not sure waht sought of whetehr down there you have but they need heating to they jsut need to be able to get away to a cool area, hence one area to bask in in the morning and when ever they feel the need, you jsut dont want the ambient temp very high
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he was being good and i let my guard down...........and he bit me on the face!!
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11-Jan-08, 03:32 PM
|  | Subscriber | Join Date: Apr-07 Location: central coast. nsw Gender: | | | Poor things starving. 5years!!! GET SOME MEDIUM RATS DOWN HIS NECK, PRONTO.
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Its a wise Diamond that knows its own father. |
11-Jan-08, 03:32 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Mar-07 Location: Australia Gender: | | | |
definetly to small of food, he should be on adult rats every 2-3 weeks
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Mate thats deffinatly a keelback. |
11-Jan-08, 03:32 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Nov-07 Location: Under your bed... Gender: | | | |
I don't know if your diamond does the same, but when I feed my 3 year old diamond (which i feed every 2 weeks) anything smalled than a medium rat he gets narky and tries to attack me. But it could be something else thats making him bite, I'm not sure. But there are heaps of people on here that are really helpful so someones bound to have a better response
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Buckle up. It's makes it harder for the aliens to suck you out of your car  |
11-Jan-08, 03:33 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Nov-07 Location: Hawthorn, VIC Age/Gender: 24 | | | |
I *could* be wrong, but i would have thought he should be eating more? I think a rat every 2 weeks??
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11-Jan-08, 03:40 PM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Jan-08 Location: Wollongong & Canberra Age/Gender: 30 | | | |
We've looked high and dry for a pet store that sells frozen rats and no luck... any suggestions? I've heard chics may be ok as well? I'lI guess the other option is to feed him live rates, but I'm really wary of feeding him live food, as he's never had it.
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11-Jan-08, 03:41 PM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: May-07 Location: North Brisbane Gender: | | | |
maybe multiple mice per week
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A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.
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11-Jan-08, 03:43 PM
| | Be The Rat! Subscriber | Join Date: Jul-07 Location: SEQLD Age/Gender: 22 | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by rachelp  We've looked high and dry for a pet store that sells frozen rats and no luck... any suggestions? I've heard chics may be ok as well? I'lI guess the other option is to feed him live rates, but I'm really wary of feeding him live food, as he's never had it. |
dont feed live, im sure there is a pet shop down there that sells frozen rats, if not breed your own. frozen baby chickens are good but if you feed them allthe time you can get a vitamin toxicity occurring. but your snake is to big for baby chickens also it needs good sized rats.
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he was being good and i let my guard down...........and he bit me on the face!!
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11-Jan-08, 03:44 PM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Mar-07 Location: Australia Gender: | | |
ok then, about 10 mice per week 
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Mate thats deffinatly a keelback. |
11-Jan-08, 03:49 PM
| | Be The Rat! Subscriber | Join Date: Jul-07 Location: SEQLD Age/Gender: 22 | | | |
someone on here must know a pet shop in woolongong or canberra that sells frozen rats or a private rat breeder down that way. i've been to little country towns up here that sell frozen rats even when they dotn sell any reptile stuff.
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he was being good and i let my guard down...........and he bit me on the face!!
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11-Jan-08, 03:51 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Sep-04 Location: The far and bewildered mountainside of the strange region of Carpathia Age/Gender: 34 | | | |
rachelp, there's a pet shop in Albion Park called Aquarium and Pet Warehouse, 7/35 Durgadin Drive Albion Park Rail, Central Business Park. Ph: 0242577360. They sell frozen mice and rats of all sizes.
If you find that your diamond wont take rats then give it a mouse first and then carefully place the head of the rat in your snakes mouth just as the mouse disappears down the throat.
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Nature curled, unleashed, unfurled
The crack of a whip on the lips of anger
Why would your holy order
Not be wholly slain?
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11-Jan-08, 03:51 PM
| | Subscriber | Join Date: Apr-07 Location: central coast. nsw Gender: | | | Chicks and mice for 6 ft DP is a joke. He needs much more substantial fare. No wonder he's stroppy. You obviously haven't tried too hard to obtain the right food. Or do you live on Mars.
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Its a wise Diamond that knows its own father. |
11-Jan-08, 03:54 PM
|  | Subscriber | Join Date: Apr-07 Location: Wollongong, NSW Gender: | | | |
Hi, have you tried the pet shop at westfield warrawong?
I think they sell frozen rats.
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