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Demmy

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Hello, newbie reptile owner here but a 3rd year wildlife student. I have a few questions that I can't seem to find the answers for online so any help would be appreciated. For a bit of background I have a mottled python, four jungles, two murry darlings, bredli, coastal and a diamond back. I don't know their ages or genders yet. If you need more information I would be happy to give what I can.

Lately I've been waking up to find my mottled sleeping under her newspapers. Is this normal behaviour?

Are mottled pythons abboreal like carpets?

I know they are a lot slower and sleepy in the winter, is it still a good idea to take them out in the sun?

What signs do I look for to see if my reptile is sick?

How do I tell if they have a deficiency?

I have one that is being treated for mites. Is there anything I can provide to help ease the irritation for him?

Is fake grass easy to clean or should I stick to newspapers?


Also, any book recommendations specifically for carpet pythons would be appreciated.
 
I started with one but someone I knew lost their liscence so I took them in. I don't know 'nothing' I'm just asking specifics rather than making mistakes.

Antaresia maculosa or smaller spotted python.
 
So you’re illegally owning them? If he lost his license he isn’t allowed to sell them or move them on, as far as I’m aware.

Snakes will bury under their substrate if their hide is not suitable or it’s not getting the right temps.

Fake grass sucks.

Keeping and breeding carpet pythons by mike swan is good
 
I wouldn't think so? All the paperwork was sent in and I haven't heard anything about it so i think it's okay?

So, assuming it is not the hide, would she burrow if it is too cold or too hot?

Thank you for that.
 
I wouldn't think so? All the paperwork was sent in and I haven't heard anything about it so i think it's okay?

So, assuming it is not the hide, would she burrow if it is too cold or too hot?

Thank you for that.
Yes she would OR the hide is too revealing and she wants to feel more sevure
 
Lately I've been waking up to find my mottled sleeping under her newspapers. Is this normal behaviour? YES

Are mottled pythons abboreal like carpets? NO SUCH THING AS FAR AS I'M AWARE. MOTTLED IS A POLYGENIC TRAIT NOT A SPECIES OR SUB SPECIES

I know they are a lot slower and sleepy in the winter, is it still a good idea to take them out in the sun? DOESN'T MATTER. SNAKES DON'T NEED UV

What signs do I look for to see if my reptile is sick? IF IT STARTS DOING THINGS OUT OF ITS NORMAL BEHAVIOUR IS A START POINT BUT NO GUARANTEED MARKERS UNLESS YOU ASK ABOUT A SPECIFIC ILLNESS OR DISEASE.

How do I tell if they have a deficiency? DEFICIENCY IN WHAT EXACTLY?

I have one that is being treated for mites. Is there anything I can provide to help ease the irritation for him? TREAT THE MITES. NORMAL TREATMENT WOULD BE A SPRAY BY THE NAME OF 'TOP OF DESCENT' BUT WHO DIAGNOSED MITES?

Is fake grass easy to clean or should I stick to newspapers?
NO. ITS SH1T IF I'M HONEST. IF YOU HAVE MITES I WOULDN'T USE ANYTHING OTHER THAN NEWSPAPER OR BUTCHERS PAPER.

Now I have to ask if you are you a licensed keeper? How did your friend "loose" their licence? Seems unusual they would have it taken off them and be allowed to move on the animals. This all seems a little unusual.
 
What state are you in and what region, because that will have a significant effect on the nature of the husbandry required to meet your animals’ needs and to provide relevant answers to some of your questions?
 
@Pauls_Pythons
Abboreal = tree climbers. Carpets like to climb trees. If you're referring to the Mottled, it's a recent name change - Made it a pain to find information for my assignment.
Snakes need both Uv - A to feel happy like us and UV - B to prevent calcium deficiency. UV - C is still required but too much is what causes cancer in both snakes and humans.
Apologies - I was thinking about calcium deficiencies, though I assume other types are possible?
"I have one that is being treated for mites." As in I'm already treating it with 'Mitey' spray from the RSPCA. I just want to know if there is anything else I can provide him to help ease the irritation.
No one has diagnosed it he sleeps in his water, has tiny bugs running around his eyes, easily irritated and small dots floating in his water. He is being booked in for a vet appointment soon.
I am a liscenced keeper
As I said before, all paperwork has been done for their transfer and I have recieved nothing in the mail, a visit or a notice through the online liscence... thing. I forget the name.
I assume they just couldn't continue paying. TBH they were our neighbour's cousin so I'm not sure what happened to it.
I'm only rebutting what I have been told by my vet, Dr Robert Donnely at UQ.


@Bluetongue1 I'm in south east Qld.
 
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@Pauls_Pythons
Abboreal = tree climbers. Carpets like to climb trees. If you're referring to the Mottled, it's a recent name change - Made it a pain to find information for my assignment.
Snakes need both Uv - A to feel happy like us and UV - B to prevent calcium deficiency. UV - C is still required but too much is what causes cancer in both snakes and humans.
Apologies - I was thinking about calcium deficiencies, though I assume other types are possible?
"I have one that is being treated for mites." As in I'm already treating it with 'Mitey' spray from the RSPCA. I just want to know if there is anything else I can provide him to help ease the irritation.
No one has diagnosed it he sleeps in his water, has tiny bugs running around his eyes, easily irritated and small dots floating in his water. He is being booked in for a vet appointment soon.
I am a liscenced keeper: WA0002979
As I said before, all paperwork has been done for their transfer and I have recieved nothing in the mail, a visit or a notice through the online liscence... thing. I forget the name.
I assume they just couldn't continue paying. TBH they were our neighbour's cousin so I'm not sure what happened to it.
I'm only rebutting what I have been told by my vet, Dr Robert Donnely at UQ.


@Bluetongue1 I'm in south east Qld.
Are you licensed in Qld or WA? That doesn't have the correct lettering or numbering for a Qld license.
 
Abboreal = tree climbers.

I think I might just remember what an arboreal snake is. There is No Australian species called a 'mottled python'. Its a polygenic trait as I said before.

Snakes need both Uv - A to feel happy like us and UV - B to prevent calcium deficiency. UV - C is still required but too much is what causes cancer in both snakes and humans.

Oh dear I think you might have been a little misinformed. Are snakes not nocturnal? Maybe the moon has started giving off UV these days since the ozone started breaking down. Snakes get their calcium from their food. I know keepers who have never offered any form of UV to their snakes but at 20 years + they are still healthy and active. (And still breeding) Lizards and monitors kept in captivity need UV. That said there might be some benefit to adding UV but it is definitely 100% essential for captive snakes. NO


"I have one that is being treated for mites." As in I'm already treating it with 'Mitey' spray from the RSPCA. I just want to know if there is anything else I can provide him to help ease the irritation.
No one has diagnosed it he sleeps in his water, has tiny bugs running around his eyes, easily irritated and small dots floating in his water. He is being booked in for a vet appointment soon.

If it is mites you will be better treating all the enclosures, (not just the animals) at the same time or they will just move from one snake to the next and infect your entire collection. Top of descent is the most popular treatment but having never suffered with a mite infestation I wouldn't be the best person to advise you.
 
Call it an eastern small spotted if you must.


Why do they sun themselves, then?


I have treated all of them. Both snakes and enclosures.
 
Hi Demmy,

Not trying to be nasty but you're trying to argue with very experienced keepers that have probably forgotten more about keeping reptiles than what you know. Listen to their advice without getting all salty.

"Mottled" is not a recent name change, as PP mentioned it's a polygenic trait within the Children's Python (Antaresia) group (which is what you have if you have a Spotted Python). If you don't know what polygenic trait means - Google it.

They sun themselves to thermoregulate (if you don't know what that is then just Google it as well). Despite what you may have been told UV may be beneficial but it is not essential. I, like many of the other experienced keepers on this forum, have been keeping snakes, both pythons and elapids very successfully for many, many years without providing UV to either without any problems.

If you have mites then they have more than likely spread right across your collection. PP's advise to use Top of Descent is the best advice you'll get for treating them. You have to put each snake into a seperate bag and spray them, remove all cage furnishings and spray them and then spray all the enclosures. This has to be repeated around every three days for at least a week (maybe two) to kill off the mite and eliminate their reproduction cycle. If you have a snake continuously submerging itself in water and can see "tiny bugs" around his eyes and in the water it means that it still has mite (that's what the bugs are around the eyes and the black dots in the water). It's in there to find some comfort from the irritation of the mite and is attempting to drown them. That is why it's in the water and why it would be sleeping in the water. So there is NO NEED TO CONSULT WITH A VET just treat the mite.

Despite where you live, keeping all the species you mentioned is pretty universal so just Google care sheets for 1. Childrens Pythons & 2. Carpet Pythons because that is the group of the other snakes you have [FYI it's not a Diamondback (that's an American Rattlesnake) it's a Diamond Python which is a member of the Carpet Python Group]. Ahh...don't type in care sheet for "Mottled Python" because as you've found out you won't get a result, type Care sheets for Children's Pythons.

Cheers,

George.
 
Call it an eastern small spotted if you must.

I have a fairly large collection of BHP's including many different polygenic and genetic variations but they are still BHP's.

Why do they sun themselves, then?

Answered above by George.

I admit to not being the most patient member on the forum and I have a low tolerance for cockiness. I'm more than happy to offer advice but if my advice is constantly received with attitude I will simply refrain from offering further assistance.
 
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