New member: My daughter's new Simmie

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luntingsir

New Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2019
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Location
Victoria
Hey all, just wanted to introduce myself to the forum and share a bit of my story.

My seven year old daughter stumbled onto one of Snake Discovery's videos on YouTube early this year, and was immediately entranced by the idea of snakes as a pet. Wanting to make sure it wasn't just a fleeting interest, I monitored her only growing interest over the following 6-7 months before agreeing to get a snake by the end of the year. It was an interesting opportunity to sit down with her and learn the ins and outs of pet ownership (I've owned cats, dogs and fish in the past, but none since our kids arrived on the scene).

We picked up an enclosure for her birthday in September to make sure it was properly set up, and just last Sunday we finally got a Stimson's from our local shop Totally Reptiles to bring home. Apparently it's a five months old female(?)

ZWm32TMl.jpg


It's been fascinating to watch the reaction from family and friends. My wife has gone from tolerant of her daughter's interest, to overly clucky, sending happy snaps to all her friends. My daughter's friends at school are polarised, either screaming with fear or screaming with excitement at the news. My parents are curious. My wife's parents say they won't ever come over again.

Billie, as she's been dubbed, has been pretty quiet over the past few days, preferring to curl up under some leaves during daylight hours. It is strange she doesn't user her hide instead? We'll leave her be for a few more days before trying her first feed, which should be an experience in itself.

FeZRRngl.jpg


Anyway, just wanted to share our story for those that may be interested.

I'm already plotting how I can nab a Black Headed for myself next year.

Cheers.
 
Hi,
It is strange she doesn't user her hide instead?

Snakes thermoregulate by moving into the desired temperature range and warm up or cool down. If you have only one hide at one end of the temperature gradient that hide will only be utilized to attain that temperature.
For example, if the hide is in the warm part of the enclosure the snake will only use the hide when warming up. When the snake needs to cool down, it will utilize any cover on the cool side to hide (fell safe) whilst cooling down.

Provide a hide at both ends of the temperature gradient, that way the snake has somewhere secure to warm up and cool down.

Regards,
Nick
 
Hey, thanks for the advice!

The enclosure's currently set up with a smaller plastic enclosure within a larger wooden one. I think I've been able to get the gradient worked out for the overall wooden enclosure with the hot end around 32 and the cooler about 23. However given that the smaller plastic enclosure is, well... smaller, it doesn't see the same gradient from what I can tell.

She seems to spend 95% of her time just lying in the back left corner under the leaves during the day. I put her hide right next to where she sits and she won't use it (apart from the first night). Am I right in assuming that she's fine as is? I just always assumed from what I've read that she'd be spending most of her time in the hide instead. Am I just being a paranoid first-time owner? :D

EDIT: Here's a pic of the enclosure
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Last edited:
have you actually monitored the temps in smaller enclosure? i'd assume they wont be anywhere near what you want, whether too hot or too cold as its a unsatisfactory heat source

If possible you want to have the plastic one outside the large one, and have a heatmat or a heat cord under neath it
 
Yes, using a temp gun to get surface temp on the smaller enclosure. Just did another test just now and it shows 29.8 at the back to 28.1 at the front. The probe in the middle of the above picture is also positioned in contact underneath the back left corner of the smaller enclosure.
 

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