A very silly question from a very new snake owner....

[turtle_alex]

lucky someone bought this up, cause i recently purchased a coastal python and he is about 55cm long snout to vent and he is so damn snappy everytime i try to pull him out he has a go at me is that becoz i am feed him in his tank or is it za hatchling thing, worries me a lil as now it doesnt make me bleed but 9ft or so and thats a different story...

 

[Lssah]

barno, I have no intention of making it a debate!
Thats what I was told - it is a sound arguement/theory and I have stuck to it.
And it has the advantage that the substrate isn't covered all over the mouse/rat, therefore the snake won't swallow it!
The short version Twinny, is that you won't kill the snake if you feed it outside the cage and then put him/her back in

 

[Ned_fisch]

one member said to dry the rat/mouse off. in my opinion, keep it wet, extra water one hurt them

 

[sweetangel]

hmmm if u just bought it home last night i would give it a week or at least a few days to settle in before you try feeding it.
and if ur scared about picking it up just make a hook out of an old coat hanger and use that to get her out of the cage.
and if she is 90cm long she could easily take adult mice so those fuzzy ones will be to small. remember she can eat things twice the size of her head.

 

[twinny]

someone sent me a private message - can you please resend - pop ups were blocked;

Just tried to feed her, after all that she didn't want one!
How long does it normally take?
Am i doing something wrong?

ps. My hand was shaking so much that it looked like the little mouse was quivering!

 

[twinny]

Sweet Angel, i know she hasn't eaten for two weeks come Wednesday. Surely she would be hungry wouldn't she?

and wow! twice the size of her head - can't wait to see her eat something!
Thanks so much for the info.

 

[karasha]

i believe in the association of feeding in the cage, so i take my hatchling out a put him in a plastic tub feed him in there then put it back in the enclosure he can move out if he wants or sit there and digest, as half of the tub is on a heat mat. his choice then how much he moves and there is little disturbance so less chance of regurgitation.
i would leave it a week before trying to offer more food, as lots of people have advised in the past a good week or so to settle in.
good luck id love to see photos when ur ready.

 

[tenacres1100]

leave it for a week before you try to handle and feed it, it needs time to settle into it's new enclosure. After feeding it don't handle it for up to 3 days. What size rats/mice are you feeding it? You should see a good size lump after its fed. Defrost in warm /hot tap water for about 5 mins, feel it, to make sure it's not still cold and pat dry it with paper towel, fed it with tongs.

 

[twinny]

I will leave it for a week or so then and see how we go.

How do i put photo's on here? Is it a photobucket thing?

 

[twinny]

and i am feeding the little ones with a bit of fluff so they are quite small - like half a cocktail frankfurt for want of a better way of explaining!

 

[grannieannie]

Grannieannie, i am still scared too! I have only had her for 24 hours!

I used gardening gloves last night and then took them off while she was in my hands.

I think i am making her nervous because i am nervous if you know what i mean!

Mate, my "Barrie" is a stimmie, 12 months old. Everyone laughs at me when I say I handle him with cotton gloves....literally....but you know what....it works for me. I also have a little hook which I bought, some people use coat hangers, I try and pick him up about his mid section with the hook first, then gently support him with my hand. I don't care if I sound silly, you must feel comfortable with your pet, and if doing it real slow and "silly" is what works for you...do it. I think they probably can feel your nerves, so only handle him for a few minutes to start with, give him time to settle. I didn't touch Barrie for about 4 weeks when I first got him, I fed him before then, but didn't pick him up. When they are young they feel very vunerable....as I've been told...THINK SNAKE....try to put yourself in his place.....a BIG MONSTER person coming to get him....sure he'd feel threatened at first. Everything is new for him and you. I don't have the same confidence as young people, I'm 58 and this is my first snake....I'm still learning, but loving every minute of it. Good luck. Smiles, Annie

 

[tenacres1100]

I will leave it for a week or so then and see how we go.

How do i put photo's on here? Is it a photobucket thing?

use ADVANCE POST, then Manage Attachments, then download from your computer.

and i am feeding the little ones with a bit of fluff so they are quite small - like half a cocktail frankfurt for want of a better way of explaining!

If it's 90cm it should be on weaner rats (maybe), but it depends on it's size, when you feed it you should see a good size lump for a day or so, if you don't, go up one size at a time until you do, you can always feed it 2 if you need to. How old is it? and what are your temps?

 

[mungus]

Advice given to me is: DO NOT feed it IN THE CAGE. feed it outside the cage and then put him/her back in.

Why? So that the snake doesn't associate "hands in cage" as feeding time.

I feed mine on an old sheet on the floor and then put her back - there have been no issues with that and she is happy as larry. She also seems to associate the sheet with food now.

So everytime you take her OUTSIDE her cage, she associates that with feeding time.
Seen that happen to often, rather feed them inside the cage thanks.........:lol:

 

[LauraM]

I put my mice in a snap lock bag then place in my step dads favourite tea cup full of hot tap water then you can just slightly hold the mice (through the bag if it bothers you) and if its not warm or any cold spots come through just put it back in.

 

[Sock Puppet]

Hi Twinny, as a few people have said, it's better to leave your new little mate in his enclosure for a few days at least to settle in before handling etc. In regard to the feeding in/out of the enclosure, I asked that a few months ago after I got my 1st snake & there were a number of responses for both sides of the argument. I'm not going to debate the subject here, all I can do is offer advice from my own experiences (I'm also a newbie, now with 2 snakes). I have a pair of Bredl's Pythons & feed them both in the enclosure. I'm giving my 4 month old male weaner mice, & my younger, smaller female hopper mice. They are thawed out in a container with warm water (obviously use a container that is dedicated to rodent thawing), I thaw them out in water to about 37-40C so they are "alive mammal" temperature when offering at dinner time, always offered using tongs. Whenever I get the snakes out of the enclosure (I leave them 2-3 days after feeding before I'll handle them), I use a hook. I'll touch them lightly so they are awake & aren't startled when I put my hand in, I just lift them up with the hook, put my hand gently under them & lift them out. So far this technique has worked a treat & neither snake has tried to bite me with my hands in the enclosure. I only handle the snakes 15-20min max each time while they're still so young, the male has never once even looked like biting, the female has only once given me a little defensive nip (my fault, moved one hand in front of her a little quickly, I deserved it), but generally she is as placid as the male. Good luck

 

[twinny]

Thanks everyone!

The temp is approx 27 degrees at the warm end and about 25 at the cooler end. She has been very active but hasn't taken any food.
My drum teacher is coming over on the weekend to give me some pointers - he has about 4 or 5 snakes and could definately help out a little.

Talking to him tonight, i think i have stressed her out so i am mainly leaving her alone at the moment. She did a little strike at me earlier on, but i think that was because i was hovering around in her viv being all indecisive!
Thanks for all your advice, i am very green with all this!

 

[Lssah]

So everytime you take her OUTSIDE her cage, she associates that with feeding time.
Seen that happen to often, rather feed them inside the cage thanks.........:lol:

Mungus.....if you had read the comment properly (and you even quoted it in the reply), she is feed OUTSIDE the cage ON A SHEET, and she associates THE SHEET with feeding.

She is taken out regularly and never strikes, the removal is not actually associated with feeding.

Oddly it appears that she does eally does associate the sheet with feeding day and starts looking for the food (and finds it!). perhaps it is my imagination (??)

 

[twinny]

Lssah, sorry i missed you last night - thanks heaps for the advice - very informative!
Might catch you on msn later.