Bredli Care Questions

[Seru1]

One of the things I really wanted to pursue this year was carpet pythons and out of all of them I like Centralian's the most. However I tend to be a worrier so before I ever invest in an animal I like to learn as much as I can.

I have read more than a couple care sheets but it's abit confusing to me with all the different opinions out there. So I thought Maybe I could throw a couple of confusions I have out and beg you kind folk's advice.

1. Just on the basics I read that need a gradient of 82F to 93F. Perching Material, Water, substrate and humidity of about 40 to 60. But some people have said as low as 75F to 90F is good. I'm not sure what to believe there.

2. I heard an adult needs a cage of about 4x2x2, but what about for babies? Storage bins may work but for about how long? A couple click clacks and dowels would be very easy to start with and in all honesty ideal till I can buy an adult cage.. But I don't know what size to get for hatchlings or how long they can live in it.


3. Also I read so many varying things about Nighttime drops and winter cooling. Some say both are needed. Some say only night time drops. Some say you really don't need either. This is most confusing to me as None of my snakes so far need night time drops and I wasn't really sure carpets did.

4. Someone Said Carpets Need UV light. Though I think it might have been in referance to Diamonds and even then I am not sure thats right as I don't know of any snake that needs UV. Then again I'm no pro.


Sorry for the big post! I really appreciate all who read it and any advice you can give me. I'd love to get a bredli or two this year. Also an Irian Jaya but I know even less about them. Thanks in advance for all your great knowledge! These forums are very cool.

 

[solar 17]

No uv is necessary but an option, they love climbing so all my adults are in 3x3x8high as my adults are 8-9ft long and 10kgs or 22lbs and their temp gradient is 73f-95f and as adults they will use every bit of 95f given a choice for 2-3 days every week......solar 17 [Baden]

 

[Sock Puppet]

Definitely give them something to climb on, mine spend a great majority of their time in their branches. Even in winter when it's only 15C (59F) ambient temp in the room, they are still in their branches & away from the heat a lot of the time. So long as you give them the option & a nice basking spot, they'll work out when they want the heat or not. They are great display snakes & it's a great sight feeding them up in their branches. Temps as Baden said are right.

For juveniles, you could use tubs for the first year or so. I had mine in 52L (14 gallon) tubs for the first year & bit. It also depends on how much you feed them too (& consequently how quick they grow) as to how long you'd keep them in a tub.

Personally I haven't changed the heat on mine for night time or winter yet, as they are only a couple of years old & still a cpl years off breeding age, so mine are getting a good (thermo controlled) basking spot 24/7 still, with no changes to the timing/duration/temperature of the heating.

There has been much specultation about giving them UV, whether they need it, whether it helps enhance their colours etc, but I haven't seen anything that is a definitive answer either way. They are a predominantly nocturnal animal so I don't believe it's a necessity. Mine are thriving & they have no UV at all.

Good luck with it. In my greatly biased opinion, I reckon bredli are a fantastic snake.

 

[LizardLady]

Hey Seru1!

I'm with Sock Puppet and Solar17 on this topic...

My breeding pair are kept together (for now) in a 4x3x3. They have two hollow logs (technically one each... but they usually use the same one together), a branch angled up toward the heat-globe that expands the entire length and height of the enclosure, a "platform" on top of the heat-globe, water tub and Astro-Turf as substrate. Mine still have a year or so to go before they get too big for this enclosure (they're three years old).

Temps are the same as the others have mentioned. As for night-time temps, unless your house (or the room the animals are in) gets to below 60F, you won't need supplemental heating.

Both are eating fairly large Medium Rats with no problems.

As for hatchlings/juveniles - as Sock Puppet has said, a tub (14gall) will suffice for the first 12months or so, depending on feeding and growing regime, with under-tub heat cord/mat for heating. As long as it's warm enough for the animals to digest their meal and still reach a thermal gradient, you'll be fine.

For the UV - this is pretty much a hot-topic with most snakes (except Diamonds), as some do, some don't require it. That being said, I have a UV tube in my Bredli enclosure, but I don't really believe it makes a lot of difference to their health - maybe to enhance their colours, but that's about it! I have a breeding pair of Murray Darlings in a larger enclosure with no UV, and they're thriving... That being said, as Sock Puppet mentioned, they are nocturnal animals, so UV may not be utilised even if it is provided. For example, my Bredli (with UV) spend most of their day in their log/s - my female perches on top of the platform above the heat-globe until about 8am (one hour after lights on, this time of year), then she goes into the log with the male. I won't see them out until 8.30 - 9.00 at night, feed at 10.00pm.

As for the "big post", no apology necessary! The only dumb question is the one that's not asked!

You will find, wherever you go, there will be conflicting and confusing information/opinions - it's really up to you and your animals as to how you set up your enclosure/tubs. We can suggest methods, usually by personal experience (what works for our animals), but some methods may not work for others. Confused still? Sorry!

Anyway, I hope all this helps - even a little - to clarify some of your questions. Please let us know how you get on when you get your animal/s!

All the best,
Carolyn

 

[Seru1]

Wow thanks for all the great information everybody. Eventually I think I will probably heat using Radient heat panels. I have been using my living room as a snake room, however the downside is it can sometimes drop down to 68 F at the lowest when things get very cold. Usually it stays 72 though.

The upstairs stays in the low 80's High 70's but room is limited. I was pondering keeping Hatchlings/under a year olds. In tubs upstairs because then all I'd have to do is create a basking spot with a UTH.

But thats quite a range! it's impressive they can thrive with 73-75 as part of the cage. Of course I would most certainly keep a 95 part to and the range in between.


Thanks so much for all the great info. I may make a few click clack tubs to see if I can get a nice semi arboreal setup with a tub. Even the babies like to perch I'm sure.

I really appreciate it

 

[1woma]

I agree great info everyone.... very helpful

 

[Seru1]

One more question. What do you think the best way to put some perching in a 14 gallon click clack would be? Some hot glue and PVC or wooden dowels? it seems wooden dowels would be harder to sterilize and might retain some cleaner.

 

[dtulip10]

I use dowls and just use small screws through the side of the tub. And have not had any dramas with retaining cleaning products.
Cheers D

Sent from my GT-P1000 using Tapatalk

 

[Sock Puppet]

I just used a stick/branch that had one end propped in the corner at the floor & the other end at the opposite corner at the lid, cut to size, & positioned so it couldn't twist or fall.

There's no need to sterilize it, just knock off any dirt, twigs, loose bark etc. I never bothered to fix the branches to the tub, as this facilitates easier cleaning etc. If the branch becomes soiled, simply replace it with a new one. The right branch positioned correctly presents no problems like this, I had two bredli in tubs for just over a year each & never had a problem with branches propped like that.

I don't have any good pics of it from back then, but here's a couple of old pics that might give you a rough idea anyway.

 

[LizardLady]

Hey SP, that's a fantastic pic of your little darling starting his/her slough...! Excellent timing!

Oh, and Seru1, Sock Puppet's quite correct (not that there was any doubt!) in that it's not necessary to sterilize your branches/perches, as long as there are no "bugs" or dirt etc, you'll be fine! None of my 'perches' are anchored, just well-positioned so they can't fall or become an issue.

Good on you for doing your homework too, most pleasing!

All the best with it!

Carolyn

 

[jham66]

So where are you from Seru1? You have an impressive list of snakes! How much is a Bredli going to set you back?

 

[Seru1]

So where are you from Seru1? You have an impressive list of snakes! How much is a Bredli going to set you back?

I'm from the southeastern US in Alabama. I have seen male Bredli for as low as about 150 American, and females as high as 300. Stripes and abberant patterns generally cost more. But you can get some deals this time of year when people are getting ready to breed for 2011.


I am personally very interested in the Wild type, not really the morphs, so I won't have to spent as much .

And yeah I always make it a point to do every ounce of research I can before I buy an animal, it's a responsibility thing. It will probably still be a month or two before I buy one or two because I wanna take time and set up the cages and gauge temperatures.


Oh and thanks again for the kind advice everybody! I am gonna go buy a few tubs tomorrow and play around with the setup.

 

[Sock Puppet]

Thanks Carolyn, yeah I've caught them sloughing before, but that's the only time I've caught the very start of one, got some other pics of the slough just past his nostrils & of the spectacles coming off, but were irrelevant to this thread so didn't post them. Those pics were a while ago when he was still in a tub (obviously), he's a fair bit bigger these days.

Good luck with your Bredl's purchase Seru, & you know we'll be expecting pics when you get it/them