Help with a Stimson Python

[Tracey]

Hi I was wondering if you could offer some advise. We have just bought a Stimson python (baby) for my son. We have had it for a week now, and are having some issues. It has become rather snappy and we haven't been able to get it to eat. The breeder was feeding it live pinkies but we haven't been able to get any only frozen. The snake will strike to take it but then drops it and gives up. I have tried several times but each time the same thing and it is becoming more snappy. This is the first snake we have had so are a little unsure. we have a 3ft tank set up with all the right equipment and correct heating. But just are having issues with it being snappy and not wanting to eat. How long can it go without eating? and I have read that baby snakes can be snappy is this true ? Also it has just started to bury itself under the heat mat, is that going to be too hot for it.
Any advise would be much appreciated

 

[Lawra]

How are you heating your pinkie? It could just be not warm enough. I've heard hatchies can be very snappy.

 

[Tracey]

I am placing the pinkie in a small bag and heating in warm water. It strikes at the pinkie but drops it.

 

[Lawra]

It could be because he's a baby and in too big an enclosure. If you search for "click clack" you'll find some great threads on how to set one up. Also, was he being fed mouse or rat pinkies and what are you feeding him now?

Edit: someone else feel free to jump in any time, I only thought to reply since it had multiple views and no replies.

 

[Jacknife]

Hi I was wondering if you could offer some advise. We have just bought a Stimson python (baby) for my son. We have had it for a week now, and are having some issues. It has become rather snappy and we haven't been able to get it to eat. The breeder was feeding it live pinkies but we haven't been able to get any only frozen. The snake will strike to take it but then drops it and gives up. I have tried several times but each time the same thing and it is becoming more snappy. This is the first snake we have had so are a little unsure. we have a 3ft tank set up with all the right equipment and correct heating. But just are having issues with it being snappy and not wanting to eat. How long can it go without eating? and I have read that baby snakes can be snappy is this true ? Also it has just started to bury itself under the heat mat, is that going to be too hot for it.
Any advise would be much appreciated

First of all, leave it alone. Give it a good week or two to settle in before trying to feed or handle it. the reason it's being so snappy is basically because you're annoying the hell out of it. This is also why it's not eating, annoyed and stressed.
A 3ft tank for a hatchie - yearling stimmie is way too big an enclosure for it right now, it would be much better off in a click-clack setup for now.
Also how is it getting under your heat mat? If its in a glass enclosure the heat mat should be on the outside, if it is in a wooden or melamine enclosure the heat mat should be sandwiched between two tiles to both evenly distribute heat and not fry your animal.

Here's a good guide for making a click-clack.
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/noteworthy-threads-5397/guide-build-click-clack-dial-93266/

But mostly just leave it alone and give it time to settle in and become used to its new environment before trying to feed and handle it.

 

[OldestMagician]

Going from advice I've read on here:

Put it in a click clack, there's a sticky thread on here in the DIY section I think about how to set one up. 3ft is too much room for a hatchling.
Don't feed live. It's unnecessary and cruel. I warm my mice/rats up in warm water and use some old plastic tongs to wiggle it in front of the snake. I found they struck and coiled much better when doing this compared to just putting it in their enclosure.
My hatchling Bredli can be snappy. They're small and it's their way of defending themselves. From what I've read and from my experience with my older Spotted, the older and bigger they get the less snappy they are. They're more confident due to their size.
If you've only had it a week it will still be stressed out from it's move and new enclosure. Give it a break from feeding, try in maybe a week (I'm sure someone more experienced will come along and let you know if this is too long a time, but they can go a long time between feeds)


Badsville beat me to it

 

[Bushman]

Welcome to AP&S forum.
Your new snake is just feeling insecure and threatened.
Since you've only had it for about a week, this is the 'settling in period', and shouldn't necessarily be fed at all. Juvenile snakes are very vulnerable and are secretive by nature. They're easily stressed. Many people don't realize that they're not a pet (at least not yet!).
Don't even try and feed a snake that is behaving this way if it's a recent acquisition. As you've seen it doesn't want to eat anyway, so pushing the issue only stresses it out even more.
Do you have plenty of hides in the enclosure, which I think is too big anyway for a juvenile snake?

 

[Tracey]

Thank you for your advice. I am going to get a click clack cage today. The breeder told us it would be fine in the large enclosure.
It has been feed live pinkies, I haven't been able to get live so have been giving it frozen, which I hope it will like as I would rather frozen over live.
The enclosure has a large rock, low tree, half egg crate (that is what the breeder used) and small nesting box.
The heat mat is inside cage which is covered with large pellets which we were told to use by the pet shop.

I am so glad I have found this site as a lot of info that we have been told is turning out to be wrong. I have researched and asked heaps of questions as we have never had a snake before.

 

[Grogshla]

just remember that the snake needs to feel secure. Otherwise it will be defensive. Give it good shelter, the proper heat and let it settle in for a week. I am not sure on the rules for baby snakes but I am pretty sure it is illegal to feed live prey so it would be great if you can get it to feed on defrosted and warmed up pinkies

 

[Snapped]

Yep, get a click clack, put it one third onto a heat mat attached to a thermostat, hide in cool end and in hot end, temp should be 32 in the hot end, you can measure this with a infrared temp gun, or a contact thermometer thingo.
.Just make sure the heat mat is set up safely between 2 tiles, and then put the click clack ON that.

Below is the link to a correctly set up click clack.

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/herp-help-38/eating-207251/. <<<<click on the "not eating"

 

[jacevy]

Have you got a hide over the heat mat?
When I first got my hatchie Stimsons he would spend 100% of the time in the warm end hide.
I left him alone for 2 weeks without even looking at him. I literally put a towel over the enclosure. I would peek in through a tiny 5c size hole.
After 2 weeks I removed most of the towel. A few days later I offered food... so we are looking at almost 3 weeks after purchase that I first tried to feed.
After a few more days I removed the towel completely.

My little stimmie has 3 hides in a tiny little click clack. One on the heat cord which was set to 33 degrees, one at the cold end (only about 15cm away from hot due to small click clack enclosure) which got down to 22 at night and one on a soap holder which I had secured to the side of the click clack.

I think you are unlucky that your breeder fed live mice. I have never heard of breeders doing this... although I know some must.

How long are you warming the mouse in hot water for?

 

[12-08-67]

please do not feed live and this can cause all sorts of feeding issues down track besides being inhumane, the little one will eat when he is ready and comfortable, when they first move into a large tank they are very insecure dont forget they are not a domestic animal that craves attention and are quite solitary so have hides in there on warm and cool side for him to relax.

 

[LaDeDah]

Yep, get a click clack, put it one third onto a heat mat attached to a thermostat, hide in cool end and in hot end, temp should be 32 in the hot end, you can measure this with a infrared temp gun, or a contact thermometer thingo.
.Just make sure the heat mat is set up safely between 2 tiles, and then put the click clack ON that.

Below is the link to a correctly set up click clack.

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/herp-help-38/eating-207251/. <<<<click on the "not eating"

I heard that stimsons pythons need hotter temperatures of up to 34C compared to other pythons?

 

[Snapped]

Split the difference and have it at 33 then.