Ackie Help!

Aussie Pythons & Snakes Forum

Help Support Aussie Pythons & Snakes Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Bloodwings

New Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2017
Messages
7
Reaction score
1
A few weeks ago I got a 6month old Red Ackie. He seemed to be settling in alright to his enclosure eating everyday except after eating pinkie mice. I figured this was quite normal.
However I noticed that he would spend alot of the time during the day, essentially frozen or asleep. At least this is how I found him every afternoon when I got home from work. I would then have to wake him up and put him under his basking light then in half an hour I could feed him and he would go back to his hyperactive self doing laps around his enclosure.

The temperature under his basking light is around 55'C and the temperature of the cool side of his enclosure is around 25'C.

A week ago finished building a background for his enclosure and put it in there for him to climb on. He instead wedged himself inbetween the back wall of the enclosure and the background. I though I would leave him for a while and see if he would come out by his own volition. This was not the case, nearly 2 days later I took out the background to check up on him and he looked like he had lost weight. He ate some boiled egg and after I put the background back in, he did the same thing again. I have since removed the background permanently to avoid this situation form repeating itself again. I have noticed when I have fished him out of where ever he has stuck himself his genitals are usually popped out. After a while he does fix himself up but I am really not sure what to do with him at the moment?

In short do Ackies have a lengthy settling in time?
Do Ackies need overnight heating?, as It has been quite cold the last few days

Please help, I am a new Ackie owner and I am quite stressed out by my little monster.
 
Welcome to APS.
Without sounding rude, did you do any research before buying your ackie? Ackies will hide away, especially tight spaces. That's why they have the ridged tails, so predators can't get them out. They will hide away more during the cooler months, but at 6 months, yours is still eating.
Your temps are fine. You don't need overnight heating. Because the mornings and evenings are cooler, your ackie is probably coming out to bask during the middle of the day. Don't wake him up or disturb him, that could be stressing him out. Put some food in with him before you go to work.
If you put the background back in, seal it at the ends to make it ackie proof, and maybe get a hollow log for him to hide in.
We had a trio of yellow ackies, two would be out and the third hiding most of the time, only coming out for food. The red ackie we have now hides away for days during winter.
Hope this helps.
 
Hi thanks for your reply. At 6 months how often should be eating, it just feels like hes not eating enough?

When I have just let him be it appears that he doesnt leave his hiding place at all as we keep an eye on the substrate for any new tracks....

Also in terms of putting live woodies in the viv will they just bury themselves or hide where he cant get to them? Not keen for a woodie infestation in the house I have to say...is there anyway to leave them in there semi contained for him to eat at his leisure?

We have placed several hollow logs and hiding areas for him in the viv to try and give him some hiding space.

Thanks for your help, just want to know what I'm doing wrong for the lil guy.
 
He should be eating every day but like I mentioned above the cooler weather will have an effect on his diet. Don't stress if he doesn't come out for a day or two. If you're concerned about woodies on the loose only feed him live prey when he's out and put mice or chicken mince in there when he's not.
Pet chicken mince is better as it has the bones minced up in it. You can offer him chopped chicken neck as well.
What substrate are you usig?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 
Okay thanks for the advice.

We are currently using bunnings "richgro play sand" as substrate. It seems to hold its shape ans moisture well.

I'll look into getting him some mince
 
That's one of the best sands to use, but don't let it get too damp, otherwise your ackie could get sick. We don't dampen the sand at all, just let our guy dig around in it. I put 75mm PVC pipe in the sand, with an elbow at each end for access. He uses it like a tunnel.
 
Thanks for that, we have done the exact same thing with the PVC pipe, its where he has currently hidden himself away!
 
Also in terms of putting live woodies in the viv will they just bury themselves or hide where he cant get to them? Not keen for a woodie infestation in the house I have to say...is there anyway to leave them in there semi contained for him to eat at his leisure?

It's unlikely that woodies will infest your house. I've had a few escapees and not once have they established a thriving, breeding population. I eventually find them dead or alive, but in poor condition. Mostly behind furniture. When it comes to feeding I use a shallow pot saucer with Roach Stay painted on the edges. Easy access for the lizards, and the woodies can't hide or escape. It's very useful for shy individuals that prefer to feed in peace. Or if I don't have time to hand feed.
 
He should be eating every day but like I mentioned above the cooler weather will have an effect on his diet. Don't stress if he doesn't come out for a day or two. If you're concerned about woodies on the loose only feed him live prey when he's out and put mice or chicken mince in there when he's not.
Pet chicken mince is better as it has the bones minced up in it. You can offer him chopped chicken neck as well.
What substrate are you usig?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk


Hi, there are far more nutritious foods than chicken necks and chicken mince, whole prey are always superior (whether invert or vertebrate).
 
Thanks for that, we have done the exact same thing with the PVC pipe, its where he has currently hidden himself away!

Hi, can you put a few photos up of the whole enclosure and give details of the heat/lighting you use, also how you measure the ambient and basking surface temps and what the humidity range is? Thanks!
 
Hi, there are far more nutritious foods than chicken necks and chicken mince, whole prey are always superior (whether invert or vertebrate).

Agreed, but there is nothing wrong with supplementing the diet with the above. It is also good for people starting out with their first monitor, while they get into good habits with insects and larger prey.
 
Agreed, but there is nothing wrong with supplementing the diet with the above. It is also good for people starting out with their first monitor, while they get into good habits with insects and larger prey.

I disagree, there is absolutely no need to supplement the diet with inferior foods, it is incredibly important that new keepers are taught the best methods from day one. Whole prey are superior by far.
 
Thanks guys for the replies,
When it comes to feeding I use a shallow pot saucer with Roach Stay painted on the edges
I was thinking about something like this recently, but I wasn't sure what to prevent the woodies from climbing the outer lip of the container. What exactly is "Roach Stay" ?

Hi, can you put a few photos up of the whole enclosure and give details of the heat/lighting you use, also how you measure the ambient and basking surface temps and what the humidity range is? Thanks!
kaiju_enclosure.jpg

On the top of the woodstack Kaiju gets 55'C surface temp (using an IR temp gun) and on the cool side he gets around 25'C surface temp. I haven't got an exact humidity figure to give you at this moment, I know it does get a bit dry in there but I do a heavy misting of water in the enclosure once a day.
All the lights in there are full spectrum UVB.
 
Thanks,
I've added the extra water bowl near the heat light and I've restricted the vent at the back of the enclosure. I've left food out for him for 3 days now and he still hasn't come out of his hide yet or eaten.
Is it possible he is going through brumation? I thought monitors didn't do this?
 
What exactly is "Roach Stay" ?

Fluon. You should be able to find it in pet shops.

I've left food out for him for 3 days now and he still hasn't come out of his hide yet or eaten.
Is it possible he is going through brumation? I thought monitors didn't do this?

Yes, monitors go inactive in the cooler months and generally do not feed until the weather becomes warm again. Although they may come out to bask for short periods. Sometimes they don't feel like eating. Particularly when handled excessively or changes happen in their routine.
 
Fluon. You should be able to find it in pet shops.



Yes, monitors go inactive in the cooler months and generally do not feed until the weather becomes warm again. Although they may come out to bask for short periods. Sometimes they don't feel like eating. Particularly when handled excessively or changes happen in their routine.
Thanks mate for clearing that up
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Back
Top