Grumpy Diamond Python

[shinysoul]

Hi Guys, I'm new to this forum and have had a look around but thought I might ask for some help. I have a diamond python that is about a year and a half old. He didn't eat very well when he was younger but has now taken to eating with gusto. I'm feeding him 2 furries every couple of weeks. He's been really grumpy the past few months. He doesn't like to come out of his home (I usually have to take both him and the stick he's curled around out if I want to take him out) and sometimes he hisses at me. He hasn't actually bitten me as yet, though I think that's because I don't get close enough - I take the hiss as a warning and leave him be. I'm worried that he wont get used to being handled and when he's bigger it will be a problem. Does anyone have any suggestions? I've read a couple of threads indicating he might be hungry... but I also don't want to feed him in his tank as I'm told this will make it harder to handle him and he should be fed in a separate tank. I can't feed him if I can't get him out! pleas help???

 

[The_Geeza]

OK.... [MENTION=39866]shinysoul[/MENTION] .... Feeding out of an enclosure is the biggest load of .......... and 2 fuzzie mice or rats?...I take it its only small if it was a slow starter but I would be feeding more than that............Tip....Give good feed and wait 2 days then do a handling session (they not hungry ) so u can concentrate on the snakes attitude towards handling if that makes sense:shock:

 

[Norm]

Need more info before offering advice. Cage size, temperature, number of hides, size of snake etc. On the info given so far it does sound like your underfeeding, an 18 month old slow feeder I would be feeding more regular than every couple of weeks. But I would think that if he's hungry he would be out more, especially of a night hunting. I agree with The Geeza, feeding in or out of cage is rubbish. Simple rule to follow, handle through the day, feed of a night during their natural hunting/feeding time.
Put up as much info as you can think of and you`ll get more educated responses.

 

[shinysoul]

He's about 40cm (a guess, I haven't handled him since his last feed), temp is 26-27 degrees, and his cage is about a foot and a half by 2.5 ft (though this will change in the next month to a bigger one). It's two fuzzy mice and sometimes an additional pinky if he eats them with gusto. He was only a slow started to eating.. but now he attacks them immediately. He has two hiding places, one small that fits him perfectly and one large. he never uses the large one. He has heaps of climbing branches and spends most of his time on them. The guy I bought him from said if I fed him too often he'd get fat and advised every three weeks though I'm beginning to think he doesn't know what he's talking about. He's the one who said he needed to be fed out of enclosure. I feed him with a specific pair of tongs and he recognises them as the sign for food is coming. He does spend a lot of time outside and very little time hiding; maybe once or twice a week I see him hiding.

 

[Norm]

40cm at 18 momths does sound small. 26-27 is too cool for a basking spot, try to get a basking spot at least 30 and the rest of the cage at ambient though this is not easy in a small cage. Food size is a difficult one to advise on when taking peoples estimations on snake size to make a judgment. Should leave a noticeable lump after feeding. If he doesn't use the bigger hide replace it with a smaller one. Theres some truth in what the breeder told you about him getting fat if fed too much but I would be inclined to feed every 7-10 days for a while leading into the cooler months incase he goes off his food over winter. I`m of the belief that they should shed every 8-12 weeks, less than 8 they are being overfed, more than 12 underfed. Pretty easy to keep an eye on if keep a basic record.
What type of heating do you use? This could give a clue as to why he doesn`t hide much, maybe hes sitting in the warmest part of the enclosure seeking warmth.

 

[shinysoul]

I use a 100 watt infrared heat globe. I had a heat mat under the larger hiding spot but turned it off because it's been so hot and I wanted him to have a cool place to hide. unfortunately with the little floor space he has at the moment with the heat mat there wouldn't have been many places to go to escape the heat. All of this will be rectified when I get my larger tank back. He does sit higher up so might be seeking warmth. At one point the tank was next to a large window that got a lot of daytime sun. I was worried about him overheating so turned the mats off. I've been able to move the tank now so the temperature is much more stable. What are your thoughts on sunshine? Im told they need to be taken out into the sun for vitamin D synthesis. there's natural light but no direct sunshine where he is now. I do take him for walks with me every week so he's in the sun for a while.

 

[Norm]

100 watt in an enclosure that size is overkill. 40 watt is plenty. are you using a thermostat? Sounds to me like you need to rethink your cage setup. Debate is still very much open as to whether they need sunlight or not, keep doing what your doing and he`s getting some anyway.

 

[The_Geeza]

40cm?.... I'll leave u to deal with this [MENTION=19150]Norm[/MENTION]

 

[shinysoul]

yep using a thermostat. I had the bulb for my other cage (over twice the size) but then I swapped with my brother because his snake is bigger. He's now getting an even larger cage so I can get mine back. One more question about feeding. When I feed him, I'll give him the first furry, then I'll give him another and after he's eaten those if I walk past the cage sometimes he'll stand up as if expecting to be fed. Should I go by what he's telling me and give him more? Sometimes I'll give him an extra pinky and he'll attack it as if he's starving.

 

[Senator358]

There is no way that any snake over a year old should be on pinky or fuzzie mice. You need to start upping the food size immediately. I start all my snakes on fuzzy mice from their first feed and move them up every month. I have 26 yearling at the moment and even the worst/ slowest starter out of the lot is on adult mice every 5-7 days. Some of them are already on small rats every week.
From what you are telling us about his actions he is definitely still hungry and pinkies won't fix that. He may be small and undernutritioned because he is not getting all the nutrition he needs. Small mice like pinkies or fuzzies don't contain what a snake needs and are really only a starting point for hatchies.

 

[shinysoul]

I was told (though I'm rapidly losing faith in the person who told me) by the breeder that I should feed him anything that is more than 1.5 times his head size. He's got a tiny little head. the fuzzies fit well, though he could probably open his mouth a little bigger. How big should an 18 month old be? he was smaller than his brothers/sister when he was born so I thought he might be a little runty.

 

[Norm]

I think you should feed the appropriate size meal for his size, not take a generalisation that all 18 month snakes should be on, say, a small rat. Try getting a pic of him next to something so we can see how big he is, then we can more accurately recommend a food size.
I was browsing youtube today and came across this, gives you an idea of how big a meal a small snake can eat. Much bigger than 1.5 times the snakes head.

Part 1 Feeding Hatchling Carpet Pythons - YouTube

Mods if that links not allowed please delete, just used it to help shinysoul.

One bloke who would definitely be able to advise on food size is [MENTION=1408]wokka[/MENTION]

 

[shinysoul]

Thanks guys. I fed him last night and he had two furries and two pinkies so I'll go to the pet store and upgrade the food for his next feed. I'm halfway through watching that video Norm. I really appreciate your help

 

[Norm]

No worries glad I've been able to help.