My first snake!

[icedmice]

How can you be so prepared yet unprepared at the same time!!!

I've been eager to have a pet reptile since I was 5. I was an absolute lizard nut and would be the freak kid that would bring garden skinks in to show and tell.

My reptile licence finally arrived about a week ago and I was tossing up between a few types of snakes, I still like lizards but opted for a snake instead. An offer came up I couldn't refuse $350 for a 10 month old male Uluru Woma!!!

I'm picking him up tomorrow.
Only problem is I have a retired colony of female mice in my yet-to-be-modified snake enclosure!!! I still need to modify the lid, add a heat lamp and thermostat.

I also have The keeping and breeding Australian pythons book and a couple odds and ends to make him feel at home.

Do you think he will be OK in a temporary setup for a week or so?
What's the best way to do that?
I could modify the enclosure immediately but I need to air it and steralise it to eliminate the mousey smell that will still be in it.

(BTW: these mice have served me well in show and as companions and have earned their right to retirement so turning them into woma food is not an option.)

I have some large fish tanks out back or extra large plastic tub. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[snakeluvver]

Wow that's An amazing offer! Lucky you!

 

[Nighthawk]

Use the extra large tub, a hide and water dish and a heat mat to start I reckon, pop the tub on top of the heat mat so that the mat isn't quite halfway across. Pick up some F10 to sterilise the tank. If you dilute it as directed, spray all over and leave it to dry, then spray again and wipe. The first lot should get rid of most of the odour and definitely anything nasty that should be lurking in it and the second spray will get rid of any residue. 10 months old he shouldn't be too big yet so he should be okay in the tub until you can get the tank set up and fully cleaned out. This is just how I'd do it, I can understand the hurry as that does sound like a good deal, but maybe in future get set up before you start looking

 

[icedmice]

Cheers .

I've had the setup for a while, I agree I wish it was complete and ready to go. This has given me a pretty good motivation to get cracking because I've had months but I've been researching more than building.
Modifying the current setup it is not an issue, it only needs a plywood lid to keep the heat in. I already have the plywood sheet I just need to cut it to size and pop in the fitting for the heat lamp.

I need to throughly clean all my mice soon anyway and I'll evict the current residents while I'm at it into a new retirement enclosure.

Apparently he handles well and comes with 4 months supply of food. Crossing my fingers he stays placid with so many rodents around. I may need to find him his own special space.

 

[Wally]

I knew it wouldn't be long till you acquired something. Congrats.

Depending on how long the mice have been in there you may not be able to completely get the smell out, out enough to stop your Woma thinking there may be food close anyway.

 

[byron_moses]

wow iced that didnt take long lol pretty sure when u first came on here u said a year or so congrats

 

[Nighthawk]

Oh yeah, congrats from here too womas have awesome personality! We've done the same thing before, saw the deal and thought 'sweet!' then realised we maybe should've finished setting up first lol, you brought back memories hee hee.

 

[icedmice]

I know, it didn't take long it was so unexpected I even took myself by surprise, I had made lots of preperations, but I wasn't quite ready.
But I knew I'd get one eventually and I wasn't strong enough to resist the temption of the offer.

I have him home and I must admit he is a stunner!

Next mission... thinking of a name...
Dad suggested "Ladders" as in snakes and ladders. I like Monty Python but the reptile park already has a snake named Monty.
I also like "John" as in "Long John". Then he can be a trouser snake LOL.

Yes The initial plan went out the window hehe... wasn't even the initial type I was thinking of purchasing, not that I wasn't interested in a woma.
Two things turned me off womas, one was I heard some can be a bit snappy, and difficult to handle and the second was the price, they were a bit out of my range.

Luckily I got the whole package with this dude. I could not ask for a more perfect companion.
Awesome price, great handling. He's calm and inquisitive he doesn't seem to bothered about the rodent smell in the house.
He did have a feed yesterday so he probably isn't that motivated to react to rodent odor.

I have him in what I'd class as an F1 motel for snakes, pretty boring and probably slightly on the smooshy side but enough to get by temporarily. He has heat cord down one end which was provided by the previous owner, aquarium thermometer, water bowl, hide and I've covered a good proportion of the lid with cardboard so the heat will be retained better. I'll get his perminant home set up ASAP but it should be suitable for a week or two while I prepare his new home.

I know, it's a bit like buying a car before you're 16, but I'm glad I took the chance anyway.
I'll do my best to provide him with the best possible home in the meantime.

He came with several frozen rats so I'm set for a couple months. As for my rodents they can breathe a sigh of relief, I've decided I'm going to purchase pre-killed rodents elsewhere.
I love my fancy too much to part with any of my own stock. Who said you can't enjoy both predator and prey!?!

 

[icedmice]

Oh not to mention the above tub is just my transporter. He's not living in there.

 

[Nighthawk]

Beauty! Sounds like you both got a wicked deal there mate, my husband always reckons it's not the attitude of the snake but the attitude of the owner. I've witnessed him pick up 'snappy' snakes that are almost instantly relaxed and inquisitive in his hands, not that he hasn't had a few beauty tags but them's the breaks really. He's gorgeous!

 

[icedmice]

True, I'll bet they pick up on nervous handling.

I've never been bitten by a snake before.
Is a bite from a python much like a bite from a lizard?

 

[Nighthawk]

I've been told by more experienced guys that a lizard bite is heaps worse. The snake bites I've experienced haven't been that bad, it's been more anticipation of the bite if you know what I mean. Yeah it stings, but a nip from a pup is a decent sized mauling compared to a snake bite. My mother in law got tagged by her scrubbie once, a little 'love bite', and she said it hurt like the blazes but that's a whole 'nother category right there really.

 

[icedmice]

Oh sweet that doesn't sound too bad, lizards are not the worlds worst biters either and I can handle a bite from a medium sized lizard (e.g. blue tounge) no problems.

I bleed a lot from mouse bite and find mouse bite very painful beacuse I react badly. It's the smallest pinhole and the pain is out of proportion to the injury because my joints swell.
I also have a ferret, but I wouldn't know what their bite feels like either because my ferret isn't a biter, but I believe they are painful too.

The previous owner fed him a weaner rat (60g) once a week is that a bit much? or not really for his age. It just sounded a bit much but he seems a really good size and healthy. If that's what works I'll stick to his feeding plan.

What's the best method of defrosting a rat because I've read a few different ways now.

 

[Flaviruthless]

Snakes bites aren't that bad - it's getting over the 'oh it's a snake and it looks like it will bite me' part - i know it was the shock from the speed that got me the first few times. Rat bites are bad - i bleed heaps, but lizard bites are the worst! One of my beardies has an amazing reaction to food - she goes nuts and when she gets a finger she shakes side to side... Going away for a week though (they weren't hand fed the whole time - still fed though) seemed to fix it You'll just love your new snake. Watching them shed is awesome!

 

[shellfisch]

Hi, congrats on your Woma

This thread has hints for defrosting - our method is to defrost in hot tap water.
defrosting

 

[JAS101]

congrats on your woma , just remember womas are puppy dog silly [ not the brightest ] and if it tags u its nothing personal . everything to them is food worthy .

 

[icedmice]

Thanks,

I'll have a read of the defrosting thread. The owner mentioned he used warm tap water to defrost them. I was going to use the same method because obviously whatever the routine is now it works for this bloke so I'm not going to make unecessary changes.

I doubt this woma is going to have a biting issue.
I gave my snake a short cuddle this morning and he's content to explore. He can smell the rodents, but seems to take his time to look for them. Maybe he thinks I'm hiding them LOL.

Believe it or not over never been bitten by a rat either! I don't make a habit of touching unfamiliar ones. A lot of people get bitten when taking youngsters from the nest, touch wood my rats have never had this problem.


It didn't take my OH long LOL. I was going to sell or swap a 5 bay snake cabinet for my first python which obviously happened before I had the chance to swap it. He's suggesting we keep it and put other snakes in the other bays. I don't know about that! the rest might make a good book shelf.
Given the design I think the cabinet might end up making a better home than the terrarium. It was useless in my attempt to convert it to a rat grotto anyway, the humidity built up too much with rats inside.
I'd need to purchase a different ceramic light fitting for that because the one I have is too small.

 

[Nighthawk]

You'll need the extra bays, snakes are like tattoos. You'll never stop at just one!

 

[icedmice]

Just wanted to say thanks for advice guys.

He's settling in well and is the most awesome pet!
He eats really well.

Definately the right choice of snake for me, I couldn't have picked a better one .

One of my relatives had been bugging me for his poop because they read that snake poop deters feral mice!?!
Is there any truth to this or is it a wives tale?