nervous new stimson owner

[12-08-67]

Hi Everyone, i am the proud new owner of a 8mth old Stimson python that i brought home 2 weeks ago (my first python), its not sexed as yet but am suprised at how active and hungry it seems to be after being told that they may stay in their hide and not take food etc. In only 2 weeks he has devoured his pinky at each feed and literally explored each inch of his new home - i hope he isnt trying to escape . I say its a 'he' just because of how he ate the pinkies. Each nite he is at the glass waiting to come out and brings himself out as soon as i open the glass and even trying to push it open himself - should i be concerned he is keen to come out of his home - it is 60x45x45 and has two hides one over a heat pad and the other at the other end, a climb and log in the middle and water bowl. Should he be this active/alert, or is he just enjoying being out of the click clack container???? Should i be feeding him more or is he just being a little piggy and always looking for food:?

 

[Smithers]

Good you got a strong feeding Stimmie they can be a bit tricky some of them when young or going through Winter their feeding drops off a little.

8 months he could probably go up in food size if your feeding pinkie mice they don't have a lot of bone/body mass for the animal to thrive on and that may be why he seems hungry. You could try and go up to velvets (mice that have a light fluff over them) or the next stage.

You don't say what temps you have the enclosure at around 26c - 32-34c is what my two 9month old Stimmies are on.

They do seem to sus out all the enclosure and does seem like they want to escape and half a chance they do.

Active and alert is good

Enjoy your first Snake

 

[12-08-67]

oh no i dont want him to escape i need to make him big so he cant get out
thanks will look into a larger meal for him and check the temps

 

[FAY]

Up the food. There is not much in a pinky. At 8 months he should at least be on decent size fuzzies/small hoppers. They need hair and bones. He would be pretty hungry I would say.

 

[Skelhorn]

I own 2 9 month of Windora Stimson's mate (got them when they were only a month old) and I have been feeding them on Pinkie Rats for the last 4 months. They still are want to eat at least 2-3 times a week on those. I am about to move them upto Fuzzie Mice...Mind you it is spring and snakes grow the quickest during this period, especially if they are babies.
How long is your boy? I am incredibly impressed with the size of my snakes. They are pushing over 50cm already Enjoy these snakes are awesome pets. Just remember to handle regulary. I handle mine as often as possible and they are fine to be taken out by hand (no hook required) though leave them for a week and its a different story lol. Post some piks up

 

[12-08-67]

thanks i was worried to up his food too much, so i will go to next size and see how he likes it. He would be about 50 or just over as he nearly reaches the end of his enclosure full streched out and its 60cm. The last few days he has been very quiet and a bit jumpy so i am asuming and hoping he is getting ready to shed as his colouring has gone pale, i pick him up for short periods every nite and just let him sit on me or explore depending on his mood and havent needed to use a hook.

 

[Jay84]

Sounds like you definitely need to up his food size, and not just going up to fuzzies or hoppers. I have 2 10 month old Wheatbelt stimmies that are on adult mice!

 

[Skelhorn]

Let us know how to new food goes. I am also about to up mine- so they will be moving from Pinkie rats to fuzzie mice! can't wait. Mine are very similar lenght to yours. fully stretched mine are between 55-60cm (hard to tell a bit really isn't it). Good luck with it all

Sounds like you definitely need to up his food size, and not just going up to fuzzies or hoppers. I have 2 10 month old Wheatbelt stimmies that are on adult mice!

Geeze really? Adult mice already. how do they handle that? How big are they? Do you have piks, I might have to buy a couple just to see if mine are capable as they are also 10 months old now!

 

[Jay84]

I'll take a couple of pics and post in a minute

Here it is, sorry for ****ty iPhone pic

 

[Skelhorn]

Farrrrrrrrk man. That is one incredible looking Stimson. I want one of those. Completely difference to mine (see attached) The patterns are more joined than independant. Are you breeding at all? He is a pretty fat boy. How often were you feeding him? I am really trying to fatten up and promote growth as much as I can whilst its spring/summer! How long is he?

 

[Jay84]

She is really dull right now as is in shed. I'll post pics when she is looking good! I was feeding her every 2 days lol. Now about once a week. She is prob just over 6 foot long.

 

[12-08-67]

OMG that looks humungous compaired to mine, am definately going to up his food, not sure he will grow that big in 2 months though. I was worried about over feeding and the problems they get?

 

[Skelhorn]

She is really dull right now as is in shed. I'll post pics when she is looking good! I was feeding her every 2 days lol. Now about once a week. She is prob just over 6 foot long.

*** 6 foot long??? For a stimson python lol do you mean 2 foot long?
Yeah well I have been informed mine should be able to handle a small fuzzie rat! so am going to try them on their first on Thursday night. And from then onwards will feed them once every week.

OMG that looks humungous compaired to mine, am definately going to up his food, not sure he will grow that big in 2 months though. I was worried about over feeding and the problems they get?

Problems with over feeding? They may put on unhealthy weight though I wasn't aware with too many problems. If they are "active" enough and are hungry I say let them eat lol. Remembering that ours are all young and its the snakes first spring/summer that they really grow well in. So feed them as much as they will happily take I say. I do get mine out and let them roam around the house/yard. The exercise and sunlight it always good also...PLus they like the sprinkler

 

[12-08-67]

I was warned of a problem called 'pinhead' or similar which comes from over feeding where the head wont grow with the body?

 

[Skelhorn]

Arrrgh Gotcha. That sounds reasonably possible, as feed a human heaps they will get fat everywhere else though not so much on the head. Interesting though to find out more about that!!!

Just had a quick read, its more common in crickets than snakes lol In regards to snakes you are to feed you snake food which makes their mouths and body strech as it releases hormones. So its good to feed them larger Prey so that they stretch!!!

"I'd be inclined to agree with the second half of your undelined arguement here, in that, feeding obese prey items to your reptiles is bad practice, however, the first half, "feeding large food items", is a bit spurious. From memory, it has been shown that the act of a snake stretching its mouth over it's prey item, is what triggers a hormonal release that in turn activates normal growth. That is to say, regularly feeding "too small" of prey items, contributes to the animal developing what is often referred to as "pinhead syndrome". "

 

[12-08-67]

cool, am definately going to up his feed, cant wait for him to grow bigger and am sure he will love it too

 

[Skelhorn]

Agree, Mine get their first upgrade from Pinkie Rats on thursday night. Will post piks of the big event haha

 

[Darlyn]

I own 2 9 month of Windora Stimson's mate (got them when they were only a month old) and I have been feeding them on Pinkie Rats for the last 4 months. They still are want to eat at least 2-3 times a week on those. I am about to move them upto Fuzzie Mice...Mind you it is spring and snakes grow the quickest during this period, especially if they are babies.
How long is your boy? I am incredibly impressed with the size of my snakes. They are pushing over 50cm already Enjoy these snakes are awesome pets. Just remember to handle regulary. I handle mine as often as possible and they are fine to be taken out by hand (no hook required) though leave them for a week and its a different story lol. Post some piks up

Are you moving from rats to mice, why? Why not keep him on rats and just up the size?

 

[Jay84]

Whoops! I meant 2 foot long hahaha.

 

[Skelhorn]

Morning Daryln,

Yeah no decided to just upsize to the next rat. I have heard about the nutrient defiencies bla bla bla, though was really wondering whether they were ready for the next rat size but ******* it lol they are big kids now they should be able to handle it. I am getting them from a guy here on the Sunshine Coast and if they are comfortably able to devour the next rat size it should save me some $$$ lol pet shops are wayyyyyy to expensive aatm.

haha yeah was going to say Jay84 thats a record long Stimmie lol. I think mine are maybe just pushing 2 foot....give or take 2 cm.