Newly acquired snake

[pthechemist]

Hi guys and gals,

I am a teacher in NSW and we have just got a snake in the Science dept. I am the main carer of the Children's Python and we obviously follow all the rules and regs required. However, I have a few questions...

We got the snake from a pupil who has lost interest (I used to have geckos in the UK before emigrating so wanted to rehome if at all poss), the snake is 1.3 m in length and weighs coincidentally 1.3 kg (according to our Newton meter)
He/she is a very happy snake and loves to be handled by myself as he/she will generally come up to the door when i approach. The previous owners supplied all the terrerium equip but as the temps here are higher than the uk I am a little in the dark. We have tried to get the temp in the tank up BUT there is no heat light, I believe we should get one is that correct?

The tank is 1.4m long by 40cm wide and 50cm high. we have a heat mat at one end with a light which as i said were supplied but I worry about the temps. (we have the temps MUCH higher than the previous owner and Squiggles (!) is pretty active but what do you think?

As regards feeding... This is VERY hit and miss (temp issue again I believe)


Many thanks for you time and any advice.

Phil

 

[Sezzzzzzzzz]

hi phil.

what temps are you getting?

 

[Skelhorn]

If there is a good gradient in the tank temps upto 32-34 should be fine down the "hot" end. Each to their own. As long as it doesn't cook anything in the hot end and the snake slithers onto the burning rock!
Also ensure that there is a hideout at both ends, so it has options.

 

[pthechemist]

Thanks for the replies, we have just cranked the heat mat up to 40 (on the controller) to try and warm up the tank. Air temp at the heated end is struggling to 25 (according to the thermometer). We were concerned about hides as he only had artificial foliage to hide under so as a temporary measure I have put in a long cardboard tube with several entry points until we can do better. This runs the entire length of the tank so gives him/her options to hide at a range(?) of temps.

What do you suggest as a hide as he /she is 1.3m so takes up quite a large area.

Many thanks again for your help.

Phil

 

[Raymonde]

A good temporary hide is a cardboard box like a cereal box, or an icecream container with a hole cut in it. Any pet shop that sells reptile stuff has fake rock hides for sale. You can also look in the DIY section to see how you can make your own fake rock hides. One of the best and easiest hides i have found (my snakes also seem to prefer it) is an upside down terracotta ceramic flower pot with a hole sawn in the side. It is a good idea to water proof it with pond sealer or something else as the terracotta is very absorbent and will start to smell after a while if its not sealed. These are cheap and easy and have a good weight to them so the snake feels secure, and can be bought in many different sizes.


I would have at least 2 or 3 hides in the cage (cool end/warm end/middle, etc) so the snake can choose its temperature. One thing i learnt with my heat mat setup is that if i pot 2 hides on top of the heat mat like in the second picture, then it also creates a heat gradient. The bottom hide is right on the heat mat for when the snake wants to be really warm, or has just fed. While the second hide is heated via the other hide below it so doesn't get as warm but is still on the heat for when the snake wants something in between.
not really sure what size you would need, one of my snakes is 250grams and 1 meter long and still fits into the smallest size pot, it may be that your snake would fit in the medium or larger sizes, but it is surprising how much they can coil up in a small space. I read somewhere that reptiles like hides where they can touch all the walls and the ceiling as it makes them feel safer because nothing else will be able to get at them. Oh and i try to make the opening big enough for 2 widths of my snake so they can enter and leave at the same time without getting stuck.

40 does sound a little hot to me, i wouldn't have it any higher than about 35. Even if the air temperature is low, the heat mat will be very warm so if the snake wants to warm up it can lie on that.

 

[Skelhorn]

A note for the heat mat mate, go buy a tile. 20cmX20cm. Put that over your heat mat. The tile works as a perfect diffuser and even temperature gradient. I use tiles in mine and don't have a thermostat (waits for it), yet this method has worked perfectly ever since I saw it mentioned on this forum 8 months ago!
Each to their own, but personally a tile has worked the best. It does not matter if the tile is bigger then the heamat, due to the material of the tile the heat still disperses evenly!

As mentioned above-Those hides are the cheapests and easiest! pots, ice cream containers etc etc. my 7 foot Bredli has a 30L plastic tub as his hide as he does not fit in a "conventional hide" from the pet store.

Also as previously mentioned ensure there are hides in the hot and cold ends.

Don't forget to post piks of the tank and snake
Good luck.

 

[rvcasa]

You may want to read these:
Victorian Herpetological Society � CHILDREN’S PYTHON

My herp bible:
http://www.sxr.com.au/RA ARTICLE PAGE.htm

As for equipment, you can go really cheap (I did for first year) ie a brand new thermostat from eBay $12 (incl. delivery) a heat gun also from eBay $3, a 7W or 14W heat matt, $14, a Reptile One 75W infrared heat bulb $8 (from pet shop), ceramic batten holder (to screw your lights in) $10 from some one in Melbourne on eBay, also a 60W or 100W ceramic heat emitter, $21 also on eBay from Sydney.

I personally don't like the emitters and I'm going back to infrareds... infrareds then to blow quicker if constant switching ON/OFF but pet shop always replaces them!
Emitters get way to hot and dry up the air. So hot, that the lid of my enclosure has bow due to heat.
The infrared lights tend to trow heat further down the cage floor.

Briefly, you can get you heat higher than 35C (on hot end) on as long you have another hide on cool end.
Up here in QLD folks have their snakes on higher temps let's say than SA where breeders cool cages at night as low as 10C!
I have my heat high year round. Specially keep that way and only cool down a bit and space out feeding after 2-3 years of age.

If your childreni is handled regularly, I would have the cage very warm so not to loose heat every time you open it and to warm up snake quickly whenever you put it back.

Good luck and don't forget to post photos.


P.S. attached some graphics I found and re-draw when I built my own cage. just so you have an idea of hides, cool/hot end etc.
Young snakes need at least 2 hides to feel secure, I would not replace a hide with a tile or slate until they are older and confident.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Ramsayi]

On the subject of using terracotta pots.Snakes have been known to get stuck in the drainage hole so if you are going to use pots make sure they don't have any.
Also terracotta saucers are much better as they provide a tight space for the snake which is what a hide should be,as opposed to a hide that is more like a cave.

 

[pthechemist]

Many thanks guys. I have just got an IR bulb to get the air temp up so hopefully this will help with the feeding. He/she has taken to using the fake rock hide now I have put it at the warm end. I'll try and get some pics on in the near future.

Thanks again,

Phil

PS I have put a thread in another section about getting my (personal) license. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks