South Western Carpet Python - New and unconfident

[Anz402]

hi everyone, this is my first post to this website so it will be nice to see if people respond.

I've just bought a 2 and half year old SW carpet and he's in the same enclosure he was in there, so he's used to the environment. The woman i bought him off said he eats well, and handles well, which is partly why i chose him.

I've tried to feed him, same mice as normal (She said he only eats adult mice and wont take rats) but he wont take it, is he just nervous? :?

I've also handled him a few times, just for a couple of minutes, but then he starts to wrap and try to give a squeeze on my arm, i let him have a little but when it wraps more than once i wiggle out :shock:. He also gave a very soft hiss last night, is that normal? It wasnt loud and didnt sounds particuarly angry. I want to handle him so he uinderstands i'm his new friend, am i right to be doing so? She said he's never bitten anyone. Sometimes he makes a tight S shape with his neck almost like he will strike, he hasnt and i pick him up from the side, but he does seem nervous.:cry:

He also spends a lot of his time hiding in his log, and wont explore when anyone except just me is in the room. Today was the first time he came out to bask, i'm a little worried he isnt basking enough and he might get too chilly. The heat is set to 30 C which is what the previous owner said to leave it on, although i read they should be more like 35?

Thats pretty much all, so if anyone has any sound advice on how to let him know that i'm here as his friend and not a threat then i'd be grateful.

OH and p.s, he was sold to me as a male, which is what the pet shop told the previous owner, but she has a snake expert friend who says she is almost certain its actually a female. I know you can invert the babies to see if there is hemipenes or not, but how can i tell with an adult-ish?

 

[blakehose]

Just leave her alone for a week or two to settle in. Even though it is still in the same enclosure, it will have noticed the change in external environment. Don't handle it to begin with until it has started feeding properly again, this will minimize stress and hopefully it will continue to feed well for you.

The hissing noise you heard, could well have been due to it possibly starting a shed cycle, as this can often cause little noises from the nostrals. This would give your possible answer too as to why it isn't feeding. Have you noticed she has milky eyes, or is looking very pale at all?

Cheers

 

[angie90]

When do you do start to handle him, be as firm as possible (no hesitation). That will help the snakes uneasiness. As for the coiling around your arm, he's probably just trying to hold on like he would a branch
I agree with letting him settle in, no handling for at least a week, or even wait til he's taken food, then you know he's not so stressed. (make sure you don't handle for a couple of days after feeding).
Enjoy your new pet

 

[Anz402]

The eyes are still jet black, although he is quite dull and a little crinkly when i held him. he last shed April 10, does that sound around the right time for a shed now? That could explain him refusing food too i suppose

 

[python78]

Hi Anz402, first of all congrats on your sw carpet. another way of finding out the sex of your new friend is to have him probed, this should only be done by someone experienced though. my sw carpet spends most of the day curled up hiding and only becomes active in the evening unless she is going into shed. then i wont see her for a week and a bit. I dont know if u already know this but, there is a west australian forum which has alot of threads all about sw carpets. a excellent source of info and definatley worth a look.
cheers.

 

[S&M Morelia]

To me the issues you have stated all point to the fella being in shed or coming up to a shed.
Give him a week or 2 without offering food or handleing him (this length of time without food won't hurt him)

Once he's shed, offer another mouse that is nice and warm and see how you go.

Welcome and good luck

 

[Anz402]

We're going on holiday to Sydney for 10 days this saturday, i was going to feed him just before we go so that my friend would only have to change his water (she's too chicken to feed him) should i offer him food still or will 3 weeks without be ok?
Thanks for all your advice people, and python 78 i will definatly take a look

 

[prettypython]

3 weeks with no food for a swcp is absolutly fine. When you say he squeezes your arm, I wouldn't be worried at all about that behavoiur is normal he is most likely just climbing up you arm, their are some fantastic books on python care, have a look in your local libary. He could be possibly coming up for a shed, or just settleing in, either way, best to let the little bugger settle in for at least a week. With regard to the sex of your python, have a look on pilbara pythons web page, there is a visual sexing tips bit, under care maybe? Or if it realy bugs you to know have it probed by an expeienced person. Also wahs (western australia herpetolgy society) might interest you, monthly meeting all very intreresting, good luck and congrats on your new friend.

 

[noah2112]

i would feed him before you leave. It should be fine

 

[prettypython]

i would feed him before you leave. It should be fine

why? There is 2 days till Saturday so if the python that is not yet eating did eat and soiled in its house, who is going to give the enclosure the clean it needs? Or is this python going to risk exposure to salminala(sorry spelling) or incorect heating/ cooling after a feed which could also cause food poisoning. .... say the power goes out or light blows, I've never fed any of my snakes before long holidays and have left them for
months with no feed during winter anyhow. Once again goodluck anz 404

 

[Elapidae1]

I wouldn't bother trying to feed it until you get back just keep handling down to a minimum. It could be a shed cycle could have gone of food because of winter (most likely). I haven't fed my SWCP's for weeks and don't intend to until Sept.
I'm assuming it is in good condition

What heat are you using and what are the ambient temps in your house?

 

[Anz402]

Thanks so much for all your responses, they've been very helpful even though they just backed up what i had guessed, its nice to have more experianced handlers thinking the same.
I will give that WA society a look up, there seems to be so little reptile ANYTHING over this way, i had such issues finding a cage and snake that weren't gold plated. So perhaps going to that will give me some good connections.
Prettypython makes a good point, although my friend has agreed to change water and check his general wellbeing, i dont know if she would be up for cleaning the cage properly as it would possibly require him to be moved. I will wait till we get back for his second attempt- even if its 3 weeks, in winter in the wild i would guess they would eat less so i trust it cant do too much harm.
He has a heat lamp, and when my bank recovers from buying him i plan on getting an undertank heater also.

Also, the sex confusion was interesting because if it is a female, i may consider breeding her later on when i am knowladgable enough, but as that will be a while yet and i have no herp friends too help, its not a urgent issue

 

[ekipkcorb]

hey anz i wouldnt worry bout a heat mat. as a lamp is perfectly fine for him

 

[Elapidae1]

Agree with Ekipkcorb.

How long is the lamp on for each day?

 

[Anz402]

All day and night, thats what the previous owner told me to do. Should it be less?
I wont bother with a heat mat then

 

[Elapidae1]

Your snake is probably trying to cool itself (brumate) which is normal at this time of year and they will generally go of their food and reduce basking time regardless of the temps you provide, In my opinion it probably wouldn't hurt to reduce temps to 8 hrs a day, this way the snake still has access to a basking spot if it needs it but is still being given the opportunity to switch off should it want to. You certainly don't need any more than 12 hours of heat a day at any time of the year.

If you intend on immediately trying to feed it again upon your return it would probably be wise to give it 12hours heat a day.

 

[Anz402]

the woman before me kept it on always for his whole life, like she told me to, so if i changed it now wouldn't he be a bit confused by it?

 

[Elapidae1]

No I don't think so, if you reduce to 12 hours he will still be fine without a feed until you get back and will have enough heat to digest normally if he takes a feed when you return. I kept my first snake on 24 hour heat but as collections grow and electricity bills come in you soon realize that it's just not neccessary to have heat going all the time. I assume you are using a red lamp?

Like others have said it could be shed cycle also.

 

[Anz402]

we have a colourless heat lamp, i turned it off for a few hours and when i looked in on him he was all curled up around it and very chilly. i put it back on and he was much happier, not sure if i should lessen the heat, especially during winter?

 

[Elapidae1]

Colourless? as in normal household colour? If so you need a red or blue lamp for night times. Is there a cage around it? If not it may cause serious burns.Your snake doesn't have to be warm all the time to be happy. You said in your first post the temp was set to 30degrees, is this the temps you are getting when you check with a thermometer? a basking spot under the lamp of between 32- 35 is fine, like I said you don't need to lessen the heat over winter just lessen the time you are heating for

There are some really good books available on python husbandry. Keeping And Breeding Australian Pythons, is one of them and is available through a member on here called Herpbooks I think, it is also available at some of our Perth libraries. It really sounds that you need to do some serious reading or your pythons health may suffer from it.