stressed python

[bikiescum2003]

i have a bredli that was loosing condition for a while there. she just would not eat. but the past month she has been feeding fine. it was all due to stress of being seen even know she was in a quiet room that i would only go in once a day and there was plenty of hides that she did not go in. at the moment i have her in a a toy box with mesh over the top of it. it looks prity ugly and rough but i cant see in and she cant see out. i am gong to build her a new enclosure same as the pic but with black tinted windows. i was wondering if anyone has tried tinting windows for this problem and did it work??
http://members.optusnet.com.au/sreid85/enclosure/4ft.htm

 

[nvenm8]

I haven't tried it, but damn that is a good idea.

 

[bikiescum2003]

i was thinking black tint or anything so i can see in but she cant see out and have it looking good as well

 

[africancichlidau]

I reckon it would only work when the light inside the enclosure was brighter than the light outside it. Sounds pretty strange to me, can you give us some more details about the snake and the setup? There may be some other factors that have caused this, can't see how tinting her windows would help.

 

[AntaresiaLady]

Maybe you could get some of the glass they use in police stations? the one where you can see in but they can't see you.

You could turn it so you could see her, but she couldn't see you.

That might work, and it would mean you wouldn't miss out on being able to watch her.

 

[serpenttongue]

You could turn it so you could see her, but she couldn't see you.

But then couldnt she see her own reflection and get stressed by the "other" snake?

How about trying frosted glass?

 

[NinaPeas]

would a snake react in the same way? I know birds often attack themselves in a mirror, but I dont know if snakes would have that 'awareness' IMO

 

[bikiescum2003]

i have been working with this python for about 8 months trying to sort out whats wrong with it. this included several vet trips. shes definately stressed. the set up was simple. a branch a heat mat up one end with a blue heat light. 3 hides newspaper substrate low in a low trafic area.
the inside of the enclosure should be brighter as it will have a low wattage heat light on all day that runs on a timer.
what else can i do to lower her stress?

 

[Linus]

what about putting a sheet over the glass front for a while. I used to do that for a stressed (read agro) diamond I had and it did improve his demeanour slightly.

Tinting the glass does seem a bit of overkill. And it means your forever stuck with it and the reduced natural light that would go with it.

 

[soulweaver]

i'm with linus, i would just put a towel or sheet over the front of the cage and see if it has any effect.

It also could be too bright, i would try using something then the blue party globe, they are never painted ot the top and throw a lot of light, could be stressed from thinking it is always day time.

 

[star11]

I used a sheet over the glass front of my enclosure when I got my first jungle hatchie. It gave him time to get used to the enclosure and settle in. Now he doesn't even hide when he come up to shed. But I would have thought after 8 months he would have settled already....no harm trying it though.
Jus

 

[bikiescum2003]

i dont use party globes. the ones i use are philips party tone spot lamps so they are well covered and no additional light comes thru. also i dont use the lights at night time. all they have is heat mats over night until the timer kicks in and the lights come back on in the morn
i am going to try a peice of paper over 75% of the enclosure and slowly move it away. and if that does not work then i will give the tinted windows a go

 

[PimmsPythons]

i had a similar problem with my bredli so i just put her in a smaller plastic tub with a hid box and he's as good as gold now

 

[bikiescum2003]

sounds like a perfect match for my female. she is doing great in her plastic box. but im just not happy keeping her in there