Greetings!

[Swingline0.0.1]

Hi everyone! We've enjoyed the site immensely, and wanted to post our first silly question:

Milton, the 18 inch BP, just got a new 15 gallon critter cage. He also got a half log to go in it now that there's more room. He has a UTH and a red lamp for extra heat- it's 84 overall ambient temp with 90 on the heated side and 82 on the cool side. I've got a digital hygrometer/thermometer combo in the middle (that's what the ambient reading is.) It stays around 60% humidity, never lower than 50%. He also has a half coconut he's almost outgrown now and a rock (also getting smaller for him!) There is also a vine he likes to climb that sort of drapes over the log.

Lately he hasn't really been using his hides as much. He just kind of sits halfway under the log and the vine. He eats like a champ- last week it was a smaller adult mouse and a hopper, and he seems fine.

So here's the question: Is it normal for them to NOT hide as much? I thought he just might be getting used to his surroundings and getting comfortable with us.

Also, his eyes got milky for the first time a couple of days ago, and now they're clearing up. When we first got him he had already had a bad shed (pet store buy) with retained eyecaps, etc. The vet said to put a tiny bit of Vasoline on the eyecaps and they came off the next day. He never quite got rid of some of the shed around his neck, but hopefully he'll get it all off this time!

Anyway, random comments/suggestions welcome!

[python.princess]

hello and welcome! as far as the hides are concerned, the only thing i can tell you is that you should have two identical ones... one on the cool side and one on the warm side. and as far as shedding, their eyes usually clear up a couple days before they shed. with that humidity i would imagine he should have a good shed this time around. whenever you have a stuck shed like that, you can soak them for a little while in warm water and it should come right off. good luck!!!

[python.princess]

ps.... nice pony tail!!!

[Nate]

welcome to the forums

I believe each and every snake has their own personality. Some are hiding all the time, some are out and about all the time. If he's eating and your temps and humidity are correct (which they appear to be), then worry not.

Now for the vaseline...i can't say I've ever heard of anyone doing that....I hope someone else chimes in here with some thoughts on that.

If your humidity is 60-70 during his shed cycle, then they will usually shed a good full shed. I hope all goes well this time around!

[dr del]

Hi,


Only time I've ever used vaseline on a snake was to suffocate a tick. For stuck shed I've found water is really all you need most of the time.



dr del