New BP owner - couple questions

[blenderhead]

I got my first BP this past Sunday and have a couple questions. He's my first snake, and I really want to make sure that I'm doing everything right.

I haven't fed him yet, but when I do, I'm planning on feeding him in a separate enclosure. Because of this, I'd like to put some type of substrate on the bottom of his tank. Would aspen or cypress mulch be better?

Last night, he defecated, and I very surprised to find that it didn't smell at all. Does BP poo generally not smell (I'm certainly not complaining)?

I've noticed him yawning about four times since I got him. I thought snakes only yawn after eating. I read on another forum that yawning can be a symptom of respiratory infections, which has me worried, although I'm probably overreacting. He seems very healthy - active, alert, clean eyes, nostrils. Should I be concerned about the yawning?

[PolishPython]

congrats on your first snake I am also a fairly new owner , about 8 months now and it is an addiction I have 3 now and one comming the beginning of October. To answer your question I use aspen bedding in my tanks and also im surprised your snake pooped that quick it took my first snake 2 feedings and 3 weeks before it layed a human size poo in my tank.

[gmcclurelssu]

as far as feeding goes, i would actually recommend feeding inside of the main enclosure. Less stress on the snake because they often prefer to hunt from the entrance to their hides. you can still have either of those substrates if you wish- i have never used those but have heard good things about each. Whichever one you prefer, go with it.
As far as the poo goes, my snakes usually don't stink too bad. Not that i recommend smelling it up close.
Yawning? normal up to a point. If it were to become a regular thing, i would be concerned.

hope that helps!

[fire-eyes]

Congratulations! I'm also pretty new, my female(?) is 1y1m old. It's been really fun, with the occasional nervous moment as I didn't understand something.

I also wasn't sure what to do regarding feeding. So I just fed her in her tank. Until one day, she got a piece of bark (i'm tired here, I forget what it is) in her mouth. Having heard about impaction, I sort of panicked. In the end, it turned out it was very small and would have just gotten digested. Regardless, it really made me feel worried.

At this time I took two dishpans, put paper towel on the bottom of one, stuck the other inverted on top of it, and put a water bottle filled with water on top of that. This is where she eats now.

What I go through is, using F/T: Start air-thawing the mouse just before I go to handle her. I spend maybe 20 minutes with her elsewhere, then bring her into the room where the mouse is thawing. She smells it and immediately switches to feeding mode. I place her into the above container setup (quickly, or she'll get the idea to strike me). Then a bring a small cup of water almost to boil, place the F/T in there, and place this right next to the above container. Which just intensifies the smell and really gets her revved up.

After about five minutes of this, it's surely thawed, and not only that, quite warm if not sort of hot. Dump the water, use tongs to present (keeping my body and face away), which usually results in a very powerful strike. Pop the lid back on, come back 15 minutes later and see how it went. Sometimes, she hasn't eaten it and sits there like she's confused. So I just do it all again.

I have come to like doing this in a specific, separate container. She seems to figure out very quickly what's going on and get into a very strong feeding response. It also means that if she hits so hard that the F/T makes a mess, it's in that container and on that paper towel, so I can just put her back in her tank and clean the container up.

So, never again a risk of swallowing a chunk of bark or messing up her home. This subject is one of great debate, it's going to be about trial and error. One snake may respond well to it, others may hate it...

[fire-eyes]

Oh yeah, yawning. Mine does it ALL the time. Before sheds, during them, after them, between them, when I'm holding her, any time. When I begin handling her, she is very shy and timid and doesn't move much, until she yawns at least once, sometimes more, about 5 – 10 minutes later. Then she perks up, sort of like a stretch I guess. I usually handle her for about an hour, and she typically yawns 2 or 3 times. It just seems “normal” for her.

I think it's kind of cute, actually. My boa certainly doesn't do anything like that, though he does do this silly looking sort of “lip readjustment” thing.

[cheryls]

I generally just remove one hide - the one my bp isn't in - put a paper towel over the substrate and present the mouse on the paper towel. It's quite easy with no stress for either one of us!

[tank4102]

Oh yeah, yawning. Mine does it ALL the time. Before sheds, during them, after them, between them, when I'm holding her, any time. When I begin handling her, she is very shy and timid and doesn't move much, until she yawns at least once, sometimes more, about 5 – 10 minutes later. Then she perks up, sort of like a stretch I guess. I usually handle her for about an hour, and she typically yawns 2 or 3 times. It just seems “normal” for her.

I think it's kind of cute, actually. My boa certainly doesn't do anything like that, though he does do this silly looking sort of “lip readjustment” thing.

ugh fire eyes i think she is yawning too much and that could be an ri so take her to a vet.

as far as feeding goes, i would actually recommend feeding inside of the main enclosure. Less stress on the snake because they often prefer to hunt from the entrance to their hides. you can still have either of those substrates if you wish- i have never used those but have heard good things about each. Whichever one you prefer, go with it.
As far as the poo goes, my snakes usually don't stink too bad. Not that i recommend smelling it up close.
Yawning? normal up to a point. If it were to become a regular thing, i would be concerned.

hope that helps!

i dont really agree with u there, if u feed your snake in his/her enclousure he/she will associate your hand as food and most likely bite you. So yes feed her in another tank/ enclousure. are u gonna feed live?