New BP owner ( Need some assurance)

[motorhead1980]

Just picked up a 1000 gram female spider two days ago, think Im on the right track put want some assurance from the pros. She is is a 40 gallon breeder tank, screen top 75 percent covered by aluminum foil. With day time basking light for ambient heat and a red bulb for night. UTH which covers 1/3 of the tank approx, with hide over top. Large water dish on the cool side. Ambient temps range from about 74-78 on cool side, arm side ambient temps between 80-83. UTH is the zoo med reptitemp (yes i know they are not the greatest)and will be buying a Herpstat setting is at 96, the probe is mounted underneath the tank between the pad and the glass, and is being measured by a good probe thermometer which is inside the hide on the glass under the substarte. Substarte is cypress bark, and humidity is between 65 on the cool side to 60 on the warm. My questions are:

1. Is the 96 degree UTH too hot. If I take my temp gun a measure the glass underneath it gives me a reading of about 93-96, as I don't want to take her hide off to check the temps on the glass inside. Is there any risk of her burning at those temps.

2. How do you get thermometer provbe to stay put if she is moving around in the hide. I'm not sure if she has moved it, it looks like its ok but can't be sure.

3. Should I be removing the hide to check on her and the thermometer probe placement? Or just leave her completely undisturbed. this leads into the next question

4 should I disturb her at all, right now I'm only peaking in on her through the glass and have chenged her water once this morning.

5. The breeder feed her one week ago, when should I try next?

6. Should I handle her within a week of getting her or wait longer? She has been venturing out at night, as I have sat and watched her in the dark with her red heat lamp on.

Sorry for being long winded but wants to provide all of the details first. Any help on the above would be appreciated.

Thanks!
.

[Eric Alan]

You'll want to turn the heat down to have readings on the glass at around 90 (not hitting 95 or more ever).

A hot glue gun (NOT tape) would work to hold the thermometer probe in place, but really as long as you are using your temp gun, an additional thermometer may not be needed at all.

With any new arrival, I try to take myself out of the adjustment equation as much as possible. This means only handling as necessary for cleaning/etc. I keep this up until the addition has had three consecutive feedings in my care without a refusal.

I feed mine once/week. Since yours was fed a week ago, I'd just pick a day of the week that you'd like to feed on and go ahead and feed at that time. No need to wait for any length of time before offering food.

Beyond that, it sounds like you've done a fair amount of homework ahead of time. If there's anything else that you are confuse about or just need to be reassured on, don't hesitate to speak up!

Best of luck with your new addiction and welcome to the site!

[Cowtipper]

I usually only wait a day or two before handling a new snake. Some say to wait a week, or a few feedings, but I have never had any problems with handling right away. If they refuse food, then I would leave him alone, but I've never had one refuse; I don't keep Ball Pythons though either. I always say, if you want to check him out, then check him out; if he is in his hide, then maybe leave him be, but if you feel like holding him for a minute, then do it, he'll be fine, unless he's not eating for you, then give him some time.

[motorhead1980]

Thanks for the feedback guys, appreciate it. In regards to the feeding, what is the best sequence you have found to do it.

Wait until the daylights are off and red light is on, as she seems to come out for abit then?

If she is not out (which will probably be the case), do I take off her hide a try feeding her this way, or do I lure her out of the hide with the thawed rat?

In regards to the rat, which is the best way to thaw, to leave the rat thawing all day? or is there a better method? as I was going to try for her first feeding with me tonight.

Finally one unrelated question, when misting the tank, do you just mist outside the hide, or do you remove the hide and mist the inside including her?

Thanks again!

[200xth]

If she is not out (which will probably be the case), do I take off her hide a try feeding her this way, or do I lure her out of the hide with the thawed rat?

If she's hungry, and she smells a rat, she'll probably come out on her own. If she doesn't, I definitely wouldn't go taking her hide away or forcing her to come out.

You're gonna need to experiment a bit to see what works with your snakes. I have some who practically jump out of the tub when they smell food, and I have a couple who won't eat unless it's middle of the night with no around. Try different things and see what works.

[Velrys]

I have found that the more prepared the enclosure it, correct temp, humidity, clutter, hide size, etc. the more rapidly an animal will settle in an be prepared to eat.

I typically have an enclosure ready to go if for example I am heading to a reptile show and know I will be coming home with a new addition. I feed on a rotating schedule based on weight gain priority which means I'm offering rats (not necessarily to the same animals) at least every other night.

I have come home with new animals to prepared homes 3 different times and each time after about six hours in their new home they have eaten (I use readiness to eat as a measuring stick of how comfortable the snake it).

Since you're still ironing things out and there is no danger of your 1k gram animal starving or anything I would allow some time after everything is set up correctly before attempting to feed.

[motorhead1980]

She has been in the tank since Saturday morning, and seems to be out more each day (as in out earlier in the evening). I also noticed her peaking out of her hide this morning when I was in the room,which is a first. In regards to temp, humidity and other variables everything seems to be where it needs to be and is fairly consistent Nothing has been altered since I brought her home other then turning her UTH down by a degree or so. Being that this is my first snake, just trying to get an idea as to what ques to look for that she is getting comfortable. I also have a Bearded Dragon and Uro which are basically like dogs, so it does not take too much to figure out how they are feeling.

Also any info on thawing out of the rats would be helpful.

[200xth]

Also any info on thawing out of the rats would be helpful.

Fill container with hot water.
Put rat in ziplock.
Put ziplock in container of hot water.
Wait a couple of hours.
Refill container with hot water.
Put ziplock back in hot water.
Wait 10 minutes.
Feed.

[Velrys]

turning her UTH down by a degree or so

You originally said it was at 96 right? You'll need to turn it down a bit more I think. It should NEVER go over 95 so sitting on the uppermost limit is dangerous and unnecessary. It's common to keep the hotspot at somewhere between 88 and 90.

Like I said I use their readiness to take food as an indication of the level of comfort. But to keep from wasting food I would wait until their enclosure is set up properly so that you have a reason to believe they are comfortable before trying to feed.

When you are thawing food items you want to keep in mind that it is very different from thawing something like chicken or beef that we would eat. Since you are thawing the entire animal you have to be careful not to let it go bad because it still has all the nasty stuff inside that will start to decompose the food if left to thaw incorrectly.

This means that you will not leave the food on the counter but rather keep it in the refrigerator as it thaws, which will greatly slow the process. Rat pinkies take me 8 hours in the frig and medium rats take a full 24 hours. After they are no longer frozen, about an hour before feeding I place the open bag inside the snake room for 30 minutes for them to approach room temp. Finally I use a heat lamp for 22 to 25 minutes to bring the rats up to 95 to 100 degrees (This is just a tiny bit over their normal body temp).

Some of my animals like the zombie dance others don't wait long enough for me to bounce the rat around before they hit it. I don't have any that will touch a hot rat laying in the drawer.

[motorhead1980]

Thanks again for all the info. The hot spot was 96, it is now about 92-94 on the glass measured with a temp gun. I'm assuming that 88-90 you mentioned is an on the glass temp, and not the top of the substrate temp? I will make sure to turn it down a few degrees, and she can push out some of the cypress if she needs to get closer. As for the feeding I'll pick it up today and feed tomorrow. No need to overly complicate things. I'm learning quickly once the basics are down everything else will fall into place naturally somewhat.