New Snake Owner Advice.

My advice to all new BP owners: Get ready to spend a lot of time on this website. It's invaluable.

As for the vet visit call and ask if they will just do a "fecal" exam. That's where they check the poo for internal parasites. One vet wanted to charge me for an office visit ($65), but I found one the will do just do the test for $15.

@Kaorte: I currently have a thermostat on the side where her uth hide is. With just the white like in the middle, that is about 80 to 85 degrees on that thermostat. Depends on how warm or cold my room is. I do plan on getting another thermostat for the cooler side, and I do want to get one with the wire to place under her hide with the uth. I'll switch out her water dish to a open on, thanks for letting me know about that. And I already planned to get a hide for the cool side. So for sure once i get the cash, I'll get as much for her as possible. I like to use the white light, so if i was to place it more in the middle, I assume that would be fine. My room does get rather cold for right now, (even thought it's april) and I've read they need 12 hours of day light, which doesn't enter my room very well. So after the 12 hours of white light, I switch to the black light for about 5 hours till I go to bed. Also, I live in maine. Not in a very populated area. I live in the sticks you could say. ^^;;; hehe. So during winter I do loose power, but we have a generator. That gets turned on the moment we do lose the power. If I was to run an extension cord into my room, and plug in the uth, would that be fine for her until I was to get power back? That would be for a short period of time. If it turn out to be to a long amount of time, then I could plug in the black light to. Or should I just plug both in if that was to happen? Now another thing, I do live with my parents, who do work, there have been times where we've came home to no power. With out knowing how long we've been out. I know snakes can't produce their own heat, so if something like this was to happen, would she be okay? I wont have to worry about this until winter, just due to durning the summer we don't lose power to often. So does anyone who lives in a less populated area that does lose power have any advice on this? Or anything that could be out there to help keep her warm if I wasn't home and I lost power?
Thank you for all the information you gave me. I just want to clear up as much as possible so I know exactly what to do, and what works best for her.

@Nuzum: Yeah. I'll collect one when I bring her. There's only really one local reptile vet around me. Other wise I'd have to drive about 45 minutes to the other. But I'll bring one anyways, despite the price.

Just to clarify, thermostats are different than thermometers. Thermometers measure temp, whereas thermostats measure temps and adjust the power flow accordingly. You need a thermometer to measure the cool side and warm side, and a thermostat to control your UTH to keep it from getting too hot.



The power thing is a little tricky. I would just leave your lamp on all night, especially if the power might go out. That way at least the whole enclosure was pretty warm before there was no power.

Most people will reocmmned using those instant hand warmers in case of a power outage. Obviously if you aren't around when the power goes out, you can't use these, but at least you can use them when you get home.

Your best bet in this kind of situation would be to get a small tub that the snake would fit into, tape the hand warmer to the inside top of the lid, put the snake in a snake bag or pillowcase, and put the snake in the tub. That way, the snake can't get into direct contact with the hand warmer.

If you suspect your power might go out, refrain from feeding your snake. They need heat the most when they are digesting food so it would be better to just skip a feeding rather then letting the food rot in the snakes stomach.

Sorry. I ment to say I have a thermometer. There's no electric going to it, so it can't control the temp. It only tells me what the temp is inside her cage along with her humidity(Show's how inexperienced I am). I'll look into getting a dimmer switch for the uth. Along with another thermometer for keep a eye on her cool side, and the heat coming off the uth. Thanks for the tips about the power outage. I'll keep her tank light on all night if I am to suspect the power will go out, and I'll pick up a few hand warmers to just keep around my room. I'm going to go make her a quick cool hide right now. I have a few small cardboard boxes that I think will be great for her right now. There nothing permeant, just temporary until I can pick something up for her.

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Originally Posted by sorakitty

Sorry. I ment to say I have a thermometer. There's no electric going to it, so it can't control the temp. It only tells me what the temp is inside her cage along with her humidity(Show's how inexperienced I am). I'll look into getting a dimmer switch for the uth. Along with another thermometer for keep a eye on her cool side, and the heat coming off the uth. Thanks for the tips about the power outage. I'll keep her tank light on all night if I am to suspect the power will go out, and I'll pick up a few hand warmers to just keep around my room. I'm going to go make her a quick cool hide right now. I have a few small cardboard boxes that I think will be great for her right now. There nothing permeant, just temporary until I can pick something up for her.

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Sounds like a plan :gj: !

Thanks a lot for all the info and advice! I was concerned about what I would so if I lost power but now I'm at ease. And I'm sure I'll have the lighting thing right once I have all the proper tools. Thanks again! :)

How can I tell if her hide is to small? Part of her body is currently hanging out. Would that mean it's to small? I know it's their active time, so I'm sure she might not want to exactly hang out in her hide, but I'm just wondering how to tell if it is to small.

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Originally Posted by sorakitty

How can I tell if her hide is to small? Part of her body is currently hanging out. Would that mean it's to small? I know it's their active time, so I'm sure she might not want to exactly hang out in her hide, but I'm just wondering how to tell if it is to small.

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Its too small when they stop using it :P

Most of my snakes barely fit into their hides and often have pieces of them laying out. I would say once the snake can obviously not hide any of itself in the hide anymore, its time to upgrade.

Okay. Well I just feel bad, because then the next thing I have for her is to big. I'll find something for her cool side that can be improvised for now still though. Thanks again. I feel like such a pest to everyone.

Edit// Okay, so it turns out she can fit. XD She was just putting me to work, and making me worry. hehe. But I'm glad to know the hides I have in now are good for her, and better fitting then what I had.

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Originally Posted by sorakitty

Okay. Well I just feel bad, because then the next thing I have for her is to big. I'll find something for her cool side that can be improvised for now still though. Thanks again. I feel like such a pest to everyone.

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Don't feel bad :( As long as they are hiding and eating, its not a big deal.

Don't feel like a pest! We are all willingly here to help! :D