Somebody help! Something's wrong with my snake! :(

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Originally Posted by elbee

Also, a baby in a 40 gallon tank could feel pretty insecure.

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Let me rephrase that. She's at the minimum 8 months, maximum a little over a year.

Thats still a lil to big. I would give her more hides or clutter up the tank with crumpled paper or leaves.


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Originally Posted by PorcelainxDoll

Thats still a lil to big. I would give her more hides or clutter up the tank with crumpled paper or leaves.


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She has some plants and a log in there. I suppose I could make some box hides.

Yeah. Sounds like she's just feeling insecure and not aggressive. Does she attack you at all? In and out of the cage? Attacking outside the enclosure is aggression. Striking only in the enclosure is being defensive. 40 gallons is pretty big. I would only keep established adults in one. And some snakes are just hissy. I have 2 that always talk but never have bitten.

Just clutter up your tank more. Add more hides. One log isn't sufficient enough. I would honestly return that. She needs 2 identical snug fitting hides that have only 1 opening. The logs don't work very well for security because they have 2 openkngs. Plus they are difficult to sanitize.Maybe even cover 3 sides of the tank with black paper or a background. The clear glass can be scary for a small snake.
And maybe even use a tank divider to make the enclosure smaller until she grows into it.



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Originally Posted by satomi325

Yeah. Sounds like she's just feeling insecure and not aggressive. Does she attack you at all? In and out of the cage? Attacking outside the enclosure is aggression. Striking only in the enclosure is being defensive. 40 gallons is pretty big. I would only keep established adults in one.

Just clutter up your tank more. Maybe even cover 3 sides of the tank with black paper or a background. The clear glass can be scary for a small snake.
And maybe even use a tank divider to make the enclosure smaller until she grows into it.



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I've been sick with pneumonia and am strapped for cash this month but I'm gonna be trying to get her what she needs. She has hissed and tried to nip me outside the cage. I mean, there's maybe only 16 inches of space from obstacle to obstacle, which is in general the amount of free space (and then there's the walls they're propped up against), she's got plants she likes, her water bowl takes up a good deal of room (like a foot long).

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Oh no, I mean driftwood type log. It has no openings.

I have a bee that goes from nice ball python to very cranky and hissy when he starts to go into shed. It's like flipping a switch right after he sheds he goes back to nice ball python.

It could be a husbandry issue too. A pic of the enclosure and its possible 72 at night might be a little too cool? What are you feeding and how are you heating the tank?

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Originally Posted by Michelle Tonkinson

I have a bee that goes from nice ball python to very cranky and hissy when he starts to go into shed. It's like flipping a switch right after he sheds he goes back to nice ball python.

It could be a husbandry issue too. A pic of the enclosure and its possible 72 at night might be a little too cool? What are you feeding and how are you heating the tank?

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhAmYiwirW4 My tank.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xHPUzQTa7E My snake.

I followed you guy's advice with the tinfoil top treatment and it works. I'm feeding her (not that it matters she's never eaten for me) thawed fuzzies and using a daytime 60 watt heat lamp and have a 24-hour UTH 40 gallon running.

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Originally Posted by satomi325

Yeah. Sounds like she's just feeling insecure and not aggressive. Does she attack you at all? In and out of the cage? Attacking outside the enclosure is aggression. Striking only in the enclosure is being defensive. 40 gallons is pretty big. I would only keep established adults in one.

Just clutter up your tank more. Maybe even cover 3 sides of the tank with black paper or a background. The clear glass can be scary for a small snake.
And maybe even use a tank divider to make the enclosure smaller until she grows into it.

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I agree with all of this.

Also, GET A THERMOSTAT. There is no excuse not to have one - you can get a Hydrofarm off amazon.com for $30. Even with a digital thermometer to measure temps, temps can spike at various times during the day. And 72 is TOO LOW for night drop! Your temps should not fall below 76. That doesn't sound like much, but to a snake, it's a LOT. Get a thermostat.

And you must realize, this is a snake. Not a dog. Snakes do not respond to people in the same way as a dog will. Insecurity will make her defensive, but so can being stared at, handled too often, having too large of prey shoved in her face, etc. You might have to gently remind your mom that you are dealing with a reptile and its behavior can not be trained or taught. A certain amount of aggressiveness or defensiveness may be something you will have to live with if you choose to keep snakes.

Clutter up her cage, black out the back and sides, get a t-stat, and leave her alone for a week. Then offer her a moderately sized prey item withOUT forceing it on her - put it in her cage and leave her alone again. If you feed live, keep an eye on her from a distance; if you feed f/t, leave it in with her overnight. Chances are, she'll eat. And if she's in shed, she should do so before it's time to feed her.

I am not trying to sound harsh, but you need to be realistic. Hopefully, the advice here will help you! :gj:

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

I agree with all of this.

Also, GET A THERMOSTAT. There is no excuse not to have one - you can get a Hydrofarm off amazon.com for $30. Even with a digital thermometer to measure temps, temps can spike at various times during the day. And 72 is TOO LOW for night drop! Your temps should not fall below 76. That doesn't sound like much, but to a snake, it's a LOT. Get a thermostat.

And you must realize, this is a snake. Not a dog. Snakes do not respond to people in the same way as a dog will. Insecurity will make her defensive, but so can being stared at, handled too often, having too large of prey shoved in her face, etc. You might have to gently remind your mom that you are dealing with a reptile and its behavior can not be trained or taught. A certain amount of aggressiveness or defensiveness may be something you will have to live with if you choose to keep snakes.

Clutter up her cage, black out the back and sides, get a t-stat, and leave her alone for a week. Then offer her a moderately sized prey item withOUT forceing it on her - put it in her cage and leave her alone again. If you feed live, keep an eye on her from a distance; if you feed f/t, leave it in with her overnight. Chances are, she'll eat. And if she's in shed, she should do so before it's time to feed her.

I am not trying to sound harsh, but you need to be realistic. Hopefully, the advice here will help you! :gj:

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No you're right... I'm just ashamed I can't get the money... I want to get her the new Hygro-Therm by Zilla or Zoomed the controller thing...I can try and swing by petsmart for a thermostat tomorrow.

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Originally Posted by Tes95

I'm feeding her (not that it matters she's never eaten for me) thawed fuzzies and using a daytime 60 watt heat lamp and have a 24-hour UTH 40 gallon running.

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Fuzzies? Rat or mouse fuzzies? Either way, based on your video, that's way too small. If you're really worried about her eating, try feeding live.