Couple of Care Questions

Explains the subtitled -- love it! You can tell I love the CSI show...that is why it made me laugh.


Okay -- well I will change out the bedding tomorrow night. So take like a sandwhich size tuperware -- is that what you mean to make the humid hide? Just confirming -- should I replace my little wood hut with that? Things dry out really fast here...I will try to get by and get the moss tomorrow -- paper towels will dry out here fast.

When you say switch to a plastic tub -- do you mean like a storage one with holes in it? I actually just got my notice that I should get my AP cage friday! So I may just wait since I can work to put it together Saturday morning and move her in once I get the temps right-- very excited!!!

Really stupid question -- is there a way to know that a snake is stressed? I know they do not really like humans but will find the comfort zones with us -- she seems really comfortable with me -- for instance rightnow she could try to move away and is just settling into my shirt (well and sticking her head out to see what all the tapping is on the keyboard). She does not ball up but actually stretches out as soon as I get her out of the cage too.

Should I be extremely concerned about the jelly like or mucus like substance? I must admit that I am very worried and wish she would go ahead and leave that poop for drop off. My cats are soooo babied and well this one will be as a much as a snake will tolerate...haha. Just that way with animals.

Yep, just use a smallish, low-to-the ground container w/lid(that the snake can fit in of course, LoL).

Wood hides harbor bacteria like nobody's business. If you want hides that are easily cleaned, look fairly nice and your BP will LOVE them, go to WalMart and get some of the plastic pot saucers(sits underneath the planter pot to catch water). Cut a hole in the top or side of two of them and place one on each side of the enclosure. I would think for a baby ball the 5-6" size would be ok. I know I used the 4" ones when I first got Amani, she was teensy. They cost maybe $0.80 apiece, but I bet you could go to a garden store and get them for cheaper. The clay ones are nice because you can soak them in water for awhile, and then they act as a second humid hide until they dry out. They are also fairly heavy and my ball really enjoyed them when she was younger(now too fat to fit in anything but the 10" plastic ones, haha).

That's wonderful you are getting your AP cage so quick! I hope you like it as much as your ball does :)

Signs of stress would include not eating, "running" away constantly, balling up, constantly cruising the cage daytime or night, etc. If she is hiding during the day and coming out some at night, eating well, and not balling up, then I would venture to say she isn't stressed much.

I COMPLETELY understand the anal retentiveness about our animals' care. With 17 rats, there is always someone that has SOMETHING wrong... LoL. Whether it's my allergy girl having a flare-up, or one of my other 11 girls has an abscess, you just never know what's going to pop up that day. Already had to do 3 surgeries, bleh... Good thing they are my favorite price, LoL. FREE!

About the jelly-like substance, what was the color? Was it opaque or translucent? It may have been urates that weren't fully dehydrated before she expelled them, but you can never know for sure. The fecal will be able to discern what is going on, so I would just wait until you can get a fecal sample in.

But anywho, I've written a novel now. 'Night!

Thanks for all the info -- I SOOOOOO appreciate it!!!


She does not come out in the day -- cruises at night especially when I put her back in after having her out....I think I get her active and then may be she is just inspecting to ensure all is there or something. She will stop and drink sometimes or just watch me from the branch or go under it and watch. Sometimes I come back in and she is out again but is moving to the other hide -- but checking everything on the way. Last night put her back and left for about 3 hours -- when I went by the cage -- she was out on top of the branch - "checking to make sure the screen was closed good" - ha ha. I think at least....when she is out, she just looks like she is exploring or moving to the other hide. OH she is a mover too when out -- she likes to get up under the edge of my shirt and then stick her head out to see what is up -- I know it is warm and she feels hidden (I try to stay still). She does not stay still though -- she will go back under and circle me in my shirt then come back out and do the same watch....I think she is sooo cute - cracks me up!

Humm may change out the wooden one now. I probably have a ton of the clay saucers you are speaking of. Idea for you -- they make the garlic roasters in various sizes and out of the same material...not sure how big your babe is but they make some big ones if you wanted something of the same material as the clay pot bottom and the lid would form a dome for more room. I had never thought of the pot saucers but they do hold moisture nicely so I think I want to do that! Not sure how expensive the bigger roasters are but the small ones are about $5....

The jelly - best description I can state is that it looks like a sneeze (from us) - not bright yellow and not completely clear but in between - it is not with me right now but I think it was whitish/yellow but not a solid color - I hope that make sense. It was with the urates.

The "jelly-like" substance really is sounding like non-dehydrated urate. Did you think to smell it? LoL, I always smell things, I guess it's just the vet tech in me. If it smelled like urine, then it probably was. Sometimes they will have a liquid urine, so don't be worried, it just means she is well-hydrated and has no need for the extra water.

Where do you find the garlic roasters? Walmart maybe? I'll google a bit and see if I can find a picture and will confirm it with you :) Thanks for the idea! Amani is about 45" now and she is turtling the 10"(I think) plastic saucers. I use the tiny(4") saucers for my Rosy Boa, and he fits perfectly, right now anyway, LoL.

Actually yes -- I did sniff it. No real smell - but the urate does not really have a scent to me either. I have not checked her hides tonight to see if she left me anything.


The garlic roasters -- you can find them at Target and I would think Walmart. Some stores may only carry the small ones but I know that I saw a big one in Target once a while back -- it was designed to roast other stuff. Check out the kitchen gadget isle at either place. Could probably find online too. They are the Terra Cotta (spelling) -- dome and little dish. I saw one that the dome was about 4 inches tall and the diameter was pretty big --- I remember thinking -- wow that would be a lot of garlic!!!

I think I found one here...look at this site about halfway down. It is 17.95:
http://www.garlicworld.com/shopsite_...ml/page14.html

http://www.cooking.com/products/shpr...26ei%3Dutf%2D8
Second one is cheaper...

Even the garlic keepers may work to break out a hole and use -- some are clay. Luckily I can use the little tiny ones for her right now...I have one that is chipped but it is probably too smelly so I think I will hit Target tomorrow.

I really like the idea of using the clay pot to humidify -- I worry so much about belly rot and such......I am not sure that I would really need to be worried here though -- it is SOOOOO dry!!