So this happened

Any news dude, campfire even hit the news here in the uk along with the other two...

They managed to stop the fire from coming through where I live, thank god. After two really stressful days I came back home with the snakes, and I just brought the fiancé and dog/cat back today now that air quality is a little better. I probably won’t be updating much for the next two weeks or so, I’ve been volunteering to help the firefighters with meals and I’m working 16 hour shifts at the hospital because we are so short staffed. Thanks for those following and if you can consider sending donations to those less fortunate than me who’ve lost everything.

next time you hear from me hopefully I will have finished Sonny’s enclosure though.

Starting to get pretty frustrated with Sonny during feeding. He's steadily pushing if i dont keep him full; we're now out of the XXL rats and i've been offering 1lb rabbits. He is his usual self and gets really excited when he can smell the rats and rabbit thawing, but shows absolutely zero interest in the rabbits at all. I've had to give one to my blood, I waited a week and tried again with no success. I tried leaving that one for him; he didnt touch it and I had to throw it out. He just refused a third (almost another week) later so im thawing a rat to give him first immediately followed by the rabbit. I really dont want to have to order a million rats to feed, especially when ive got $200 worth of rabbits already stocked in my freezer. Any tips?

Also his new enclosure is coming along, i just need to seal it and get glass or plexi for the sliders and it will be good to go.

Cleaning day and Sonny was on his best behavior. I pulled him out without disrupting his coil and he stayed out until I unraveled him when his enclosure was finished
http://i.imgur.com/wOsFotw.jpg

Looking good.
Great the fire missed pal.
Have you been scenting the rabbits with some rat smell?

Aw man that last picture was a GIF of some good head rubs but looks like it didnt work. Thanks justin, relieved indeed. I haven't tried to feed him again yet, im gunna give it a go at the end of this week. Fingers crossed it works. Going to try and get the new enclosure sealed and finished this weekend also, im so excited for how much space he'll have. The final size of the enclosure ended up being 72 inches long by 39 inches deep, plus there will be a decent length shelf for him to use.

So between the Fire and the butt ton of overtime and volunteer work that it brought, and now the constant rain and high winds, its taken longer than I’d hoped for Sonny’s enclosure to come together. I have the next three days off and I’m hoping to get it completely finished in that time. Really all that’s left to do is take the back wall off, apply pond shield to the interior, apply pond shield to the back wall, cut the shelf to size, apply pond shield to the shelf, secure the glass tracks which I’ve already cut down, get plexiglasscut to size, and for added measure I’m going to put Lexel on every edge as an added measure. Also I need to cut the frame for his large water dish so it is tip proof and seal that as well. And then I need to throw the RHP panel and LED strip in, which I’ve already drilled mounting holes for so that will be quick and easy. There’s not a ton to do but it’s taking a bit longer because I’m restricted to making it inside the room. I’m also not going to seal or paint the outside of the enclosure until spring when I can do it outside. I threw a picture of sonny inside the enclosure in his cleaningtub, it makes him look so small. Hopefully he loves it.
http://i.imgur.com/dlbVbhV.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/NRPJCW3.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/c9AkdQw.jpg

Welp, Sonnys enclosure will be move-in ready tomorrow. I havent kept exact amounts but for all the trouble this enclosure has given me i shouldve just ordered a 6 foot AP. Oh well, you live and you learn i guess. He's still being an *ss about the rabbits, and im pretty sure now that his pushing is for need of space so im just excited to get him bumped into a bigger enclosure.

Very entertaining thread.

So Sonny is FINALLY in his new enclosure!!! I’m super happy that the project is done. It is by no means a visually appealing enclosure, but functionally it is perfect for him. I still need to add the shelf, but that’s one cut, some sanding/sealing, and quick and easy install so I’ll plan on getting that in the next full cage clean he gets. All in all I will not ever build another enclosure, at least until I have a good amount of tools. Keep in mind the only power tools I have are a cordless drill, cordless circular saw and jigsaw(which stopped working halfway through). So if you see imperfections, don’t point them out as I’m more than aware lol. But I gave sonny a rinse and let him slither himself on in and he checked out the water bowl, did a full lap, coiled under the heat, and rested his head and he’s been hangin out since.
As far as his behavior goes it seems he’s getting ready to shed, I’m not sure if he’s going into blue or coming out of it but he’s definitely in some stage of his shed cycle. I’ve been working so much it’s really hard to keep track. His face looks good though and he hasn’t been begging for food which is how he acts every shed.
heres the photo dump:
http://i.imgur.com/7zjnwiH.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/FEQOxhj.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/0Wrnw9g.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/p3nY36C.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/veZ3PQG.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/KxLGrvt.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/9Q5XnFs.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Z73RFPx.jpg

one picture has a gallon water jug to try and show his size better but no luck. In the pictures his size doesn’t seem impressive but in person, it’s a whole different story. He’s got such a good temperament too.

Judging by how he looks next to that concrete tub I’d say he’s about 10’ now, right? Cage looks nice


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jmcrook

Judging by how he looks next to that concrete tub I’d say he’s about 10’ now, right? Cage looks nice


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

I haven’t tried to measure in a while but I’d say definitely between 9’ and 10’ based on him stretched out against the inside of the enclosure. Thanks!

So after my last post, went to go get a late night donut. Got back and peeked in the snake room to see a nice fresh turd. Should’ve known.
Does anyone know if that is a sperm plug?
http://i.imgur.com/npAxCyu.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/rB3Rcgf.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/MrR1ZNJ.jpg

Nice, mature looking head.

Pretty animal for sure.

Love that face picture :gj:. What a good looking boy!

Well Sonny is doing well in his new enclosure, he shed the night after my last post. He did refuse a rabbit today though, and I noticed he’s been pushing still. I’m wondering if he hasn’t just hit the age where he’s ready to breed and maybe that’s the reason for his pushing. The new cage has definitely helped at least so far; his face looks completely healed. I was hoping he was pushing for food but that’s not the case. Also looks like I need to order some massive rats and figure out what to do with the freezer full of rabbits I have...
http://i.imgur.com/ysmP1QG.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/sWGHWRF.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ZLoGhI1.jpg

Beautiful !!!!

Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Update:
Sonny has been pushing like a madman. He's got the 72x39 inches of floorspace. His hot spot sits at 90 F and his cool side at 76 F. He has his massive water dish. But he wont stop pushing. I thought it was that he was in too small of an enclosure but that hasnt proven to be the issue. He is back at it and his face swelling is back pretty bad. It also appears that he is damaging the ventral scales on the first foot and a half or so of his body frpm all the pushing; they are flaking/peeling as though he had a bad shed but i know for a fact his last she was perfectly removed. Im going to try and trick him by feeding a rat followed by a rabbit again, he hasnt eaten in three or four weeks know i believe. Can anyone with more retic experience chime in? Could he be wanting to breed? The only thing ive seen that resembled a sperm plug was on one of the last pictures i posted but no one confirmed or denied so im not sure. Also I dont have any female pythons to entice him, though im sure it isnt entirely necessary for them to be around for male instinct to kick in. Advice would be much appreciated! I would love to be able to get Sonnys face back to normal.

Yes to sperm plug... of course only as far as I can tell from the picture.. being in person to see the consistency/texture would generate a better Positive/Negative.
Retics are Beautiful but all the horror stories my freind have of pushing abscesses and sickness caused by it has steered me away from them completely.
For whatever reason the Push for food and Mating like crazy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

All of this is why I got out of retics. When they’re fun and rewarding, they are beyond fun and rewarding. When they are a terror, they make the fun parts not even worth the effort and I, for the foreseeable future, have determined they just aren’t the species for me to keep in captivity. Best of luck with sunny


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jmcrook

All of this is why I got out of retics. When they’re fun and rewarding, they are beyond fun and rewarding. When they are a terror, they make the fun parts not even worth the effort and I, for the foreseeable future, have determined they just aren’t the species for me to keep in captivity. Best of luck with sunny


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Burms fyi.....they're too lazy to push lol

Maybe they are just too big to be kept in captivity, as they cannot be free enough to move around as they need to...

Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KevinK

Burms fyi.....they're too lazy to push lol

---

My Burms have always been great and active when I take them out.. when they are in their enclosure they relax.. Best of both worlds...
Also why I laugh when people argue you need a enclosure for Burms that are at least as long as they are... how ridiculous...I always have a few people criticizing me on FB for using 8!foot enclosures like Ive been abusing them.. none of mine ever layed completely stretched out unless they are out loose in the house!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well I’ve got rats and a rabbit thawing, hopefully Sonny will eat until he’s stuffed to keep him calm for a few days. Admittedly I haven’t done much for the snakes other than top off the water for the past week or so, I’ve worked an obscene amount this past two weeks on top of purchasing a new truck and selling the old car so I’ve been pretty busy. I noticed sonny had a chip of his bedding in his mouth a few days back, but didn’t think anything of it as it’s happened before with his pushing and he usually works it out himself. The past two times I stopped in to tend his water he was coiled with his head hidden. Tonight I noticed it was still there and on closer inspection it turned out to be a growth on his gum presumably from pushing. I threw some gloves on to get a closer look and it popped right off when I touched it. He’s now got an open wound on his swollen gum that looks as though it may be the early stages of infection. I’m going to clean the location tonight after feeding and take him in to the vet in the morning. I’m really hoping this doesn’t turn into a behavior that can’t be resolved.
heres the growth:
http://i.imgur.com/cNqBwrz.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/hOU1ZQ0.jpg

and here’s after:
http://i.imgur.com/RWfmH2d.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/HuZuZR5.jpg

this sucks.

So got sonny into the vet, I was advised to cleanse the wound daily with betadine and monitor for worsening. Sonny took down two 1lb rats and a 1.5 lb rabbit, so he shouldn’t be moving for at least a few days. He was also really calm about me swabbing the wound with betadine. Hopefully this will push him into a shed cycle to help with his scales and continue to reduce his activity. I’m going to continue with the jumbo rats and keep following with the rabbit, and see if I can keep the pushing down. If the wound does get worse I think I’m going to try and travel farther out for a more recognized reptile specialist if possible. But for now, the beast is calm and all is okay.
http://i.imgur.com/6LNm28W.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/3ZHU1ca.jpg

Hope all heals up well.

I hope you are able to get this under control. It's easy to see how much it's stressing you out. Best of luck!

Update on Sonny. I fed him pretty heavily (finally) a while back, and he immediately went into his shed cycle. I also threw him a 3'x1' box to hide in hopefully to ease his pushing. He has pretty much been coiled in the box since his last meal, and i checked on him today to see a almost complete shed and a nice healed face! now to just keep it that way! we grabbed him out for some enrichment and quick photos since the sun was out.
https://i.imgur.com/LfnWQFZ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/qAPvAB4.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/bzUsxFo.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/5rvVcwA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/myARXr9.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/W9yTiKq.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/J60BoS5.jpg

He's so gorgeous! I'm going to pick up a male purple sunfire from Bob Clark next week, this thread is making the waiting worse! :D

He’s a lot of work compared to all of my others but I’d say so far it’s been worth it. The pushing has been frustrating but since I’ve given him the cardboard box I haven’t seen any more signs, though it’s still a bit early to say he’s done completely. He is a looker!
looking forward to seeing your pick up. Assuming you’re getting a hatchling enjoy the small size while you can, they grow FAST

Sonny is looking great!

Weighed Sonny the other day for the first time in a while. 16.2 lbs empty. I would’ve guessed a lot more, 16lbs feels a lot heavier when it’s all muscle and has a mind of its own

Sonny update; pushing. Stuffed him a few weeks ago, gonna pick up some big rats monday and hite'm with the old rat rat rabbit combo to ease him for another few weeks. Got him out for some sunlight today, most definitely not going to be pulling him out without anyone home anymore.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/UJboypd.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/xl1BrJN.jpg
This one he decided it was time to explore and squeezed my left leg so hard it fell asleep. Thats when the lightbulb switched that hey; not a great idea. Luckily hes still super calm.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/oAkodQx.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/1Uha3e2.jpg
Here he decided the chair was his now

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/SrGr8Gp.jpg
and heres 15 minutes later after giving up on removing him myself. He sat here pretty content for another 10 minutes after i brought him in the house.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dxw425

Went to the Sacramento Reptile Expo and came home with this guy, one of my two bucket list snakes
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/cOYjn7r.png
Hes a male purple albino from ESP, weighed in at 155, he's already super tolerant of handling and very inquisitive. The other on my list was/is a hypo granite burm, and there was one at the show, but i just wasnt quite ready to drop $800 on a snake that i will never breed. But anyways here he is, his temporary 4ft boaphile should be on my doorstep any day now, and looks like ill be ordering an 8 foot in a couple months.
Still trying to think of a bad ass name, suggestions are welcome.

---

$800 for a hypo granite burm wow that is major price in the uk they are £200 -£250 max wow I cannot believe the prices you pay over in states https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...849488be01.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6486f7f4a2.jpg


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

So Sonny had been looking good, mild push face, and was post meal lounging for the past week. He refused his rabbit and ate two big rats. Checked him yesterday and he was curled under the heat, checked him today and his cage was destroyed from pushing and he managed to damage about 8 inches of his scales on his back pretty badly. It appears that he somehow managed to push a 1/4 gap in his slider open and started to squeeze through, and then realized he couldn’t fit out and scraped his back on the way back in. There was definite bleeding and now I’ve got to treat it daily. At this point I’m not really sure what to do. I’m going to place an order solely of colossal rats and switch him back to weekly feedings. If we can’t tame down the pushing within that period I’m going to have to rehome him. I don’t think it’s fair to him and I’m not sure what else to do at this point. I’m really really hoping it doesn’t come to that because he’s the best snake aside from his constant pushing.
Anyone have any ideas?

Also in regards to his latest mishap; I noticed a good amount of substrate jammed in the edge of the slider, and realized that when I last locked the cage the slider lock was one click looser that usual due to the blockage. Typically this would not have been possible. Just goes to show how much diligence is required with these guys. I’ve been able to mend everything else he’s done so far so we should be okay, but I do feel bad and pretty conflicted at this point.

I feel you dude. Rehoming is a tough decision to make but I can’t blame you at all. Do right by your animal, there’s no judgement here whatever the decision is


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hopefully im not jynxing it here, but it appears we have fixed Sonnys pushing problem. Someone told me even though my temperatures seemed alright to try unplugging his heat panel and just give him the ambient room temperatures. It seems to have done the trick. Ive been going every two weeks giving him two large rats and he has'nt been busting his face up at all. Now to just hope his face heals all the way, it looks as though he may have a cyst from the whole ordeal.

We have one named wick after John wick ! I also have a zodiac after the killer. Lol.