Help for a newbie - Python On Cold Side!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SandmansDreams

Great success!!
BP actually used one of her hides on her own for the first time since I got her! :D
She's been in it all day actually. Pokes her head out every once in a while if I'm in the room doing stuff but is generally totally unseen.

Tomorrow my temp gun should be delivered and I'll finally be able to get pinpoint readings on everything!
I also plan to get a thermostat for the UTH (moving the dimmer it is currently plugged into over to the CHE).
If the dimmer on the CHE fails, and it fails wide open as you said, the hottest the tank has gotten on the CHE with no dimmer at all has been 84 so it should be fine (short term) even if that happens.

Even though everything isn't 100% yet, I'm now 95% there and I think I should be able to get it all squared away from here before this coming weekend is out.

Also, I know I've very likely stressed her out these past several days by screwing with the enclosure so much, but she hasn't eaten in 12 days so I'm going to try to feed her tonight (1st attempt at feeding). Here goes! :D

---

Bro thats great. Im glad she used a hide niw, thats says something right there.. She fealt safe enough.. Let us know how all works out with feeding... Ive got a cool trick I learned on here for Fresh Kill once you get her eating good.. Then you wont have to worry about her getting bit and scratched. Congrats :gj:

She refused the food as I suspected she was going to, but I at least wanted to try. Tomorrow will be day 13 since her last meal.

Let me go through what I did really quick to make sure I'm not screwing something up;

- Thaw the frozen mouse package in warm water
- Open the enclosure
- Gently tapped her hide
- Gently removed the hide
- Moved vines and plants out of the way
- Approached BP from behind and gently stroked her flank
- At this point she jerked suddenly, like a nervous flinch, and recoiled
- Being my first time doing this her quick action caught me off guard, which must have spooked her because she immediately started running for the thick leaves of the hot side
- I tried to stop her by grabbing her lower half & tail, but I thought it wise not to pull her out by force when she was already scared enough to run.
- After a minute I decided to try again, so I removed the silk plant from the back corner of the hot hide and as I did so noticed that she was wrapped around the "stem" of the leaves.
- I lifted the entire plant, snake and all, out of the enclosure and placed her into my feeding tub (I might get a deeper tub for this going forward).
- She immediately let go of the plant and started exploring. I had to gently pull her back into the tub a couple of times, but overall she stayed put and looked around. She seemed really curious! (that or running for her life in abject terror...I'm still learning to speak reptile and may have mistranslated this).
- Removed plant from feeding tub.
- Cut open the mouse package
- Using feeding tongs, dunked the mouse in the warm water again for several seconds
- Pat-dried the mouse on paper towels
- Simulated mouse movement approximately 6" from face of python
- BP seemed interested for a moment but ultimately turned away
- After a few more unsuccessful attempts I reintroduced her to the enclosure and she immediately fled to the cold side and curled up behind that hide against the back glass and out of sight.
- I misted down the tank and returned everything to position.

So there it is start to finish.
My first time ever attempting to feed a snake.
Would be very interested to hear your analysis. I'm sure I bungled a thing or two.
I've got 2 more frozen mice on hand to attempt a feeding with.
I figure if she blows through 4 separate feedings without a single strike I'll likely switch her to the 6qt tub enclosure to FINALLY get her calm enough to eat.
Perhaps this snake is extra skittish?

Thanks!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SandmansDreams

She refused the food as I suspected she was going to, but I at least wanted to try. Tomorrow will be day 13 since her last meal.

Let me go through what I did really quick to make sure I'm not screwing something up;

- Thaw the frozen mouse package in warm water
- Open the enclosure
- Gently tapped her hide
- Gently removed the hide
- Moved vines and plants out of the way
- Approached BP from behind and gently stroked her flank
- At this point she jerked suddenly, like a nervous flinch, and recoiled
- Being my first time doing this her quick action caught me off guard, which must have spooked her because she immediately started running for the thick leaves of the hot side
- I tried to stop her by grabbing her lower half & tail, but I thought it wise not to pull her out by force when she was already scared enough to run.
- After a minute I decided to try again, so I removed the silk plant from the back corner of the hot hide and as I did so noticed that she was wrapped around the "stem" of the leaves.
- I lifted the entire plant, snake and all, out of the enclosure and placed her into my feeding tub (I might get a deeper tub for this going forward).
- She immediately let go of the plant and started exploring. I had to gently pull her back into the tub a couple of times, but overall she stayed put and looked around. She seemed really curious! (that or running for her life in abject terror...I'm still learning to speak reptile and may have mistranslated this).
- Removed plant from feeding tub.
- Cut open the mouse package
- Using feeding tongs, dunked the mouse in the warm water again for several seconds
- Pat-dried the mouse on paper towels
- Simulated mouse movement approximately 6" from face of python
- BP seemed interested for a moment but ultimately turned away
- After a few more unsuccessful attempts I reintroduced her to the enclosure and she immediately fled to the cold side and curled up behind that hide against the back glass and out of sight.
- I misted down the tank and returned everything to position.

So there it is start to finish.
My first time ever attempting to feed a snake.
Would be very interested to hear your analysis. I'm sure I bungled a thing or two.
I've got 2 more frozen mice on hand to attempt a feeding with.
I figure if she blows through 4 separate feedings without a single strike I'll likely switch her to the 6qt tub enclosure to FINALLY get her calm enough to eat.
Perhaps this snake is extra skittish?

Thanks!

---

I have one thing to say about all that.. Why the heck are you going through all that stress and then trying to feed her? Hahahahaha
Heck if you kicked in my door, grabbed me, threw me into another house and served me a meal I wouldnt feel hungry either hahahahahah ...
Ok all joking aside Anthony leave that poor thing in its enclosure to eat... Just as she is getting use to it a giant busted it all the heck..
Some people, (i think very few that are uninformed) feed in a seperate tank.. 95% feed in the snakes habitat.
Wait untill she is calm down again in a few days and try to feed in the enclosure and dont disrupt it. If she is in a hide put it half in the door, wait till night and keep it quiet and dusk when you do it.. And leave it over night.

i think you did well! separate enclosure feeding often brings stress, but i see why you did it. maybe wait for her to be sticking her nose out of her hide at night to try and feed: this usually means they're hungry. i usually thaw the rat in the fridge, then place it in the room they're in which scents the room and gets them in feeding mode, ready to strike. did you leave the mouse in the enclosure? if not that's okay, maybe try it next time.
hey, you tried to feed a snake! 😀

Thanks for the responses gents!

Yeah, I knew full well the entire time that I was likely freaking her out.
After all the hard work I've done this week to get her settled I felt really really bad about it, but I'm also concerned that she's gone so long without eating. 12 days is a while for a hatchling from what I understand (tomorrow is day 13).
My thought was "well, she's using a hide, I've got the temps and humidity near perfect, lets give it a shot".
I don't blame her at all for rejecting the food!

But anyway, 2 questions;

1) A lot of the literature I've read warns against feeding in the enclosure as (so it says) it will cause the snake to expect food when the tank is opened and therefore bite more frequently. Is this not true?
2) I'm definitely going to let her chill for a while before I try again. At least a few days. But I'm also worried about how long its been for her. Can she starve?

Thanks again!

Also...

"...wait for her to be sticking her nose out of her hide at night to try and feed: this usually means they're hungry"

...she started doing this a little while after she started using the hide

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SandmansDreams

Also...

"...wait for her to be sticking her nose out of her hide at night to try and feed: this usually means they're hungry"

...she started doing this a little while after she started using the hide

---

that might mean she's finally getting comfy and maybe checking things out, i wouldn't think that's hunger just yet but scenting the room will help you know: when i scent the room and they're not hungry they're way back in the hides unseen. that's just from my experience.

to your previous post:

1. cage aggression is a myth. i've never had an issue reaching into my oldest's enclosure at any time. sometimes he comes out to investigate when i reach in for maintenance, but i give the ol' snoot a boop and it's no worries.

2. just wait about 5 days and try again, she'll be okay until then. after that we can cross whatever bridge you've come to. 😊 have you weighed her? or did you know her weight when you got her?

^^^ Yep what she said :)
also don't worry about 13 days.. As long as that snake has eaten since it was born and its weight is ok they can go 6 mos no problem... When you try the next time, put the mouses head sticking into the hide door and leave it.. Make sure there is no traffic going back and forth infront of the enclosure.. These simple things can make and break it.. And leave it there over night.
You git everything else spot on. Good job bro:gj:

Quote:

---

1. cage aggression is a myth. i've never had an issue reaching into my oldest's enclosure at any time. sometimes he comes out to investigate when i reach in for maintenance, but i give the ol' snoot a boop and it's no worries.

2. just wait about 5 days and try again, she'll be okay until then. after that we can cross whatever bridge you've come to. 😊 have you weighed her? or did you know her weight when you got her

---

>> 1. Really? Wow, there does seem to be quite a lot of myths regarding keeping these critters :P I'm a big fan of following those with demonstrated knowledge. For instance, I wouldn't go to a doctor and say "But I googled it! That can't be true!". Both of you are the experts here and I really appreciate the advice. I will follow it and feed her in-enclosure next time.

>> 2. Ok. That will slate her for a second attempt early next week. Got it. I have not weighed her yet but her breeder card says she weighed in at 85g on December 30, 2016. She has absolutely grown quite a bit since then, however. I would feel comfortable saying shes over 100g at the moment, though I don't know exactly.

Yeah she might be a little light but thats ok, so was my last hatchling (57G at 2.5 months) and she doubled her weight in the 4 weeks when she started eating.. And yeah bro that feeding in the enclosure aggression is nonsense. Try reaching into another enclosure to put them back into theirs after they just ate and are still in feed mode!!! Now thats how you get tagged and also how the snake can regurgitate. You cant move a snake for 48hrs after they eat. That concept some people peddle makes no sense.