Wiggles, the Children's Python

It's Wiggles's third hatchday and I haven't gotten him anything. Fortunately for me, he's a snake and doesn't know it's his hatchday. Maybe, I'll get him one of those Hol-ee Roller dog toys other keepers have suggested to me, but I'm not sure what size to buy. The holes make me nervous. I wouldn't want him to get stuck. A large one would probably be o.k., but I'll have to see one in person before I buy.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/jx2HSXF.jpg

There won't be a party either. Wiggles is sleeping off last night's dinner. So, it's looking like it's going to be a super chill hatchday. But just because we won't be celebrating, doesn't diminish the fact that his third hatchday is a cause for celebration. I love the little guy so much and I'm so happy he's in my life.

Happy Hatchday, Wiggles! :bday::snake2::rat:

That's a good idea to check out a Hol-ee Roller ball in person, & remember not to let him play right after a meal also, as he'll be fatter then. I think he'll probably like it. One good thing about them is that they'd be easy to cut with scissors IF a snake ever got stuck.

Happy Hatchday Wiggles!! What an exciting time c:

My mother used to have several mastiffs, and I remember seeing those types of balls. I believe there are definitely ones where I wouldn't be worried about Wiggles at all, but there are others I would be. I think an in-person look is probably for the best. Please send pics if you find one though!

Some pics of Wiggles during a rare daytime play session.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/GCk9Y83.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/i9MHTNW.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/UHxBDLY.jpg

He's pretty creative & used to exploring. So when are you going to hide his food & see if he can find it? :D (not that containing him after that would be fun...)

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

He's pretty creative & used to exploring. So when are you going to hide his food & see if he can find it? :D (not that containing him after that would be fun...)

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Good question. The foraging exercise I had planned was to hide a Reptilink and a hopper and see which he'd go for first. So, i thought I would wait 6 months, until he's firmly established on Reptilinks. That day's coming up (9/14), but it's probably a good idea to start off with something simpler. Today's feeding day. I'll let you know how it goes.

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Originally Posted by Homebody

I'll let you know how it goes.

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As an enrichment activity, it was a resounding success. As a method for feeding him, it was a resounding failure. To prepare, I just warmed the Reptilink in my hand. I can get it to about 92F that way, and that's usually sufficient. I hid the link in a small box and placed it in his play tent. I filled the rest of the tent with crumpled newspaper (my recycling bin was empty). He found it within 5 minutes. I was really impressed. But he came back out of the box without the link, and started searching again. My theory is that, while he didn't want the lukewarm Reptilink, it did whet his appetite. So, he went searching for something else to eat. I let him search for about a half hour before changing the plan.

Next, I decided to just place the Reptilink on his basking spot reasoning that the link's temperature was the reason he found it unappetizing. He showed more interest this time. He wrapped it. Nuzzled it, but ultimately left it. So, I removed the link. He had been playing with the link for an hour at this point, and still didn't want it. I was afraid he was getting sick of it. I figured I'd give him a little break, then target train his as I usually do.

That worked. The target training went perfectly. I put a little extra heat on the link by warming it in a bowl of hot water. Judging by his quick strike and wrap, he appreciated that.

So, I think the problem was temperature of link. I'm not really sure how I can keep it from cooling during the exercise. I could put extra heat on it. He found it quickly, so that might work. Or, I could just wait until he's really hungry, Like after a shed. Anyway, we both had a good time. We both learned something. So, I'd say the exercise was entirely worthwhile.

Very interesting results. :gj: I can see where a snake with heat pits are going to be more in tune with the temperature of the prey (or link, in this case).

BTW, my Spotted Python has done a few things differently this year: this is the first year that she went off eating for several months in the winter. She's normally fed pre-killed prey from tongs (temps. vary) & has always been voracious- but this year her appetite took a few months to return after her winter fast.

Then last night as I was feeding snakes, she appeared to be hungry, but then didn't take the prey from the tongs, so I just left it. Sure enough, in a little while she snarfed it down. (-so obviously, it wasn't warm! And I make no attempt to warm prey for her, EVER.) She did the same thing with a second item I left for her (both small weaned mice*). I should note that her prior (& light) meal was only about a week ago, so this was really a bit soon to feed. (I don't stick to a strict schedule with my snakes, & at times it can be 3 weeks between meals, but usually it's 2 weeks.)

Also, fyi- she is about 15 years old. And she's well-fed, neither skinny or overweight. And for perspective*, she is about 4' long but has a somewhat narrow gape, so small mice are a better fit, & for her size, 2 is not inappropriate.

Very interesting & alert snakes, Antaresia. Great choice for a pet, though maybe not for a very first time keeper, just in case you get a nippy one. I understand some are, though mine has never been a nipper. (And at least they can only do small nips-;) )

Despite how closely related our two snakes are, they are very different. I wonder if that's due their differing species, age, sex, our different styles of care, or just plain old personality. I guess it just goes to show that there are a lot of different ways to be wonderful.

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Originally Posted by Homebody

Despite how closely related our two snakes are, they are very different. I wonder if that's due their differing species, age, sex, our different styles of care, or just plain old personality. I guess it just goes to show that there are a lot of different ways to be wonderful.

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I absolutely agree- snakes are individuals, always. You can only learn & assume generalized things about the species, but then you have to go from there & learn about the one YOU'VE got. So I appreciate you sharing your observations & experiences here. Anyone who thinks a snake is a snake like all the others of the same or similar species has a lot to learn. Keeps things interesting- :cool:

Wiggles has two hides made out of foam sheet. His warm hide lies flat with the opening at the front. It sits under his RHP and the top serves as his basking spot (post #293). His other foam hide I keep on the cool side and this one I stood up on the back end with the opening at the top. I thought he might like this option because he likes to wedge himself between books on my bookshelf, but I've never seen him use it, until tonight.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/cMeulE6.jpg

So, if you need to place a hide and you're short on floor space, consider putting your hide on the side of the enclosure. Wiggles likes it. Maybe, your snake will too.

Sure, why not? Great idea, & typically snakes will take a while before they use new "furniture", so I'm glad you were patient. Wiggles is so cute, peeking out like that- as if he's proud of himself for having found this? :D

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Originally Posted by Homebody

I finished my trapezoidal wedge hide, but I'm very disappointed with it. It's been sitting in Wiggles's enclosure for weeks, but I haven't seen him in it even once. He'll bask on top of it, but he won't go in it. As a result, I've relegated it to his tub with the recycled packing material. If Wiggles doesn't use it there, I'll relegate it to the garbage pale. Photos of the finished product:

https://imgur.com/ZCgeftM
https://imgur.com/yUD07lL.

My wife did such a nice job decorating the top too.

I'm not sure if was the theory or the execution that was flawed. Oh well, I haven't let it stop me from innovating. His current hide could be described as the love child of this design and my son's laptop packaging that Wiggles loves so much. I'll post about that design once I know whether it works or not.

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The trapezoidal wedge hide lives!
https://i.imgur.com/BNQPSlZ.jpg
This really made my day. Particularly because my foam sheet hides (post #293) have started to fall apart. Once the silicone dries, it no longer adheres to the foam sheet. I need to find a safe new adhesive.

Necessity is the mother of invention- there's all sorts of creative ways to make 'furniture' for snakes, thanks for sharing yours.

I'm thinking about adding pegboard to the walls of Wiggles's enclosure. Right now, I'm limited by floor space in adding furnishings and enrichment. Pegboard would open up the wall space. I've always been hesitant to screw things to the walls because it's so permanent. With pegboard, I'll be able to arrange and, most importantly, rearrange furnishings at will.
https://i.imgur.com/ibY7Jbk.jpg

Good idea- but you might want to coat the board with pet-safe water-proofing first, otherwise it will absorb moisture & retain contamination of all kinds.

Yeah- you can make him a real "climbing wall"! :D

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Good idea- but you might want to coat the board with pet-safe water-proofing first, otherwise it will absorb moisture & retain contamination of all kinds.

Yeah- you can make him a real "climbing wall"! :D

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I think I'm going to skip the poly this time. I'm not worried about moisture. I don't use particulate substrate and I never mist. The only water is in the bowl. And, so far, Wiggles has eliminated on the walls. In addition, the board I'm using is formaldehyde free, so I don't need to seal that in. Coating the board with poly doubles the cost and, from experience, I know that poly can take weeks to stop off-gassing. I don't want to wait that long if I don't have to. If I'm wrong, the board not expensive, so I can redo it.

I was thinking about something like that when I saw some bottle-drying racks with a bunch of pegs sticking out, that they'd be great for a rat snake or other climby species. The possibilities are really endless

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Originally Posted by Homebody

I think I'm going to skip the poly this time. I'm not worried about moisture. I don't use particulate substrate and I never mist. The only water is in the bowl. And, so far, Wiggles has eliminated on the walls. In addition, the board I'm using is formaldehyde free, so I don't need to seal that in. Coating the board with poly doubles the cost and, from experience, I know that poly can take weeks to stop off-gassing. I don't want to wait that long if I don't have to. If I'm wrong, the board not expensive, so I can redo it.

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Great points- (I assume you meant to say Wiggles has not eliminated on the wall?) You're right that pegboard isn't expensive anyway, & I look forward to seeing your latest creation. :cool:

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Originally Posted by plateOfFlan

I was thinking about something like that when I saw some bottle-drying racks with a bunch of pegs sticking out, that they'd be great for a rat snake or other climby species. The possibilities are really endless

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I will be able to mount ledges, water bowls, hides, vines at any height on any wall and then I can change the arrangement by simply unhooking the item I want to move and hooking it up somewhere else. It's the versatility that's got me so excited.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Great points- (I assume you meant to say Wiggles has not eliminated on the wall?) You're right that pegboard isn't expensive anyway, & I look forward to seeing your latest creation. :cool:

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That's right, "not eliminated." I was really surprised how inexpensive the pegboard is. I just hope they (Lowes or Home Depot) will cut it for me. It'll throw a real wrench into my plan if they won't.

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Originally Posted by Homebody

That's right, "not eliminated." I was really surprised how inexpensive the pegboard is. I just hope they (Lowes or Home Depot) will cut it for me. It'll throw a real wrench into my plan if they won't.

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With all the projects you do, I'm surprised you don't at least have a little jig saw or something? They're so handy. But they'll probably cut it- maybe for a small fee (?) at most?

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

With all the projects you do, I'm surprised you don't at least have a little jig saw or something? They're so handy. But they'll probably cut it- maybe for a small fee (?) at most?

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Curiously, it's "all the projects" I do that keeps me from buying tools. Otherwise, I'd buy tools for every project and my apartment would look like a garage.

I'm pretty sure they'll cut it, and their cutting machine will do a more precise job than I could, even if I had a jigsaw. It's pvc that they won't cut. They say that, because it's plastic, it screws up their cutter.

I think I'll do a separate DIY thread for this project, in case anyone else wants to do it.

Yes, it helps to have a garage to "fill up"- :D I've bought PVC pipes before & they will cut those- just not using the same the saws they use for wood. They have a special tool for pipes & PVC, as I recall.

I mounted the pegboard walls:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/fIzq2fW.jpg
Now, I just need to get stuff to mount on them. I'm thinking ledges, water bowls, baskets, vines... I did get one hook to hold the probe for his RHP, and I also mounted the ramp that leads up to his sky hide. I'm excited. I feel the pegboard will allow me to do a lot more with his enclosure.

For the fourth quarter of 2023, Wiggles weighed in at 262g. A whopping 19g more than his last weigh-in in July. That's kind of surprising since his last two quarterly weigh-ins were 8 and 10g. Still less than the 30 and 40g increases he was recording when I first got him, but substantial growth nonetheless.

While he got significantly heavier, he didn't get much longer. He only grew 0.37 inches. He's now, 2', 11.53". Still under 3 feet. I suppose that means his waistline must be getting bigger. Still looks good to me though.
https://i.imgur.com/kvYJLNs.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/n2JgoaI.jpg

I don't think his "waistline" is at any risk. :D You're an excellent snarent.

I added wood blocks, a rope and a ledge.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/dMh7lXq.jpg

Wiggles obviously can't wait to check it all out.

It's like a military confidence-course, :rofl: Make sure he warms up first- I guess he can skip the push-ups.

I added a hammock made from insulating paper. It only took him three weeks to use it.
https://i.imgur.com/JhabG2Z.jpg

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Originally Posted by Homebody

I added a hammock made from insulating paper. It only took him three weeks to use it....

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I'm surprised he hasn't yet found the gaps where the ropes are to hide in? :D

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I'm surprised he hasn't yet found the gaps where the ropes are to hide in? :D

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He's a snake. It's only a matter of time.

I added a ledge to Wiggles's enclosure. This ledge replaces a smaller metal one that he didn't take to. I made it from sticks harvested from my local park held together with some twine. It's supported by a couple shelf brackets. It's only been a week since I put it in. He usually takes longer to start using new furniture. I'll take that as a ringing endorsement.

https://i.imgur.com/hAsyam5.jpg

:gj: Yes, he's definitely endorsing it. Blending in nicely, too. Snakes like real branches- but metal shelves? yuck!

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Blending in nicely, too.

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Better than you might think. The camera's flash makes him much more visible than he really is. Before I took this pic, I replaced the water bowl that you see in the foreground of the picture and I didn't see him.

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Originally Posted by Homebody

Better than you might think. The camera's flash makes him much more visible than he really is. Before I took this pic, I replaced the water bowl that you see in the foreground of the picture and I didn't see him.

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Sure- it's not only the coloration but the shape too. These smug little snakes sure know how to hide in plain sight & give us "heart attacks" thinking they're gone. :D

I decided to go up a size with Wiggles's feeders. When I got him, he was 19 months old and I started him on hoppers. Then, at 27 months, I switched him to hopper sized Reptilinks (10g), and that's what I've been feeding him for the last year. Now, he's 41 months, so, when I ordered for this year, I decided it was time to go up a size (18g), roughly equivalent to an adult mouse. He just ate his first one.

https://i.imgur.com/JPMm1vJ_d.webp?m...fidelity=grand

I struggled a bit with the decision to go up a size. That is what the guides I've read recommend, but he was doing well on the hoppers. He's been growing. Looks good. It was a big decision. Whatever I ordered, he'd be eating for the next year.

Ultimately, I decided it was time. Wiggles has more than doubled his weight since I got him (120 to 260g). Over the course of a year, it won't make that big a difference, anyway, because I'll feed him less often. Last year, he ate 40 x 10g links. This year, he'll eat 24 x 18g links. So, 400 vs. 432g. Not as big a difference as it seems when you just compare link sizes. I wonder if the larger feeders will cause a growth spurt. Time will tell.

This quarter Wiggles weighed-in at 287g, 15g more than he weighed on 10/9/23. That's average growth for him. I've started charting his weight in a Google sheet because...why not?

https://i.imgur.com/rk30Ijk.jpg

Gosh, he has quite the appetite. I don't even feed adult size mice to my 4' Spotted python- only hopper size, though sometimes more than one. But it still takes her a while to get them down. It's possible that my home-grown hoppers are more like what some sell as "adult" mice though? And I don't weigh them, ever.

One difference though is that your snake is much younger & still growing. My gal is 15 1/2 years old now. Of course, real mice have legs too that Reptilinks don't, so they're a little harder to swallow.

You've had real success with Reptilinks. :gj:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Gosh, he has quite the appetite. I don't even feed adult size mice to my 4' Spotted python- only hopper size, though sometimes more than one. But it still takes her a while to get them down. It's possible that my home-grown hoppers are more like what some sell as "adult" mice though? And I don't weigh them, ever.

One difference though is that your snake is much younger & still growing. My gal is 15 1/2 years old now. Of course, real mice have legs too that Reptilinks don't, so they're a little harder to swallow.

You've had real success with Reptilinks. :gj:

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We'll see how it goes. I don't anticipate any problems. I suspect he's as tolerant of feeder sizes as he is of everything else. I have read some articles that say that larger prey sizes spur growth, so I'll be watching for that.

I'm pleased with Reptilinks as feeders. I don't know if he's heathier because of them. I haven't noticed any changes in his behavior or appearance. But, I do know they're more convenient for me. I don't have to hide them to keep from grossing out my wife and kids, and who knows? Maybe, Wiggles will live to be a hundred.

According to Serpwidgets, Wiggles shrank 0.08 inches last quarter. On 10/4/23, he measured 2', 11.53". Tonight, he measured 2', 11.45".
https://i.imgur.com/4MmVSUf.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ktR6dY8.jpg
While I'm a Serpwidgets booster, even I wouldn't say it's accurate to within a tenth of an inch. So, I'm going to conclude that the change in Wiggles's length this quarter was negligible. He's still under 3 feet.

He's doing great, that's obvious, & I wouldn't worry about that fraction either.

Dodged a bullet, or, at least, I think I did. Wiggles managed to squeeze himself between his RHP and the ceiling of his enclosure.
https://i.imgur.com/aLdQXqj.jpg
The RHP was on. I know the temperature on the surface of the RHP can get as high as 145F. It's usually safe because the snake isn't supposed to be able to lay on it. Wiggles was able because the screw that secures that side of the RHP to the ceiling fell out, and I neglected to replace it. I've replaced the screw and the RHP is, now, secure.

Wiggles isn't showing any signs of injury. No sign of a burn. I've been watching him all evening. He's been moving and behaving normally. Looks like I got lucky.

Yikes! I hope he's okay- :please: Never underestimate a snake. They have nothing better to do than test the limits of whatever they're in. :rolleyes:

I added some cardboard tubes to the walls of Wiggles's enclosure. Just something different for him to climb on or through.
[IMG]https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/EmtDwSy.jpg[/IMG]
I really like these tubes. I collect them from the recycling bins in the commercial district. They're really thick, like wood. To this one I added dowel rods to make climbing through it more dynamic.
[IMG]https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/fFAxZxk.jpg[/IMG]
Now, I wait to see whether he likes them.

Wiggles says, "Don't let the fact that your keeper provides you with hides of every shape and size stop you from creating your own, even if it means ruining expensive heating elements essential to your well being."
https://i.imgur.com/J8se4iC.jpeg
Silly snek.

Today, I swapped the screws that held on the RHP for bolts threaded into brass inserts.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...m/zkjpF67.jpeg
Hopefully, this will be more secure.

One of the reasons, the screws didn't work is that the top of my enclosure is warped. This prevents the RHP from fitting flush against the ceiling. I tried to counter that by screwing them in really hard, but that put a lot of pressure on the screws. Add Wiggles trying to worm his way in there and it was too much for them. Hopefully, this does the trick.

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Originally Posted by Homebody

This year, I'll continue with his target training. I'd like to teach him to target over greater distances. I'd also like to introduce non-food reinforcers, because I'd like target him more often than I can feed him. I'd also like to add foraging exercises to his enrichment activities. It'll be fun to hide a mouse and a Reptilink and see which he goes for first. I'll likely also start desensitization training. I don't handle him much. It's just not my favorite thing, but other people like handling him, so I don't want him to be stressed.

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Wiggles's 2nd gotcha date (3/5/22) came and went without note. Looking back at my plans from last year is a bit embarrassing. I've continued with his target training but he hasn't made any great strides. I tried foraging only once. It didn't go great. When someone pointed out to me that pythons are ambush predators, and so, not natural foragers, I decided against it. I value natural behaviors, not unnatural ones. I haven't worked on desensitization at all. I realized that I'm the only person that handles him and I'm the only person that wants to. And, as I've said before, handling is not my favorite thing. I prefer to watch him explore on his own. That's just more entertaining to me. If he's going to be desensitized, it'll be gradually owing to the little handling I do.

So, what did I accomplish? I crafted a bunch of enclosure furnishings. Some of which he seems to appreciate. I kept him healthy and I had a lot of fun. This next year will probably be more of the same.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...m/xd0Nee9.jpeg

Wiggles weighed in at 297g, 10g more than he weighed on 1/7/24.
https://i.imgur.com/iYfyKm3.jpeg

I also started charting his length. He measured 35.83 inches on 3/30/24. That's 0.38 inches more than he measured on 1/11/24.
https://i.imgur.com/bDe1Jz2.jpg
Seems like healthy growth to me.

First time I caught him using a tube.

https://i.imgur.com/MSe5Yy1.jpeg

I'm really surprised that it took this long. I thought he would take to these much sooner. There is just no figuring these guys. I'm glad I was patient though. It's so rewarding when the effort finally pays off.