Help for a newbie - Python On Cold Side!

[QUOTE=craigafrechette;2504552]Wow, I just read this entire thread start to finish. I just have a few thoughts:

1) Mr Sully, you are amazing!! In my opinion, this is a perfect example of why this forum is here. It allows new keepers a great chance to ask questions and talk directly with people who have the experience needed to help out the newbies. Obviously, it's a great forum for experienced keepers, breeders, newbies and everyone in between, but without people like Mr Sully taking the time to help out the newbies there would be a lot of people struggling with their new snakes, people giving up, snakes in unhealthy environments and unfortunately, snakes dying. So, KUDOS to you Mr Sully!!!

2) tttaylorrr, your input and positive reinforcement are another example of why this forum is here. Without people like you to support some of the new keepers we would probably see people giving up or losing animals. You are there to help people learn and develop a passion that obviously began somewhere, where perhaps some people would give up too early and never get the chance to really appreciate these magnificent animals. So, thank you!!

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craigafrechette,
Thank you very much for saying all those nice things.
I love to help people when they want to learn. Anthony (Sandman) was dead set on doing what was best for the snake without shortcuts and thats awesome...
He already had a lot of info as he researched things on his own and just looked for a helping hand to fine tune everything. This is a great site. The people that have been here for the long hall enjoy this hobby but more so enjoy helping the animals who are at our mercy in captivity. There are so many people that have helped me just as i tried to help Anthony on this thread... We will all keep passing it on......
ZINA10, TTTAYLORRR, PITONTHEPROWL, DEBORAH, SAUZO ,REINZ, SKIPLOADER, ERIC ALLAN, JMCROOK, BR8080, BPGATOR and several others have directed me on simple enclosure ideas, to answering Husbandry questions & some silliness in the OffTopic Cafe' :gj:

[QUOTE=

craigafrechette,
Thank you very much for saying all those nice things.
I love to help people when they want to learn. Anthony (Sandman) was dead set on doing what was best for the snake without shortcuts and thats awesome...
He already had a lot of info as he researched things on his own and just looked for a helping hand to fine tune everything. This is a great site. The people that have been here for the long hall enjoy this hobby but more so enjoy helping the animals who are at our mercy in captivity. There are so many people that have helped me just as i tried to help Anthony on this thread... We will all keep passing it on......
ZINA10, TTTAYLORRR, PITONTHEPROWL, DEBORAH, SAUZO ,REINZ, SKIPLOADER, ERIC ALLAN, JMCROOK, BR8080, BPGATOR and several others have directed me on simple enclosure ideas, to answering Husbandry questions & some silliness in the OffTopic Cafe' :gj:[/QUOTE]

Absolutely. This site is fantastic, and it's nice to see people like Anthony (sandman) who genuinely want to learn and take the advice and act upon it. The people you have listed are definitely some of the biggest reasons why this site is so awesome. I haven't been a member long, but was using the forums as a tool for a while. The names you listed are no doubt some of the reasons this site is so great. I've learned a lot from each and every one of them, both prior to joining and since. The knowledge shared by each of you probably doesn't get the thanks it deserves, but like you said it's about helping the animals, so it's up to us, the keepers, to say THANK YOU to you all. Please keep doing what you're doing.

SUCCESS!!!!!!!

I am immensely proud to report that I followed the advice of feeding in-enclosure tonight.

As instructed, I first thawed the mouse and scented the room.
This almost instantly got her head to pop out of the hide.
Slowly over the next 20 minutes she brought more and more of her upper half out.
I gave the mouse a bit of extra heat by waving the still hot CHE over it, which was switched off at that point.
Grabbed the mouse by the scruff using the tongs and made an attempt.
She was frozen totally solid without moving a muscle.
I made the mouse wiggle a bit and gently approach.
Instantly she ducked back inside her hide.

Here I thought to myself, "Well jeepers".
But I stuck to the advice and gently placed the mouse head-first halfway inside the entrance to the hide.
No sooner had I pulled the tongs back then she struck.
Holy cow it was fast!!
I read that I should use the tongs to wiggle it a bit so she thinks she has killed it.
I moved slowly to try to do that but it seemed to make her cautious so I backed off and just let her eat in peace.

THAT WAS SO AWESOME!
I feel like I'm 12 years old again, but seriously it was amazing.
Too bad I only get to do this once a week :P

I am so happy and proud that my girl ate her first meal in my care.
HUGE THANKS to all of you!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SandmansDreams

SUCCESS!!!!!!!

I am immensely proud to report that I followed the advice of feeding in-enclosure tonight.

As instructed, I first thawed the mouse and scented the room.
This almost instantly got her head to pop out of the hide.
Slowly over the next 20 minutes she brought more and more of her upper half out.
I gave the mouse a bit of extra heat by waving the still hot CHE over it, which was switched off at that point.
Grabbed the mouse by the scruff using the tongs and made an attempt.
She was frozen totally solid without moving a muscle.
I made the mouse wiggle a bit and gently approach.
Instantly she ducked back inside her hide.

Here I thought to myself, "Well jeepers".
But I stuck to the advice and gently placed the mouse head-first halfway inside the entrance to the hide.
No sooner had I pulled the tongs back then she struck.
Holy cow it was fast!!
I read somewhere that I should use the tongs to wiggle it a bit so she thinks she has killed it, so I moved slowly to try to do that and it seems to make her cautious so I backed off and just let her eat in peace.

THAT WAS SO AWESOME!
I feel like I'm 12 years old again, but seriously it was amazing.
Too bad I only get to do this once a week [emoji14]

I am so happy and proud that my girl ate her first meal in my care.
HUGE THANKS to all of you!

---

YOU FED A SNAKE!!! YOUR snake! wha-whaaaaat! ������ way to go!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SandmansDreams

SUCCESS!!!!!!!

THAT WAS SO AWESOME!
I feel like I'm 12 years old again, but seriously it was amazing.
Too bad I only get to do this once a week :P


HUGE THANKS to all of you!

---

This reminds me of the movie Road Trip...

I'll never get over feeding my snakes!! I love it :D Assuming they don't refuse, of course :|

Awsome Bro:gj:
(Sent you a PM)

tonight i share your enthusiasm: my new addition just ate for me tonight! her first feeding with me!!! 😀 i used yours/MrSully's method of sticking the head in the hide and wiggling it, and she came up and struck right away! even if you've done this before, there's always learning to do. 😊

So I fed my snake her first meal on Monday.
It is now Wednesday.
I plan to allow her to continue digesting till tomorrow, but my next step in learning how to keep a BP is to learn how to handle it.
I'd like to start tomorrow (Thursday) so long as I don't see she's in shed or something.
It will be her first time being handled (other than a single failed feeding attempt in a tub) since she was introduced to the tank.

Any advice on method? Length of time being held? Things I should or should not do while holding her?
I'm a bit nervous to be honest. Not scared, but concerned for her well-being. I'd like her to adjust well you know?

Thanks much!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SandmansDreams

Any advice on method? Length of time being held? Things I should or should not do while holding her?
I'm a bit nervous to be honest. Not scared, but concerned for her well-being. I'd like her to adjust well you know?

Thanks much!

---

step 1. don't be nervous; step 2. start with limited handling; keep the length of time short for a while, like 5-10 minutes; step 3. just let her do what she wants; start just by watching her move and learning her body language.
take it slow, and take it all in! over time you can increase the length of handling. you'll be fine, she'll be fine, enjoy your baby! 😀