My new baby Firefly BP, shedding and eating question.

Hello all,

I am new here and new to snakes though I have owned many other reptiles. My new baby ball didn't eat for over a month after I moved him into his tank at my place. I was freaking out but now he finally eats and will take an appropriate sized mouse every 6 days about. He is a great eater, displays very normal healthy behavior and is very docile and not too shy.

my concern however is with 3 mice down the hatch and closing in on 2 months in a week or so I haven't seen him shed or found any feces in the cage.... Am I missing the feces or would it be too hard to miss???

He he acts very healthy and eats very well so it seems like he is digesting just fine but I haven't seen any evidence or shedding. I read they will shed mostly once a month about so I'm a bit concerned.

thanks for any advice.

Are you sure the mice are big enough?

Did he lose weight while on his month long fast?

Temps and humidity level of his enclosure?

If he's only eaten 3 mice in the last 18 days with a month long fast before that, he may not have to poop or shed yet. Some of mine poop regularly...some poop at apparently random intervals.

Two of mine poop when they shed. One poops a lot and the other I've had since the 19th and I'm not sure what she's gonna lol.
I wouldn't expect a shed yet for your guy. What size prey are you feeding?

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I am no expert but he certainly didn't seem thin at all not did he display any odd behavior during the 5 or so weeks he didn't eat. My concern was just based on the elapsed time as a new owner not because I noticed him looking thin or behaving strangely. He is definitely thick and healthy looking at this time.

I am am looking into another heat source I have a red bulb heat lamp above his cage keeping the temp around 82 or so degrees. He is in a room alone where the door stays closed with no real traffic. I keep it that way to trap the eat in because it will drop to 79 or so if the door is open too much.

Humidity is not perfectly known but I have a large water bowl I keep diligently clean and full.

The mice are definitely big enough he eats the white mice you see at pet stores typically. So pretty much a normal sized white mouse not a pinky or fuzzy.

Does he have a hot spot of 88-90 its important for digestion for him.
Also you need something to measure humidity, with a bulb it sucks the humidity right out.

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If I get a UTH where should I place the probe to determine the heat? Should I have a UTH and a heat lamp??

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Originally Posted by Jmau1989

If I get a UTH where should I place the probe to determine the heat? Should I have a UTH and a heat lamp??

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What size is your tank?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jmau1989

If I get a UTH where should I place the probe to determine the heat? Should I have a UTH and a heat lamp??

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If you get a uth you need a thermostat to go with it. The thermostat controls the heat of the uth. At the very least you can get a light dimmer at home depot for about $11. Without it the uth can hit 130 degrees easily and cause burns.
If your room is 79 that is fine for an ambient temp, as long as you have that hot spot of 90

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I'm going to the store now to get a UTH and a second hiding spot and something to monster humidity. The tank is pretty big. Not sure exactly ATM though from examples I've seen I think it's fine for him. Working on getting the 90 degree spot and a second hide plus a grasp on the humidity.

What at is the easiest way to keep a consistent humidity when you aren't home all the time?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jmau1989

I'm going to the store now to get a UTH and a second hiding spot and something to monster humidity. The tank is pretty big. Not sure exactly ATM though from examples I've seen I think it's fine for him. Working on getting the 90 degree spot and a second hide plus a grasp on the humidity.

What at is the easiest way to keep a consistent humidity when you aren't home all the time?

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Eco Earth is a great substrate for holding humidity. If you get it... get the bag not the brick. Definitely pick up a second hide very similar to the one that's already in the tank.

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Your hot spot doesnt have to be 90, solid numbers shouldn't be thrown around..from my knowledge and from friends experience,some BPs prefer it cooler...if my side gets up to 90-92 my snake finds his way to the cool side...but I keep the temp of the tank around 86-88 warm side and his hot spot in his hide about 85 and he is very comfortable..very hungry always.

best of luck,hope this is helpful

id focus on a warm side of atleast 84-90 air temp and in his hide the heat pad to be set around 82-86 and see how he likes it..

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Originally Posted by NYHC4LIFE8899

Your hot spot doesnt have to be 90, solid numbers shouldn't be thrown around..from my knowledge and from friends experience,some BPs prefer it cooler...if my side gets up to 90-92 my snake finds his way to the cool side...but I keep the temp of the tank around 86-88 warm side and his hot spot in his hide about 85 and he is very comfortable..very hungry always.

best of luck,hope this is helpful

id focus on a warm side of atleast 84-90 air temp and in his hide the heat pad to be set around 82-86 and see how he likes it..

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No a warm side of 84 is not good, but you are correct on one thing.... hot spot should be between 88-92, but 90 is the best starting point.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Crazymonkee

No a warm side of 84 is not good, but you are correct on one thing.... hot spot should be between 88-92, but 90 is the best starting point.


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Everyone says different. My hot side Avgs 86 -88 with my UTH set at 84-85, that's what I have it at now and set it at,just finished cleaning the entire tank. I been keeping it at that,my guy is still doing great,eating,shed no prob and growing.

That's awesome for you... and no not everyone says different... go over the hundreds of threads and you'll see the same temp ranges.
Read the care sheet posted here.

I'm sure all these people who have been keeping these snakes for many many years know more than you and your newly acquired 2 snakes
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Quote:

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Originally Posted by NYHC4LIFE8899

Everyone says different. My hot side Avgs 86 -88 with my UTH set at 84-85, that's what I have it at now and set it at,just finished cleaning the entire tank. I been keeping it at that,my guy is still doing great,eating,shed no prob and growing.

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I don't understand...ur hot spot is cooler than the hottest spot in ur tank???
OP, keep ur hot spot at 90. This should be the warmest spot in the tank. Place your thermostats probe right againsts the glass where the uth is placed, start your dimmer at the lowest setting and gradually increase the intensity until your thermostat says 90-if possible, try to weigh ur snake and its prey item which should be about 12% its body weight as a young BP.

Thanks for the feedback. I made some purchases and some big adjustments to my settup.

i have 2 thermometers now one with a probe on the hot side and one on the cool end. I also got a second hide and have one in the cool side and one in the hot side.

My hot side is steady at 90 - 92 degrees and the cool side sits steady at 80 degrees. When I got home from work I found him in the new hide on the cooler side. I bought a UTH and also a stronger bulb. I have not used the UTH yet because with the stronger bulb it got me the numbers I wanted. They didn't carry a uth with a thermostat anywhere I went. Let me know if you think it's ok to use the heat lamps since these adjustments have given me a 90 - 92 hot side and an 80 cool side.

I am also tracking my humidity and it's at around 30% so what are some ways to get it higher?? Isn't 40-60 ideal?

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Originally Posted by Jmau1989

I am also tracking my humidity and it's at around 30% so what are some ways to get it higher?? Isn't 40-60 ideal?

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Misting with a water spray bottle helps. The type of substrate you use will determine humidity as well. Putting a water bowl over the hot spot will increase humidity. If you're using a tank, you can cover most of the top with something that will hold humidity in.

Upon further investigation I put the probe directly inside the hide on the hot side and it was getting up at 96 degrees. No wonder he moved to the cold side. My lamp might be too powerful now but I'm currently readjusting things to try and get the temp inside his hot hide to 90.

Purchase a light dimmer from home depot or Lowe's, you can adjust the output of the light to give you the numbers you need

As for humidity... what sho said :)

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