Woma Question

Hello all,

i am new to the site and a new woma python owner. I just purchased a 3 month old (approx) last week and am very curious about what humidity level I need to maintain? I have read many different things over the past week with ranges from 40 to 60% or no specific humidity requirements needed. Currently I am running around a 35 to 40% humidity on the cool side of my tank with 20% under the lamp. I have been stuck at around 30% but today was able to boost it some by adding an additional small water dish to the medium size that's already in place. I know this is an arid to semi arid species but want to be sure I have enough humidity to promote a good shed and comfort.

She seems to be settling in pretty well, day one she was ready to take me out but is calming down nicely. She ate for me two nights ago like a champ, fed her two small f/t rat pinks. I have a 40 gallon tank, big I know but she seems to be doing fine. I have several hides along with rocks and branches that she enjoys. My temps are running at 90-94 hot spot with 78-80 ambient.

however tonight she did something strange or atleast I have never seen it. She slithered normal but then started to slither on her side, don't know what that is about?? It almost reminded me of s sidewinder motion but she was literally on her side for a few seconds before rolling back on her belly. I do have her on exo terra natural sand so I don't know if that has anything to do with it? Breeder said sand was fine and I've seen many other people keep their woma's on sand and others who do not recommend it. I figured I would give it ago since this is their natural habitat aka sand python. Have any of you seen a snake do this? What are your thoughts on sand? Do any of you use sand? If I need to change the substrate I have no problem doing so. She does like to borrow in it.

I am still getting use to this site navigation so I am definitely sorry if there are already post on this subject. Most people in my area are unfamiliar with woma's. I love this little snake and she is a great addition ( have a year old ivory ball python) I just want to make sure my husbandry is on point with her.

Thank you for your input and guidance

Womas do well in lower humidity. I keep mine in the 40-50's and get perfect sheds every time. As for the odd behavior, it is normal. Womas like to burrow in the wild and what you are seeing is associated with that. Nothing to worry about.
As for substrate, I use shredded aspen. Sand is fine too.
Two things to be aware of that are unique to your woma. They get scale rot easily if conditions are too wet. Better to be a little too dry than too wet. Also, womas are prone to obesity. In the wild they have to eat very frequently due tok their low fat reptile diet. As such they have a ridiculous appetite. Feedijng rodents that are high in fat can cause issues if you feed too much. The rule of thumb is smaller meals (food 1 1/2 times the thickest part of their body) every 5 days. You should see a small bump after eating.
When it hits adolescents (6 months to 2 years) you will want a hook for getting it out of the enclosure as they taste first and ask questions later. Good news is that is a phase they usually grow out of and once out of the enclosure they are very chill and easy to handle.

As mentioned above their staple diets include lizards and other snakes so if you handle a snake make certain you've washed your hands before putting them near your Woma ( washing after handling is good practice anyways, of course )


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Seconding the warning about over-feeding. My boy is currently on a diet because he was getting chubbly. They should be a rounded triangle in cross-section.


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Congratulations on your new little friend! I just got a pair of Womas a few months ago and I love them to death! They just melt my heart... lol But, yeah... If they are overfed they can develop fatty liver disease and die, because rodents have much higher levels of fat/protein than lizards, fish and other reptiles they eat in the wild. So, I definitely wouldn't be feeding more than one appropriate size prey item per week and just keep a close eye on her body shape and cut her back to every 10 - 14 days if she starts showing any signs of getting overweight. I've never noticed either of mine doing the "side slithering" thing you described, but I was glad to hear that it's normal.

As far as humidity, my Womas have the same humidity as all of my snakes pretty much. My Bloods and Short Tails just have larger water dishes for a little extra humidity is all. For the most part I maintain a base 50% - 60% humidity in my snake room and these guys seem to be doing great and having regular, perfect sheds. Both of mine are growing sooo fast! I swear they are bigger every time I take them out! From what I understand, Womas seem to adapt to all kinds of different humidity and temperature ranges and do fine. I would still strive for the 50% range, though just to be safe...

Thank you for the tips and advice! I am greatly appreciative. I will definitley cut it down to just one rat pink a week instead of the two and will work to bump up the humidity a bit more to play it safe. Tomorrow I will be taking her out for the first time so I'm excited about that. She is calming down nicely and is more inquisitive of me now rather than wanting to take me out ha but we'll see how tomorrow goes.

I have a pretty good size water dish along with a second smaller one nestled under a climbing branch. Was trying to avoid having to mist to prevent making it too damp for her but may need to try a few other things.

i am enjoying that she is always out and about. I love my ball python and he is perfect all the way around but woma's are just so cool to watch. I really dig the stripe markings

thanks again for the support and guidance. Feel so much better knowing that there are people out there that I can turn to for advice, not too many reptile or snake owners for that matter in my area.

Ok, now that we have helped you, on to more important things. Where are the pictures?
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...1128_58582.jpg

Check this page out - Aussie based site

http://www.southernxreptiles.com/Art...Fs/woma_lr.pdf


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once I can figure out how to upload a pic I will defintely do so

Just get the free forum app TapaTalk as it has a free photo upload option


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https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f69ab82309.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...67045dd492.jpg

Can I play?
Frigg from Grant and Mary at Wreck Room
And Odinforce who was a gift from a dearly departed friend the one and only Ben Renick.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by BMorrison

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f69ab82309.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...67045dd492.jpg

Can I play?
Frigg from Grant and Mary at Wreck Room
And Odinforce who was a gift from a dearly departed friend the one and only Ben Renick.


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Love the swirls on the bottom photo where it's curled up !


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Still working on photo upload :(

so today I was going to handle my baby woma for the first time and it was an epic failure. So I attempted to pull her out with snake hook while she was resting but had to move her hide and a few other things to get to her, when I attempted to get her she freaked and then was all over her enclosure. After a few minutes Of attempted hooking i gave up since I did not want to stress her out more than she was. I tired again later and she was on the defensive and would not let me get near her.

so perhaps I went about this all wrong. Needless to say when I got my ball python he was nearly a year old and was stationary when i reached in to pick him up for the first time, he was a bit nippy but he didn't dash like my woma. She is so slinger and super fast holy smokes.

how do you recommend approaching and pulling out a baby woma? I feel confident with my ball python but maybe more is needed for this little girl.

On a positive note she is pretty calm when I'm checking her out and today when I needed to spot clean and fill up her water dish she just kind of hangs out and watches me. my biggest challenge is this first pick up and handling session.


Thanks all

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jones4467

Still working on photo upload :(

so today I was going to handle my baby woma for the first time and it was an epic failure. So I attempted to pull her out with snake hook while she was resting but had to move her hide and a few other things to get to her, when I attempted to get her she freaked and then was all over her enclosure. After a few minutes Of attempted hooking i gave up since I did not want to stress her out more than she was. I tired again later and she was on the defensive and would not let me get near her.

so perhaps I went about this all wrong. Needless to say when I got my ball python he was nearly a year old and was stationary when i reached in to pick him up for the first time, he was a bit nippy but he didn't dash like my woma. She is so slinger and super fast holy smokes.

how do you recommend approaching and pulling out a baby woma? I feel confident with my ball python but maybe more is needed for this little girl.

On a positive note she is pretty calm when I'm checking her out and today when I needed to spot clean and fill up her water dish she just kind of hangs out and watches me. my biggest challenge is this first pick up and handling session.


Thanks all

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Best tip I give is hook train them. Let them smell the hook for a minute and in one smooth motion I pick the head and neck area up a little bit and slide my hand under them. After that they’re pretty easy to handle. Don’t make too fast of movements when they’re little and make sure you support their bodies good. Watch the head area they do go through a nippy phase typically and they don’t defensive bite like a ball. They’re almost always feed responses and they take awhile to let go.


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Use the hook to distract the head while you grab the body. Then use the hook to keep the head/mouth off of you until the relax a bit.

Roger that, thanks. I knew it would probably be a different process than my ball ( he is so chill) but she gave me a run this morning. Just a lot of newness but eager to give it ago again. When she is out and about will give it another attempt and see how she responds to the hook being near her then will do what you recommended. I was thinking today that I should of had the hook more towards her head and neck than towed the rear to keep her occupied to better get her from behind. She is a feisty girl but very eager to get her out. Thanks for the tip