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My hiding baby burmese

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  • 02-12-2019, 04:31 PM
    WILDBILL245
    My hiding baby burmese
    I Got A Male Baby Burmese Four Weeks Ago From A Good Breeder At My Local Repticon Show. He Is Healthly And Eats Like A Pig LoL But The Problem Is That Ever Since I Got Him He Either Stays In His hiding Box Or Stays Burried In The Coco Bark Bedding. At The Repticon Show Where I Bought Him I Had Him Out And Holding Him For A Few Minutes And He Was Just As Sweet And Gentle As Can Be. Here At Home In His Aquarium I've Had him Out Twice When He By Chance Does Come Out, Both Times Getting Him Out With A Snake Hook And With Gloves On. The First Time He Calmed Down After A Couple Of Minutes And I Took Off The Gloves. He Was Good But I Guess I Made A Sudden Move And He Bit My Hand. The Second Time I Completely Left On The Gloves And He Was Ok. Any Good Advice From All You Burmese Python Owners.:taz:
  • 02-12-2019, 04:59 PM
    KevinK
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Baby Burms are usually very hissy and sometimes nippy to begin with, many will also musk you. Still....absolutely no reason to glove up for a baby. If you're this polarized of a hatchling, then a 10ft adult with an attitude will be a huge issue for you man.Do not glove up. It's a hatchling, not a Gila Monster.

    Did you let him settle in when you put him in his new enclosure?.....because that is an absolute MUST. I'm talking leave him alone for a full two weeks without handling....only changing his water and spot cleaning.

    Most will calm down with time and enough handling however after the rest period... still they need to feel secure as hatchlings and failure to do so can result in a mean adult.

    Advice:

    Put your gloves away
    Leave him alone for two weeks if you haven't already
    Give him plenty of fake plants and hides especially if his tank is large
    Don't pick him up from over the top, rather slide your hand under him
  • 02-21-2019, 04:40 AM
    WILDBILL245
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Well The GLOVES ARE OFF But He Has Been Still Hiding Down Deep In The Bedding. Only Came Out Once The Other Night Very Late In The Night And Only When The Lights To The Aquarium Were Off. I Don't Understand Why He Won't Come out More Especially Since It's Been About Five Weeks Ago When I Got Him. Don't Know Weather He Might Be In The Shedding Mode Or Not. Should I Use The Snake Hook Still To Get Him Out When He Does Come Out Or The Hands Underneath His Body ???
  • 02-21-2019, 09:41 AM
    CALM Pythons
    My hiding baby burmese
    What Kevin says is correct, except I have used gloves. After 50 nips from a Hatchling your hand will be sore like you used them as a Pin Cushion.
    Handling : First, always Tap train with a hook. This will be used for the next 20 years when you are taking him out to play or clean. This will also differentiate between play time and feed time which is one of the most important things you will teach him. Open the enclosure, Remover Hide if you have one. Rub their body and head with it, slide the hook under their Neck area behind the head so that he can not turn around and tag you as you use your other hand scootching it under his body about 3/4 length down... always make sure he is facing away from you, you can also use the hook to manipulate the direction he is facing, once you have his mid section up drop the hook and replace it with your other hand 1/4 way down his body and lift with both hands. Move slowly but confidently. While your holding him Turn/Pivot him if he starts to “S” up and acts as of he is going to strike so that he doesn’t strike in the direction of your face. I suggest you use a Shower Curtain on the floor with a couple towels on top of it (in case it pisses or musks) and sit down with him. Let him crawl on your lap and smell around but keep the one hand 3/4 down to guide him like holding a leash. This will also allow him to identify you and trust you as “Home Base”. I do not let them take off solely on there own at this early stage because sometimes they feel like they’ve escaped and when you go to pick them up again your right back at the beginning with defensive behavior. He is afraid, your Huge to him. My youngest is 8 months and still to this day with Every Other Day handling I can not stand over him, reach over him, go directly at his face, over his head or walk by him without him jumping back into a Strike position....it will always be necessary to approach them slowly & properly. They are a wild animal no matter how docile or use to you they become. Its easy for them to get themselves into a position where they feel threatened or cornered resulting in defensive behavior.

    Housing/Husbandry/Behavior : There are a couple different opinions on Hides. Some people feel Burms with Hides become more defensive and Huffy. I do not believe this to be true as most Burms are already Huffy when it comes to their Home (enclosure). Some people refer to this as cage aggressive. I don’t agree with that term.
    This is why Ive Tap Trained for 30 years. In 1992 i was not as bright being a teen so I used whatever was laying around to do this instead of buying a proper tool. Most of the time Id use my Pillow. Id open his 125 gallon Tank back then, he would Hiss, and id Bop him on the head with my pillow then grab him by his lower section and pull him out....
    I use 2 hides, one is on the Cool Side (81-83) degrees) and one is on the Hot Side (90-93 degrees)
    For Substrate I use Craft/Butcher Paper. I get it in Rolls 1000’ x 24” for around $60. That lasts years. I have always found Burms piss to much for a wood Chip Substrate. The smell is terrible to me even after all the time Ive owned them so paper is replaced just about every week or when they piss in all my enclosures. Most people spot clean their wood chips and I don’t care what they say you will always have a smell of urine while using them.
    For a Enclosure I use PVC. Animal Plastics. If you have a Male id use what you have for the next few months then go right for a T25 so that you dont waste money buying 2 diff enclosures within a couple years. This will be fine for a males lifetime.
    Burms are not like Ball Pythons and they do not need all the Clutter or small spaces to Hide like nervous Balls do. My enclosures have 2 Hides and a Water Bowl. Easy to clean and keeps bacteria down. They are much more confident animal.
    As far as Heating, I myself use (RHP’s) Radiant Heat Panels with Herpstats Thermostats.
    This is the most expensive, but precise and safest route IMO.
    I use 150 watt Pro Panels by Pro Products. They have a 15 yr warranty and will heat a 6’ enclosure by themselves. A 8’ enclosure would need 2 panels. 150 watt and a 120 watt.
    You can also use Heat Tape (UTH) and a small RHP. The Heat Mat/Heat Tape will be used on the outside of the tank under the area the Hot Spot will be and the RHP can be a small 80 watt over the cool side to give a Ambient temp of 80-82.
    The last route of heating in which I never use is CHE’s or Heat Lamps. This not only dries the heck out of a enclosure but it also isnt good for use with PVC enclosures unless you order them with Screen Cutouts ontop. Again bad Humidity.
    You dont want a snake with shedding problems. With Heat Tape or RHP’s its easy to keep Humidity above 50% with a Large Full water bowl during the Dry cold months. During the summer I fill the Bowls 1/2 way to lower the humidity. Best is 50%-60%. Less or higher can cause health issues.
    During the 1-2 wk shedding cycle 65% -70% is ok.
    At first the Hatchling will start the shedding process about every 4-5 weeks because they grown quickly. . The entire cycle last about 2-2.5 weeks. 1st their color will dull and you will notice his eyes dulling, then eyes will become Milky (we call it BLUE). You will not be able to see their Pupil during this time and they also can not see making them defensive. This blue lasts about 4-5 days. The skin will then start to sag over the next few days and become wrinkled and the eyes will now Clear up.... this is when they will soon start to Rub their nose on the inside of their Hide or enclosure. As long as your Humidity is above 50% and they have fed on schedule they should have no problems. In the event part of the shed gets stuck you will have to run some warm water in a plastic Tote and let him soak for 15 min. Water should be 90 down to 80. A cheap walmart Tote about 18”x 28” works great for a hatchling while your cleaning the enclosure or need to soak him. They’re only a few bucks. Once older you can get the next size up. When soaking him water should be 1/2 of body thickness. In other words don’t completely submerge his body. Sometimes they will start to rub stuck shed off themselves in the Tote but most of the time you have to use your hands. I allow them to go through my hands over and over and i just squeeze a little while the shed rolls up and off. Always make sure the tip of the tail is clean of shed, this can cause a circulation problem.
    Their are many Youtube video to help you watch someone doing this. Just never take advice from youtube without asking others first on a Forum dedicated to snakes like this. To much Dangerous & Bad Info on youtube.
    I feed hatchling once a week until 6 months. 6 months to a 1-1.5 years i go to every other week. Once they are over that age 3 weeks to a month of proper size is good. You dont want to over feed or under feed. The prey size should be the same size as the thickest part of their body. Some people like to feed slightly larger leaving a lump, I do not. Leave your Burm for 48 hours after feeding. If the enclosure needs to be cleaned then after 24 hrs is fine with minimal handling.
    As far as Prey. Stay away from Mice. Rats are best. I suggest you start him on Fresh Kill or Frozen. Feeding live is a bad habit and the longer you allow it the harder it is to break. When Burms are young they’re hungry enough to take a fresh killed/Frozen Rat without second-guessing. I use a CO2 chamber to put them down. There are threads on how to make one on this forum. The best is Frozen. They sell Online for cheap. Local store prices are outrageous for frozen.
    Feeding like this not only helps you break Striking behavior but its also healthier and safer for the snake.
    After months of feeding frozen most Burms start eating like Dogs without striking. I think that lowers the striking mentality after time and Id rather not have a 12 foot snake striking as first nature...
    There are Threads on how to thaw and feed frozen.
    I take out frozen rats the morning of feeding. I feed between 7-9pm. Once thawed i use a Blow Drier to heat the head of the Rat to 95 degrees. About 2-3 min. I use 24”-36” feeder tongs and dangle the Rat in front of the snake. Bam, Game over.

    There are several questions you will have a long the way and also you will question techniques even though you may read about them or see them. Feel free to ask questions. This is a great forum with great people. Also use the Search function on here. You will find several questions have been answered in threads a numbers times.
    Check out Husbandry Stickies, Cage Stickies etc... they will be at the top of the Sub Forums with great info on how to Set up Heating, Thermostats probes, Tanks, PVC Enclosures etc...

    PS: in case it hasn’t come to mind. Do not put tape in any Enclosure. Use Silicone to secure a wire if needed.
    I will share a few links below on good products we use.

    Thermometer that has it all. Cool side, Hot side & Humidity. https://www.acurite.com/digital-indo...r-00891a2.html

    Heat RHP- you have to call Bob for pricing. http://pro-products.com/pro-heat/

    Thermostat- runs 2 heat sources. https://www.spyderrobotics.com/index...products_id=26

    Enclosure- https://apcages.com/products/t25-72l-x-30w-x-18h-1

    Water Bowl 5qt- https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...uart-camo-bowl

    Substrate paper Example. You need to find the Width Size best for your enclosure- https://www.amazon.com/Boardwalk-B18.../dp/B004NG8OZ0







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  • 02-21-2019, 09:46 AM
    CALM Pythons
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Here is a Phone App several of us use thats free and lets you use your phone Camera Roll to post pics etc....makes posting easy.
    Check out Tapatalk Messenger for your smartphone. Download it today from http://tapatalk.com/m


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  • 02-21-2019, 04:34 PM
    WILDBILL245
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Thanks For The Great Tips. Let Me Ask You WHY After Five Weeks He Still Keeps Himself Hidden Deep Down In His Coco Bark Bedding??? Is He Still SHY Or Could He Be In The SHED MODE???
  • 02-21-2019, 04:35 PM
    Jellybeans
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Not to worry he'll be plenty big soon enough and won't be able to hide

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  • 02-21-2019, 05:14 PM
    Zincubus
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by WILDBILL245 View Post
    I Got A Male Baby Burmese Four Weeks Ago From A Good Breeder At My Local Repticon Show. He Is Healthly And Eats Like A Pig LoL But The Problem Is That Ever Since I Got Him He Either Stays In His hiding Box Or Stays Burried In The Coco Bark Bedding. At The Repticon Show Where I Bought Him I Had Him Out And Holding Him For A Few Minutes And He Was Just As Sweet And Gentle As Can Be. Here At Home In His Aquarium I've Had him Out Twice When He By Chance Does Come Out, Both Times Getting Him Out With A Snake Hook And With Gloves On. The First Time He Calmed Down After A Couple Of Minutes And I Took Off The Gloves. He Was Good But I Guess I Made A Sudden Move And He Bit My Hand. The Second Time I Completely Left On The Gloves And He Was Ok. Any Good Advice From All You Burmese Python Owners.:taz:

    Yikes I find your writing very hard to decipher .... are all those capitals intentional ??

    When I bought my two hatchling Burns ( one was a half dwarf ) the breeders both said not to give them hides as it can make them nervous and snappy .. plus one said you don’t want a 13’ Burm shooting out of a hide at you :)

    Anyways I never provided either with hides and both were always puppy tame and very calm ...from the first day onwards ..

    Maybe I got lucky ..


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  • 02-21-2019, 05:52 PM
    bcr229
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Jellybeans View Post
    Not to worry he'll be plenty big soon enough and won't be able to hide

    I have a two year old female burm that still uses a hide, especially when she is in shed.
  • 02-21-2019, 06:46 PM
    paulh
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Hmm. Good advice wanted.

    1. Do not capitalize the first letter in every word in your posts. Your posts are hard to read.

    2. Tame that Burmese. Handle him at least 5 minutes every day except for a couple of days after feeding. Consider tap training.

    3. Never, never, NEVER allow that snake to wrap around your neck. And I mean starting the day you got him.

    4. By the time that snake is 6 feet long, he will go after anything that smells like food and moves. He should be in a cage with a feeding box attachment. In other words, at feeding time, there should be a solid barrier between you and the snake every second. You do not want to be another stupid feeding accident.

    5. Hiding is normal. Anything that is big and moves is a potential predator.

    Good luck.
  • 02-21-2019, 08:43 PM
    WILDBILL245
    i took a square plastic dog bowl and cut a hole out in the bottom and use it for a hiding box. my question is i am getting mixed signals about weather or not to use a hiding box for my baby burmese. i see both sides. i have kept snakes off and on since the 70's and even had larger burmese pythons which were all tame but i never had any babies to have to deal with. in the past years i never used hiding boxes but read an article by an animal vet that said to do so. my bigger boa never would go in hers but sit on the top and sun herself lol but my bigger yellow anaconda goes back and forth from her soaking in her large water bow to being in her hiding box to now laying on top of her square hiding box and keeping warm. i'm asking this because i've never had to deal with a baby and i want to start out right with him. he was tame to hold at first at the repticon show where i bought him and only bit me on the hand after being in the hiding box for two weeks after i got him and when he came out i carefully lifted him out with my snake hook. i let him slide through my hands and he was ok till i guess i made a different move with my hand and he latched on my side.
  • 02-21-2019, 08:52 PM
    WILDBILL245
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by WILDBILL245 View Post
    i took a square plastic dog bowl and cut a hole out in the bottom and use it for a hiding box. my question is i am getting mixed signals about weather or not to use a hiding box for my baby burmese. i see both sides. i have kept snakes off and on since the 70's and even had larger burmese pythons which were all tame but i never had any babies to have to deal with. in the past years i never used hiding boxes but read an article by an animal vet that said to do so. my bigger boa never would go in hers but sit on the top and sun herself lol but my bigger yellow anaconda goes back and forth from her soaking in her large water bow to being in her hiding box to now laying on top of her square hiding box and keeping warm. i'm asking this because i've never had to deal with a baby and i want to start out right with him. he was tame to hold at first at the repticon show where i bought him and only bit me on the hand after being in the hiding box for two weeks after i got him and when he came out i carefully lifted him out with my snake hook. i let him slide through my hands and he was ok till i guess i made a different move with my hand and he latched on my side.

  • 02-21-2019, 09:57 PM
    WILDBILL245
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    i took a square plastic dog bowl that i bought at walmart and cut a hole out at the bottom and use it for a hiding box. my question is i see both sides as to weather or not to use a hiding box for my baby burmese.i have kept snakes off and on now since the 70's and even had a few larger butmese pythons one which was around 8 ft or so. all were tame and never bit me. i never had to deal with a baby before. in the past years i never used hiding boxes but i read an article written by an animal reptile vet that said to always use them. my 6 ft female boa would never go in hers but would lay on the top an sun herself lol but my bigger yellow anaconda goes back and forth from her soaking in her large water bowl to being in her hiding box to this very minute curled up on the top. since this is my first baby burmese i want to start off on the right foot. i got him at a local repticon show and held him for a few minutes and he was tame and never tried to bite. i was only bit after when i got home and after being in his hiding box for 17 days when he finally came out i gently lifted him out with my snake hook.i let him slide in and out between my hands and he was calm and ok until i guess made a sudden different move and he bit the side of my hand. i guess my question would be to the taming aspect and weather using a hiding box really matters.
  • 02-21-2019, 10:07 PM
    Jellybeans
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    I think a hide box should always be offered ...1 on the warm end and 1 on cool end. Personally I would not let any snake stay in the hide for 17 days ( unless it's a new snake and then leave it alone for 7 days ) , after a couple days I would take it out handle a few mins put him back and if it wants to go back fine

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  • 02-23-2019, 02:39 AM
    WILDBILL245
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    thanks for the info. i have had him now for five weeks. except for the other night when late in evening turned off the light and later when it was dark was moving around he stays hidden deep in the coco bark bedding and won't come out. i don't know weather he is in the shed mode or still adjusting to his new home. i know i need to handle him often to get tame and use to me but i know i must wait no matter how long he stays hidden. it just seams to me after five weeks he should be out in the open and not hidden.
  • 02-23-2019, 07:43 PM
    Momokahn
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    To answer your question hide or no hide. That is totally up to you but you are seeing the results and will continue to do so for a very long time. I have a 7 foot male that is 21 months old and has never had a hide. I have had snakes for 40 years and the burm I have now, I've had others before him and other species of snakes. The only hides I have ever used is for 2 of the 3 ball pythons I also have now. A burm is usually hissy when young but some aren't. The biggest thing with a burm is they have to learn to trust you. In a hide or constantly buried you bet it feels more secure. Supply paper for substrate, a water bowl, and no hide and your burm will quickly adjust and you will have back the snake you held the first time you held him. And believe me, your snake will not have a nervous break down or will it have to be admitted to a mental institution. Good luck and PM any time.
  • 02-24-2019, 08:44 AM
    Zincubus
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Momokahn View Post
    To answer your question hide or no hide. That is totally up to you but you are seeing the results and will continue to do so for a very long time. I have a 7 foot male that is 21 months old and has never had a hide. I have had snakes for 40 years and the burm I have now, I've had others before him and other species of snakes. The only hides I have ever used is for 2 of the 3 ball pythons I also have now. A burm is usually hissy when young but some aren't. The biggest thing with a burm is they have to learn to trust you. In a hide or constantly buried you bet it feels more secure. Supply paper for substrate, a water bowl, and no hide and your burm will quickly adjust and you will have back the snake you held the first time you held him. And believe me, your snake will not have a nervous break down or will it have to be admitted to a mental institution. Good luck and PM any time.

    This ...

    I’ve had Burms and Retics .. all very calm and none EVER had a hide ..

    I had branches and bark pieces in to give nice little ‘safe’ places ..


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  • 02-24-2019, 08:13 PM
    WILDBILL245
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    well i took him out of his aquarium { took off the hiding box where he was in it ] And Held him for about 30 minutes. i first held him with my soft pig skin gloves on and he was a perfect little gentleman, never showing any aggression at all. after about twenty minutes of the handling i took off the right glove and let him get used to my hand. like i said in one of my other message i have had snakes since the 70's and a few burms and never used hide boxes. i think he will be sweet and socialable in time without the hide. like i said before my female boa wouldn't ever use hers and she is very sweet. love to hear from all you burm owners.
  • 02-24-2019, 08:24 PM
    WILDBILL245
    My hiding baby burmese
    flash: i just finished a good session holding him and while i was writing my last message a minute ago he has now burried himself back in the coco bark bedding. i did leave the hide out of the aquarium. i don't think what he is doing is good. i've had him for five weeks now. i don't take a newspaper so i can't use that instead to keep him from hiding.
  • 02-24-2019, 08:44 PM
    bcr229
    It's fine and normal for him to burrow. As he gets bigger he'll be less defensive.
  • 02-25-2019, 03:50 PM
    CALM Pythons
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by WILDBILL245 View Post
    flash: i just finished a good session holding him and while i was writing my last message a minute ago he has now burried himself back in the coco bark bedding. i did leave the hide out of the aquarium. i don't think what he is doing is good. i've had him for five weeks now. i don't take a newspaper so i can't use that instead to keep him from hiding.

    For a man that has owned snakes since the 70’s you should know what your seeing is normal behavior. Its a snake not a domesticated pet. Almost every Python specie will hide if provided the opportunity. I do use hides now, i didn’t in the 90’s when my first Burms were born. I have had no ill effects using hides and I didnt have ill effects without them. Burms are defensive about their enclosures period at a young age. You Must Tap Train. I even use a hook on a adult. If you don’t, you will someday be panicking with a 13 foot Python latched onto you. Accidents happen, do all you can to take steps to prevent that. I always use a Hook and pay close attention to their body language. I have a 8 month old Burm that would tag me if I did not read what he likes, doesn’t like or use the hook to manipulate him while I take him out of his enclosure. Turning him and pivoting so that he cannot strike at me while I take him out. Then you sit calmly with him in your lap. Do not let him take off, keep holding onto him so he gets use to that, let him explore but hold the last 3/4 like a leash. He will then start to use you as his safe place as he reaches out to smell. Only take him out for 10-15 min. Longer might be to much for him at this point Handle him everyday if even for 5 min.
    As far as you talking about not knowing if he is shedding, you should know by the signs all snakes show. He is no different. Are his eyes cloudy? Skin wrinkled? Color pattern dull?
    It sounds to me like you have had him 5 weeks without handling sessions.
    Start today, 10 min each day. Then next week 15-20 min every other day. You need to get on the road to building trust and you wont get there by watching him and wondering why he is hiding in Substrate like he would in the wild. In the wild he would be Prey at this point. Use gloves at first if you need to but start handling After 10 days all my snakes are use to me somewhat. Keep us updated.


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  • 02-25-2019, 11:26 PM
    WILDBILL245
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    thank you for the reply and information. i have had snakes for a long time but very few babies. i know i need to daily handle him but the problem is since i had him out yesterday he stays hidden deep down in his coco bark bedding. he hides more than he comes out except maybe late at night when his light is off. in other words he most of the time stays hidden.
  • 02-26-2019, 12:21 AM
    CALM Pythons
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by WILDBILL245 View Post
    thank you for the reply and information. i have had snakes for a long time but very few babies. i know i need to daily handle him but the problem is since i had him out yesterday he stays hidden deep down in his coco bark bedding. he hides more than he comes out except maybe late at night when his light is off. in other words he most of the time stays hidden.

    So what your saying is that he is doing exactly what a young Burmese will do, or almost any young python that spends its life on the ground. He is doing things right, now you need to get to working with him. Dont worry about him, he is being a snake hahaha.


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  • 02-26-2019, 04:27 AM
    Zincubus
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Quick edit ..

    The beauty of no hides is that I can simply slide open the glass doors and just stroke the Boa /Burm / Retic as often as I pass ... they just get used to it ..


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  • 02-26-2019, 02:43 PM
    CALM Pythons
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Zincubus View Post
    Quick edit ..

    The beauty of no hides is that I can simply slide open the glass doors and just stroke the Boa /Burm / Retic as often as I pass ... they just get used to it ..


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    I bet that does stop the defensive behavior Zinc. They would get use to that especially being in a common room all the time... my plan at this time is to keep the Hides until about a year and go from there... most likely i will remove them after as none of my others had them.


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  • 02-26-2019, 02:58 PM
    Sonny1318
    I have four male balls in my livingroom. Sometimes it’s like looking at cages with just hides. But they do get use to it and at times, especially this time of year, lay out in the open for days.
  • 02-26-2019, 04:00 PM
    Zincubus
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Sonny1318 View Post
    I have four male balls in my livingroom. Sometimes it’s like looking at cages with just hides. But they do get use to it and at times, especially this time of year, lay out in the open for days.

    Have you got some branches and bark pieces in them ?
  • 02-26-2019, 06:19 PM
    WILDBILL245
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    my aquarium is 3ft long 17 inches high. i took out the hide and in the middle put a nice big chunky log with branches and at the bottom has plenty of cover/shelter for him if he does want to hide. problem is as others have stated i know i need to take him out daily and get him accustomed to being held but the problem is he even as i am writing is hidden down deep in the coco bark bedding and has been most of the five weeks i have had him except when the hide was in there which he was always in there. so if i am going to daily hold him then i must either take my hand or use the long hook and carefully dig down in the bedding to find him hid and bring the little guy out and hold him then. i guess he will be scared and then try and bite me. or i guess just keep letting him stay burried deep in the bedding until he finally comes out no matter how long he stays there. as others stated he is acting like a baby burm but there is a balance as to how long to keep letting him hide like that and trying to get him in a position to be able to take him out and hold him for a few minutes.
  • 02-26-2019, 07:16 PM
    CALM Pythons
    My hiding baby burmese
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by WILDBILL245 View Post
    my aquarium is 3ft long 17 inches high. i took out the hide and in the middle put a nice big chunky log with branches and at the bottom has plenty of cover/shelter for him if he does want to hide. problem is as others have stated i know i need to take him out daily and get him accustomed to being held but the problem is he even as i am writing is hidden down deep in the coco bark bedding and has been most of the five weeks i have had him except when the hide was in there which he was always in there. so if i am going to daily hold him then i must either take my hand or use the long hook and carefully dig down in the bedding to find him hid and bring the little guy out and hold him then. i guess he will be scared and then try and bite me. or i guess just keep letting him stay burried deep in the bedding until he finally comes out no matter how long he stays there. as others stated he is acting like a baby burm but there is a balance as to how long to keep letting him hide like that and trying to get him in a position to be able to take him out and hold him for a few minutes.

    Im speaking from experience and even though I know you understand what Im saying you keep going back to the wrong way of thinking. I want to help you so that you can help your Burm, but in order for that you have to stop saying “he is buried down in the substrate” hahahaha. First of all you should not have enough substrate in there so that he can be missing in action. When using Wood/Bark substates they should be 1/2”-1” deep. You must have a lot more than that as even a new born Hatchling is 1” in diameter.
    Also your saying “ maybe I should let him stay buried until he decides to come out”... this is again totally wrong. You have read what we all suggest but your going to have to decide to use the info or not.
    Your not supposed to leave a Burm alone until he decides he wants to interact. They are Wild Animals, they will never choose to interact and you will end up with a Burm that you are looking for a home for because he will get worse. If you cant handle him now you haven’t seen anything yet.
    Im pretty sure I’ve given you all the suggestions i can.
    What I would do is use Newspaper or Butcher Paper instead of Bark substrate for the time being so that he can not burrow, or only use 1/2” of substrate so he can not burrow. Then get your Hook out like you need to for the entire life of him, stroke him with it, put it under his neck and use it to keep him from trying to strike at your other hand as you pick him up. Wear gloves if you need to. It sounds to me like your nervous more than anything else, and thats ok so do what you need to so that you can start working with him. Otherwise find someone that wants him before he is older and nasty from not being handled.
    Read my thread: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ing-The-Basics
  • 02-26-2019, 07:49 PM
    Sonny1318
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Zincubus View Post
    Have you got some branches and bark pieces in them ?

    This time of year it’s not branches they are hoping to find. My boys are fine, but I understand what calm is trying to convey. There’s a pic in my gallery, old school baby.
  • 02-26-2019, 09:05 PM
    Zincubus
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Sonny1318 View Post
    This time of year it’s not branches they are hoping to find. My boys are fine, but I understand what calm is trying to convey. There’s a pic in my gallery, old school baby.

    You said it’s like looking at cages with hides in .... I presumed you meant that you had periods of simply not seeing them .... Thing is if there’s branches and nooks and crannies they will explore and climb in the evenings ..


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • 02-26-2019, 11:08 PM
    WILDBILL245
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    thanks for the info. i need to take some of the bedding out of the tank. i think smoothed out there is about 1 and one half inches of bedding in there which i guess is causing the trouble. ill take it out. where do you get butcher paper. i guess i need to get some since i don't take a newspaper or if you think its ok i'll just use the bedding but less of it.
  • 02-27-2019, 01:48 AM
    WILDBILL245
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    update!!! i took a lot of bedding out so their's about half an inch. he i noticed has cloudy eyes so he is fixing to shed. when he does shed i will feed him and then after a few days from eating start working with handling him daily. any more info let me know. thanks to all of you for the help.
  • 02-27-2019, 08:30 PM
    CALM Pythons
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by WILDBILL245 View Post
    thanks for the info. where do you get butcher paper..

    Burmese Python 101 answers all your questions. I even provided you links to products.
    PS: You should handle Baby Burms during shed. You need to suit up and get going so that he will allow you to handle him at anytime, even at 12 feet. Forgive me if I’m wrong but I think your very nervous about him. You have every reason I can think of not to touch him. Put the gloves on and a long sleeve shirt if you need to and start working with him. Believe me when I tell you your cooking up a recipe to have a defensive Burm because the longer you wait the harder it will be. This age is when he needs to be conditioned.
    Go have fun and stop allowing him to control his handler. Make this a challenge that will be rewarding for you. Here are the links from my thread on where to buy things.

    RHP- You have to call Bob for pricing and size recommendation. http://pro-products.com/pro-heat/

    Thermostat- Herpstat2: Will run 2 heat sources. https://www.spyderrobotics.com/index...products_id=26

    Enclosure- https://apcages.com/products/t25-72l-x-30w-x-18h-1

    Water Bowl 5qt- https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...uart-camo-bowl

    Butcher paper. You need to find the width size best for your enclosure- https://www.amazon.com/Boardwalk-B18.../dp/B004NG8OZ0



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • 02-27-2019, 10:31 PM
    Sonny1318
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Zincubus View Post
    You said it’s like looking at cages with hides in .... I presumed you meant that you had periods of simply not seeing them .... Thing is if there’s branches and nooks and crannies they will explore and climb in the evenings ..


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    Hey Zinc, my point was sometimes they will hide, and not be seen for a day or two. And other days they hang in the open without a care in the world. Of course there’s always some night time action, unless it’s after a meal or during a shed. And increased activity a day or two before feeding. This time of year they all will hang in the open for long periods. And I keep my set up in a traveled area, they have all become more then comfortable. It’s nice because even my teen daughters will occasionally take interest. I was originally concerned about their location, but they adjusted very well. I thought you also stated you kept yours in an easily seen location, and yours adjusted well also. I feel very fortunate to have them part of my living room. Being able to see them multiple times daily vs a snake room or trip to the basement is way nice.
  • 02-27-2019, 11:51 PM
    WILDBILL245
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    thank you i will get started right away and thank you for the links to. i can get to him easy now since i took out more bedding.
  • 02-28-2019, 04:25 AM
    Zincubus
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Sonny1318 View Post
    Hey Zinc, my point was sometimes they will hide, and not be seen for a day or two. And other days they hang in the open without a care in the world. Of course there’s always some night time action, unless it’s after a meal or during a shed. And increased activity a day or two before feeding. This time of year they all will hang in the open for long periods. And I keep my set up in a traveled area, they have all become more then comfortable. It’s nice because even my teen daughters will occasionally take interest. I was originally concerned about their location, but they adjusted very well. I thought you also stated you kept yours in an easily seen location, and yours adjusted well also. I feel very fortunate to have them part of my living room. Being able to see them multiple times daily vs a snake room or trip to the basement is way nice.



    Sounds good .

    I have a snake room and a few vivs dotted around around the house ..
  • 03-02-2019, 03:46 PM
    Momokahn
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Lowes has sheets of packing paper. 2 ft by 30 inches. 120 sheets for 10 dollars. The brand is Blue Rhino. Will last you a very long time
  • 03-02-2019, 05:23 PM
    WILDBILL245
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    hey! thank you for the info. i am using coco bark chips and i like using that and so far no smell. i've just always liked using that but if the paper is easier and better i can change. will my baby burm be any different toward changing to paper ?
  • 08-04-2019, 01:30 PM
    Cee Jay
    Re: My hiding baby burmese
    Fantastic Response. Applicable to more than just burmese in several areas. I love concise answers and hope to provide these in the future. Thank you.
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