Getting a Hypo (50%)/66% het Genetic Stripe Bredli! + Q's

Hello everyone. I have great news!

After a nice conversation with Nick Mutton today, instead of a Darwin, I have decided to go with a Bredli! I've added a picture of the beautiful 50% hypo male I will be getting at the bottom of the post. He was born 8/21, so he is already quite established, which I think will be much better for me than a very young snake. For now, he is temporarily named "Ziggy", until I can decide on a more official name.

We discussed a lot, but ultimately, I think the Bredli is a better fit for me than the Darwin after discussing with him some of the ins and outs of carpet python care and growth. He was wonderful to talk to, truly an awesome guy. I'm super excited to get everything set up for Ziggy, I hope it all gets here soon! It is on its way... But, well, processing is taking more time than I would like, and I am an impatient person at heart. Either way, it is actually quite cold where I live right now, and it might take 1-2 weeks before temperatures are warm enough for shipping anyways, so I'm not too concerned. And even if temperatures look good but I'm not 100% ready yet, Mr. Mutton informed me that a small tote would actually work quite well (if not better) for a juvenile CP of his size, so I could always get something small and temporary set up while I wait for the big stuff to get in.

His enclosure will be a 36x18x18 PVC with 3' heat tape to maintain floor temps, and an 80w DHP for ambients/basking spot. I have a herpstat 2 for a thermostat, and I'll play around with probe placement and the like to figure out what works best. Should I run the heat tape down the direct back, direct front, or middle of the enclosure though? Also- If I need to lightly elevate the enclosure so that the heat tape has space away from the dresser, what is the easiest and most secure way to do that?

I also ordered several pieces of L-XL grapevine online, which I am hoping to use to create several opportunities for climbing for him. Since this will be a display enclosure, I also got one of Exo-Terra TRex skull hides, but not to use as a hide. I want to fill it on the inside/block off the smaller holes so that there is no danger of him getting stuck, and then use it as a decoration piece for a "dinosaur" themed enclosure. Although, it is probably not very dinosaur themed with just one dino decor item in it xD Oh well, there is time to find more, perhaps even at the expo in April. I'm also looking for ideas/recommendations on reptile perches that would look good. Mr. Mutton mentioned that this bredli loves to climb, so I'm very interested in figuring out ways to give him lots of arboreal climbing areas. Has anyone ever used avian perches, the kind that you can screw in? Are there other good options for perches in the hobby?

If he doesn't seem to be thriving in that enclosure, the plan is to get a smaller tote and then set it up inside of the larger PVC. This will let me keep my ambient temps in a good place, since the PVC will still be better at keeping ambient heat in than if I just set the tote out. Whatever works best for Ziggy, works for me.

This is "Ziggy" ! I will be sure to take more pics once he actually arrives.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil.../5/ziggy-1.png

That's a fine snake you've got there. Congratulations.

What a beautiful choice & from a well-respected source too- Way to go! :gj:

Thank you! I'm super excited, he is truly a beautiful animal and I can't wait to see how he grows. Now for names though...

I'm not super well versed with carpet python genetics, but I think he looks amazing for being 50%. Maybe I'm just biased though- I really love that particular shade of coppery-rust-red, even more than the 100% hypos I saw.

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Originally Posted by OatBoii

Hello everyone. I have great news!

After a nice conversation with Nick Mutton today, instead of a Darwin, I have decided to go with a Bredli! I've added a picture of the beautiful 50% hypo male I will be getting at the bottom of the post. He was born 8/21, so he is already quite established, which I think will be much better for me than a very young snake. For now, he is temporarily named "Ziggy", until I can decide on a more official name.

We discussed a lot, but ultimately, I think the Bredli is a better fit for me than the Darwin after discussing with him some of the ins and outs of carpet python care and growth. He was wonderful to talk to, truly an awesome guy. I'm super excited to get everything set up for Ziggy, I hope it all gets here soon! It is on its way... But, well, processing is taking more time than I would like, and I am an impatient person at heart. Either way, it is actually quite cold where I live right now, and it might take 1-2 weeks before temperatures are warm enough for shipping anyways, so I'm not too concerned. And even if temperatures look good but I'm not 100% ready yet, Mr. Mutton informed me that a small tote would actually work quite well (if not better) for a juvenile CP of his size, so I could always get something small and temporary set up while I wait for the big stuff to get in.

His enclosure will be a 36x18x18 PVC with 3' heat tape to maintain floor temps, and an 80w DHP for ambients/basking spot. I have a herpstat 2 for a thermostat, and I'll play around with probe placement and the like to figure out what works best. Should I run the heat tape down the direct back, direct front, or middle of the enclosure though? Also- If I need to lightly elevate the enclosure so that the heat tape has space away from the dresser, what is the easiest and most secure way to do that?

I also ordered several pieces of L-XL grapevine online, which I am hoping to use to create several opportunities for climbing for him. Since this will be a display enclosure, I also got one of Exo-Terra TRex skull hides, but not to use as a hide. I want to fill it on the inside/block off the smaller holes so that there is no danger of him getting stuck, and then use it as a decoration piece for a "dinosaur" themed enclosure. Although, it is probably not very dinosaur themed with just one dino decor item in it xD Oh well, there is time to find more, perhaps even at the expo in April. I'm also looking for ideas/recommendations on reptile perches that would look good. Mr. Mutton mentioned that this bredli loves to climb, so I'm very interested in figuring out ways to give him lots of arboreal climbing areas. Has anyone ever used avian perches, the kind that you can screw in? Are there other good options for perches in the hobby?

If he doesn't seem to be thriving in that enclosure, the plan is to get a smaller tote and then set it up inside of the larger PVC. This will let me keep my ambient temps in a good place, since the PVC will still be better at keeping ambient heat in than if I just set the tote out. Whatever works best for Ziggy, works for me.

This is "Ziggy" ! I will be sure to take more pics once he actually arrives.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil.../5/ziggy-1.png

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Awesome, his hypos always look cool. Not many people can tell you how to set your enclosure or heat up. You have time, play around and monitor and adjust. Usually 1/3-1/2 works depending on enclosure size for heat on bottom. Use a thermo gun, of course. Large PVC works well for perches, many tree pythons set up this way. You can still wrap them with vine until his forever home is ready. Best of luck and have fun.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by OatBoii

His enclosure will be a 36x18x18 PVC with 3' heat tape to maintain floor temps, and an 80w DHP for ambients/basking spot. I have a herpstat 2 for a thermostat, and I'll play around with probe placement and the like to figure out what works best. Should I run the heat tape down the direct back, direct front, or middle of the enclosure though? Also- If I need to lightly elevate the enclosure so that the heat tape has space away from the dresser, what is the easiest and most secure way to do that?

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While I agree with Wanik that trial and error is the best way to tweek your set up, the first thing I would try is to run the heat tape down the middle of the bottom of the enclosure. You're trying to compensate for your low ambient temps, so I think this would do the best job of heating the entire enclosure.

To raise your enclosure, I'd use shims. They're inexpensive, stable and make it easy to adjust the height.

Congrats!

Your new animal is very similar to the one I got from Nick.
https://i.imgur.com/tF2cRQz.jpg

My fella came relatively established as well.

You will get various opinions on setting up. I have my own process. Nick and a lot of the carpet folks like the radiant heat panel as a heat source. For Bredli pythons, the RHP is wonderful. There is not humidity concern whatsoever. I will mist maybe 3 sprays during a shed and that likely isn't a necessity.

I've had the boy in 2 different cages. He and the boa switch off in either a 6' X 30" x 2' or a 4' x 30" x 20".

https://i.imgur.com/3h7mXkK.jpg

He's pictured in the 6 footer here.
https://i.imgur.com/4I4aeeY.jpg

This snake and my old retic are and were the most arboreal animals to grace my cages.
https://i.imgur.com/y28QtdH.jpg

Every cage here is set up in the same manner. I use real tree branches and also use wood dowels wrapped with fake vines. If you are using real branches you will want to freeze them or treat them and wash them several months before installing them. I think I had the big branch in the 6 footer out in the cold garage over a full winter. The I brought it inside to see if there were any critters. I've never had issues with real branches.
https://i.imgur.com/5YbiIYx.jpg

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

The Bredli is now in the bottom 4 footer.
https://i.imgur.com/1ydHH0M.jpg


6 footer with the RHP installed. I have all the panels in the same spot in every cage.
https://i.imgur.com/mfJSiEU.jpg

LED tape lights are very easy and allow multiple color options.
https://i.imgur.com/0Kx5Ekj.jpg


The center cage is 4 x 2 x 2. It's one of my favorite display cages. You can see the mix of real branches and the vine wrapped dowels.
https://i.imgur.com/HVSIeaa.jpg


Too many of my photos and not enough of your photos.

I do hope these ideas help you. You have arguably one of the easiest snakes to take care of there is.

Cooler desert nights and very hot dry desert days are typical in the region where these guys are found.


Here's a beautiful video of the Bridle's territory.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caDgRIGX-uY&t=63s

Enjoy the new snake and welcome to the club!

Thank you for all the pictures and suggestions! I really appreciate them. I just ordered some shims, and hopefully they'll get here around the same time everything else does.

I'll look into PVC perches for now. Since this wont be his forever home, I dont want to make anything too elaborate, since I will likely repurpose it after he has outgrown it. As far as natural wood, I'd have to go hunting, but thank you for the idea! I'll keep it in mind.

Mr. Mutton mentioned he is eating either adult mice or frozen rat pups of a similar size right now- Should I continue with the adult mice for a little while after he gets here, or should I try and transition him to rat pups as soon as I can?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OatBoii

Thank you for all the pictures and suggestions! I really appreciate them. I just ordered some shims, and hopefully they'll get here around the same time everything else does.

I'll look into PVC perches for now. Since this wont be his forever home, I dont want to make anything too elaborate, since I will likely repurpose it after he has outgrown it. As far as natural wood, I'd have to go hunting, but thank you for the idea! I'll keep it in mind.

Mr. Mutton mentioned he is eating either adult mice or frozen rat pups of a similar size right now- Should I continue with the adult mice for a little while after he gets here, or should I try and transition him to rat pups as soon as I can?

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My carpet pythons have always been picky eaters...I'd get a mix. Sometimes they'll eat from tongs, sometimes from a plate laying there. Just my experience.

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He is a beautiful snake from an excellent breeder - congratulations, and I'm really excited for you!

Just a few thoughts as a keeper who has multiple of the Australian pythons, though I am also new to Bredl's - so take or leave this as you prefer.

I wouldn't even bother with warming the floor of the enclosure. I'd be pretty surprised if he spends much (or any) time on the ground and he may not even use hides. I'd create a warm spot by running heat tape up the side or rear panel of the enclosure on one side so that you can create a temperature gradient from warmer to cooler and so he can access a warmer spot, if he chooses, while on an elevated perch or shelf. Unless you keep your snake room really chilly it is very possible that the DHP will be all he needs.

My perching choices may not interest you as I tend to add items that I think the snakes will enjoy based on their behavior and am usually not very concerned with aesthetics so again, feel free to ignore this. The Morelia pythons in general like elevated areas that they can sprawl across, so I'd add a little kitchen shelf, for example. I also like the PVC elevated perches/water dish holders made by https://reptileperch.com/

For youngsters, bird perches at various heights are fine - in a glass enclosure you can secure these/artificial vines/etc. with Command hooks.

None of my Australian pythons (Antaresia or Morelia) have ever been picky eaters. You should be fine starting him with whichever food he has been accustomed to. There is no need to push him toward rats if he prefers mice - they are nutritionally pretty much equivalent. I have an adult Jungle Carpet python who is a 'mouser' and while it means I feed him a couple of big mice rather than one rat, other than that minor hassle it is not an issue. He also loves chicks and quail, and I'd anticipate that your Bredl's will eventually appreciate these too.

Please keep us updated about your new addition! My Bredl's is close to yours in age (June '22) so it'll be nice to have someone to swap photos and stories with.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OatBoii

Thank you for all the pictures and suggestions! I really appreciate them. I just ordered some shims, and hopefully they'll get here around the same time everything else does.

I'll look into PVC perches for now. Since this wont be his forever home, I dont want to make anything too elaborate, since I will likely repurpose it after he has outgrown it. As far as natural wood, I'd have to go hunting, but thank you for the idea! I'll keep it in mind.

Mr. Mutton mentioned he is eating either adult mice or frozen rat pups of a similar size right now- Should I continue with the adult mice for a little while after he gets here, or should I try and transition him to rat pups as soon as I can?

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Bredli pythons tend to be very good eaters. If you can use size equivalent rats, I'd go that route. I am a big advocate of quail. If you can mix quail and rats for variety you'll be in good shape.

I have introduced rabbits to the diet as well.

I agree with the above post regarding floor heat. Nick and Justin mention in the books they prefer RHP's. After a certain point in the evening, I never see the snakes on the floor. I do see them in a floor hide during the day however.

A good RHP will create a VERY hot spot on a perch or shelf below it. I prefer perches because they don't completely keep the heat off of the floor directly below. You still have a floor hot spot that is cooler than the perch hot spot and then the floor opposite of the panel sits at the ambient temp you want. Perches that span the cage will offer various climate gradients.

The advice above is geared more toward your adult/final setup.

Go looking for your branches now, then you will have a lot of time to treat them if you need to. Let them sit out in the winter next year if you are not planning the final caging for a while. Cut or find large branches so you can re-cut and size them to fit the final cage.

Get a picture thread going when you get the snake and have it comfortable.

JMCrook has some great starter cage ideas if you have time to check out some of the threads he posts.

Thank you for all the answers to my questions! I am on my computer, so I will try to make quotes work this time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Caitlin

I wouldn't even bother with warming the floor of the enclosure. I'd be pretty surprised if he spends much (or any) time on the ground and he may not even use hides. I'd create a warm spot by running heat tape up the side or rear panel of the enclosure on one side so that you can create a temperature gradient from warmer to cooler and so he can access a warmer spot, if he chooses, while on an elevated perch or shelf. Unless you keep your snake room really chilly it is very possible that the DHP will be all he needs.

My perching choices may not interest you as I tend to add items that I think the snakes will enjoy based on their behavior and am usually not very concerned with aesthetics so again, feel free to ignore this. The Morelia pythons in general like elevated areas that they can sprawl across, so I'd add a little kitchen shelf, for example. I also like the PVC elevated perches/water dish holders made by https://reptileperch.com/

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gio

I agree with the above post regarding floor heat. Nick and Justin mention in the books they prefer RHP's. After a certain point in the evening, I never see the snakes on the floor. I do see them in a floor hide during the day however.

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As this will be my only snake, and because our space is small, he will be on an elevated dresser in our bedroom (that will also hopefully be too high for my cat to jump up on). However, my insulation is not very good, and it can get into negative temperatures during the winter here. Supposedly our bedroom is 72F, but I would highly doubt that it is. I wear blankets constantly, and slippers, and even then I am sometimes cold. I would love it if during the summer perhaps the DHP is all that is needed, but I would honestly be a little surprised if it could get the job done all on its own right now. If I test it and find out that the DHP is more than enough however, I would not be adverse to moving the heat tape to run along the back wall of the enclosure to create a gradient from front to back. For his adult enclosure I am already planning to use a RHP, but that is a bit far off at the moment. An RHP would not work for what I have at the moment as it stands- The top is screen, but the rest is PVC. I have some plastic sheets (coroplast) from an old guinea pig enclosure that I will use if I think too much heat is escaping out of the top, but the consensus from here and from Mr. Mutton is that I do not need to worry about humidity escaping.

I will definitely look into that website for elevated perches though! I would like the enclosure to be somewhat display quality, which is why I was curious about avian perches. I think they would be a good way to incorporate more vertical space for Ziggy, and if I could drill a hole in the PVC and screw/silicone them in, I think they would be very secure.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Caitlin

None of my Australian pythons (Antaresia or Morelia) have ever been picky eaters. You should be fine starting him with whichever food he has been accustomed to. There is no need to push him toward rats if he prefers mice - they are nutritionally pretty much equivalent. I have an adult Jungle Carpet python who is a 'mouser' and while it means I feed him a couple of big mice rather than one rat, other than that minor hassle it is not an issue. He also loves chicks and quail, and I'd anticipate that your Bredl's will eventually appreciate these too.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gio

Bredli pythons tend to be very good eaters. If you can use size equivalent rats, I'd go that route. I am a big advocate of quail. If you can mix quail and rats for variety you'll be in good shape.

I have introduced rabbits to the diet as well.

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I will try rats first, I think, and then if he does not accept it, I will use mice until he has hopefully settled in and might be more comfortable exploring. Where do you both get quails from though? And what size of quail/age of snake can they eat those?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Caitlin

Please keep us updated about your new addition! My Bredl's is close to yours in age (June '22) so it'll be nice to have someone to swap photos and stories with.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gio

Go looking for your branches now, then you will have a lot of time to treat them if you need to. Let them sit out in the winter next year if you are not planning the final caging for a while. Cut or find large branches so you can re-cut and size them to fit the final cage.

Get a picture thread going when you get the snake and have it comfortable.

JMCrook has some great starter cage ideas if you have time to check out some of the threads he posts.

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I am very excited to start a thread and compare snake pictures! I will also start looking for branches, because it will definitely be at least one more winter until I will be ready to upgrade him (assuming he is ready to be upgraded at that point). I will also be sure to check out JMCrook's posts! I am also expecting that the terrarium will likely evolve over time, as I learn more about him and what he likes. There is also an expo happening about a month from now, and I am thinking atm that it would be a great place to find some deals on more wood/perches I could use. I would like the enclosure to be "display naturalistic", or as natural as a bunch of easily sanitizable plastic can be xD We will see where it goes. It is one thing to order something online- it is another to see it in person.

For an adult enclosure though... I already have some decor plans involving a few enclosures I've seen around here that incorporate Universal Rocks. Dreams for the future!

I get my quail and really, all of my feeders from Layne Labs.

Not the least expensive, but the quality is good and almost all of the animals here are adults so 1 purchase lasts a long time.

Bredli will usually take what you offer.

Layne has some really small rabbits also for when your animal gets a bit older.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gio

I get my quail and really, all of my feeders from Layne Labs.

Not the least expensive, but the quality is good and almost all of the animals here are adults so 1 purchase lasts a long time.

Bredli will usually take what you offer.

Layne has some really small rabbits also for when your animal gets a bit older.

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Over the years I have ordered at least a couple of times from the big F/T suppliers and nobody has come close to the quality of feeders from Layne Labs. They're definitely my go-to, though I know some folks may need to consider less expensive options. Their feeder prices are comparable to other suppliers, but shipping from California may not be an option for some. Still, if at all possible I would always recommend them over anyone else.

This may or may not be important to all, but I also did phone interviews with most of the big suppliers about how they treat their feeders. Layne really impressed me with their dedication to ethical and humane care standards, seemed to take the conversation very seriously, treated the questions respectfully, and didn't just toss canned or casual responses at me. Friends who have visited their facilities have reported being very impressed - they also run a big Sulcata tortoise rescue facility on their property. They just seem to 'walk their talk' in terms of animal welfare, and that means a lot to me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Caitlin

Over the years I have ordered at least a couple of times from the big F/T suppliers and nobody has come close to the quality of feeders from Layne Labs. They're definitely my go-to, though I know some folks may need to consider less expensive options. Their feeder prices are comparable to other suppliers, but shipping from California may not be an option for some. Still, if at all possible I would always recommend them over anyone else.

This may or may not be important to all, but I also did phone interviews with most of the big suppliers about how they treat their feeders. Layne really impressed me with their dedication to ethical and humane care standards, seemed to take the conversation very seriously, treated the questions respectfully, and didn't just toss canned or casual responses at me. Friends who have visited their facilities have reported being very impressed - they also run a big Sulcata tortoise rescue facility on their property. They just seem to 'walk their talk' in terms of animal welfare, and that means a lot to me.

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Thanks for sharing. I've never gone this far but do care about this. Have you spoken with Reptilinks?

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Originally Posted by Wanik4

Thanks for sharing. I've never gone this far but do care about this. Have you spoken with Reptilinks?

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Oh, good question. I'd love to know how they respond. I've only used Reptilinks in a limited way, so have placed only a few orders with them. I used the quail links as a primary food for a young Dumeril's who was a real problem feeder for two freaking years - I wanted the caloric density of the links - and as an occasional treat for any of my other snakes who would take them (most of my snakes like them).

But I've honestly stepped back from using them. I think they are a fine food source, but many of my snakes strike the links so hard that they sort of blow them apart. And after that they either eat only part of it or seem to lose interest in the mess. I don't like wasting food or feeling like the feeder animals died for no reason, so I doubt I will re-order since the Dumeril's is now happily eating chicks (thank GOD).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Caitlin

Oh, good question. I'd love to know how they respond. I've only used Reptilinks in a limited way, so have placed only a few orders with them. I used the quail links as a primary food for a young Dumeril's who was a real problem feeder for two freaking years - I wanted the caloric density of the links - and as an occasional treat for any of my other snakes who would take them (most of my snakes like them).

But I've honestly stepped back from using them. I think they are a fine food source, but many of my snakes strike the links so hard that they sort of blow them apart. And after that they either eat only part of it or seem to lose interest in the mess. I don't like wasting food or feeling like the feeder animals died for no reason, so I doubt I will re-order since the Dumeril's is now happily eating chicks (thank GOD).

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Yeah I just placed an order to try them with my HD burm. I too like the mix of proteins and caloric value, and had considered the possibility of it breaking. Since I only place food in my enclosure and don't allow striking it'll be interesting to see how it goes. He does coil it still but if it doesn't work I'll get a refund. They said to send a pic of the uneaten food so I'll just take that photo earlier rather than later. I may reach out to them to see their thoughts on feeder care.

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I bet you will be fine with drop feeding. I had to drop feed the Dum and while he hits like a little truck he never 'exploded' a link. My issue is that I target train almost all of my snakes, so I tong-feed, and that is where I have the exploding link problem, lol. Reptilink is a very nice company to deal with in terms of issuing refunds or replacements, so here's hoping everything is smooth sailing for you and your Burm.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Caitlin

Over the years I have ordered at least a couple of times from the big F/T suppliers and nobody has come close to the quality of feeders from Layne Labs. They're definitely my go-to, though I know some folks may need to consider less expensive options. Their feeder prices are comparable to other suppliers, but shipping from California may not be an option for some. Still, if at all possible I would always recommend them over anyone else.

This may or may not be important to all, but I also did phone interviews with most of the big suppliers about how they treat their feeders. Layne really impressed me with their dedication to ethical and humane care standards, seemed to take the conversation very seriously, treated the questions respectfully, and didn't just toss canned or casual responses at me. Friends who have visited their facilities have reported being very impressed - they also run a big Sulcata tortoise rescue facility on their property. They just seem to 'walk their talk' in terms of animal welfare, and that means a lot to me.

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Nice write-up and good info on the treatment of the feeders.

I'll add, I've never had a stinky or urine stained rat or rabbit. I remember there were rumblings a bit ago about headless quail. All I can say is the necks on quail are very fragile and once they are packed and frozen together, the heads sometimes fall off when separating them.

I have never seen a better packing job from any supplier to date. The coolers are lined with reflective insulation. The quail is in a zipped bag within a zip locked outer bag.

The bags are vacuum packed and because I'm a child at heart, I take the dry ice out of the cooler and put it in a hot water bucket.

The only negative is the shipping cost.

Layne Labs does look very nice, but the shipping from California is definitely... expensive. I think I would not be as opposed to ordering from them once my guy was a little older and had been on a specific feeder for a while, but for now at least, I will make do with what's local. I feel like at that point, the bulk value price and feeder variety would make the shipping worth it. Thank you for the information though! I bookmarked their website so that I can return back to it when he's older, and less likely to be changing feeders as frequently.

I have heard of reptilinks, but I have never personally looked into them. Do they offer something unique or better in terms of feeding, beyond the frog links for hognoses and other such links for picky eaters?

Speaking of, though, is there a general guideline for % weight for CPs like there is for BPs? "Adult mouse" and "rat pup" encompass a pretty decent range of gram weights, so I am wondering if there is a "formula percentage" I could use to figure out roughly how much he should be eating based on how much he weighs when he arrives? I have a gram scale that I can use to accurately weigh him, and monitor his progress.

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Originally Posted by OatBoii

I have heard of reptilinks, but I have never personally looked into them. Do they offer something unique or better in terms of feeding, beyond the frog links for hognoses and other such links for picky eaters?

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Reptilinks give keepers the ability to offer their pets a variety of prey (quail, iguana, frog legs, chicken and/or rabbit with the option of adding fruit and vegetables) in a convenient and affordable way. The catch is that your pet needs to be willing to eat sausages. I hear lizards take them better than snakes, but if your snake's a strong feeder, you should be able to do it. I recently transitioned by Children's python to them without too much trouble.

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Originally Posted by Homebody

Reptilinks give keepers the ability to offer their pets a variety of prey (quail, iguana, frog legs, chicken and/or rabbit with the option of adding fruit and vegetables) in a convenient and affordable way. The catch is that your pet needs to be willing to eat sausages. I hear lizards take them better than snakes, but if your snake's a strong feeder, you should be able to do it. I recently transitioned by Children's python to them without too much trouble.

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Yeah I hadn't even really thought of this, but if my snake doesn't like them, my b&w tegu will probably be in for a treat[emoji1656]...but yes, offering a varied diet is awesome, even for my lizards they get that. Imagine of humans just ate chicken their whole lives!

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These are both great points, thank you for bringing it to my attention! I have added Reptilinks to my list as well. However, I have heard that sometime snakes get hooked on specific foods, and will refuse anything else. Is that a species specific thing, or is there a way to make sure that Ziggy wouldn't get too attached to one particular thing? I've heard that carpet pythons are pretty aggressive eaters and not too picky, but I wouldn't want him to develop any bad habits because of how I'm feeding him.

Well, only one cut finger and happy little accident later, the cage is assembled, sealed, and drying! It looks great, and once the sealing sets, my small accident shall be inconsequential. I'm very happy with it. Even without being sealed it looked sturdy enough to keep in a snake- or at least something of a decent size, maybe not a baby colubrid. With modifications, I'm sure it could though.

It has a fan pointed in it for now, to help disperse the sealant fumes. Hopefully by late evening tomorrow, once it's been drying for around 36 hours, I can start decorating. I'm quite excited! Still deciding on a perch for now, but I can get most of the layout done by tomorrow evening. Nearly all the decor came in today, along with the herpstat 2, and tomorrow the rest of the heating elements will arrive.

With any luck, the weather will be good and I'll get my temps dialed in, and Ziggy could be moving in Thursday! I'm hopeful, as the weather seems to be taking an upward turn, but we'll see.

Take good care of that finger- they're pretty useful. :D Being handy with tools & home projects does have it's little downside, but it sounds like you'll survive.

Some pics! I definitely want something going across the full enclosure, which is hopefully something I can find at the expo. If not, I'll order one. Either way, I think he has some opportunities to get himself off the ground, and the hot side is built up to get some elevation over there too. He can get some vertical movement in at least.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with it! Lots of work though. It took a while to get everything to stay put, that's for sure. All that's left is to dial in my temps, and wait for Ziggy!

Before I added wood and clutter

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...312_195117.jpg

Lots of clutter. I want to make sure he feels comfortable in here, since it's a bit big for him.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...312_203922.jpg

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...312_203459.jpg

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...312_203253.jpg

It looks nice.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OatBoii

Some pics! I definitely want something going across the full enclosure, which is hopefully something I can find at the expo. If not, I'll order one. Either way, I think he has some opportunities to get himself off the ground, and the hot side is built up to get some elevation over there too. He can get some vertical movement in at least.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with it! Lots of work though. It took a while to get everything to stay put, that's for sure. All that's left is to dial in my temps, and wait for Ziggy!

Before I added wood and clutter

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...312_195117.jpg

Lots of clutter. I want to make sure he feels comfortable in here, since it's a bit big for him.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...312_203922.jpg

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...312_203459.jpg

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...312_203253.jpg

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Not too bad. Yes, I'd get a couple like 1" or bigger pvc pipes raised going across for some perch action under heat would be nice. They sell black and grey pvc as well if you look

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Thank you both! I'm going to keep an eye out for something I can use as a perch that preferably doesnt want a shipping cost equivalent to the price of the perch itself, but if I cant find anything by the expo, I'll just order one online and bite the price. With luck, there will be something at the expo though.

Good news though! It's warm enough to ship tomorrow, so Ziggy should be here by Thursday :D