hatchling housing?

I am wondering what kind of housing to set up for our hatchlings. I seem to remember someone saying that they were kept together until after their first shed? I am not sure so I thought I'd ask. Is it better to just tub them seperately from the get-go or what?
Ginger's clutch is already on Day 43!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ginevive

I am wondering what kind of housing to set up for our hatchlings. I seem to remember someone saying that they were kept together until after their first shed? I am not sure so I thought I'd ask. Is it better to just tub them seperately from the get-go or what?
Ginger's clutch is already on Day 43!

---

Some keep them together until their first shed, some dont. Its a personal choice. I keep them together because its easier...

Jamie hit the nail on the head. I do it also because it is easier, and also for space issues. I am just small time, but when you are waiting on four clutches of hatchlings to shed, and keeping them moist until that first shed, I find it easier to keep them together. Now, I do keep the females from one clutch together, and the males from the clutch in another tub. However, I don't think that matters at all, it's just how I do it.

I don't have the Barker's book at work and handy, but if I remember correctly (and Cue can correct any grieveous errors I may have made), they keep them together, even up to the first feed. They offer a live hopper into the communal tub, see who eats, move them to their own individual tub at that time. That one is the dominant snake of that clutch. After each removal of each baby when they successfully feed, allows the next in the dominance chain to move up and take their meal.

I know I probably totally twisted that up, but I think I'm remembering pretty accurately. If someone doesn't correct me before I get home this evening, I'll double check in the book and clarify.

keeping them together until shed/fed sure makes sense to me .....cool tip about the dominance factor as well ...would never have thought about that .

WOW. That dominace thing is wierd. Never heard of that. I know Ralph keeps hatchlings together at first as well.

good to know.. I'm in the same boat Jen. Day 49 here and I thought I was prepared but simple things like keeping them together I had not thought about. I was going to put them in their own little tubs right away. I think I will keep them together until they shed.

I had my space already made up for my hatchlings so I put them in their own tubs as soon as they completely emerged from the shell. All ate rat pups on their first feeding, so it worked out fine.

I tub mine seperate, don't have to worry about doing it later that way.

I know at the shop we wait till all the babies are out of there eggs, sex them, number them, and put each one in it's own tub.

I know at the shop we wait till all the babies are out of there eggs, sex them, number them/ID them, and put each one in it's own tub.

so when you put them in their own tubs, we're talking 6 qt shoebox sized tubs?
do you put them right into your hatchling rack if you have one?

I have one 12-tub shoebox hatchling rack right now, and will have another 12-tub shoebox rack built soon(stacking on top of the first one). All of the babies will be going into their individual tubs after everyone is out of the eggs, washed off, and sexed :) Then their tubs will get labeled and they will get an index card so I can track feedings, sheds, etc for the future owner, or for my reference.

We built a 24 box rack, so if we kept every hatchling this year we would have space for them. I have another quarantine rack of 4 levels of 32qt tubs with Reptile Basics dividers that I started out using, but with hatchlings pipping out now it wont work.

I have been separating the hatchlings right away after cleaning and sexing.

Here is the new hatchling rack:

http://www.sunsetpythons.com/images/hatchling.jpg

Neil

I wanted to follow-up on what I posted earlier today, now that I'm home and have my book!


P. 195 from Pythons of the World: Vol II, Ball Pythons, by Barker & Barker

Quote:

---

We do keep hatchlings together from the time they hatch until they begin feeding. After the hatchlings shed, we drop several live fuzzy mice into the cage. We then closely watch the group to be sure that one snake does not eat all the mice, which cold be disastrous, and also to verify that there are no feeding mistakes that could end in fratricide. Often, we see that one snake is a very ready feeder, while all others in the cage will not eat. When this happens, we remove the feeding snake and set it up by itself in a cage where it will spend its next six months. Back in the cage of hatchlings, after the feeding snake is removed, one of the nonfeeders will begin to feed right away. When this snake is removed, another will begin feeding, and so on. There seems to be some sort of feeding heirarchy that is present among a group.

---

Does everyone do it this way? No, I'm sure they don't. I just found it interesting to read another way of doing things. In fact, the entire book makes me re-think some of my "set in stone" thoughts on keeping ball pythons, or at least be open to what Adam often says "there are many ways to keep these animals successfully".

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kagez28

so when you put them in their own tubs, we're talking 6 qt shoebox sized tubs?
do you put them right into your hatchling rack if you have one?

---

Yes, shoebox sixed tubs and yes we have a custom build wall unit that is nothing but baby tubs and that is where they are housed till they are sold or out grow it.

i am in the middle of building my rack. if anyone has seen my thread in the caging forum, you'll read about my plans. i want to have 1 fairly large rack with 3 sections (each controlled by a different t-stat). top is the hatchling using 6 qt tubs and back heat. the second will have a combo of 15/32 qt tubs with back heat, and the bottom section will have belly heat.

i just hope it looks good

Thanks for ths advice! You people rock. :) Now, how long roughly is it from hatching, to first shedding?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ginevive

Thanks for ths advice! You people rock. :) Now, how long roughly is it from hatching, to first shedding?

---

Typically 7-10 days ... every now and then either a little less or a little more.

-adam

Awesome. I am going to prepare a tub in my rack for them. I might get one of the tubs that are a wee bit smaller, but the same height.. actually, come to think of it, I have one!
Now as Tom Petty says.. "the waiting is the hardest part.." :)