HELP!! New tub?

So I got the temperature issue taken care of, and my girl is in her new tub as of an hour or so ago. I could just be being a cautious mom, but...

Starting yesterday afternoon (so over 24 hours now), she has been hanging out outside of her hides. Temps and humidity are the norm, even in the new enclosure. She was pushing her nose up to the mesh in her old cage like she wanted out. Now she's trying to bust her way out of the tub by lifting the lid. Not going to happen since there's clips on there, though. The new tub is a Sterilite, a 41 quart, approx. measurements are 24x6x15. The floorspace is the same as her old home, but it's about half as tall, but she never used the height before - always on the ground.

Is something wrong? Is this a symptom of a disease I don't know about? She hasn't eaten in about 3 weeks, and refused food last night and the night before. I'm nervous! I usually NEVER see her out of her hides.

How long has she been in her new tub? It can take them several days to get used to a new home. And in the meantime, they may continually explore every millimeter of space and push every boundery they can find. Once they're confident of the bounderies, and quite sure that no other critters are going to claim those perfect little caves....then they'll settle down and begin acting more like the lazy BPs we know and love. ;)


Double check your temps and make sure something's not gone screwy with those that is making her uncomfortable. Otherwise...just give her time. They live life at a much, much slower pace than we do and it just takes time for them to get used to new surroundings.

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Starting yesterday afternoon (so over 24 hours now), she has been hanging out outside of her hides.

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First try to rule everything out.

Are you hides tight and identical like this http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ht=tight+hides?

Are your temps 80-84 and 90-94?

Once in a tub some BP will start hanging out, some will even stop using their hides, but it is alway best to double check everything and make sure they don't do it because of husbandry issue.

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She hasn't eaten in about 3 weeks, and refused food last night and the night before. I'm nervous! I usually NEVER see her out of her hides

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I would assume refusal was due to husbandry issue and this is why you switch her to a tub? (don't know since I have not read any other post you made)

Remember that if your BP refuses food you should wait another week before offering again, if you offer to soon after a refusal, it will only stress your BP leading to more refusal.

Also keep in mind that you should leave your BP alone (no handling) for a week following any changes in the enclosure or any transfer in a new enclosure.

I realize I"m probably just being paranoid. :)

It's been a couple hours, so it makes perfect sense that she'd be exploring. But she was also starting to do it in her old place, where she's been 11 years!

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Originally Posted by sophia

I realize I"m probably just being paranoid. :)

It's been a couple hours, so it makes perfect sense that she'd be exploring. But she was also starting to do it in her old place, where she's been 11 years!

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Don't be worried. I have some old Bps too. They are over 13 yrs old. I still see them lookng for a way out occasionally. Mostly its the male. I assume he just smells his mate which has an enclosure right below his.

Yes, I have two identical, tight hides. Hot side is 92-93. Cool side fluctuates a bit more with the changing room temperatures, but it has always measured between 79 and 84. I put a blanket under the cool side to try to minimize contact with the outside air. Humidity is 58% which I realize I should probably try to bring down a bit, but it's within range (humidity in my bedroom is 50-53% so there's not too much wiggle room). Newspaper substrate.

She seems to have settled down a little overnight. When I woke up she had half her body in the warm side hide and the front half was out poking around. I think I've been concerned because she's had her head up near the lip of the tub exploring. I know that one sign of an RI is if the animal holds its head up and at an angle, which she kind of has been doing. Maybe it's just because she's checking things out. I don't hear any wheezing or sniffling.

Thanks for all the input.

Sophia

OK, I'm requesting more help. I waited a full week (the normal timespan between meals) and then offered more food. She didn't take it, so I'm bringing it back to the store right now.

She still has not gone in her hides! Is this something to be concerned about? All my husbandry is right on. I'm confused and worried. She often goes off food from late fall to early spring, but is acting like she is very hungry this time, which hasn't happened in the past. Plus being out of her hides, this is all very uncharacteristic.

Thanks,
Sophia

Hi,


Have you handled her or anything since you put her into the new tub?

Can you try an alternative prey item - before trying that has she always eaten the same thing you are offering now?



dr del

She has always eaten small rats. Should I try a mouse?

No, I haven't been handling her. I moved the location of her tub from my bedroom to my bathroom, though, about 1 week ago. I realize this could have bothered her... She is and was in a low traffic area and really hasn't been disturbed - only by me to check her temps 1-2 times per day.

What are you using for your heat source, and how are you getting your temps/humidity? Are your probes in a place that accurately read the temp of the bottom of the tub? I melted small holes in the bottom corners of my tub so that I could barely squeeze the probes through, and then I tape the probe right to the bottom of the tub on the inside. This way, I don't have to open the tub to see the temps, the main units are sitting in front of it. Just my :2cent:

Hi,

It might be worth while thinking of a replacement for the tape - we see issues of snakes getting caught on tape often enough to be wary of it inside a tank.

I have heard of members using a gluegun or silicon instead with good results. A problem avoided is the best of all possible outcomes with this stuff.


dr del

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Originally Posted by UWStoutNinja

What are you using for your heat source, and how are you getting your temps/humidity? Are your probes in a place that accurately read the temp of the bottom of the tub? I melted small holes in the bottom corners of my tub so that I could barely squeeze the probes through, and then I tape the probe right to the bottom of the tub on the inside. This way, I don't have to open the tub to see the temps, the main units are sitting in front of it. Just my :2cent:

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Flexwatt controlled by Johnson A14. Accurite thermo/hydrometer shows 91 warm, 81 cool, 55-60 humidity consistently now. I will cover some holes to bump the humidity a little bit when she goes into shed. Yes, probe is placed on the bottom of the tub, put through a hole and then taped on the underside, where the sticky can't touch the snake. The actual thermometer is placed in the corner on the cool side, which was never a problem before. Now it gets knocked around a bit because she's so active (that's why I have to 'disturb' her to check the temps - I still haven't found a decent way to attach the reader). Newspaper substrate, two identical hides, small water bowl, etc, etc.

She moves her hides around daily (never seen her do it) so that sometimes one will be in the middle between the hot and cool, leaving room for HER to go on the cool side. Other times she'll wrap her body around the hides, other times she'll curl up in between them. But she is ALWAYS out in the open. The tub is opaque on top and kind of frosted clear around the sides. Maybe she just feels safer than she did in the wood enclosure with the glass front?

Weirdo.

It may just be that she feels more protected with the lower tub, but then I would think she would be eating. Do you pre scent with her? Put the box with the rat in her tub and close the top for 10-15 min. She should be interested so take the box out and drop the rat in. If everything else fails, I say she is just being a brat :)