Some things about Shauri

[Shauri413]

Hi all,

I'm wanting to make sure I am a better pet dad, so here's some info about my danger noodle, Shauri:

She's a 3-4 years old BP, at least 5' long, and was 4 lbs 13 oz last time I weighed her (at the time of her last shed). I have had her for a year now. She is the first snake I have owned.

After initially being skittish of me whenever I pick her up, she calms down and becomes very docile and curious. I normally like to let her hang out on my shoulders, and she looks all around and sometimes tries to climb down, so I put her back in her habitat once she gets too escapey. Every time she rediscovers my hair she is fascinated by it: she stares at it for a moment, smells it, and then crawls over it repeatedly, to enjoy the sensation I guess. I also have an old arm/elbow sling that I let her "hide" in while still keeping her next to me. She seems to really like the sling hide, and typically watches me from inside.

The previous owner was feeding her really big rats in order to "get her head to grow". From what I have read on this site I should probably move down from Jumbo rats to Large rats, as the jumbo rats are as big around as she is at her widest (but yes, she DOES eat the jumbos).

I think she's currently winter fasting, as it's been 6 weeks since her last feeding, and she wasn't interested in the thawed rat I offered her Monday night. I didn't have issues with feeding her last winter.

Her habitat is a 30"x12" glass terrarium with top venting. The substrate is Aspen bedding with liberal sprinkles of reptibark. She has a single hide (on the warm side), her water bowl, and a branch (that she enjoys climbing/wrapping herself around). Due to it's size and her size, there's no room inside the habitat for anything else.

I sometimes put cardboard around the sides of her enclosure to give her more privacy. Especially before/while feeding her. Should I permanently cover the left and right sides of her habitat to give her more privacy, and continue to cover the front before/while feeding?

After replacing the original UTH, she now hangs out on both sides of the enclosure, depending on her mood; before the replacement, she seemed only interested in the "warm" side.

Are there rooms better or worse suited for keeping the reptile in? Would a bathroom provide too much ambient moisture? Should she be in a bedroom? I don't want to put her in a closet to keep her shielded from all household activity, either.

I think I need to give her a bigger habitat, as it is the same habitat she's lived in for at least 3 years. I upsized the single warm-side hide given to me during the re-home, and she still lifts the hide 1/4" above the surrounding substrate when she is under the hide. It's crowded in her current habitat.

Plus I have to remove her branch and water bowl when I feed her, or she has no room to wrap herself around her meal. The situation is not ideal.

She is a VERY active noodle. She seems to press herself up against the glass at times when resting, and rubs her branch and the metal mesh of the enclosure while she's romping. What about other things to include in the interior of the future habitat? I'd love to include a rock in her future habitat so that she has a variety of surfaces/sensations to romp on. Not a heat rock, just a regular rock. Do BPs like rocks?

I want to core out some logs from trees removed from my property a few months ago (NOT cedar trees!). Is it better to give the noodle a hide with a single exit or a hide with openings at both ends?

I hope you all enjoyed my introducing Shauri to ya'll. Maybe I'll take a picture of her some day to share, too. If ya'll have some feedback and answers for my questions, she'd love to hear it.

[Shauri413]

Oh, since acquiring her, I have also started a care log that tracks her weight, when/what I fed her, and when she sheds. I also need to log her length (after each time she sheds), but need to figure out the setup for measuring.

[Bogertophis]

Your sling sounds like a fun idea for holding your snake so that she feels both safe & close enough to you to also stay warm. Love it!

I'd back off feeding any jumbo rats, as they tend to be very high fat & thus, less than healthy for a snake. They can & do die prematurely from "fatty liver disease". Your BP is only 4-5' long- for sake of comparison, the adult 7.5' BCI I used to have was only ever fed* medium rats (*except for one large rat, one time, that she was obviously less than comfortable with), and she was strong, healthy, not overweight, & lived a good long life after starting off as a very stressed rescue that came to me. In the wild, a snake would be better able to work off such a fatty meal, but then again, in the wild, few such opportunities ever present themselves, since life in the wild rarely allows either the prey or the predators to get to this point.

NOTE: As far as sizes of rodents fed, not all sources label them the same way, so actual weights are helpful- so we're talking about the same things.

And FYI, "power-feeding" tends to make a snake's body grow faster & proportionately more than the head (the bones are slower growing), so you get the opposite effect.
All things considered, I'm not surprised she is fasting, & it's probably for the best anyway.

Your tank is too small for a "5 foot" BP- a snake that's really that big should be in a 40 gal "breeder" tank at least, or other type of enclosure. If your BP really is 5', I'd say she's much older than 3-4 years as you were told...they just don't typically grow that big, that fast. Any enclosure for a snake needs to have a range of temps. for the snake to choose & "thermo-regulate" their own metabolism...in a smaller tank, that just becomes impossible to supply. They also NEED 2 hides, one on the cooler side, & one on the warmer side, because a snake will usually choose "security" (to hide) over the right temperature, so they won't be getting what they actually need...choices.

Exact temperatures are critical & all heat sources should be controlled by thermostat, & double checked with an accurate thermometer. You didn't mention the temps.? You want them to range from 78* cool side to 88-90* warmest part- this is essential to set up & monitor. Depending on how warm your room/house is, the UTH may not be enough to warm the air in the tank- or if it's running hot enough to warm the air, your snake will be at risk of being injured (burned) if she is in contact with the glass under the substrate for too long- & trust me, this happens way too often. Best prevented...vet care can be expensive, & burns can be severe, painful & even life-threatening (as w/ infections).

Hides- should be one doorway only, just big enough for the snake (with a meal) to fit thru. Most snakes prefer low "ceilings" that provide "back pressure" (a cozy feeling, safe from predators).
Here are some that many of us use: https://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes Another reputable source of equipment is: https://www.beanfarm.com/collections/bedding-and-cage
Note, the "tree bark" tunnels are not "hides"...your snake may not feel secure enough to eat- but they make nice sturdy cage furniture in ADDITION to proper hides. Tree bark is also harder to sanitize after getting soiled.

If the temps. inside the tank need to be warmer, you can insulate the sides, back & even the bottom (except around the UTH), & this also gives more privacy that snakes appreciate.
Many augment UTH heat with overhead methods of heating, or use overhead heat devices exclusively. We don't all do exactly the same things, & some houses or rooms are colder to start with, so setting up a snake enclosure is always a custom job. Snakes (especially shyer ones like BPs) usually do better in rooms that are somewhat quiet, like a bedroom, but it depends on how active your household is too. I have snakes in most rooms of my house, but not bathrooms or kitchen. But I don't throw any parties either.

Glad to have you join us. I'll add more tips (or others will) when time permits. I can tell by your questions that you're a caring owner, & that's good to see.

[Bogertophis]

This might come in handy for your reference: