Vote for BP.Net for the 2013 Forum of the Year! Click here for more info.

» Site Navigation

» Home
 > FAQ

» Online Users: 2,819

1 members and 2,818 guests
Most users ever online was 6,337, 01-24-2020 at 04:30 AM.

» Today's Birthdays

None

» Stats

Members: 75,031
Threads: 248,489
Posts: 2,568,439
Top Poster: JLC (31,651)
Welcome to our newest member, isismomma
Results 1 to 10 of 10
  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    02-04-2021
    Posts
    35
    Thanks
    26
    Thanked 8 Times in 8 Posts

    New PVC enclosure and a few questions About feeding

    Picked up a new 36x18 PVC enclosure at Tampa repticon for my young blood python and got a pulse thermometer for my CHE along with his heat mat which is connected to a thermostat as well because I got tired of fighting with the glass tank everyday to maintain stable temps all in all it works great but to my complete dismay he still avoids the hot side like the plague! The ambient on the hot side is 79-83 and about 77-80 on the cool side his heat mat on the hot side sits at 83-84. I’ve tried cutting off the CHE lowering the heat mat etc nothing seems to convince him to go to the hot side my humidity is between 55-70% consistently. When I got him he was on live mice I got him to take a f/t hopper the first feed and then a f/t weened rat pup the second, that was about 2-3 weeks ago and he has not been out of hiding since then I check on him every so often to see if he’s shedding and I don’t see any signs yet he doesn’t seem very interested in eating what so ever and I’m starting to worry any advice would be very helpful I tried to get feeding him and leaving it in overnight he struck it on Tongs but I think it was more of a fear response then a hungry response I’ll post a pic of his current set up this problem started before I moved him to his new PVC so I don’t think it’s an acclimation problem. Thank you in advance

    https://imgur.com/gallery/XldjSsh

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Join Date
    02-04-2021
    Posts
    35
    Thanks
    26
    Thanked 8 Times in 8 Posts

    Re: New PVC enclosure and a few questions About feeding

    Actually after a little investigation, does it look like he is shedding? Maybe I’m just crazy? If he is shedding he gets significantly less blue then my colubrids here’s a pic



    https://imgur.com/gallery/ix3Aj2y

  3. #3
    Bogertophis's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-28-2018
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    20,182
    Thanks
    28,081
    Thanked 19,739 Times in 11,797 Posts

    Re: New PVC enclosure and a few questions About feeding

    Quote Originally Posted by Shake_down94 View Post
    Actually after a little investigation, does it look like he is shedding? Maybe I’m just crazy? If he is shedding he gets significantly less blue then my colubrids here’s a pic



    https://imgur.com/gallery/ix3Aj2y
    The way his skin wrinkles- the texture- suggests to me that he's in shed. Maybe you missed his bluest time, or he's just getting around to it? I usually use a small flashlight in dark room to shine across a snake's eyes- that's the best way I know to make the "fog" show up unless bloods are different from all other snakes?

    You might also be crazy? but that's a separate issue, lol. (joking)
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 03-04-2021 at 04:59 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  4. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Bogertophis For This Useful Post:

    nikkubus (03-04-2021),Shake_down94 (03-04-2021)

  5. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    02-04-2021
    Posts
    35
    Thanks
    26
    Thanked 8 Times in 8 Posts

    Re: New PVC enclosure and a few questions About feeding

    That could totally be it I have been trying to give him his space he’s very well mannered but he extremely nervous around people doesn’t like to be seen much. And yes that is definitely a topic for another time lol! I guess I didn’t notice at first his eyes were blue his skin has a sheen to it but not like my bull snakes or hognoses hopefully that has something to do with his appetite because he has taken f/t for me after being fed live mice since he was born which I am very happy about!

  6. #5
    Bogertophis's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-28-2018
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    20,182
    Thanks
    28,081
    Thanked 19,739 Times in 11,797 Posts
    Maybe GoingPostal will chime in here, he's got experience with bloods (I don't). Some snakes are slower about shedding too, especially if you happened to feed them just as they were heading that "direction". And when snakes act "afraid" of their food (but were previously eating) it's usually about them being somewhere along in their shed cycle. If only they could hold up flash cards to tell us, eh?
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to Bogertophis For This Useful Post:

    Shake_down94 (03-04-2021)

  8. #6
    Registered User
    Join Date
    02-04-2021
    Posts
    35
    Thanks
    26
    Thanked 8 Times in 8 Posts

    Re: New PVC enclosure and a few questions About feeding

    Awesome thank you! I’ll take any and all advice I can get as far as he is concerned. I really enjoy my STP but they are especially finicky in comparison to my other snakes who basically need a temp controlled heat mat and a few hides and their basically waiting for dinner at that point lol! And from what I’ve heard short tails are on the less finicky end of pythons.

  9. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    01-21-2020
    Posts
    39
    Thanks
    25
    Thanked 39 Times in 19 Posts

    Re: New PVC enclosure and a few questions About feeding

    Is he a T+ alibino? If you just put him in that enclosure, leave him alone. Your temps look good, but I'll be honest, that is a lot of space for a young blood/shortail. Does he poke his head out of his hide at night. If he does, that is when you should feed him. A few years ago, I started my first shortail, a sumatran, off in 36x28x18 vision cage. He never moved around and only stuck his head out of his hide at night to eat. I had to put the water dish next to the opening in his hide so he would drink. I got him out of that cage and into a rack, he was much more comfortable. Moved around at night, soaked in his water bowl etc. Mine at that age hardly ever sit on the heat either, only during shed or after a big feed. The older they get, the more comfortable they get, and the more mine move around. My oldest animals are in cages and they do really well. They are 5 years old however.

  10. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to PeteV For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (03-05-2021),Shake_down94 (03-05-2021)

  11. #8
    Registered User
    Join Date
    02-04-2021
    Posts
    35
    Thanks
    26
    Thanked 8 Times in 8 Posts

    Re: New PVC enclosure and a few questions About feeding

    Yes he is a T+ I may have got a little over excited with the large PVC enclosure I had him in a 15 long short tank and I was having an absolutely nightmare wrestling with temps in FL it’s either to hot or my AC was running he didn’t move much at all in that tank either, I wonder if I filled the PVC with enough enrichment and furniture if he would feel more comfortable? I was a little hesitant to throw him in their it’s 37.5x17.5 and I built a shelf to snuggly place the enclosure I think he may be shedding but I’m not entirely sure to be completely honest. He had a healthy interest in eating up until a few weeks ago and from checkin in him the last few days I’m hoping it’s a shed

  12. #9
    Registered User
    Join Date
    01-21-2020
    Posts
    39
    Thanks
    25
    Thanked 39 Times in 19 Posts

    Re: New PVC enclosure and a few questions About feeding

    He could be shedding, and that takes longer with these guys than other snakes. It can be a couple weeks from start to finish with mine. Give him some time to adjust or shed before trying to feed him. He doesn't look under weight to me.

  13. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to PeteV For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (03-05-2021),Shake_down94 (03-05-2021)

  14. #10
    Registered User
    Join Date
    02-04-2021
    Posts
    35
    Thanks
    26
    Thanked 8 Times in 8 Posts

    Re: New PVC enclosure and a few questions About feeding

    Thank you very much guys I appreciate the advice a lot! just trying to do everything as perfect as possible, I’ve left him to sit for a about a week now in his new enclosure aside from checking to see if he is shedding. I’ve increased his humidity as well in hopes he is shedding I’m going to try and fill out the tank with as much clutter as I can In hopes I can accommodate him better in the size enclosure he is in or worst comes to worst I’ll get a smaller PVC and move him when he gets bigger.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v4.2.1