Ziggy Ure - 50% Hypo Bredli - Progression Thread

[Bogertophis]

Great update! Funny how snakes pick some places to hang out-

[OatBoii]

A quick update (No pics, but I do have plenty in storage. I'm on mobile though.)

Ziggy is doing well! With the end of the semester, finals, graduation (for others) to attend, starting a summer job, and as of today vacation, I've been very busy this last month. I meant to post an update from my laptop before we left today, but oh well.

Ziggy went into blue a few days ago. His first shed with me! Unfortunately, it will probably be while I'm gone... I have someone who is coming over every couple of days to check up on my animals though, so I'm sure everything will be OK. He hasn't left his hot hide since entering blue, but from what I understand, that's pretty normal. I'm doing my best not to stress him out, While also making sure he's still moving in there. The shed seems to be right about on schedule, albeit perhaps poorly timed with my vacation xD

Other than his upcoming shed, nothing too exciting has happened. He continues to take adult mice for me every ~2 weeks, and prior to blue, he was very active in moving about in the late evenings. His tank maintains temps wonderfully, I'm glad I invested in it so that I don't have to worry while I'm gone.

I'll try to post those pics when I return!

[OatBoii]

Here are those pics, as promised! He's gorgeous. I'm a bit sad I didn't get post-shed pics, but he shed beautifully with no problems c:

No particular order, just a lot of photos




















He's so photogenic, I adore him.

[Bogertophis]

He's all the more photogenic thanks to the wonderful home you created for him-

[Gio]

Fantastic stuff!

[OatBoii]

Thank you both!

I do have a question though. I fed Ziggy the same day I posted those pictures last week. However, for a few days now, he already has digested his mouse and is doing what I think is his "hunting" behaviour. Searching around at night, investigating anything that comes close to the glass, super excited tongue flick, sitting in his favourite "hunting" spot. Is it possible he's ready to move up a size of mouse? Right now he's on Sm Adult Mice, which he has been on since he came to me. I'm not sure local stores sell much larger larger mice though, I think they just start jumping straight into rats. How do I/will I know when he's ready to make the switch? He definitely used to take more time before he started acting hungry/moving around again, but maybe he was just more shy?

Obligatory Ziggy pic. A question tax, if you will xD

[Gio]

Thank you both!

I do have a question though. I fed Ziggy the same day I posted those pictures last week. However, for a few days now, he already has digested his mouse and is doing what I think is his "hunting" behaviour. Searching around at night, investigating anything that comes close to the glass, super excited tongue flick, sitting in his favourite "hunting" spot. Is it possible he's ready to move up a size of mouse? Right now he's on Sm Adult Mice, which he has been on since he came to me. I'm not sure local stores sell much larger larger mice though, I think they just start jumping straight into rats. How do I/will I know when he's ready to make the switch? He definitely used to take more time before he started acting hungry/moving around again, but maybe he was just more shy?

Obligatory Ziggy pic. A question tax, if you will xD

The night activities are quite normal, with or without food. Boas and pythons are by nature opportunistic creatures. Instincts drive their behavior whether they are captive or not, they don't know when the next meal will be. They will normally set up in an ambush position a few days after a meal, unless the prior meal was taxing to digest. Breeding behavior, pre-shed and shed behavior may change things.

My Bredli and coastal are perched, looking down almost every night.

With that said, I certainly think you can move into that small rat direction. Quail on the small side or medium chicks may also be suitable.

I would actually suggest getting some type of avian prey if you are switching to rats. Bredli are not typically known to be picky eaters, but sometimes rats don't stimulate a feeding response. If that happens, rubbing the rat with the scent of chicks or quail will help. My Brisbane coastal needed some scent transfer to get her into rats.

I have never had a snake here, other than our royal refuse avian prey. Carpets seem to go crazy for quail.

From the info you've put out, I think you are certainly ready for small rats.

[jmcrook]

Yeah all of my carpet pythons, and boas for that matter, are out hunting every single night regardless of how recently they've fed. As for prey size increase, I'd only step up about one size at a time. Came from Nick eating adult mice/rat pups? I'd look into rat pups/maybe a weaned rat. Based on the pics you posted of that animal in your hands it's got quite some time before it's ready for small rats in my opinion. Not trying to knock on Gio's suggestion of small rats, I just think they might be close to half of what the snake's weight.
Nick definitely wasn't weighing anything that snake was eating at his facility, but if you look at Perfect Prey's size ranges on their website a small rat can weigh close to 3x what an adult mouse/rat pup does. If you have a place local to you to buy frozen feeders they should be able to let you look and judge size before buying. Hope this is helpful.

[Gio]

Yeah all of my carpet pythons, and boas for that matter, are out hunting every single night regardless of how recently they've fed. As for prey size increase, I'd only step up about one size at a time. Came from Nick eating adult mice/rat pups? I'd look into rat pups/maybe a weaned rat. Based on the pics you posted of that animal in your hands it's got quite some time before it's ready for small rats in my opinion. Not trying to knock on Gio's suggestion of small rats, I just think they might be close to half of what the snake's weight.
Nick definitely wasn't weighing anything that snake was eating at his facility, but if you look at Perfect Prey's size ranges on their website a small rat can weigh close to 3x what an adult mouse/rat pup does. If you have a place local to you to buy frozen feeders they should be able to let you look and judge size before buying. Hope this is helpful.

NOOOO I agree,

I should have specified FUZZY.

I, unfortunately consider anything under a medium rat a "small" rat but there are smaller rats than "small" rats LOL!

My mistake, but yes, move up to that next step.

[Opaque]

I don't have any helpful information - I just wanted to pop in and say that Ziggy is gorgeous.