Paranoid/Worried New BP Mommy :D

[OFRD_GRL]

Someone PM'd me for pics of her enclosure, so here you are just snapped em real quick while she was cuddling with her dead rat..
(this is what I got her with, except the log was another one of those plastic hides...)
I am gonna be building her a new one (next week or two) that will be a little more accomodating, and that I can put a humidity monitor in and mount a better thermometer in and such.

The side with the log is the cool side, the side with the plastic hide is the warm side. It has a digital reptile thermostat and a digital thermometer in it as well.
It maintains about a 70% humidity from what I can gather.
The heating pad is always between 89-91 degrees F.
And the pictures don't show it well, but the tub does have lots of drilled holes in it. It's not solid plastic, just to clarify.

[TheNunciate]

I just went through the same thing with my new BP. Tried every trick and nothing for a couple weeks. Then I just left a rat in there that had a little gerbil flavor overnight and covered the tank for privacy and the next afternoon it was gone. Now she eats like a champ!

Seriously, just leave it in there. If she's hungry, she'll take it but they are very shy sometimes and may need privacy at first. Don't resort to live food. It's just a bad idea. Be patient and don't panic--she'll eat when she's hungry.

Also, I wouldn't try too many times in a row. Try once and wait a few days before you try again. It stresses the snake out if you pester it with food.

[TheOtherLeadingBrand]

She is pretty- good luck with her

Mine eat live. I haven't tried anything else.

[GoFride]

Under the BP Husbandry section, look for the Sticky post right at the top
for the feeding technique video by Adam Wysocki from 8 Ball - it's very useful.
Hope this helps!

___________________________
Deb V.

[TheNunciate]

Some people prefer to feed live. Some snakes will only take live food. We tried it once and Shai' got a scratch while she was checking it out. Bashed that little mousie's brains right out.

I'm paranoid that she's going to get injured by the prey and it's much more convenient to have frozen rats than live ones. If you do try live, just don't leave it unattended. Nasty things can happen

[TheOtherLeadingBrand]

Absolutely! Good advice.

[Ed Chisholm]

Your getting lots of good advice here, and thats coming from someone who was new to this and asked a lot of questions in the beginning. Something that I did to my enclosure after seeking advice really worked well for me and my BP "Viper." I purchased two identical hides, one for the cool side @ 80 degrees and one for the warm side @ 90 degrees. I got rid of the 1/2 log thing, and went with two roundish hides with a single entrance so she could get in there and feel nice and secure. I have two UTH (Under The Tank) heaters, both controlled by thermostats with probes under the substrate on the floor of the enclosure. I have an Accurite measuring the humidity, ambient temp as well as the "hot" side. I have a second digital thermometer probe measuring the "cool" side. Viper has done quite well since I made these improvements, and she will usually strike at a F/T rat when presented to her. When she does not show interest I leave it in her cage and make the room dark & quiet. It is usally gone within an hour.
Welcome to the site, and the best of luck with your new pet.

[GoFride]

What finally did the trick for me with my one and only fussy eater (there's always one LOL) was to crumple up newspapers and put them all over the enclosure - that way my nervous eater felt secure and "invisible". Worked like a charm! Keep us posted!

___________________
Deb V.

Het Piebald 1.0, Piebald 0.1, Pastel 0.2, SuperPastel 0.1, Lesser 0.1, Normal 0.1 and on the lookout for the perfect Pinstripe! (I'd sell my left kidney for a Desert Pin - gorgeous!)

[OFRD_GRL]

Under the BP Husbandry section, look for the Sticky post right at the top
for the feeding technique video by Adam Wysocki from 8 Ball - it's very useful.
Hope this helps!

___________________________
Deb V.

Awesome, thanks

Your getting lots of good advice here, and thats coming from someone who was new to this and asked a lot of questions in the beginning. Something that I did to my enclosure after seeking advice really worked well for me and my BP "Viper." I purchased two identical hides, one for the cool side @ 80 degrees and one for the warm side @ 90 degrees. I got rid of the 1/2 log thing, and went with two roundish hides with a single entrance so she could get in there and feel nice and secure. I have two UTH (Under The Tank) heaters, both controlled by thermostats with probes under the substrate on the floor of the enclosure. I have an Accurite measuring the humidity, ambient temp as well as the "hot" side. I have a second digital thermometer probe measuring the "cool" side. Viper has done quite well since I made these improvements, and she will usually strike at a F/T rat when presented to her. When she does not show interest I leave it in her cage and make the room dark & quiet. It is usally gone within an hour.
Welcome to the site, and the best of luck with your new pet.

I also have the under tank heater for her (the warm side). With thermometer probes & thermostat.
I am leaving the Rat in the cage overnight but if it is not gone in the AM I will take it out.
(what is too long to leave rat in there, as far as when it starts to grow bacteria/etc.?)

I got the log because it was short enough to fit in her tank, but big enough she could get her body in. Her plastic hide is too small for her, but I can't fit any other plastic hides until I get a larger area for her to inhabit

Thanks again for all teh info everyone!