Question about feeding new bp

[BuckeyeBalls]

They wonder around alot in a new cage for a few days! It is not hunting! It is stressed! I would wait at least a week if not two and feed live for the first couple feedings! Babies like to hunt their prey! Cover the sides and top of the tank. Make sure your temps are 80-84 on the cool side and 90-94 on the warm side. Use a digital thermometer with a probe to measure the temps on the ground. The ambient(air) temp should be at least 75. You need two identical tight fitting hides with one small opening on each. One hide goes in the warm side and one in the cool side! If it feels secure and warm then it will eat! Your humidity should be 50-80%! Good luck!

Just seen this. He hides all day. Just this night hes been out for like past hr wandering around.

The cage sits in a dresser where both drawers are taken out so the sides and back he cannot see anything but wood since its sits in there. There is room between the tub and walls tho. The front i have a blanket hanging from it to kinda hide the front so its dark inside. I normally put blanket over at night for 2 reasons. One so its dark(night time) for him and 2 my dogs are nosey. They sleep in the room they see him moving they get curious. Since blanket is up their to dumb to know whats behind it lol

The UTH sits at 90-94*

Hot side temp is like mid to high 80's

Cool side like mid 70s low 80's

Humidity is between 50-80 on both sides.

[cinderbird]

Hmm well hes been in his hide all day. Its about 11:35 and hes been out roaming around. cool side is like 83* at like 66% humidity. the cool side is like 79* with 58% humidity.

I know the hot side has kinda high humidity but iv been adding a bit more holes to bring it down. Would try to bring it down more but hes out wandering around and when i take a peek in the side of the tub to see temps (no opening it) and if he sees me he like makes a S with his neck and just stares at me like he wants to eat me lol. After all tonight is his normal feeding night.

So in the morning should i work on trying to lower the humidity or is 66 good for now?

the humidity will dissipate over time, but the hot side needs to be hotter. 83 is good for your cool side. If you don't have one yet, get a reliable thermostat. a dimmer can be used in the meanwhile, but i always recommend something you can set and forget.

[kc261]

The "staring like he wants to eat me" (or the dogs) is probably more like "staring trying to figure out if you might eat him."

Let the little guy have a week to settle in to his new home. While it is entirely possible that he'd eat now if you offered it, there will be NO harm to him to wait. On the other hand, offering food when he is too stressed to eat it will only add to his stress.

I see no harm in trying f/t the first time you offer him food. Some will take it right away even if they are used to live. If he doesn't take it the first time, then give him live until he is eating for you consistently, and then try to make the switch.

Your humidity is fine for now. After you've had him a while and you can see how it fluctuates over time, you may want to adjust it a little bit. For example, you may find the aspen is slightly humid the way it is packaged, but dries out a few days after you put it in the enclosure, so your humidity gets too low and you need to cover up a few holes.

[BuckeyeBalls]

the humidity will dissipate over time, but the hot side needs to be hotter. 83 is good for your cool side. If you don't have one yet, get a reliable thermostat. a dimmer can be used in the meanwhile, but i always recommend something you can set and forget.

It seems the longer the lid sits on the higher it gets lol but when i open it just a tad bit to check temps it lowers

I got a ok tstat its nothing to fancy for now. Its the Zilla Temperature Controller.

I can get the hot side hotter i just didnt know if the hot side being like 85-90 + the uth temp 90-94 would be to hot and hurt him.

The "staring like he wants to eat me" (or the dogs) is probably more like "staring trying to figure out if you might eat him."

Let the little guy have a week to settle in to his new home. While it is entirely possible that he'd eat now if you offered it, there will be NO harm to him to wait. On the other hand, offering food when he is too stressed to eat it will only add to his stress.

I see no harm in trying f/t the first time you offer him food. Some will take it right away even if they are used to live. If he doesn't take it the first time, then give him live until he is eating for you consistently, and then try to make the switch.

Your humidity is fine for now. After you've had him a while and you can see how it fluctuates over time, you may want to adjust it a little bit. For example, you may find the aspen is slightly humid the way it is packaged, but dries out a few days after you put it in the enclosure, so your humidity gets too low and you need to cover up a few holes.

I open the lid every now and then just a tad bit just to check temps to make sure all is ok. I dont bother him or anything, So is it good like it is now my temps and stuff? Should i just leave it as it is now for like a week or two then try to fix the humidity then? It wont hurt him till then?

[kc261]

I can get the hot side hotter i just didnt know if the hot side being like 85-90 + the uth temp 90-94 would be to hot and hurt him.

No, that won't hurt him. You want the temp in his hot spot to be 90-95. If the temp you are measuring at 90-94 is on the UTH outside of the enclosure, that probably does not make the hot spot hot enough. Bump it up a bit.

[BuckeyeBalls]

No, that won't hurt him. You want the temp in his hot spot to be 90-95. If the temp you are measuring at 90-94 is on the UTH outside of the enclosure, that probably does not make the hot spot hot enough. Bump it up a bit.

Well i have the UTH reading 90-94 on the inside of the cage. The tstat probe is on the outside under the UTH but i got my acu rite probe on the inside on the plastic above the UTH.

So the uth temp on the inside of the tub is 90-94 mostly 91-93

Should i still make the air temp like closer to 90?

[kc261]

Well i have the UTH reading 90-94 on the inside of the cage. The tstat probe is on the outside under the UTH but i got my acu rite probe on the inside on the plastic above the UTH.

So the uth temp on the inside of the tub is 90-94 mostly 91-93

Should i still make the air temp like closer to 90?

That sounds perfect! As long as the air temp is at least 80 throughout the entire enclosure, that is warm enough. Your snake can absorb the heat through his belly.

I bet you would find that the air temp under the warm side hide is warmer. If it isn't warm enough inside the hide, you may have too thick a layer of aspen, and that is absorbing too much heat.

[cinderbird]

Well i have the UTH reading 90-94 on the inside of the cage. The tstat probe is on the outside under the UTH but i got my acu rite probe on the inside on the plastic above the UTH.

So the uth temp on the inside of the tub is 90-94 mostly 91-93

Should i still make the air temp like closer to 90?

the air temp should never be that hot. 80 is fine. air temp of 90 means the hot spot is WAY to hot.

Sounds like your set up just needs to even out.

To give you an example, i have my heat tape set to 96. The enclosures hot spots are between 90-94 depending on what level they're in on the rack. The ambients (air temps) hover around 80-82.

[seeya205]

Your temps are pretty good! Wait a while on adding holes! The humidity should go down in a week or so!

[zantedeschia]

Wow, lots of "he's stressed", "he's exploring his new environment".

He may be hungry and out hunting. If you're concerned, try feeding. I've fed every new snake within a day after I've gotten them, they've all eaten. Getting a refusal will not imprint your snake for life.

My philosophy is to give the snake what he wants. It took me 5 months to figure out one of my snakes and that is to toss in a live mouse, go away and let him eat in peace. My others, 3 take f/t off tongs, and one I have to leave the f/t prey in his cage, go away and let him eat in peace.

What these other people are saying is it may cause problems if you feed too soon. Not that it will.