New to the forum, new to the bp world.

[h20hunter]

This is Snickers....if this works I'll post up all the good stuff!

[jclaiborne]

Welcome! The pic didn't show up for me, but I'm at work and sometimes certain links are blocked.

[h20hunter]

I think I got it this time......

[Pyrate81]

pic shows for me; i'm at home.

very good periscoping shot.

[h20hunter]

Thanks....I'll get a little write up about myself and the cold blooded beast that has come into our world. Gimme a little time and all shall be revealed!

[DooLittle]

Welcome! I can see the first pic, but not the second. There is a sticky on posting pictures. I link it for you if you want.

[h20hunter]

Okay...so here we go.

The story of Snickers began about 2 years ago when I took my son, "the boy", to a reptile zoo in our area. They are fairly famous in this area for having plenty of cool stuff. At 5 the boy was fairly intrigued about holding a baby alligator, a few snakes, and huge black beast that I believe was a king snake. It was a great experience for everyone. After that he started drawing snakes, talking about bearded dragons, checking out books at the library, weekly visits to the pet store, and continuous requests for a reptile of his own. As you know probably just about every parent pet horror story begins with "well little jonny wanted such and such". Not me, no way are the wife and I falling for the doe eyed mommy please look. However, he is a good boy and deserves a pet of his own....eventually. Fast forward just under two years and he is now seven years old and still a good boy. Also, he is still into snakes. By now I've learned, researched, and studied all I can to become as educated as one can be without being an owner. Fast forward a bit more and the wife is planning a trip to Chicago over a long weekend at the same time I happen to be cruising Craigslist for possible animals and just out of general curiousity. That is where I found Snickers. Did I mention the wife was in Chicago?

Kim, the owner of Snickers is a hippie. Like a full on hippie chick. The wanted a very low price for a 100 gallong tank (I know...huge...I'll get to that later) all the equipment, drops for water treatment and mite (never was a problem for them), the snake of course, and the stand. I was a little leary about the low price for everything ($150) but once we talked on the phone it was clear that it was more about finding a good home for her baby. I had to pinky swear that I would not put her in a small enclosure, not breed her, not feed her live, that I will handle her often, allow her to be out and free to get exercise, and provide a long lasting loving home. After two phone conversations and a few texts of my kids I was given permission (by Kim the owner, not my wife who was in Chicago remember) to come and see Snickers for the possible outcome of taking her home. I talked with my son about this and what the responsibility would entail. He was of course gungho as it gets. I made arrangements to go visit Snickers and take her home.

Her enclosure is a 100 gallong fish tank. I'm using a mix of eco bark (can't remember the brand) and aspen. I've got a cool end of the tank hide next to her water and a warmer end of the tank hide just over her undertank heat pad. I've got a basking wood structer that is directly under the heat lamp. Coldest part of the tank is right at 75, warm end with hide is right at 85, highest surface temp I can find with my IR gun is right under the light...surface of the wood for basking is right at 90. Humidity is good and holds right around 60% with additional misting currently being done because we are beginning our first shed. I've kept the enclosure pretty much exactly how it has been for her the last 6 years. She has a routine depending on feeding, day, night, that kind of thing and appears to be completely stress free for such a large tank.

Snickers herself. She is a female or so I'm told. She is supposedly turning 7 this January. She appears to be as docile as they come. She hasn't struck and only coils snuggly when she needs to hold on to an arm or is moving....just like I would expect her to. I've somewhat intentionally put my hand in harms way...bring it directly at her..that kind of stuff to being a bit of a test subject for her mood. So far, not a sign of aggression. I've taken her to my local pet store that is not a chain, they are awesome. They have given her a perfect bill of health in all ways except maybe a little small for her age. I'll get to that in a bit. She has never been bred and appears to me to be a "normal".

Feeding. This snake is what I suppose is the opposite of a picky eater. The owners told me they fed her a single mouse a month. Once we had her it was clear that she was in a hunting mode within a day or so of settling in her tank after the move. I was concerned that she may strike when I reach in to take her out so I took the inititive and picked up a mouse from the pet store. Since she has been on f/t I stuck with that. We let the mouse soak in a baggie, warmed it up, offered it to her in her little feeding tub. She hammered it like a diabetic at the donut shop, got it turned, swallowed, looked at me like yes please may I have another. The next day we went off and bought six more f/t mice to get a feeding cycle of once a week established. This was suggested to me by the folks I trust at my pet store and was similiar to all the forum and web reading. For the next three weeks I offered her two mice, f/t, back to back. Again, she horked them down with no issues what so ever. Last weekend I switched to a f/t small rat. It was a nice fat one. I wasn't sure what she would think. Would it be "where's my mouse?". We found out. We followed the normal routine and I was suggesting to the boy to move it around...get that scent moving...get her excited about the meal....that is what I was going to suggest. As soon as she got the scent she went right to it and stuck, coiled, and claimed her rat breakfast. Got it swallowed down and looked pleasantly plump and full. I let her settle, put her back in her enclosure. She promptly went to the basking area and just relaxed while digesting. Perfect. Couldn't be happier with her eating.

Now...we are getting ready for our first shed. Her belly has gotten pink and she is more reclusive. Her eyes have changed a bit back and forth and I expect her to be ready any time. I've upped the humidity and have high hopes. Even without the misting her previous owners mentioned that her shed went perfect...a one piece shed that they gave me.

Overall I couldn't be happier. She is an easy going snake and the upkeep is far less than I was used to with the previous pet, Smokey the cat, may his puking little but rest in piece!

I'll try and add a few more pics.

Cheers.

[h20hunter]

Also.....the wife was a bit surprised but totally on board once she got home.

[Naom9Anne]

She looks lovely albeit perhaps a little small but feeding weekly (as you suggested) with appropriate sized meals should soon bulk her up

Did you say she was feeding on F/T mice? What size mice? Also if you have some digital scales perhaps weighing her so you can eventually move her prey to a larger size may help. Of course this is all just my own personal opinion on what I would do, mice once a month does seem small for an adult BP.

Finally, congratulations on your new addition BP's are an absolutely amazing animal to keep and bring into the family. Good luck with your wife if she doesn't know yet

[Naom9Anne]

Also.....the wife was a bit surprised but totally on board once she got home.

You got that in just before I posted. Great result!