Christmas Boa Heat Concerns

[Flint]

She's a mix. Apparently Rocky has just been awoken to banging on his door and a delivery guy in his face (safe to say he's not happy). I guess they shipped to the billing address rather than the shipping address.... Upon opening the box, he didn't find the snake he ordered or the heat tape, but two Common hatchlings - one labeled male and one labeled female.. Great. He ran to walmart and picked up a few heat packs because he can't bring them over until Tuesday. They are alive, though. I really wish he could send photos, I want to see them. Now I have a whole new issue, though.

Can two hatchlings live in a 32qt for 1-2 months if I fill it to the brim with hides? He ordered some heat tape (3ft of 12") from reptilebasics. If I get two 32qt bins, I don't think I can get enough of both of them on the 3ft of tape to keep them warm. I told him to give them lukewarm baths (it's 30F out right now) to get them a little water and warmed up a bit. I was stressed about one snake, now there are two. Ugh.

I swear, I'm going to go into labor early if this keeps up.

[Flint]

I got two 34qt (It was the closest I could find to 32qt) sterilite tubs. They will both fit on the heat pad just fine, I was expecting different dimensions. I also got two large plastic dog food bowls at the dollar store to use on the cool side as a water dish. They should be plenty large enough for the snakes to use until they outgrow these tubs. What should I use as hides on the warm side? Do they need a hide on the cool side as well? (I imagine they will curl up in the corner behind the water bowl)

These are the exact tubs I got - http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-...-of-6/15539793

These are the exact bowls I got - http://www.dollartree.com/household/...4607/index.pro

[southbay54]

thought you where using flex watt not heat pad

[Flint]

I never said I was using a heat pad?

[bcr229]

Holy cow I would be livid at that seller! I wonder if he sent your snake and heat tape to someone who ordered the two normals you received?

When you said "Wal-Mart heat packs", did you mean the hand warmers? Because they can get way too hot and burn your snake. The more access to oxygen they have the hotter they run. If that's all that's available, wrap them in a hand towel or t-shirt or something so those babies can't touch it directly.

They do need hides. Don't laugh - my home-based business does a lot of shipping so I have stacks of USPS flat-rate boxes sitting around. The small flat-rate boxes work nicely as disposable hides, and they're free at the post office. Just don't use tape on them! I completely rip off the piece with the sticky adhesive (no tape in the tub!), the piece it would normally stick to extends the "roof", and I cut a hole in the larger flat side that sits on the heat so the snake isn't blocked from the warmth.

[Flint]

The snakes are still in their deli cups in the box with styro. The heatpack was wrapped in newspaper and put in there with them, just like if they were being shipped again. The seller has dissappeared off of the face of the planet. If anything, these two snakes are worth more than the one that was ordered (she was only $60) so, while I'm upset that the snake that was ordered wasn't recieved and that we recieved two snakes, I am slightly pleasantly surprised. We'll see what the fiance has to say about that Tuesday, I was specifically told I was only allowed to get one. Is there a reason you don't use the adhesive in the cage?

[bcr229]

The seller has dissappeared off of the face of the planet.

I am so not surprised.

If anything, these two snakes are worth more than the one that was ordered (she was only $60) so, while I'm upset that the snake that was ordered wasn't recieved and that we recieved two snakes, I am slightly pleasantly surprised.

I will pray that they are healthy - one vet visit for an RI could change that quickly. In the meantime the two new ones need to be kept well away from your other snakes. Given the seller's shadiness I would quarantine them at your fiance's house for 4-6 months, or does he also have snakes of his own?

We'll see what the fiance has to say about that Tuesday, I was specifically told I was only allowed to get one.

Boas are like Pringles, there is no way to stop at one.

Is there a reason you don't use the adhesive in the cage?

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...LL-caresheets!

[Flint]

I hope they are healthy, too, no knowledgeable reptile vets around here. /: My fiance and I live together and these are our only snakes.

[southbay54]

I got two 34qt (It was the closest I could find to 32qt) sterilite tubs. They will both fit on the heat pad just fine,

above

[Flint]

I was referring to the tape, I apologize.