Found the face rub/pushing issue...

[jmcrook]

Got it figured out. Moved her into the full T8 from being in the left side of it when it was divided. The gap between the door and front lip of the cage on the right side gives Phyllis enough room to total smash her face in the gap which she didn't have available in the left side only ... I told you guys she's got some of the wild side being first generation captive bred. I think I may try some 1/8" foam weather stripping to fill some of that gap but worried she'll peel it up and get stuck to it. I could stuff something more rigid in there 2"X1/4" strip of wood or plexiglass but then I've got only one functional sliding door as that would act like a door jam. Anyone have another suggestion? Gio? Sauzo? Other SD/D retic folks?


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[Sauzo]

Dang, your girl is active lol. Caesar is lazy by comparison. He only gets excited when dinner is close lol. I got a lazy retic lol. Anyways, my BP used to do that in her AP cage. I just let her do it and she finally quit. My big boa will try and of it too but her head is way too big to fit in there. I personally wouldn't worry about it unless she starts tearing herself up, then maybe try the strip of wood idea you got.

I'm assuming she has cool and warm hides and the temps and humidity are all good? Also she might need more food to "mellow" her out. I know with Caesar, I've been giving him 2 adult mice every 5-7 days and he's now a lounger lol. I took a picture of him today. I lifted his cool hide and stuck the camera in there and all he did was pull his head out from his coils, slowly turn and then lay his head down facing me lol. Heres a picture of it. But like I said, if everything husbandry is fine, try and feed her more.

[jmcrook]

Yep about 90* warm, 78-81 cool, 65% humidity, RHP on a Herpstat 2 with acurites in both the BP and the retic cages. Pushing abrasions have gotten a tad worse in the last week but still not awful. I'm going to fill the gap, give her a 100 gram rat and see how it goes. I've got a feeling she'll chill out a bit after that. In retrospect I wish I'd have gotten the swinging doors on her cage so there wasn't any clearance to smash her face between. Maybe for her next upgrade when she's due for it.

Hahaha! If I pulled the hide off of mine like that, assuming she wasn't already at the cage door before it was fully unlocked, I think she would lose it and come flying at the nearest heat signature. Wicked feeding response from her from day one. I swear I ended up with a reticulated honey badger by mistake lol

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[Sauzo]

Lol. I don't bother to weigh anything. I just give Caesar something that fills him up. I was giving him small rats but I feel those are too big. He got them down but my god, it looked like he ate a football. 2 Adult mice seems to make the perfect lump for him. As for feeding Caesar goes crazy when he gets the food lol. he wraps it and then pushes it around and sniffs its butt a few times and pushes it around more, drags it and then eats it lol. The only time he actually took a shot was after I messed with him 2 times during shed. The third time he had enough and took a half hearted shot at me lol. Your girl probably just needs more food. Try maybe smaller prey but on a faster schedule. Sucks the abrasions are getting worse. Feed her into a food coma!!! She really is going for the gusto in that picture lol. I think I would be more worried about her popping out a door off the tracks lol.

[jmcrook]

Good lord you should see her pushing at the the doors. It's borderline disturbing. Using every muscle in her body to mash her face against it. I'm thawing a big small/small medium rat for her and we speak. I can't go to sleep knowing she's destroying her face like that all night.


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[Sauzo]

Good lord you should see her pushing at the the doors. It's borderline disturbing. Using every muscle in her body to mash her face against it. I'm thawing a big small/small medium rat for her and we speak. I can't go to sleep knowing she's destroying her face like that all night.


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Dang man. That's sounds pretty bad. My big boa sometimes flops against the glass doors when she's playing spider snake and crawling upside down on the top of the cage but nothing like what it sounds your girl is doing. I pray Caesar doesn't push like that when he gets older lol. So far I think i'm lucky as I only really see Caesar outside cruising around when he wants food. I just give him food and he is happy to go curl up behind his hides or inside them lol. And wow a small/medium rat? How big is your girl? A small rat for Caesar looks like he ate a football.

[jmcrook]

Small rat hardly makes an identifiable bulge in her. She's over 800grams and a solid 5' at just over 8 months old. Her last 4 meals were the only time she's moved down in prey size and I suspect that's the issue. Had moved up to 90-100gram rats and then got four 50 gram rats since Oct 5th. Even the 101 gram rat she just ate didn't leave an overly huge bulge in her. Noticeable but by no means football looking. Might be time to bump up to mediums at a minimum from now on. Gonna try to keep her stuffed without being obese and see how things go from there. Wish me luck!


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[Sauzo]

Dang! My little man is only about 3' and just over 5 months old. Maybe i'll get lucky and he'll top out at 5' lol. And good luck. Hopefully you can get her to quiet down.

[Gio]

I'm having the same issue with my male boa. He goes about 6.5 - 7 feet and he's been pushing like crazy. I'm in the process of dropping temps now and I'm wondering if he is looking for a meal or two before the season totally changes. My female carpet will do the same now and then, but both snakes have good sized cages. I think you idea of filling in the gap is good. I wedged some paper in the spot my boa was pushing and he seemed to drop his interest level.

They do like to look for gaps and spices to explore and it always seems to be by the glass. I wonder if you cover it for a while if she'll stop.

Keep us posted.

[Gio]

I'm having the same issue with my male boa. He goes about 6.5 - 7 feet and he's been pushing like crazy. I'm in the process of dropping temps now and I'm wondering if he is looking for a meal or two before the season totally changes. My female carpet will do the same now and then, but both snakes have good sized cages. I think your idea of filling in the gap is good. I wedged some paper in the spot my boa was pushing and he seemed to drop his interest level.

They do like to look for gaps and spices to explore and it always seems to be by the glass. I wonder if you cover it for a while if she'll stop.

Keep us posted

Wallace is too small to push just yet and he hides a lot.

PS.

Cody said adding some height stops a lot of pushing so maybe it's time to get into the 18" or higher caging?? Just a thought if it gets really bad.