Help for a newbie - Python On Cold Side!

[Craiga 01453]

Wow, I just read this entire thread start to finish. I just have a few thoughts:

1) Mr Sully, you are amazing!! In my opinion, this is a perfect example of why this forum is here. It allows new keepers a great chance to ask questions and talk directly with people who have the experience needed to help out the newbies. Obviously, it's a great forum for experienced keepers, breeders, newbies and everyone in between, but without people like Mr Sully taking the time to help out the newbies there would be a lot of people struggling with their new snakes, people giving up, snakes in unhealthy environments and unfortunately, snakes dying. So, KUDOS to you Mr Sully!!!

2) tttaylorrr, your input and positive reinforcement are another example of why this forum is here. Without people like you to support some of the new keepers we would probably see people giving up or losing animals. You are there to help people learn and develop a passion that obviously began somewhere, where perhaps some people would give up too early and never get the chance to really appreciate these magnificent animals. So, thank you!!

3) SandmansDreams, WOW!! Your dedication and open mind are second to none and quite inspiring!! You certainly have been intent on giving your new girl a happy, healthy home. After asking questions, taking tons of advice and putting in some serious effort, you seem to be in a good place now with your husbandry. Great job!!! I promise, it gets easier from here. As far as feeding goes, don't sweat it, she will eat soon, when she's ready. And just to throw my two cents into the feeding situation: I always feed my snakes in their enclosures and have yet to have any problems at all. The tank aggression seems, if at all, to only come into play for people who almost never or very rarely handle the particular snake. If the only time a hand enters the cage is to feed or clean, than yeah, maybe an open enclosure or a hand inside the enclosure might trigger certain thoughts in the snakes mind, but even then I think it's a stretch as the animal is not acclimated to human interaction and may strike, whether for food or out of fear/aggression....
If you're concerned about substrate ingestion being a problem while feeding inside the enclosure maybe lay down a paper towel or paper plate inside the enclosure and try to get the snake to eat there. I feed my corns inside their enclosure and lay a paper towel down and it's worked just fine so far. My King and my BP have an area of the enclosure that has doesn't have loose substrate and I feed them there. Also keep this in mind. They are wild animals that have survived thousands of years eating in the woods, forests, etc... Nobody is cleaning off the food the eat in the wild and yet they survive. They digest bone, fur, etc...so a little substrate will very unlikely be a problem...
Keep up the good, no, GREAT work!!! Your snake is lucky to have you and the rewards of keeping a snake will be yours to enjoy for many years to come!!
P.S., just think, now you know what to expect when you bring your next snake home and you won't have all these learning curve headaches to deal with...and yes, I said WHEN you bring your next snake home, not IF, because snakes are like tattoos, one gets you hooked and almost nobody I know has just one snake or one tattoo, hahaha!!

I know there are plenty of other people who chimed in to help out our new friend on this thread that (and all the others) I didn't include, it wasn't intentional. Mr Sully and tttalyorrr just stuck out to me in this particular thread. They put in the time and effort to help a new keeper with a new snake, which helps both the person AND the animal, which is the reason we are all here in the first place right?? Let's all keep in mind, we were ALL beginners once and NONE of us know everything...