Refused The Mouse

[dp124]

Along with what everyone else said, an animal that age that has been feeding fairly regularly is likely to be entering a shed cycle. Many will not eat during this period. Check to see if the belly is a little pink. If it is the shed cycle is beginning.

Thank you!

[Bogertophis]

...Also, how often do you completely replace the substrate? I am currently using Aspen but I may switch to the EcoEearth with loose
coconut fiber and mix in a little bit of reptibark....

When it's "dirty". It sort of depends how much of a mess they make: if they travel thru fresh droppings to where the whole cage floor is contaminated, you'll want
to change the whole thing, but if they leave you a 'present' in one place (sometimes they use the water bowl or even their old skin as they shed their way out of it)
most of us do a "spot clean" (pick up the feces & immediate surrounding substrate) for a time or two before our eyes & nose tells us to change the whole thing.

[Craiga 01453]

I am using a UTH underneath the enclosure stuck directly to the enclosure.

I am using a heat controller from Zilla. The one with the dial to control the heating pad. Then I use a digital thermometer/hygrometer to get ambient temps and humidity along with a temperature gun to get surface temps.

*Current ambient temp/humidity reads 78*F / 62%

*Current surface temps reads 80*F (warm side......I have Zilla heat controller dialed to 95*) / 76*F (cool side)

I feed her inside of her enclosure. So no separate feeding tub

Thanks for all the advice. I will be going to the store to get new hides, plants, and something to cover the sides and back of the enclosure.

Also, how often do you completely replace the substrate? I am currently using Aspen but I may switch to the EcoEearth with loose coconut fiber and mix in a little bit of reptibark.

Thanks again!

Awesome reply, Thanks! I wish everybody made helping them this easy!

All sounds good. Sounds like husbandry is pretty solid. I just want to follow up on one thing, I may have just been confused by the wording. You said you set your t-stat to 95, but I didn't see an actual hot spot temp (the actual surface above the UTH). That sounds about right for a setting, by due to variance in equipment, etc...there's no "magic number". I personally shoot for an 89-90 degree hot spot, with 92 as the max suggested temp.

After some of the tweaks you're planning your security situation will be improved as well. Just choose cave style hides designed for snakes and be careful what you choose for plants. Don't buy plants with suction cups or any exposed wire (often used to create custom shapes), they can be dangerous to your snake.

As for substrate, I use Eco Earth and Repti-bark. I use a different ratio seasonally to help with humidity control. I do full cleanings "as needed". I spot clean whenever theygo to the bathroom, and with that comes some substrate. I usually do full, deep cleans every 3 months or so, depending on species and individual animal.

Good luck! Sounds like you're on the right track. Please keep us posted and ask any questions you may have.

[dp124]

Awesome reply, Thanks! I wish everybody made helping them this easy!

All sounds good. Sounds like husbandry is pretty solid. I just want to follow up on one thing, I may have just been confused by the wording. You said you set your t-stat to 95, but I didn't see an actual hot spot temp (the actual surface above the UTH). That sounds about right for a setting, by due to variance in equipment, etc...there's no "magic number". I personally shoot for an 89-90 degree hot spot, with 92 as the max suggested temp.

After some of the tweaks you're planning your security situation will be improved as well. Just choose cave style hides designed for snakes and be careful what you choose for plants. Don't buy plants with suction cups or any exposed wire (often used to create custom shapes), they can be dangerous to your snake.

As for substrate, I use Eco Earth and Repti-bark. I use a different ratio seasonally to help with humidity control. I do full cleanings "as needed". I spot clean whenever theygo to the bathroom, and with that comes some substrate. I usually do full, deep cleans every 3 months or so, depending on species and individual animal.

Good luck! Sounds like you're on the right track. Please keep us posted and ask any questions you may have.

Thanks for your knowledge and passing that down on to me lol. I appreciate everything.

But yea I currently have the t-stat set to 95 and I get a surface temp (using the temperature gun) of 80*F.

[Bogertophis]

...Don't buy plants with suction cups or any exposed wire (often used to create custom shapes), they can be dangerous to your snake....

I just want to add a few things here...personally I'm not a fan of fake plants, no matter how great they look or how functional they are (allowing privacy for snakes).

They don't usually start off with "exposed wires" but they aren't designed for heavy snakes to crawl thru & the plastic parts often come loose from the wires underneath,
leaving sharp wires exposed that will cut up your snake when they crawl thru them. That could happen today, or next year...anytime.

But the other thing is that a few years ago I read an article about the VERY frequent lead (etc) contamination found in plastic plants that typically end up on people's
tables, well within the reach of children's hands. Considering that the countries that make these fake plants are known for safety violations, I think it's worth noting.
(I'm guessing that the lead would be coming from cutting the wires used in the stems?)

Anyway, if you still decide to use these fake plants, I'd suggest washing them thoroughly first with soap & water. Remember that in use, contamination will "hide" all
over them too, so periodic washing & soaking with the soap & the disinfectant of your choice would be a good idea too.

[Craiga 01453]

Thanks for your knowledge and passing that down on to me lol. I appreciate everything.

But yea I currently have the t-stat set to 95 and I get a surface temp (using the temperature gun) of 80*F.

My pleasure, happy to help! We were all beginners once.

...and is that a typo or are you really getting an 80 (eighty) reading?

[dp124]

no typo. the surface temp is reading 80 degrees F

- - - Updated - - -

Thank you! I will keep that in mind!

[Jakethesnake69]

That 80 degree surface temp is something I struggled with. I found if I was going to get any kind of surface temp the first issue was way to much substrate. I was told 1-1/2 to 2” and no way would a UTH heat that up. I scaled it down and it’s approximately 1/2” now. I see 87-89 with thermostate set at 90. I get about 78-80 on cold side. Next was getting a good ambient temperature and found just heating under tank did nothing for ambient air temperature. I did not care for heat lamps and light cycle considerations so I use a thermostat regulated ceramic heat emitter set at 90 on hot side over UTH. On cold side I see air temps at snake height at 78 and 90 on hot. In center of tank it’s 84-85. I also covered 2/3 of tank to retain humidity. That I maintain at close to 50 percent or up. It was around 70 for the recent shed and it was a one piece shed.
My Pastel would not eat with a surface temp at 80. With the tank set as I explained above I have zero issues feeding and when it’s feeding day she is done eating quickly.
After many issues and some equipment failures this has been my success. I was also able to switch not only from live to F/T but mouse to rat all at once. I am basing this off of my snakes actions. She hides a lot but comes out and explores her environment usually at twilight. She when handled is very calm and shows no aggression and isn’t lethargic either. I have only been at snake keeping a very short period of time (6-7 weeks and have so much to learn but I really think if I were in your shoes I would get a secondary heat source. There are those with far more experience on here and I am curious what they have to say.

[Craiga 01453]

My pleasure, happy to help! We were all beginners once.

...and is that a typo or are you really getting an 80 (eighty) reading?

Ok, are you measuring the top of the substrate? Or the actual glass surface? You should be reading the actual glass surface because they can ad will burrow, move substrate around etc... so you want your surface temp at 89-90ish. If you try to get the substrate to that temp and the snake burrows and reaches the glass the glass will be too hot and potentially burn your snake.

[dp124]

That 80 degree surface temp is something I struggled with. I found if I was going to get any kind of surface temp the first issue was way to much substrate. I was told 1-1/2 to 2” and no way would a UTH heat that up. I scaled it down and it’s approximately 1/2” now. I see 87-89 with thermostate set at 90. I get about 78-80 on cold side. Next was getting a good ambient temperature and found just heating under tank did nothing for ambient air temperature. I did not care for heat lamps and light cycle considerations so I use a thermostat regulated ceramic heat emitter set at 90 on hot side over UTH. On cold side I see air temps at snake height at 78 and 90 on hot. In center of tank it’s 84-85. I also covered 2/3 of tank to retain humidity. That I maintain at close to 50 percent or up. It was around 70 for the recent shed and it was a one piece shed.
My Pastel would not eat with a surface temp at 80. With the tank set as I explained above I have zero issues feeding and when it’s feeding day she is done eating quickly.
After many issues and some equipment failures this has been my success. I was also able to switch not only from live to F/T but mouse to rat all at once. I am basing this off of my snakes actions. She hides a lot but comes out and explores her environment usually at twilight. She when handled is very calm and shows no aggression and isn’t lethargic either. I have only been at snake keeping a very short period of time (6-7 weeks and have so much to learn but I really think if I were in your shoes I would get a secondary heat source. There are those with far more experience on here and I am curious what they have to say.

Thank you!

- - - Updated - - -

Ok, are you measuring the top of the substrate? Or the actual glass surface? You should be reading the actual glass surface because they can ad will burrow, move substrate around etc... so you want your surface temp at 89-90ish. If you try to get the substrate to that temp and the snake burrows and reaches the glass the glass will be too hot and potentially burn your snake.

I am measuring the top of the substrate. Will do!