Koh - a progression thread for my first snake

[Absololol]

Hello all! I know that progression threads are a common thing here, and I wanted to get in on the action so that I can look back and see how much our little baby has grown in the future. I really wish I'd have done this with our little beardie, who is now a big girl, and although we have photos we didn't keep any kind of journal so I wanted to do that!

**Jan 2nd**
We got Koh! We'd had her vivarium running for a few days at this point. Our set up is a bioactive viv, and it's pretty huge. We don't want to have to 'update' it too much. I know that many people advise that a big viv is too scary for small animals because of security, but we made sure to clutter and clutter hard, with options for if she seemed too stressed. Leaf litter, branches, several hides and a log with one end closed off, along with live plants that provide cover. She has a small uvb light on a 12 hour cycle, which is specifically for species that don't really like light, and a ceramic heater controlled by a thermostat.

At this point we haven't named her! She weighs 78g and once we bring her home she immediately slithers into one of the hides. We leave her. We have no idea what to call her. My partner suggests "Koh", because she has lots of those lil' alien 'heads' (we didn't know that they were called that) and they look like faces. Koh is similar to the Japanese word for face, and is apparently a face stealing character from Avatar according to my partner. So she's named that cuz' she stole all the faces. They're on her noodle body.

**Jan 5th**
Koh is spending pretty much 24/7 in her hides, mainly on the hot side. She comes out at night and figures out that there is a water dish! I see her drink for the first time.

**Jan 7th**
She seems to have figured out that she can go under the log. The log has only one entrance and is filled with leaf litter inside, making it a lot snugger than you'd think. She hides in the day, but every night without fail she sticks her little head out like she's waiting for food. I try to feed, and get many tongue licks, but no dice. I leave the mouse out but she doesn't bite.

**Jan 9th**
I came down stairs at night and was surprised to see her climbed all the way up her branch at the highest point! She seems secure, but then falls off when coming down. A little plop doesn't seem to bother her, and she continues cruising.

**Jan 14**
Time to try food again! As her little head is peeking out of the log she definitely seems like she's in hungry mode. I try heating up and braining the food this time. Her first strike misses, but I'm hoping she'll try again... She does! She shoots. She scores. I leave her to eat.

**Jan 15**
I come down in the morning to see if she managed to finish. The mouse is gone and her belly is plump. She's curled up on top of her hide at the hottest part of the viv - maybe she's super-digesting. She lazes like this until midday, and then goes back into her hide.

Hopefully lots of updates to come. I really wanna handle her but I want to wait till she definitely feels good. All of her behaviour seems pretty on point though, despite my worries about the big viv.

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[richardhind1972]

Very cute, love the viv set up, them bromeliads look really nice as she grows you may have to change them as a big chunky snake on them often flattens them, lol
looks really good tho, I love to see natural set ups

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[Absololol]

Very cute, love the viv set up, them bromeliads look really nice as she grows you may have to change them as a big chunky snake on them often flattens them

In her short life, she has already managed to knock some of them so they 'fall' to the side several times, so I shudder to think of the carnage when she gets bigger.


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[EL-Ziggy]

Nice looking noodle and cool setup. Sounds like you all are off to a good start. Keep up the good work.

[Bogertophis]

Love the name! And it looks like you've got her figured out...she looks comfy in your beautiful set up & I look forward to your updates. At this point, she's got
her "learner's permit" & I expect soon she'll be off to the races, or at least a 'demolition-derby' for the plants, lol.

[gunkle]

What a cutie. Awesome name too. Great job on the enclosure looks cool. Well done doing your research and preparing ahead of time. It makes everything so much easier.

[Absololol]

**17th Jan**

I've come downstairs to do some cleaning in the day and she's having a 'bask' under her CHE. I decide to give her a little weigh so I can keep track of her, since it's been 3 days since she ate. I pick her up, and she doesn't ball up! She actually seems fairly okay, she isn't even head shy when my finger accidentally brushes her neck. She's weighing in at 101g, from her starting weight of 78g.

I let her 'roam' for about 15 minutes on my body so that her stress levels can fall whilst she's being handled so it isn't just acute stress. She seems to like climbing up and down my arms, but when she looks up at my face she sort of 'nopes' in the other direction and then continues cruising. Her roaming on top of a black shirt got me the opportunity to get some snaps! She really is beautiful.

No more handling or weighing until her next two meals I've decided - since I've just read you're supposed to wait multiple feedings! She seems confident and not stressed, so hopefully she feels comfortable enough to eat and I didn't mess up too bas.

After I put her back, she was pretty chilled! She cruised over to her water dish, had a drink (they drink so adorably!), then climbed her branch, plopped (read: fell) down, and cruised back over to her hot side. She yawned, and evidently fancied a nap, as she went to go curl up in her hide. Sleep sweetly little noodle.

Pictures incoming! (Accidentally used flash, her viv is much darker!)









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[Bogertophis]

...
No more handling or weighing until her next two meals I've decided - since I've just read you're supposed to wait multiple feedings! She seems confident and not stressed, so hopefully she feels comfortable enough to eat and I didn't mess up too ba[d]...

Oops! Yeah, patience is best ("safer") but understandably difficult for most of us.

After I put her back, she was pretty chilled! She cruised over to her water dish, had a drink (they drink so adorably!)...

Actually, they suck... (literally).

[Absololol]

Actually, they suck... (literally).

Yes! I could tell she was drinking due to the back of her head moving a little!

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[Absololol]

**Jan 19th**

Its muh birthday! My mother actually got me some nice things for my reptiles despite never really taking an interest in them or meeting them - she came over and handled my beardie who is understandably receptive to snugs, and she gifted me a piece of bark for Koh. I disinfected it and fashioned it into another hide - it makes for a nice tiny space for her to cram herself into so she really is spoiled for choice at this point.

I offer her food again today and she takes the mouse pretty much straight away. I want to get her onto rat fuzzies, I think I'm gonna put some in the same bag as the mice since I eventually do want her on rats.

I keep hearing conflicting things about feeding schedules - the guy we got her from said to feed every 5 days until she's 200g - but other places around seem to say 7 days? I'll probably wait until next Sunday for her next feed, I don't want to stress her out by feeding too frequently.

She ate so quick this time and after went to 'bask' under her CHE. It seems like after eating she loves that spot. When I came down in the morning she was still there, all snug and digesting.

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