Quote Originally Posted by AliBe View Post
the reason i don't feed her in her enclosure is because I've been told that she will associate me reaching in to her tank with feeding time and could start striking at me. i handle her a lot, but this is my first reptile so i am still a little unsure when i hold her...so i try to avoid anything that will cause her to strike. the only reason i am hesitant to get an extra mouse is because i also have 2 cats and i know they will drive me crazy if i have a live mouse chilling in the house for a few days.
i'm not sure how much she weighs but she is about 18" long.
one more thing- i've heard conflicting opinions on things like hides and dirt to burrow in. some people have told me that they are unnecessary, others have said they'll get stressed and won't eat without it. should i get her a hide? i think i'm going to need to upgrade to a bigger tank if i do.
how often should i change her bedding? i use dirt bought from the pet store if that makes any difference.
Her associating your hand with food is an old wives tale and completely NOT true. That said, be sure not to handle her around feeding time.
She NEEDS a hide, prefferable two...one at the warm side and one at the cool side. Hides are EXTREMELY important.
Dirt will only make her dirty and it's not needed. She may ingest it when eating. Please try newspaper, repti-bark or aspen...never cedar or pine woodchips as they can kill your snake.
Hope this helps.