New member, need some general info from OWNERS

[Derteufel]

Exactly Bruce. I want to hear what people think regarding my situation and their own and I can determine the people who actually have a very good idea of things and I like ot hear peoples setups and what they find ____ in ____ situations. Then I can think, inderstand, then apply. I dont mind spending some money as long as im not unecesarrily overlappting or going in circles. Taking steps is fine. And of course if im going to do it, I want it to be right for the snake. Im still pretty young but ive been on my own for several years and never anywhere I can keep a pet and I enjoyed having dogs and the other reptiles before. Ive had Imperial scorpions, they are amazing to watch and I still look at pictures of them and read up but they arent much to hanlde and they dont really do much hahaha. Nice to look at and interesting. Ive handled snakes even had a 4' - 4.5' rattle snake wander right up to me in a mountain park in the Santa Monica mountains. No kidding I was nervous just a little at first but... Ill save this story for the next post.

[Derteufel]

So im sitting in a 30m sq ft grassy area with 3 large park benches space far apart. Im sitting on one on the table feet on the bench and I look over my book and there is a rattle snake sitting there kind of oscilating his head side to side with his tongue in and out just sizing me up. then slowly comes toward me. I was wearing leather boots to my knees and I was high enough up and far away so I slowly creep on to the table. It slithers under the table and out the other side very calmly. So I put my feet on the bench on the other side as it comes out then step down 12" away from it. It stops not looking at me then slithers forward slowly. I follow slowly still a little nervous for 2 minutes. I stop and the snake turned toward my direction and we both changed direction. Im still 1 - 3 ft from it this whole time. Then it heads for the small street leading to the "more parking" area so I decide to walk it across. We slowly make it half way across the narrow street and this guy pulls just past in front of us stops jumps out about 3m away "is that yout snake! is that your snak! thats a NW Diamond Back! HONEY GET THE CAMERA!" I said no im just walking it across the street. The snake stops, the guys gf starts panicing and I get nervous he tellls her its cool starts taking pictures. Then a car full of asians, looked like a tourist family, pulls up bhind and the snake and I are in the middle of the street. im about 2 -3' away from it. Suddenly it becomes a little aggressive and starts to scrunch up and move in on the guy with the camera who starts say "Oh F#@#$ OH @#$%#..." and backing away the snake starts to get closer. Dont ask me what or why... but I kneeled onto one knee and the snake instanly stopped turned back toward me went right under me I could feel the pressure of it against my left ankle then crosses the remaiming 2 ft into the bushes at the side of the street. No one said anything the guy just turned got in his car and left. This isnt why im getting one. Ive handled BP and albinos but never anything happend this special. Just an interesting story. Ive got come cell phone pics. Ill get them up.

[Sonya610]

"is that yout snake! is that your snak! thats a NW Diamond Back! HONEY GET THE CAMERA!" I said no im just walking it across the street.

Good story! LOL...the part about "Is that your snake?" is hilarious!

[fishmommy]

Ive got to nail the humidity and what to fil the cage with, not wood chips I know.

you can definitely use wood chips, as long as you are careful about what kind of wood. It's best to start off the first couple months at least with a simple substrate of newspaper or paper towels so that you can carefully monitor your snake's output but once you get the hang of feeding and your snake proves to be healthy, you have some choices if you like wood chips.

I alternate between shredded aspen in the summer and shredded cypress in the winter. The cypress helps raise humidity, and looks great. Aspen does not raise humidity.
The key with using loose substrate is taking measures to prevent ingestion of it during feeding. Some people feed in a seperate tub with a paper substrate (or nothing at all) and some (like me) are able to feed on a plate or paper towel placed on top of the substrate right in the home enclosure. This second option is really designed for feeding prey that is already dead, otherwise it would just walk away from the clean feeding area.

anyway, good luck. I was thinking that if you wanted to dress up a tub, tank, or cage setup you could create a tombstone facade around it. you could even put the name of the snake on the tombstone. LOL!

[Derteufel]

fish mommy thants for the aspen and cypress contrst. And thats is a good idea about the decoration... Ill find something horror filled im sure. hmmm now Im thinking about it.

[littleindiangirl]

So im sitting in a 30m sq ft grassy area with 3 large park benches space far apart. Im sitting on one on the table feet on the bench and I look over my book and there is a rattle snake sitting there kind of oscilating his head side to side with his tongue in and out just sizing me up. then slowly comes toward me. I was wearing leather boots to my knees and I was high enough up and far away so I slowly creep on to the table. It slithers under the table and out the other side very calmly. So I put my feet on the bench on the other side as it comes out then step down 12" away from it. It stops not looking at me then slithers forward slowly. I follow slowly still a little nervous for 2 minutes. I stop and the snake turned toward my direction and we both changed direction. Im still 1 - 3 ft from it this whole time. Then it heads for the small street leading to the "more parking" area so I decide to walk it across. We slowly make it half way across the narrow street and this guy pulls just past in front of us stops jumps out about 3m away "is that yout snake! is that your snak! thats a NW Diamond Back! HONEY GET THE CAMERA!" I said no im just walking it across the street. The snake stops, the guys gf starts panicing and I get nervous he tellls her its cool starts taking pictures. Then a car full of asians, looked like a tourist family, pulls up bhind and the snake and I are in the middle of the street. im about 2 -3' away from it. Suddenly it becomes a little aggressive and starts to scrunch up and move in on the guy with the camera who starts say "Oh F#@#$ OH @#$%#..." and backing away the snake starts to get closer. Dont ask me what or why... but I kneeled onto one knee and the snake instanly stopped turned back toward me went right under me I could feel the pressure of it against my left ankle then crosses the remaiming 2 ft into the bushes at the side of the street. No one said anything the guy just turned got in his car and left. This isnt why im getting one. Ive handled BP and albinos but never anything happend this special. Just an interesting story. Ive got come cell phone pics. Ill get them up.

Nah, it aint mine. Just walking a snake across the street!

Personally, I would have bagged it and relocated it away from human establishments, or called to have someone remove it.

[Derteufel]

Nah, it aint mine. Just walking a snake across the street!

Personally, I would have bagged it and relocated it away from human establishments, or called to have someone remove it.

Illegal. Its a large mountain park and there are many snakes including rattle, dear, coyote,, rabbits squirrels amphibians even wild cats. Mountains and mountaints trees plants all sorts of things. Aaaaaand I didnt have a bag. ya serious, taking my pet rattle snake for a walk guy... he was just so excited.

[ChicaPiton519]

Later after all my tubs are cleaned, i will post some pics, i use cyprus mulch in ALL of my snakes cages, balls, bloods, boas, and carpets... it keeps humidity perfectly for me, and the only thing you must do is freeze it before you use it... =]

i paid $1.69 or somethin like that at lowes and got a big bag, i just dry it out and freeze it a few days before i clean cages =]

[littleindiangirl]

Illegal. Its a large mountain park and there are many snakes including rattle, dear, coyote,, rabbits squirrels amphibians even wild cats. Mountains and mountaints trees plants all sorts of things. Aaaaaand I didnt have a bag. ya serious, taking my pet rattle snake for a walk guy... he was just so excited.

Oh, it sounded like it was in the middle of a city.

[Derteufel]

Oh, it sounded like it was in the middle of a city.

Ya it kind of his. Have you been to southern california? The beach in decent 70 degree weather, then drive 2 hours to bear and you are in the snow. Downtown is full of highrises and alleys that smell of piss, and Topanga and SM mountains, green, trees, wild life and streams. Kinda cool.