| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Sassenach |
Posted - 10/09/2012 : 20:25:12
Despite having had a lifelong love of snakes I only eventually got around to buying one (ie. persuading the wife) over the August Bank Holiday. Her name is Annie, she's 3yo and coming up for 4ft long. She is the most beautiful thing I own (don't tell the wife I said that !).
As a new owner I may well end up asking what appear to be very silly questions - may I apologise in advance for this.
Not going to ask about feeding - previous owner said she fed on 18th August so I know it's too early to worry yet. At least she showed a little interest in the last mouse offered rather than blanking it completely as she had done previously !
So I basically have 2 questions.
1) Annie has a habit of moving things around the viv at night and frankly leaving it very untidy after I have carefully arranged everything in an aesthetically pleasing manner. Is she rearranging things how she would like them and is she therefore going to get the hump with me for constantly putting them back ? Or am I giving her too much capacity for thought ?!
2) She has 2 hides - a log and a cave. I made a fairly early decision to never disturb her when she's in the log so she knows she has a place to go if she wants me to leave her along. Again am I giving her too much capacity for thought ? Am I okay to handle her from within a hide or should I always wait until she's out and about ?
That's about it for now. I'm sure I'll be back with more sooner or later. |
| 17 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Baobab |
Posted - 12/09/2012 : 15:34:36
Haha sneck I was thinking that but didnt like to say.  |
| Snecklifter |
Posted - 12/09/2012 : 13:55:35
quote:
Originally posted by Sassenach
I only eventually got around to buying one (ie. persuading the wife) over the August Bank Holiday. Her name is Annie, she's 3yo and coming up for 4ft long.
Thats an odd size for anybody's wife in my opinion... |
| Lorraine |
Posted - 11/09/2012 : 11:42:49
Hi Sassenach, welcome.
Just wondering if Annie could be in breeding mode? They can wreck their vivs then too. |
| LittlestarRed |
Posted - 11/09/2012 : 09:49:09
Welcome to the world of Snakes Sassenach!
If you need to ask for advice because you don't know something then it's not a silly question! Others have given great advice for your questions above, so I don't need to repeat it.
Enjoy your new Baby! :) |
| Baobab |
Posted - 11/09/2012 : 08:09:50
As bob said above. Great advice from everybody already. Welcome in and have some fun and a bit of banter.
Bet you don't stop at one. |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 11/09/2012 : 00:32:31
Hello and welcome to the madhouse. Plenty of snake-nutters around on here eager to chat all things snake. Congratulations on the new snake.
Think all your questions have been answered so I'll not add anything other than welcome to a thoroughly rewarding 'hobby', I say hobby as I cant think of a better word that describes how reptiles will take over your life in a good way. |
| GMac |
Posted - 11/09/2012 : 00:22:50
hi and welcome |
| Tiggy |
Posted - 11/09/2012 : 00:22:16
Hi! Welcome to the Forum. This really is a great place for help. 'Nuther trick you could try ......knowing that Royals are partial to gerbils......if you have a pet shop close by that sell these little creatures as pets, ask them if you can have a small bag of their used bedding (not joking!). Put your defrosted rat in with this material, warm for a while with a hairdrier sp that the gerbil smell is transferred to the rat, and try feeding your snake after brushing off any loose bedding from the rat. My local branch of Pets at Home are quite obliging to me now and dont look at me odd when I ask for this material. |
| HaydenK |
Posted - 10/09/2012 : 23:46:23
Hey there Sassenach, welcome to the forums!
Just a heads up, these forums are great, people within the forums have great knowledge with snakes that come with their experience. There are plenty of guides that I recommend you check out which can be checked out throughout the whole forum ;)
one thing I tend to do with feeding is put the tub with the rat in into a larger tub that has boiling water in, that releases the smell into the whole room and allows the snake to prepare to be fed (at least that;s how mine react)
About them moving the things around, it is just down to the snakes strength, they are quite stupid animals, which tend to knock things about and they also tend to cause destruction. Allow the snake to do this and it is up to you if you want to move things back. They don't really care ;)
Anyway! I hope you like the information people are giving you, I saw it as great help. :) |
| badwool |
Posted - 10/09/2012 : 21:18:15
quote:
Originally posted by Sassenach
Thanks for comments - great to find somewhere that will provide useful information / tips.
@badwool - previous owner said she won't touch rats, just v large mice. Anything I can do to convince her that rat is a tasty alternative ?
there are loads useful tips but some popular ones are rubbing a mouse onto a rat, or smearing a rat in mouse blood/entrails etc or maybe defrosting the two in the same bag. |
| Meadow |
Posted - 10/09/2012 : 21:12:33
Hello and welcome
No questions are silly questions - if you need to know something, just ask. Everyone is really friendly here and happy to help.
Like you, I've had a lifelong love of snakes but only took the plunge in May this year after much deliberation. I totally fell in love with a Royal Python I held about three years ago so was determined that if I was to get a snake, it would be a royal and nothing else. I'm on my own with two young children, no-one else to worry about and tell me I can't do this and can't do that, and I thought it would be great for the children to have a pet. The three of us did lots of research before we got our snake, found out the do's and don't's, what it needs, what it doesn't etc, and this was great for the children to learn they couldn't just go out on a whim and buy one. They absolutely love her (Penelope, born early 2012), as do I, she's a little marvel 
Enjoy the forum, it really can be a lifeline when our snakes throw us into a mad panic by doing something we're not used to!
|
| AndyJ80 |
Posted - 10/09/2012 : 20:56:21
You can warm them up with a hair dryer, royals don't use their sight to hunt but their heat pits around the mouth, warming it up helps to identify the prey |
| Sassenach |
Posted - 10/09/2012 : 20:51:11
Thanks for comments - great to find somewhere that will provide useful information / tips.
@badwool - previous owner said she won't touch rats, just v large mice. Anything I can do to convince her that rat is a tasty alternative ? |
| AndyJ80 |
Posted - 10/09/2012 : 20:47:09
Welcome to the forum and the royal club, don't forget to post a pic of your new 'baby'
In answer to your questions:
1. Annie is a big lass, so just through exploring she's liable to move things around. With such bulk, they can easily tip over water bowls, move logs/hides etc
2. I've always held my snakes even if they were in their hide, just don't force them out (eg. tugging away while they're holding on for dear life to the edges of the hide). They'll give you a warning if they don't want to be held either by hissing or a warning strike, but the more you know about your snake, the easier it'll be for you to judge their body language etc
Hope these help |
| badwool |
Posted - 10/09/2012 : 20:42:50
Oh and welcome :-) |
| badwool |
Posted - 10/09/2012 : 20:41:22
Handle her whenever Id say. Unless she fed within last 48hours or is in blue.
re feeding I don't think she should be on mice at that age/size. |
| Kelfezond |
Posted - 10/09/2012 : 20:41:10
Welcome to TRP, Sassenach!
I think to both questions you're giving her too much capacity for though, well the first one you are - snakes are just little hooligans who generally bang things around a lot :)
The second one you're probably best of taking the stance that she's your pet and you'll be handling her whenever you want to no matter where she is, best she gets used to that instead of retreating to her "safe place" and never leaving it for fear of being grabbed by the man in the sky :) |
