| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Zoe |
Posted - 13/03/2013 : 14:33:52
hi, I've been looking reading and posting bits here and there.
I got Oscar on Friday 8th. He's a 30" normal with 5" girth and is 18m old.
I was told when I got him that he was dull and due a shed. He lemme handle him without fuss or balling. On fri night he mooched about his viv then settled in his water bowl at cool end submerged and has pretty much stayed there since.
His eyes went cloudy Sunday and fully blue Monday Tuesday but today are clearing. The sales on his nose and head are bubbled right up, rest of him very dull/Matt and bubbling along back.
Humidity 60-70% as I'm misting dusk and dawn as well as a second water bowl at warm end
Temp 29c cool end, 34% warm end
Oscar has been little more active today having a stretch up and coiling in bowl. He's made a few squeaking type noises, he seems to yawn occasionally and he rubs his head and nose on the side of viv. He seems really irritated when I open viv and hissed at me earlier when I let a little heat out as it was climbing to 36c
As a newbie am I fussing too much?
Is his behaviour normal?
Anything I should be aware of or do or not do?
 |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Zoe |
Posted - 08/04/2013 : 07:57:46
I didn't know that - hehe mine def thinks he's a bangle |
| eyeball |
Posted - 07/04/2013 : 09:23:54
As long as you keep the moss damp that should be fine. It took Noodle ages to find his moss but once he did he loved it. At the end of the day, if he's eating its a good indicator that he's comfortable in his viv (or so I've been told and it seems to make sense).
When I take Noodle out he generally sits on my lap or tries to if he's feeling energetic, wriggle down the side of the sofa! Did you know that ancient Egyptian Queens used to wear Royal Pythons as jewellery, hence the name Royal apparently! |
| Zoe |
Posted - 06/04/2013 : 18:54:52
What I've done is got a fake log which is big enough for him to hide in and put the moss in that, he has had a look but not been in it. He's got water dish under heat lamp and another deep water dish that he bathed in during last shed at the cooler end. Seems to be working cos humidity staying at 52 with a daily mist.
He's on large mice which he eats quickly once a week and he comes out soon as his light goes off at dusk.
When you take yours out do you handle him and put back or do you let them roam around on the couch/floor? I just hold mine. He does bugger all really. Coils round my wrist like a bangle and stays there lol |
| eyeball |
Posted - 06/04/2013 : 18:17:57
Sounds like you've got it pretty much sorted. I would go for a second hide as suggested as it'll give him a bit of extra cover. If he feels like he's got somewhere secure to go he's more likely to pop up to the hot end for a bask. Also consider a moss box for him to have a wriggle though when he's coming up to a shed. I've got one in the middle of the viv pretty much all the time and Noodle loves popping in for a rootle about during the night... |
| Zoe |
Posted - 19/03/2013 : 09:09:05
I've got a stat now and it's working super. Think another hide is needed mebbe - he only has the one in the cooler end. That said, it's only 3 foot viv and the temp is fairly consistent throughout only varies 3c from one end to the other |
| boomslang |
Posted - 19/03/2013 : 00:02:50
quote:
If you can, have two hides, one in the warm end and one at the other, cooler, end.
And like i said,get a stat and higher wattage bulb,as it might be getting to temp now,But you'll only have problems in colder weather etc. |
| Steve83 |
Posted - 18/03/2013 : 23:24:57
If you can, have two hides, one in the warm end and one at the other, cooler, end. That way Snakey can regulate its temp by moving between the two as and when it needs to.
They like to feel safe so if there is only one hide in the hot end, it'll likely just stay in it, no matter how hot he gets, which may not be healthy for him!
Please someone correct me if I'm wrong, but that's how I've viewed it... |
| Zoe |
Posted - 18/03/2013 : 20:03:48
eh? thats another 3 weeks, i want to pick him up lol.
Going back to post about his hide, yeah that wooden block was his hide, now gone and a new hide made from half a log in it's place. The water dish is at back in warm end, the other water dish was just there for bathing through shed and has now gone.
So, should hide be in 'warm' end? |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 18/03/2013 : 18:42:28
Congratulations on the first feed. General recommendation is 3 consecutive feeds before handling, |
| Zoe |
Posted - 18/03/2013 : 16:38:52
My baby eats !
Just fed him a defrosted slightly warm mouse. Dangled it a bit, wiggled it, dropped. Oscar sniffed the backed away. He went on his branch so I dangled Angela jiggled mouse when whoompf he struck, coiled, lowered to floor and ate it. He had a mooch round I think looking for another then went in his hide for a little snooze
Oooh I'm happy
So when can I safely handle him without upsetting him?
Should I always feed in viv or get him used to feeding box? |
| boomslang |
Posted - 16/03/2013 : 18:10:41
Wouldn't worry about trying to find a "snug fit" Aslong as it's not to small,or to huge for whichever snake.
Everything else looks fine apart from..that huge wooden block on the left,is that his hide?Get something like the exo terra hides,that are easy to remove and clean.
The bulb don't look very high of the ground,If it's only getting to like 34 without a stat.When you get a new stat,you might want to get a higher wattage bulb.
Id move the water bowl from near/under the bulb too.And you really don't need two water bowls,Move that one bowl on the right,Put a hide there,and one on the left. |
| Zoe |
Posted - 14/03/2013 : 20:29:30
Cheers, it's the exo terra that I've been looking at. Oscar has been in his hide all day today but its too snug a fit in the viv to get out easily and I can't lift it out whilst he's in it. Think ill be shopping tomorrow :-) |
| carlb1981 |
Posted - 14/03/2013 : 18:04:53
Here's the john berry ones
http://www.bigreptileworld.co.uk/reptile-hide-boxes-37-c.asp
and exo terra
http://www.surreypetsupplies.co.uk/exo-terra-reptile-cave-extra-large.html
these come in 4 sizes this being the largest |
| carlb1981 |
Posted - 14/03/2013 : 17:53:33
Ideally hides should be a nice snug fit as royals like to feel secure and have at least a choice of 2 hides one in hot end one in cold i like to use the exo terra ones as they look good and easy to clean, obviously it would be nigh on impossible to get hides to fit them nice and snug all through their life so having a little extra space isn't a big deal most of the time although a couple of mine would rather force themselves into theirs lifting it off the ground than have a little room in the next size up lol if your not too bothered how the hide looks plastic tubs like old butter tubs can be used or john berry sells some pretty good purpose made black ones in various sizes which are cheap and very easy to clean or there is the more natural looking exo terra type ones like i use or cork bark for the snake to crawl under but that's a nightmare to clean if it decides to do its business on top of it lol |
| Steve83 |
Posted - 14/03/2013 : 16:47:36
You do plug your heat source into the thermostat. If its a dimmer one it'll keep a constant temperature. Use a digi thermometer to check the actual temp :) |
| Zoe |
Posted - 14/03/2013 : 13:31:13
sorry meant to say I read the very informative thermostat thread and know I need a dimmer one. |
| Zoe |
Posted - 14/03/2013 : 13:23:43
Another question - thermostats
What do i need with the infra red bulb 60w and how do they work?
Do the switch the bulb off when heat high enough and turn on when heat too low?
Does the bulb which is plugged into the mains plug into the thermostat instead?
I prob sound dense but I am clueless about electrical things |
| Zoe |
Posted - 14/03/2013 : 12:51:52
Oscar is in his hide for first time. - he only fills about a third of it, is it too big, also it's not the easiest to get out the viv due to shape and size so should I make a smaller on? |
| Zoe |
Posted - 14/03/2013 : 12:49:27
Whoop hoop de doop
Was still flexible and soft when I picked it up so reckon I only just missed it
All intact, clean shed
Oscars bowl clean, checked him and no mites (phew)
|
| Zoe |
Posted - 14/03/2013 : 00:48:46
I haven't got a thermostat - ill go get one
Temp been sitting at 33.4 since I let some air flow yest (peaked at 36 but only very short while) |
