| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| grifter |
Posted - 29/09/2011 : 10:30:31
Hi, I'm a newbie and am seeking advice for my son who has a 6 month old Royal. We've had him for about 3 weeks and he seems fine although still a bit aggressive. He sometimes will even strike out as you are passing his home. He is currently housed in a large Exo Terra Breeding Box with an Aspen substrate. He has a log hide and a largish water bowl in which he likes to soak. He also has a small sandstone rock. Temp of the substrate is around between 80-90 but we cant get the air temp above 80. I dont know about humidity. He strike feeds regularly every 5 days on small mice. He has defecated once. Within the last couple of days he has become very possessive of his water bowl and adopts a threatening pose if you go anywhere near it - the closer your hand gets the closer he moves his head. Any thoughts and general advice will be very welcome. I did wonder whether he may be constipated and this was what was making him grumpy. He has never shed to the best of our knowledge though we have a similar age corn which has shed twice since we have had it. Thanks for any help. |
| 7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| boomslang |
Posted - 29/09/2011 : 22:52:41
yeah everyone else is spot on.some snakes really like to Soak.
What is your humidity at?it can be due to change within there enclosure or a move of home etc.
Check the animal really good for mites,Check under his chin to.You can also change the aspen,and put him on white paper towels for a few days.Just to be 100% sure.
as long as he's healthy it shouldn't be anything to worry about  |
| Lorraine |
Posted - 29/09/2011 : 18:44:19
I was going to mention mites. My Oscar came to me with them and spent ages soaking in his water dish. Not knowing any different I ignored the tiny black specks in it. It was two weeks before one actually moved on my hand and I was able to start treating him. |
| n/a |
Posted - 29/09/2011 : 16:48:30
I think you may have hit the nail on the head regarding feeding. Many snake suppliers don't, imo, feed a big enough prey size, and rats are the traditional option for royals as they get much larger than mice and it is far less trouble to feed a full grown royal the right sized rat, than it is to feed several mice. A good feeding guide is 10/15% of the snake's weight - the largest size mouse only weighs 45g. Plus rats have a higher fat content - a bonus for snakes who may only feed for part of the year.
One of my corns arrived with an 'attitude problem' and after being put on what I'd learned on TCS to be the appropriate diet, became a different snake - she's now large and gentle lol. All the best with your naughty one - though it does make life interesting lol.
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| grifter |
Posted - 29/09/2011 : 12:57:00
Thanks for those tips. I don't think he has mites but I'll have a closer look now. |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 29/09/2011 : 12:25:00
The striking is nothing to worry about, babies can be a bit nippy, they soon settle down when they get used to their environment.
Soaking in the bowl can be a sign a shed is on the way which can also make them a bit cranky so could also explain it. Another thing is with the snake been new and soaking in its bowl a lot then you have to consider the possibility of it having mites. Check the water bowl for little insects dead at the bottom, do a search on here for mites for more information on them.
Bathing is only used as a solution to shedding problems, they can swim but you have
to be careful the water has to be the right temperature etc so its best not to generally. |
| grifter |
Posted - 29/09/2011 : 11:26:54
Hi, Thanks for the reply. Yes he is a strong sort and feeds well. He may be hungry of course so maybe we have to feed something larger than a small mouse? He is fed out of the viv so has never been led to expect food in his home. I wonder whether he would like a bath? |
| Tawfik47 |
Posted - 29/09/2011 : 11:13:52
I don't know, but i think Blitz some times do the same, except he is not worry about the water bowl, but every time -since he started to eat- i want to change the water, he come out thinking i'm going to put a prey in the viv. i think this is a good sign that he is strong and hi appetite is good. I'm not sure i'm right, but this is what i think. |
