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Laura
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
24 Posts |
 Posted - 30/05/2009 : 10:02:07
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Hi I'm Laura & a newbie to reptiles.
I have a 2yr old Royal. I got her as my ex-boyfriend bought her then got bored of her & wanted to sell her. I said no cos then he would just get something else & get bored again so I took her in. I'm more of a cuddly animal person so don't know a lot about reptiles, their behaviour & traits.
I was wondering if anyone could help me please?
How often I should handle her, for how long & when is the best time?
I have had her for 1 1/2 years now but over the past few months she has become very grumpy. When I have been cleaning her out I put her in a house on top of her tank & she has struck at me a few times. She has also become more difficult to get out of her viv as she gets into her S shape ready to strike. She hasn't biten me yet but I'm worried that she will & then I won't want to handle her anymore.
Is there anything that snakes prefer when being handled?
Also she only feeds approx every 6 weeks. Is this ok or do I need to make her eat more often?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. |
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Mancunian
Hatchling
United Kingdom
89 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2009 : 10:41:48
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Hi Laura,
Royals are timid snakes and do not appreciate over-handling but saying that, if you never handle them they are more inclined to be defensive when you are cleaning the viv etc. as they are not used to contact. Do not handle them for 2-3 days after a feed as it can increase the risk of regurgitation. I handle mine once a week for about 10 mins. Once he curls into a ball I know he has had enough. I handle mine after he leaves his hide and starts roaming his viv, rather than disturbing him in his hide which he does not appreciate! This is usually evening time and early morning.
As for feeding, once every 6 weeks seems a long period between feeds to me (although mine only eats about once every 3-4 weeks as he is fussy, but I do offer food every 7-10 days). As he is 2 years old he is still growing so I would offer a food item every 7-10 days. She may be striking because she is hungry and mistaking your hand for food!
If you are apprehensive about putting your hands in her viv, get a pair of garening gloves so if she does tag you it will not hurt. When they do tag it is usually more of a shock than painful, although my royal is far too timid to strike me so I have escaped injury so far!!
Good luck with her and well done for taking her on. Do ask any questions you may have on here, everyone is friendly and no question is a stupid question if you do not know the answer. It is always best to ask and be safe. You may get different opinions as there is often several different and equally valid opinions to every problem! |
1.0.0 Royal Python (Python regius) CB07 Tibo (Normal)
0.1.1 Corn Snakes (Elaphe guttata) CB07 Jasper (Amelanastic) CB07 Chico (Anerythristic Aztec)
1.1.0 California Kingsnakes (Lampropeltis getula californiae) CB05 Luka (B&W Banded) CB06 Lucien (Albino Banded)
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Laura
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
24 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2009 : 11:05:23
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I have tried offering food before 6 weeks but she just interested. The guy in the shop said she was eating every 10 days. Either that wasn't true or she is just being awkward now :-)
How do you defrost your rats & is it ok to re-freeze or keep them in the fridge if they don't eat them?
She used to be ok & came out a lot in the evening roaming around. She hasn't done that much recently.
With my other animals it's so much easier as I know how a guinea pig should behave, what they like/don't like etc, but snakes are so much more unpredictable & there is a lot of conflicting info out there.
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Mancunian
Hatchling
United Kingdom
89 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2009 : 11:36:07
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I defrost rodents these days by immersing in cold water for 30 mins then immersing in hot (but not boiling) water for 5 mins to warm them up. I used to just let them defrost over 12 hours but get impatient with that method. In theory you can re-freeze a rodent once thawed but only do this once and only if it has been out of the freezer for a short while. Personally I do not re-freeze rodents as I can always feed what my Royal does not eat to one of my other food-obsessed snakes.
If you find she is not eating every 10 days I would perhaps try offering food every 2 weeks, although Royals can survive for months without eating and many do fast over the winter period (mine did). |
1.0.0 Royal Python (Python regius) CB07 Tibo (Normal)
0.1.1 Corn Snakes (Elaphe guttata) CB07 Jasper (Amelanastic) CB07 Chico (Anerythristic Aztec)
1.1.0 California Kingsnakes (Lampropeltis getula californiae) CB05 Luka (B&W Banded) CB06 Lucien (Albino Banded)
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Laura
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
24 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2009 : 11:46:39
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| Cool I'll give it a try. You have been really helpful. Thanx x |
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dazb
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2847 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2009 : 11:56:39
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mine still is...coming up to 6 months... |
 
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Laura
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
24 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2009 : 21:41:37
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Yay she's just taken a rat! :)
It's only been a month so that is good going. I know now that when she looks at me evily like she wants to eat me that she is hungry!! :-D
Thing is she normally goes to the toilet not long after eating & she hasn't this time so didn't think she would be hungry yet. I will take your advice & try feeding her more often. |
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Janos
Hatchling
United Kingdom
77 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2009 : 22:49:06
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| She'll normally defecate within a week after eating, so give her some time =) |
0.1.0 - 08 Anerythristic Corn Snake
0.1.0 - 08 Normal Leopard Gecko
1.0.0 - 09 Normal Royal
Python
0.0.1 - 09 Sinaloan's Milksnake |
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hodgie
Fully Grown Royal
United Kingdom
1197 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2009 : 23:13:09
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Hi Laura, im fairly new to keeping Royals, only had mine for nearly 6 weeks so you may or may not want my advice
However for feeding i`ve put a small shelf on the back of the viv were i put the frozen mouse to thaw out. I put it there around 7 - 8 pm and leave it there for around an hour and a half. My little Royal becomes very active during this time as she can smell her tea. I them warm it for around 3-4 mins in very warm water and have always had very quick strikes. |
Royals owned "lots"
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Paulusworm
Fully Grown Royal
Azerbaijan
1550 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2009 : 23:57:01
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Can't remember if I've already said it but Hello and welcome Laura
quote:
Originally posted by hodgie
However for feeding i`ve put a small shelf on the back of the viv were i put the frozen mouse to thaw out.
That is a brilliant idea Hodgie. Is it next to one of the vents or something? |
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hodgie
Fully Grown Royal
United Kingdom
1197 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2009 : 09:13:52
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| Yes, just below so the smell gets straight into the viv. |
Royals owned "lots"
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Laura
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
24 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2009 : 12:04:03
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quote:
Originally posted by Janos
She'll normally defecate within a week after eating, so give her some time =)
She hasn't been to the toilet since her last feed 1 month ago. Hopefully she will this time.
I might try the shelf idea thanks for that.
When she is hungry she strikes straight away but if she isn't then she'll give it a little sniff but that's it.
Is it normal for them to sit in their cool end all the time? When I first got her she moved from end to end but now she is always in the cool end. What temps should I have each end? Think I might have it too warm. |
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MissCat
Fully Grown Royal
1971 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2009 : 12:07:34
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i aim for 31-32*c in the warm end and 26*c in the cool end but sometimes (especially in this heat) it hits 27-28*c in the cooler end.
also, Ra (my royal) didnt poop for a good 6months (he wasn't eating or shedding well- long story), i find regardless to how much/often he eats, he always poops after shedding :D |
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Laura
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
24 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2009 : 12:14:48
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Well she better poo this time or there will be trouble! :-D
Thanks I will change my temperatures. |
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Laura
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
24 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2009 : 12:22:55
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| What should her humidity be & how do I make it less humid? Sorry to be a pain & keep asking questions. |
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hodgie
Fully Grown Royal
United Kingdom
1197 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2009 : 13:19:40
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| It should be between 50 - 60. Put the water bowl in the cool end and you should be fine. |
Royals owned "lots"
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lee2308
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2597 Posts |
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Laura
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
24 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2009 : 22:36:40
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| Thank you for my welcomes guys & gals. You all seem really lovely. Thanx for the advice x |
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anatess
Sub Adult
USA
669 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2009 : 01:30:13
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Hi Laura! WELCOME TO THE ROYAL PYTHON FORUM!
You're sooo cool for taking over your ex-bf's royal. They're really fascinating creatures.
Royals are non-social animals, so they tend to stay in their hides. They're nocturnal too, so they're asleep most of the day. I have 2 very young sons who have this notion that they're going to be herpetologists when they grow up, so my royals get handled almost everyday.
When I was a kid, I used to play "house" with my barbies. My sons - they play "house" with the snakes sometimes! They would set up a "jungle" on my coffee table and put all the snakes (I have 4) in their own little hidy-hole in the jungle. There are major obstacles between hidy-holes so it is not easy for any of the snakes to get to the other snakes. I have told them that I will let them play "house" with the snakes as long as they don't let the snakes near each other. I just don't want any extra stress of the snakes having to worry about the other snake invading its territory. They do this for about an hour on some days.
So yeah, my snakes are a bit on the "overly handled" side. They're so used to it by now though, that they don't mind it much anymore. They really don't become cuddly (at least not my snakes). They just learn to tolerate us humans.
My 5-year-old got bit once before (not the royal's fault) and it was no big deal for him. Didn't even need a band-aid. He had a harder time with the hamster biting him! And this was from an 800g royal - not a little one.
My royals get fed once a week. Sometimes they refuse, but they are still offered anyway.
So, yeah, there are a lot of experts here, so ask them anything - especially on your viv's set-up.
Good luck! |
        
Snake owner since Oct 2008, so yeah, I'm no expert.
0.1.0 pastel royal
1.0.0 spider royal
0.1.0 albino royal
1.0.0 bumblebee royal
1.0.0 yellowbelly royal
0.0.1 wild-type royal
1.0.0 normal western hognose |
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Laura
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
24 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2009 : 21:30:38
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Evening all!
I have just been reading Lee's post about his baby royal. Bless him he sounds as worried as I have been!
I see you guys don't like the dial thermometers so was wondering what one I should get for my viv. I have a dial at the hot end & one of those stick on colourful ones (like you have as a kid you put on your forehead) at the cool end. I also have a dial humidity thingy - technical term that! :-D at the hot end. Is that ok or should I get something else to replace that too?
Anatess your kids sound like they have great fun & the snakes do too! I never really liked snakes until I got this girl. She was a bit hissy at first but she was lovely & got me over my fear & converted me :-)
Unfortunately she is now a bit grumpy but I'm hoping once I start handling her again I can bring out her lovely side again. Could it be that she has turned grumpy because she hasn't been handled much recently? Or is it just PMT taht has gone on for months :-D
I was considering selling her because I didn't think I was looking after her properly but now I'm excited again & can't wait to get her out again!! :-) |
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anatess
Sub Adult
USA
669 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2009 : 22:45:06
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Do they sell Accurite Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer with Hygrometer there in the UK?
That's a really great inexpensive tool. You can use the Indoor measurement as your Ambient temps, the Outdoor measurement (comes with a probe!) as your hot-side temps, and the hygrometer for the humidity. All in one unit! And they're fairly accurate.
The digital units are much more accurate than the dial ones - this goes for both temperature and humidity measurements. The dial ones can be off by 10 degrees! So yeah, if you can find a digital unit, then it's better to replace all your dial ones.
And yeah, just slowly get your snake handled again and everything will be fine! |
Snake owner since Oct 2008, so yeah, I'm no expert.
0.1.0 pastel royal
1.0.0 spider royal
0.1.0 albino royal
1.0.0 bumblebee royal
1.0.0 yellowbelly royal
0.0.1 wild-type royal
1.0.0 normal western hognose |
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