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cdd007
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2009 : 18:43:58
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Hi everyone, I recently purchased a royal python, It is about a year old, and it hasn't eaten anything since I got it, I have tried everything, peircing the pinky's head, different sized pinky's, warming it up, wiggling it around, My tank is an exo terra 1 and a half foot long by about a foot wide and half a foot tall, I use chippings as substrate, and it has a single log at the hot end and a small water bowl at the other end. Any help is much appreciated, as I am getting really worried about him. |
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dazb
Royal Python Moderator
    
United Kingdom
2847 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2009 : 19:00:11
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hi there and welcome,
A royal at a year old should be on minmum rat weeners. why are you feeding him pinkys?
also how long you had him? you should leave him at least about a week in most peoples opinions to settle in.
In my opinion the tank is only just big enough for him also. He is ready for the next size up. Is there hides? there sould be a hide in the hot and cold end.
What are the temps at either end also?
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Edited by - dazb on 06/01/2009 19:01:33 |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
    
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2009 : 19:05:29
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How long have you had him and is he losing weight? |

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Mulv
Sub Adult
  
United Kingdom
530 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2009 : 20:17:57
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Pinkies on a year old?
Maybe he just doesn't think its actually food lol. |
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cdd007
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2009 : 06:51:12
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quote: Originally posted by dazb
hi there and welcome,
A royal at a year old should be on minmum rat weeners. why are you feeding him pinkys?
also how long you had him? you should leave him at least about a week in most peoples opinions to settle in.
In my opinion the tank is only just big enough for him also. He is ready for the next size up. Is there hides? there sould be a hide in the hot and cold end.
What are the temps at either end also?
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cdd007
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2009 : 06:59:34
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Hi Thank youy for your reply, I now have a hide box on either end of the tank, and a branch in the middle, I was told by the man in the shop that small pinky's would do. I will upload photo's of his tank, him and the pinky's he has been on. Sorry about the other reply, iyt was just a quote. |
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cdd007
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2009 : 07:05:41
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quote: Originally posted by Blackecho
How long have you had him and is he losing weight?
I don't think he is losing weight, as he is still active when held. I was told that folds sometimes appear in their skin when they loose wieght, but he does not have any. i cannot tell the temp of the tank yet. The starter kit I bought did not come with a thermometer, but according to the thermostat the temp in the hot end of the tank is around 82 f at the hot end. I am going to get a thermometer and humidity guage next time I go to the pet shop. I have heard lots of clashing info on pythons, especially about humidity, so could you give me a rough idea on what the humidity guage should read? Thanks again for your reply |
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lee2308
Royal Python Moderator
    
United Kingdom
2597 Posts |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
    
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2009 : 10:44:54
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82 may be a bit cool for him to be able to digest, so he may be choosing not to eat. 90-92F should be about right for the hot end, however, this shuold be checked on a thermometer as stats are not very accurate. |

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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
    
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2009 : 10:45:58
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Also, if he's not losing weight, don't worry, a lot will naturally fast at this time of year. However, I would recommend not handling (apart from to weigh once a fortnight) until he's eating as the handling may stress him out. |

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Gingerpony
Royal Python Moderator
    
United Kingdom
2663 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2009 : 21:45:57
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if it's an E-T glass viv he might also be feedling a bit vulnerable and exposed. try covering 3 sides of a glass viv to make them feel more secure about their environment which can, in turn, get them feeding.
also where are you measuring the temps and what with? thermometer probes should be on the substrate where the snake is and dial termos are notoriously inaccurate! |
Dumerils boas, BCO hybrids, Sinder Hypo boas, cornsnakes, ratsnakes, Day Geckos
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cdd007
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2009 : 17:55:22
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I don't think he is losing weight, and his behavior is normal, I will try to feed him again tonight, I looked at the chart, and it conflicts with what the pet shop told me by miles. The pet shop told my mum my royal should be fed those really tiny pinkies that are about an inch long, but the chart says he should be on large or x-large rats! I need to investigate this further, but thank you for your help. |
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Gingerpony
Royal Python Moderator
    
United Kingdom
2663 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2009 : 19:29:50
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when i first got my 08 Royal he wouldn't touch mouse pinkies, like Mulv said, I don't think they even recognise it as food it's so small! |
Dumerils boas, BCO hybrids, Sinder Hypo boas, cornsnakes, ratsnakes, Day Geckos
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dazb
Royal Python Moderator
    
United Kingdom
2847 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2009 : 20:02:06
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i didnt think royals had pinkys even as new borns... |
 
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Gingerpony
Royal Python Moderator
    
United Kingdom
2663 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2009 : 20:27:21
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i wouldn't normally have bothered with a pinky, they're definitely too small for any size Royal, it was in desperation, trying to get him to eat anything! |
Dumerils boas, BCO hybrids, Sinder Hypo boas, cornsnakes, ratsnakes, Day Geckos
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cdd007
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2009 : 19:45:49
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Gingerpony, what alternative can I TRY, i can only get hold of chicks, pinky's, and maybe rats, I might be able to get live chicks from my friend's chicken farm, I heard this can be used to get them eating again, should I give it a go? |
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cdd007
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2009 : 19:50:20
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I'm going to try feeding him again tonight, but I only have small pinkies, is there a failsafe way of enticing them to eat, I'm getting really worried now, It seems as if I am doing everything wrong, he has already bit my Mum, He won't eat, and this whole situation is turning into a nightmare, every little thing that could possible go wrong is going wrong, temperature, humidity, feeding, just everything! |
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Paulusworm
Fully Grown Royal
   
Azerbaijan
1550 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2009 : 20:10:23
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Hello John and welcome .
Don't worry. We've all been through the "AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!! F*****G SNAKE !!!" stage too. Just keep calm and stick with it. I still have to feed my bad-ass, psychotic adult corn snake with gloves on. Your royal will chill out sooner rather than later.
Like the guys were saying earlier, it could be refusing because of the temps. I have to irritate the living hell out of Sherman, my royal, with his food to get him to eat it at the moment. Just be patient and it will take it eventually. I get soooooo bored sometimes that I end up doing a puppet show with the rat while I'm waiting for him to take it .
As they say in the Adam Sandler films, "You can doo eeet!"
Let us know how you get on and don't be afraid to ask. There is no such thing as a silly question . |
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dazb
Royal Python Moderator
    
United Kingdom
2847 Posts |
Posted - 11/01/2009 : 11:28:19
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dont panic...
on the feeding side royals can go weeks without eating with no ill effects. As for setting up the viv yours only needs adjusting.
getting tagged is all part of snake keeping im affraid
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cdd007
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 11/01/2009 : 14:45:26
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Hey, thank you for the reply, very uplifting, seeing as I just tried to feed him again with no luck, and by the way my name is Cameron not John, I just wanted to see if anyone would notice that I had put the same fake name as Doctor Who always uses , so yeah, I'll chane it soon. Thanks again, the puppet show idea is a really good one by the way, I might try it. |
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matty18714
Royal Python Moderator
    
United Kingdom
2016 Posts |
Posted - 11/01/2009 : 15:01:13
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quote: Originally posted by cdd007
by the way my name is Cameron not John, I just wanted to see if anyone would notice that I had put the same fake name as Doctor Who always uses
Haha thats so random  |
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