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RE: New snake owner - some questions

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Posted by: markg at Mon Mar 9 13:38:34 2015  [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by markg ]  
   

Pueblan milks are generally thrive in captivity, but when they get stressed, they can be regurgitaters. Glass tanks with screen tops dry out too easily. Heaters then make it even worse. What you need is a simpler, easy approach that better provides what milksnakes need.

This is my advice to help you get this snake healthy again:

1. Get a plastic shoebox from any store such as office depot, target, home depot, etc. The size that roughly measures 6x13 inch floor space or close. I like the Iris brand or office depot brand (I think they are the exact same box) because it has a smooth floor with no ridges. But whatever. Sterilite is fine.

2. Wash it out thoroughly with warm soapy water.

3. Drill (or poke holes with a soldering iron) some air holes in the sides of the box. Only need about 3-4 holes each side on just 2 sides. The best hole dia is about 5/32 inch - plenty big for air but not for escape. That is plenty of ventilation!

4. For heating, place about 2-3 inches of one end of the box over a heat pad. That is plenty of heated area!

5. Use a lamp dimmer to keep the heat pad temperature in the 82-85 range. Or better, get a herp thermostat to do it.

6. Substrate in the box can be shredded aspen, or shredded coconut fiber. Do not use anything else. The paper litter sold for rodents is rather dessicating (too absorbent). Milks have thin skin - you don't want a substrate that sucks moisture out of them. Paper towels not good for that reason.

7. Water bowl - a 2-inch ceramic bowl found in the small animal section of pet stores will work.

8. You can secure the box lid with large rubber bands. I have never had an escape that way.

9. Provide some hide area. Use whatever - small cardboard box, toilet paper roll, inverted plastic water bowl, piece of PVC pipe, etc.

10. Don't feed for a few days to let the digestive enzymes build up again.


   

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