Posted by:
Rextiles
at Mon Jul 22 13:11:22 2013 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Rextiles ]
How is best way to keep neonates just out of egg?
That's a highly subjective question and one I don't think that there is truly a good answer for as many people do many different things for many different reasons.
I try to separate all of my hatchlings as soon as they hatch and put them in their own shoebox tub which is labeled for that specific individual.
My hatchling shoebox tubs contain about an inch or so of rabbit pellets for them to burrow in, a water bowl that has an open bottom so they can hide under, and a deli cup of moistened moss, mainly for shedding and hydration purposes.
I personally like my setup because it not only offers the snake options, but it gives it plenty of space with lots of room to move and to grow in.
There's a few people that claim that giving a hatchling too much room can hinder it from eating, this is completely false.
What I find interesting in my setup is that there are definite preferences for each individual when given options. For resting, most seem to like being under the water bowl, but there are those individuals that like being buried in the rabbit pellets while others choose to spend their time in the moss cups. When active, most like to move on top of the rabbit pellets but a few do like to actively burrow.
This is my second season and I am thinking in little deli cup with moist towel on bottom. That about right?
I know lots of people keep their hatchlings like this, primarily because it's space efficient and cheap. I personally don't care for that method even though it works for many people. For me, I only produce as many snakes that I can keep in shoebox tubs, that way I can offer my hatchlings a better environment with several options for their own individualistic needs and with plenty of room to be active in to explore and grow. 
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Troy Rexroth
Rextiles
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RE: OUT OF EGG AND THEN... - Rextiles, Mon Jul 22 13:11:22 2013