Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I don't breed burms, i just keep them.
During the spring/summer/early fall months- we go outside about once a week- unless we're shedding.

We just had one of our big girls out for a strech and a good mid-winter cage cleaning- took us 3 hours. She was in the house, up *and* down stairs- everywhere...
We throw the dogs out, lock up the cats, put the kids in bed, put the birds in the bedroom- all to let the big girls strech...

now, this isn't happening every week- it isn't practical.

What do you do with your big kids in the winter for strech time?

thanks

Beth
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The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue

Just about that but only once every other week. Try keeping them just in one room, that might help some.

we're thinking next time we're going to drag them upstairs and let them roam in our bedroom- all the other rooms are less snake proof....

We were standing there watching them and it seems so everyday now to have 14-19 foot of huge snake cruising around... but if you ever stop to really think that is a big animal- they're amazing. While we never underestimate thier power, we do forget how truely giant they are....

and i know we're all ready for summer!!

thanks
Beth
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The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue

I guess I'm fortunate that here in Central FL the winters are very mild. I still get to take mine outside in the backyard for a 15-20 min stretch 2-3 times a week while I clean his cage.

that would be nice- winters here are 30's- 40's sometimes we get up around th 50's during the day but we're below freezing at nite so it takes all day to warm up and then its getting cold again.

summers are great though...

I'm so ready!!

Beth
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The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue

We have snow on the ground here in Colorado, no chance of letting them roam outside. I usually sit on the floor with them while Michelle cleans the cage. It's a workout keeping them contained. The other day our big girl really wanted to cruise, I was trying to hold her back until she started pushing me across the floor. I'm tired of this cold, hurry up SUMMER!!!!

Randy
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Randy and Michelle
Art In Scales
(719) 439-4199
info@artinscales.com

What do you do when they want to get under the furniture?

OK, dumb question, but I'm usually in a 'busy' frame of mind and don't want to fish a large snake out from under my sofa. Plus, mine is weird and hissy. I don't think my Burm likes me much....I had to take him out the other day because his cage had been wet twice. Now, he's in the beginning of shed and is REALLY grouchy. He stayed in coils of sorts and just kept tracking my movements with a raised head. It seems as if he would charge you at some moments, KWIM? Not a lunge, definitely not a strike, just as if he's coming toward you quickly with a raised head.

I'm still new to these guys after just a few months and getting a full-size adult was definitely an adjustment.

i think i know what you mean with them coming towards you with thier heads raised.... i think it could be a threat- or it could be nothing.

when we brought home our first 'big one' - he was 11 foot. my husband is 6' and about 350 lbs. he walks heavy- he went thumping across the floor in front of the snake and he popped up and slid across the floor and raised totally off the ground to be eye level with my husband- had this big guy crouched in the corner, while i'm laughing hysterically.
i was 6 months pregnant, 5'6" and about 175lbs- trying not to die laughing at my husband yelling "get him" "get him" "hes your snake- GET HIM"....

LMAO--- still makes me chuckle... several years later...

anyway- that was definatly a threat to my husband- he was POed about him thumping around in his space....

if one of ours is in shed and dumps thier water- they can just deal for 2 days. we put down enough paper to soak up most of the water- and it raises the humidity quite a bit so we leave it.... all our kids are cranky at shed time...

beth
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The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue

Ha! Ha! They'll run ya ragged, that's for sure.

My house has a nice long hallway; I shut all bedroom, bathroom doors and let 'em go. Once they get back to the living room I turn 'em around. Sometimes turnin' 'em around works & sometimes I have to drag 'em back to the far end. Like you, I get exercise too, but not as much as it sounds like you're getting. Ha!

Unless their cages need cleaning every week due to defecation and/or urinating exercise once every 2 weeks (give or take a few days) will be fine for the few coldest winter months under typical "big snake" feeding schedules.

For those reading in the background I'm basing that on the size of OKReptileRescue's cages. If a snake is cramped it should get more exercise than that.

Later!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American