Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a yearling pair of black pines that are set up in the samme rack - back heat 83, front, 78(room temp). The female, who has being doing fine, regurged the other day, and in a hasty feeding day, forgetting to give her a break, I fed her again 4 days later and she tossed that one up as well. Two regurges in 5 days.

So I am asking the pit people out there, how close is she to being in big trouble. Is it my husbandry? Suggestions? She is about 15 inches long and I was feeding her rats that just opened eyes.

Please advise...

Thanks.

Give her at least a two week brake from eating. Let her system settle down. When you go to feed her again make it a rediculously small item. Continue this for a few feedings and see how she does. I ALWAYS opt for smaller meals. Going by your snake being 15 inches, feeding a big crawler to a hopper rat may be a little large. I know others don't necessarily agree with it. I only feed my big pits small rats. Never anything larger. I know they can, but don't feel that they need it. Good luck to you and take care.

Jeremy
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Jeremy Pierce
Shade Tree Exotics
shade-tree-exotics@att.net

Like stated, wait a week or two and try again.

Thing that caught my attention was it's a yearling and only 15 inches? That seems kind of small. Mine is only 10 months and pretty close to 36 inches.

Jeremy

Yea, she is small. I did not hatch or raise her, just got them a few weeks ago, told they were 07's. She may be 20 inches now I think about it, but no more.

I have a one year old bull I held back from last year and she is at least 36 inches, so these black pines must have not been fed well.

I would also consider lowering the hot side temp a couple of degrees.

daveb
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in the light, you will find the road...

Ifeed smaller meals to black pines. They seem to like higher temps than other colubrids I keep as well.

A growth rate study from Wofford College found 86* as the optimum temp for growth in Black Pines.

Thanks,
Michael

that is interesting information. Is there any chance of seeing a copy or link to the Wofford College study?
thanks,
Dave
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in the light, you will find the road...

I find that a bit odd. Mine stops eating if the temps are in the mid 80s. I've also heard from people much more experienced with Pits than myself that high temps are a definite "No,No" for Black pines. Growth shouldn't be the major concern health of the animal should be top priority.

Jeremy

I've kept them for 10 years, they almost never like it that warm. By that I mean I interpret excessive cage wandering, aggressive behavior to me ( from normally calm animals) and non feeding as indincation that they don't like high temps.
The only time I have observed lodingi to like temps that high is when gravid females are basking...

bring on the report!

daveb
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in the light, you will find the road...

Please don't misunderstand my last post. I didn't say that I keep my pines at 86* or that I think this is best for them. I said that a growth rate study showed the greatest growth at 86*.

I've kept lodingi for 4 years and never kept them that high. I have, however, noticed that if I keep lodingi and L. getula both at a range of 70-78*, the L. getula would pass it's food several days ahead of the lodingi. This tells me that the lodingi need higher temps that L. getula...and that the mid 70's are too cool for P.m.lodingi.

Dr. Abercrombe at Wofford would have knowledge of the study. I don't have a written report, as I was given the info verbally from one of his grad students in 2006. I'm meeting with Dr. Ab in the next month or so and will see if I can get anything in writing to pass on. You may want to shoot me an email to remind me (mcoone@hotmail.com).

Thanks,
Michael

well, I am never one to follow the rules, even my own, if there is a better way to do things- especially grow big pines. I would really appreciate it if you could get a copy of the study. I would love to read it. thanks.

daveb
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in the light, you will find the road...