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and a baby specific care sheet???

rainbowsrus Mar 31, 2009 06:55 PM

This caresheet address the specific needs of a newly arrived baby BRB. For additional info please see my overall BRB caresheet.

Arrival:

Your new baby has just undergone a stressful experience. Stuffed in a bag or deli cup, packed in a box, most likely NOT at optimal temps, bounced around for some time and now in your hands.

While it's understandable you want to get him/her/them out and start handling, it's really best that you interact as little possible. Absolutely, check the baby over and ensure nothing apears wrong. That it is what you were expecting etc. But try to keep handling to a minimum. You should already have the enclosure(s) set up and stabilized prior to allowing your new baby(s) to be shipped so put him/her/them in the new enclosure(s).

Temps:

Babies do best right around 80 degrees. Maybe one or two degrees higher if there is a good temp gradient. Several degrees lower at the cool end - around 75. DO NOT let the temps reach or go over 85 as those temps without escape can be lethal!!

Humidity:

BRB's are from a very humid part of the world. They NEED high humidity when they are little, above 70%. I admit, I do not measure humidity, I do provide a humid cage always though. My babies thrive in a very simple set-up - Small shoebox size plastic drawer rack with NO holes added to the drawers, only the gap at top for ventilation. Paper towel substrate. Deli-cup water bowel and belly heat from a strip of flexwatt controlled by a good proportional thermostat

Hides:

A hide is ONLY a hide if the snake feels crammed into it! One great option is a damp moss hide. Small plastic container with access hole and daqmp moss inside. Carefull though, too damp and it will mold.

Feeding:

First thing many keepers want to do is feed that starving little snake. And is far from the best care you can give. Snakes do NOT need to eat frequently. Babies can go months between feedings with no ill affects other than not growing. Shipping and feeding are both stressful on a little snake. You know it was just shipped so don't add to the stress level by feeding right away. I suggest waiting a week before feeding. Does not have to be exactly seven days, I feed my little ones on Monday or Tuesday so anything that arrives one week gets the following Monday/Tuesday.

Prey size:

Baby BRB's can take down large hopper mice from birth. That does not mean they should. I start mine on small hopper mice - eyes open, starting to dart around cage. Of course you may not have an ample supply of feeders and may have to work with what you have access to. Alternatives are Pinky Rats or a couple of mouse fuzzies. Best however and most likely taken is a mouse hopper. Weekly feedings for the first 8 - 12 months tapering off to every other week.

Shedding:

Should be every month or two as they grow. Should be one piece sheds. Torn while getting off is OK but shedding in tatters indicates dehydration - low humidity!

Biting:

Yup, does happen! BRB's do get used to handling and can easily be conditioned to not bite. The combination of shipping and new smells can trigger defensive behaviors. Best thing to do is ignore the bite, it's really not that bad. If you ignore the biting, it will quickly learn that biting does no good and stop. If your snake bites and the "bad hand" puts it down, it learns to bite to get put down!!

comments welcome!!!!
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Replies (8)

brick1 Mar 31, 2009 07:45 PM

i know it sounds simple, and im pretty sure my setup is the same, but i would love to see a picture of your baby setup. Pictures tell a thousand words.
Also in relation to a question about the breeding size in last post (sorry on phone, to hard to switch back and forth) do you see a marked difference in the litter size and weights of the young, when breeding 1500gram females?
Also on that topic, i have a male in with a female at the moment, he is probably 1800grams, 4yrs, she is about 3600g and seems to intimated him. With ball pythons, massive females to tiny males seems to work. Any comments on brbs in the same situation? He is certainly big enough, and mature enough, but does look like a midget compared to her.
Cheers
-----
Dave

13.19 brbs

Jeff Clark Mar 31, 2009 08:13 PM

Dave,
...Small males can get the job done. Oftentimes better than the bigger males. There are some that do seem to be intimidated by other snakes. When I see that I just move one or more to other cages and see if the intimidated snake does better with other potential mates. On a longterm basis I watch snakes closely and do not leave them togather in the same cage if I do not see them at least occasionally in the same hide together like they are okay with each other's company. If they tell me they are unhappy I do something about it. The ones that seem never to be comfortable with other snakes are kept singly.
Jeff

>>i know it sounds simple, and im pretty sure my setup is the same, but i would love to see a picture of your baby setup. Pictures tell a thousand words.
>>Also in relation to a question about the breeding size in last post (sorry on phone, to hard to switch back and forth) do you see a marked difference in the litter size and weights of the young, when breeding 1500gram females?
>>Also on that topic, i have a male in with a female at the moment, he is probably 1800grams, 4yrs, she is about 3600g and seems to intimated him. With ball pythons, massive females to tiny males seems to work. Any comments on brbs in the same situation? He is certainly big enough, and mature enough, but does look like a midget compared to her.
>>Cheers
>>-----
>>Dave
>>
>>13.19 brbs

rainbowsrus Mar 31, 2009 08:20 PM

Yeah, I was thinking a pic would help but want to get one of the rack with a tub open showing baby and actual setup. Will take some pics tonight.

Have not noticed any difference in size of young but clearly smaller breeder females have fewer babies.

I also have a tiny male in with a large female this year so will see how it works out. If she's putting off pheromones, he'd be all over her regardless of size - IMO.
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

gfx Mar 31, 2009 08:07 PM

probably better add a blurb on puking and how to bring them back on feed sloooooowly.
-----
Julie
www.[url ban]/gfx

rainbowsrus Mar 31, 2009 08:12 PM

Good idea Julie, thanks!!!
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

paublito Apr 01, 2009 11:25 AM

This is great information for new BRB owners. I will be passing this on to a couple people who have recently bought some of my babies. So far they have all been experienced boid owners but not necessarily BRB's which have different needs. I did put together a Care Sheet and Feed/shed chart but it was not specific to "baby" BRB's. I try to inform possible buyers as much as possible before letting the little guys go. I have had a few people change their minds after realizing what was involved in taking care of these guys but rather them go to a home where they will be taking care of.
Anyways, thanks I appreciate your insight as well as the others who post here. It is a great resource.

mattciupak Apr 01, 2009 04:34 PM

This beats a 50 dollar book anyday!
-----
Thanks, Matt

jamey_cc Apr 28, 2009 12:52 AM

Hey, great care sheet, it's all similar to what I've read elsewhere, but seeing it again, and catered to my new little one it was a big help. I have just one snake, and the container I built for it is large (to grow into for the first 2 years) and I'm having issues acquiring humidity in it... wondering now if I should block off the hair holes across the back and just let it filter in through the cracks around the door (small, she can't fit out through them unless she can become the width of a piece of paper). I've been spraying the flexwatt (placed under a piece of plexiglass and caulked down) directly to try to get some more humidity. it seems to help temporarily, but not long term. I'm considering building a small fountain in the container, I did this for my boys frogs and it keeps the humidity in there at 75% no problem.

How long does the biting last? I've had my litle one since the 14th and she's fed twice(first time after about a week at the house), been out three times now, and 2 of the three times she went bonkers. the last time she was out I wrapped my sweatshirt around my hand and let her hit it, she snapped at it about 15 times before she turned on my wife and gave her a good 10 tags in the sweatshirted hand. We waited till she settled and put her away.

I named her Pandora, cuz opening her box is like, well, you get where I'm going with that

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