Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was just in the classified area of kingsnake, looking at boids for sale. I found a great looking albino boa, female. the only problem was the cage she was kept in. DIRTY!! I bet the cage has not been cleaned out in months. I noticed this sort of thing in several adds, old skin and crap. If I were goin to sell a snake I would probably make sure the encloser were clean. In my opinion lettin a cage get that dirty is naglect and I sure would not take a picture of it and post it on the web so that everyone and there brother can see how little i care for my reptiles. But that is only my opinion. thank you for reading me gripe.

I hope people, besides keeping cages clean, let their big constrictors get some good exercise every week or so, at the least. In pet stores, etc, I'm sure many snakes get out for exercise about twice a year, if at that. I like to take mine out at least twice a week, and in particular, let them crawl their full length (uncoiled) to excercise their muscles. I've seen pictures (from DFR I think) where there are some nice climbing arangements for snakes, which again I'm sure uses some different muscles than crawling.

I know eveyone is busy, including myself, so I make a point to take a snake out whenever I'm going to watch TV for an hour or longer. It's fun playing with the snake while watching TV, plus, we all know 90% of TV is trash, so it makes the time spent a little more rewarding (for me and the snake). Of course, I only have 5 snakes, so it works for me. Some of you guys/gals would have to watch a lot of TV !

` Snake exercise

-----

Right now, all my snakes are under 5'. Of course, my Indians and anaconda will hopefully grow up....I will need to build a climbing arrangement like you have before long. Any suggestions? Things not to do or do? Thanks.

` Here are a few. Don't use sharp hardware. Sometimes the snakes will grip quite firmly, when they lose balance, and could injure themselves. Any bolts I have sticking out of a nut get another nut on the end, and do not have sharp corners, or burrs, on the heads. Nylock nuts have a nice nipple on the end, further smoothing the nut from the flats. The same for the wood, just slightly sanding the edges of the dowel's ends, can eliminate abrasion. I use 1 5/16 dowels, and I buy the nicely finished ones. They are softwood, and even though heat cured, a splinter could be bad news. Do not use Redwood, or Cedar.
` Big Boids get clutzy, and do not seem to fear falling. The Anacondas will actually jump down. I think their instinct is that the forest floor is likely to be spongy. I make sure there is nothing sharp or otherwise dangerous, or breakable, beneath their perch, indoors. There is a great picture in one of the expensive Boa books, published in the last 10 years, showing a huge Anaconda out on a limb, easily 20 feet over the water. I've always imagined it was waiting to jump on some prey. I wonder what Renee knows about that type of behavior?
` The tree I built outside reaches 10 feet, at the top. The Anacondas occasionally jump out of it, to the grass below. Sometimes they fall out. They land on the grass with an expensive sounding thud, and often hiss loudly when they hit. Nobody's ever been hurt, that I could determine. They don't seem to be upset by falling, I pick them up immediately, and put them back. They don't seem agitated. I've had them jump out over and over again, when in certain moods, or when the sun is too hot on them. My backyard has thick, spongy turf. I wouldn't do this on hard packed ground. The outside tree is made with madrone, and put together with lag bolts. The heads of the bolts are countersunk to below the surface. Even though madrone, and oak like wood is not poisonous to them, all sharp edges are sanded. Any potential splintered surface is ground out with a wheel.

` They like the bookshelf behind, as much as the rack.

`1

`

`

`
` They're big heavy snakes. Hit a stud with the screw eyes.

`

If you want pix of the construction of the outside tree, let me know. It's raining like crazy, right now.

-----

Thanks for the info. I never would have thought they would actually jump from a high place, that's surprising. Those nylon nuts sound like a good idea. I appreciate the info, I'll probably be building mine in a few months. Regards.

` Watch out for nylon nuts and bolts. They have sharp edges, and corners, and burrs, and can slice flesh. I was talking about Nylock nuts, some call them aircraft fasteners. They are metal nuts, with the last few threads of nylon, to lock the bolt. If you use nylon fasteners, check them carefully, and smooth the sharp edges. The way snakes slide over things, I've seen some sliced snakes.
-----

Is killer instinct with rob bredli. He makes steve look like an idiot. This guy knows his stuff. Whenever I whatch that show I bring my big burm out, my big retic, my two big papuans and soon to come my male green anaconda. I'm joining you guys. lol

Justin Morash

I'm trying to picture you sitting in front of the TV with
your big burm, big retic, two big papuans and male green anaconda....