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am i doing something wrong?

Crochuntermyhero Jun 08, 2003 05:38 PM

i am reading these posts about yellow anaconda's being very nice and people friendly, i have had mine for almost 3 months and she's ( its a female so i was told) is pissy as ever, can't pick her up without a snake hook she's near 3 foot long, i would guess she's a yearling? here is a rundown of her husbandry, please tell me if i'm making a mistake

she's in a 20 long for now ( switching to vision cage soon) with a bark substrate, water dish plenty big enough for her to soak in that gets changed almost daily ( every other day usually)
she gets fed every 4 days a small rat(frozen thawed), and she gets soaked in lukewarm water once a week for close to an hour
temp's are 85 warm side 80 cool side humidity is kept at 60-70 percent

anything i'm doing wrong?? i got her from a breeder who said she was a captive bred animal but when i got her she had..."HAD" a big mite problem that was quickly taken care of she's since shed and looks stunning

i love the girl to death i just wish i didn't have to worry about her biting so much, better yet i wish i could hold her without the leather gloves haha

any advice or questions are more than welcome and appreciated thanks again

Replies (11)

Rottenweiler9 Jun 08, 2003 06:54 PM

As far as Anacondas go, I am not to familar with them, I just like snakes and like to see what others say. I have a burm that I had the same problem with. Not that I am comparing these two, and I know some snakes can just be pistols as some peeps call them but there are some things I did, and what I have heard to do but never tried. One thing I heard was to wear a t-shirt all day and then leave it in the cage, with it so it gets use to your sent. Here are things I did, My burm still hase the problem everytime I open the cage she hisses. But I think its because I have heard they are teritorial and thing its food coming in. So, I always use a glove to take her out, she is finally calm when I take her out now, and she is the same size and the same age yours is. When I took her out I would use gloves and just sit there calm with her. Then On days that I fed her I would leave her alone. And then the next day after I fed her I would reach in with my hand (Glove on) and just stroke her, she is not big enough that worried but I was getting ready to get rid of her. I am at the point now I do not have to wear gloves when holding her. Oh ya is she in a secure place. I know mine was always aggressive when walked in, but now she is in a place with not alot of traffic, and she has calmed down alot. I would say be persistant and hold her as much as possible. And don't worry yet, and about the mites, even captive bred gets mites, it could have been that she did have some imports in her collection and did not quarentene them.
Good Luck

dfr Jun 08, 2003 10:33 PM

How are you heating her cage, and how are you heating her water? Water temp is important. I keep: 80%+ humidity, belly heat, 90 warm areas, 70 cool areas, 79 to 86 water temp. She should decide when she needs to soak. I don't use any caging with screen tops for tropical Boids.
I feed babies once a week. Yearlings to sub adults 10 to 14 days. Adults, 10 to 15 times a year. If you do some research, you'll find that their gastrointestinal system is designed for this. It must atrophy, then regenerate during digestion. Their metabolism increases hugely during digestion. As much as half of the energy from the food is used just for digestion. They need time to digest, then recover from the process. I feed 'em until they're full, but not overly large food items, and always pre-killed. Feeding too often drastically impairs their health, growth quality, vitality, disposition, and longevity ( and makes a constant mess).
Regular, stabile photoperiod is helpful.
Baby snakes are generally defensive from instinct because they're on everybody's menu. Usually, an aggressive snake is a stressed snake. Stress often leads to poor health. If they get traumatized as neonates, they can stay that way. I handle aggressive babies every day, until they tire. I let them bite until they get tired of it. The bigger the snake, the harder this is to do. Also, a weak or stressed animal may not survive too much handling. I have turned aggressive youngsters into tame snakes, but it takes time and patience, and doesn't work every time.
I was lucky enough to hand pick my Anacondas from a large shipment of babies from NERD several years ago. They were all calm and healthy, still dragging their yolk sacks. The ones I picked became tame enough to hand feed without striking or constricting, and still are. You don't get that option when you mail order. You're lucky to get a healthy one, with no bugs.
Unless it regularly goes for your face or neck, I'd let it bite for a while. It may help it to get over the problem. Hell, those teeth just put leetle teeny holes in you. Gloves defeat the purpose. Just don't jerk away while its teeth are in you. That can cause injuries to her mouth, or to her spine!
So, you wanted an Anaconda, huh? Better to get it handled now. A 40 pound biter usually spends its life behind glass, or gets traded to death.
They really can be very tame. Look at the pix I posted earlier in this forum.

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To Buddhist hot dog vendor. "Make me one with everything."

wirehair Jun 09, 2003 08:22 AM

I was thinking about getting a yellow (specifically a yellow male), and from reading your posts (and looking at the pics!) you clearly know a bunch about them. I was hoping I could tell you what I had in mind, then maybe ask for some advice for the best way to go (or if you spot anything inherently wrong with my setup)

I have been keeping large red-tails for a while now in a heated room with some lighting. The ambient room temp is kept at about 82 degrees by an electric radiator. My redtails are in an enclosure which has a small section at the end which barely hangs over the radiator (but far enough from it that it never gets too hot... surface temp about 90-95 degrees on that end) The room has about 20 aquariums which provides plenty of humidity.

The enclosure that I had in mind (for when he gets bigger) was a 6'(l) by 2'(w) by 3'(t) with a sliding glass front. I was going to house him by himself since I have two redtails in a similar enclosure already.

I guess my questions for you are (or anybody who cares to jump in):

(1) on the surface, does this sound reasonable? (I've written down a lot of info you have provided on this site already, and plan to follow it)
(2) How big do the males usually get (length, weight)? I've read lots of conflicting info and I was hoping that you could set the record straight. I am under the impression that they get to be about 7' (maybe less) and about 45 lbs.
(3) since mail orders are a crap-shoot, what is the best way to pick out a healthy, docile little guy? (Is there anything I look for in particular beyond just picking out a normal healthy snake?) I live in eastern-Washington if that helps any. Do you or would you sell any babies?
(4) In your mind, what is the best resource for information on keeping these guys (either on the web, or a book)? I'd like to get a hold of a bunch of info, and really do my homework before trying to obtain one.

Sorry for asking so many questions. I am just really serious about getting one and keeping him correctly. Any information you could provide me would be greatly apprciated.

Thanks

dfr Jun 09, 2003 01:25 PM

I keep Boas and Anacondas in the same environment, they do fine. I even keep an old Ball Python, who nobody wants, in with the small male Anacondas and Boas. Balls can be problem shedders, but in that humidity, when he sheds, his skin comes off like it had a zipper, every time. I would always measure humidity inside the cage, as different types of heat can affect humidity, locally. Circulation is also important. I use small 3-4in., 110v computer fans mounted 12" above floor & outside, on timers. This reduces humidity some. Their mouth, upper airway, and lungs can be damaged by too little. I use LOW voltage ( 12 to 15 volt ), heat pads directly under the water container, which I keep well above air temp, so there's humidity to spare. Do NOT do this with 110volt ( or higher voltage ) heat pads unless you're SURE they are absolutely waterPROOF. OK? Then, still don't do it. I've got a big female who pushes her 50 pound water container to both ends of a 7 foot cage, sometimes it sloshes. You don't want to win a Darwin award, posthumously.
If they are happy, a large cage is not necessary. 6x2x3 sounds fine to me. If you provide for it, they like to climb and perch. It's impressive to guests, to see a big Yellow snake, perched on a 3" diameter hardwood branch. In a 3 ft tall cage, you can install a mezzanine, also.
The lighting intensity isn't important, but the period regulates them.
If I were using that electric radiator as a central heat source, I'd have two of them, both operating at the same time, connected to different circuits, if possible. One cold night with a full belly can be fatal. (now, I'll open my 17th bar of soap of the day). I have areas in my cages under 75 degrees. I often find the snakes there, for long periods of time. I've measured their surface body temp at 75 degrees often, with no respiratory problems resulting. Radio Shack has a good IR non-contact thermometer for surface readings and spot body temperature. In fact, right now, it's $20 off. Thirty bucks is cheap, for that indispensable tool.
I've seen much variance in adult size of Yellow Anacondas. I have one big male over 8 ft, but 'only' 25 to 30 pounds. My largest female is only 10 ft or so, but she is stout, twice as heavy as the male. I also have a young, rescued male, who was abused, and is very long over 7 ft, but with a tiny head. I have another adult male only 51/2 feet, under 10 pounds. They vary a lot. A few years ago, Conan O'Brien had a giant female Yellow Anaconda on his show. She looked to be over 12 feet and thick, and was very tame, but very active under those hot stage lights.
I was lucky to be in on a couple of shipments from New England Reptile Dist., several years ago. They are the only people I have good, first hand experience with, in Yellow Anacondas. I picked out the calmest individuals, but they were all healthy and calm, still dragging their yolk sacks. NERD's website has excellent information on Anacondas. They refused to ship the snakes to us until the weather was right. I'd buy from them again.
As for me, I won't count my babies until they are squirming around. This forum will let you contact me directly, rather than talking buying/selling here.
As for info. resources, you take your chances. I started keeping Anacondas with prior Boa constrictor experience, and with good info. from NERD. Also, learned a lot of what not to do by observing other keepers, locally. Too many people want Anacondas because of the dreaded testosterone poisoning syndrome. Fastest car, girlfriend with biggest...eyes, Pit Bull/Rottweiler, most notorious snake, all to make up for small schmeckle. It's hard on the snakes. Most folks in these forums are not that type, I've found, they're teaching each other. The snakes, and the hobby, benefit from these forums. I don't have resources to rescue any more, so when someone tells me they have an Anaconda ( locally ), I take a walk.

Pic shows why that IR thermometer is handy. I'm on the foggy side of the Cascades, they chill quickly outside. I'm thinking of installing heat on their outside exercise tree ( 18th bar of soap ).

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To Buddhist hot dog vendor. "Make me one with everything."

JDP Jun 09, 2003 01:59 PM

They like resting in cramped and uncomfortable spots.
Check out my female yellow (these pics were taken almost 2 years ago. Shes much bigger now.)

JDP Jun 09, 2003 02:00 PM

Same pic, different angle. See? No camera tricks there!

dfr Jun 09, 2003 02:48 PM

What great pix. I wait for shots like those. Never get enough of them. Anacondas do seem to like to get into goofy positions.

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To Buddhist hot dog vendor. "Make me one with everything."

wirehair Jun 09, 2003 04:50 PM

Thankyou so much for the information. I know I was asking a bunch, and I definately appreciate the help. I plan on being a sponge for the next little while, gathering as much information as I can until I find a little guy that's right.

Once again, thanks

crochuntermyhero Jun 09, 2003 12:26 PM

she has a basking light and a heatpad for the heat, , as far as the water is , it isnt heated..i was wondering how exactly i should heat it. I was thinking maybe i should take the basking light and put it over the waterdish instead of over the heat pad? or would it be better to put the heatpad under the water dish??

also you think its better if i feed her once a week instead of twice then? I don't want you to get the impression i'm some joe schmo who wanted an anaconda i did quite a bit of research on them, and i do have 3 other snakes plus a couple monitors and tarantula's. Would it be best to keep her on bark or newspaper? i saw nespaper in your photo's just curious about that..thanks for you time, i appreciate the help

dfr Jun 09, 2003 01:44 PM

Sorry, didn't think you were a schmo, Joe.lol Just thinking about the 6 foot Green Anaconda I was asked to tame a few years ago, and laughing at myself. That snake had not been handled as a baby because the owners were afraid of its tiny teeth. That snake wasn't mean, just didn't want to give in to handling. It would accept it for a few minutes, crawl all over me, then would bite. It liked to go between my fingers and bite there. OUCH. A six footer has strong jaws. He didn't strike, or hold on, just a calm firm bite. After a couple of weeks, and a lot of blood-stained clothes, I gave up. That's why I was suggesting you get yours tame while she's only three feet. They grow quickly.
I only use belly heat. Internal, low voltage heat pads. External, heat tape on thermostat AND rheostat.

P.S. the Crochunter is an adrenalin junkie. I'm always afraid I'm going to read that he was eaten.
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To Buddhist hot dog vendor. "Make me one with everything."

JDP Jun 09, 2003 10:06 AM

I hate to tell you this but some anacondas just arent very friendly. Sure, some are, but some arent. You may have one thats not very friendly. After they do calm down they are just "unpredictable" quite often. My female is mostly eye-candy because shes so unpredictable and at 8' packs a good amount of bite. Look on the bright side, their aggressive attitude also makes them GREAT eaters (except during breeding fast).
Good luck!

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