Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I posted this in Hognose snakes and it is kind of long, so if you guys dont mind, could you maybe look there to answer my questons? Sorry...lol

...but I'm from NERD, so I don't know that you want to hear what I have to say.

What gives?

Kara
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"Remember the days of the old schoolyard?" - Cat Stevens

Well, I finally did it. After a year of debate i finally got my blood. I bought him at a show, and the guy told me that he is eating frozens and he is well started (like they always do...but i believed him because they weren't regal or NERD ..no offence to anyone out there). So after picking through all of the babies and being ravaged and torn up and covered in musk and poo, i found my boy.

I took him home and right now he is living comfortably in a 10gal (until he starts feeding at least) with damp shpagnum as a substrate, a very low to the ground, secure hide, a large water bowl and a decent thermo gradient (under the hide's end there is a UTH, and the light making the temp a humid 93is *f. He is quarantined in the bathroom for a bit too, until all threats of mites and IBD signs are clear.

I have a few questions for you all, because i am new to this blood thing. I hope you can help.

I was wondering how long it should take for him to start to feel comfortable enought to eat, generally speaking. I didnt know if maybe i should feed him in his tank for a little while. I tried a live last night and a frozen two nights before that and he wasnt interested. (i got him on the 10th, so 6 days ago).

Also, What is the normal time when they start to outgrow the nastiness. And how often should i handel him after he starts feeding? Is it like a ball python where you shouldnt handle them until they are eating (at least 4x feeding)? or should i start sooneer to get him used to me?

My thought is that i am just going to leave him right alone until he feeds for me, and i am not going to try to feed him agin for like 5 days. or should i wait longer?

I always start to panic when i bring home a new snake and it wont feed for me right off. Then i try to feed it everyday until it does. Im assuming that i shouldnt do that wiht this one.

I dunno, maybe you can help me out. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks alot, jen
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"Remember the days of the old schoolyard?" - Cat Stevens

Thaks for the transfer. I had no idea how to do that. As for nerd... i have heard through the grapevine of some bad quality stuff comming from the facilities. I have also heard of the facilities being rather filthy. This was about 2 years ago, so i don't know about the accusations now. I have also heard the term : ball python factory, giving lead to the fact that individual care has been lessed over time, as well as the bloodlines being seriously marred and muddied. I don't really know for sure, i have only heard from other people's testamonies. But i didnt post that to start a fight in any way. That was just me stating my case, and i did say no offense. If that statement offended you in any way i am sorry. And please, if it makes you feel any better: i worked at a petco for almost 3 years. nuff said.

Jen,

My replies are in bold blue.

I took him home and right now he is living comfortably in a 10gal (until he starts feeding at least) with damp shpagnum as a substrate, a very low to the ground, secure hide, a large water bowl and a decent thermo gradient (under the hide's end there is a UTH, and the light making the temp a humid 93is *f. He is quarantined in the bathroom for a bit too, until all threats of mites and IBD signs are clear.
First of all, baby short-tail pythons seem to do better without such a wide thermal gradient. In my experience they thrive at an ambient temperatures of 80-82 degrees with no basking spot. Overhead lights & hot basking spots seem to be very overwhelming for juvie short-tails, and they’ll quickly respond by going off feed. You may want to consider setting your Borneo up in a simple shoebox type enclosure with a paper substrate, hide box & water bowl. They often feel much more secure in a smaller enclosure kept at lower ambient temperatures, with a tight little hide box to squeeze into. Glass tanks have a tendency to seem “cavernous” – all that open space & clear walls where anything can come by and look in basically make a young, defensive snake feel vulnerable to attack from any angle.
You may be able to get away with cutting the overhead light & running the UTH on a thermostat to maintain the proper temperatures instead of having to move the snake into a different enclosure. Either way, I’d strongly recommend lowering the temps quite a bit.

I have a few questions for you all, because i am new to this blood thing. I hope you can help.

I was wondering how long it should take for him to start to feel comfortable enought to eat, generally speaking. I didnt know if maybe i should feed him in his tank for a little while. I tried a live last night and a frozen two nights before that and he wasnt interested. (i got him on the 10th, so 6 days ago).
Once the snake is set up in an enclosure in which he feels secure & comfortable, he should eat for you if he is truly well started. Reducing the size of his water bowl & adding a second hide may help here. When offering your short-tail F/T prey items, remember to warm the rodent thoroughly. This can be done a variety of ways, but the end result should be to have a prey item that is significantly warm to the touch – the point is to mimic a live rodent if the snake is being finicky. Bloods & STP’s have thermoreceptive labial pits for a reason, so giving your snake a good heat signature to key into will greatly help your chances of eliciting a feeding response. If you’re unable to get the snake to feed on frozen, you may consider offering a large rat crawler overnight in the enclosure. Rats of this size are still too small & “out of it” to do any damage to your snake, but their erratic, jerky movements can be great for getting the snake’s attention. Once your animal is feeding steadily, converting back to F/T shouldn’t be a problem.

Also, What is the normal time when they start to outgrow the nastiness. And how often should i handel him after he starts feeding? Is it like a ball python where you shouldnt handle them until they are eating (at least 4x feeding)? or should i start sooneer to get him used to me?
”Outgrowing” nastiness is kind of subjective. Baby pythons can be very defensive – when you’re 12” long you think everything is out to eat you & respond accordingly. A short-tail that is never handled & expected to outgrow being defensive will very likely still flail around & possibly attempt to bite if not accustomed to gentle, consistent interaction with humans. When your snake is settled & feeding regularly (which should be the first concern), you can start short handling sessions – usually 10-15 minutes at a time – to get your short-tail used to being handled. If you’re concerned about being bitten, wear gloves. Once your snake no longer views you as a threat, he should calm down over the course of a few weeks.

My thought is that i am just going to leave him right alone until he feeds for me, and i am not going to try to feed him agin for like 5 days. or should i wait longer?
If you decide to modify your snake’s enclosure, give him around a week to settle in before offering food.

Hope this helps!!!!

Kara – NERD

P.S. If you’d like to come up & take a tour of our facility in order to form your own opinion (as opposed to going off the “rumor mill”) drop me a line. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Our new 14,000 square foot facility is opening this summer, and it’s the furthest thing from a “ball python factory.” Kind of hard to produce one-of-a-kind animals with “marred and muddy” bloodlines & poor individual care.

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"Remember the days of the old schoolyard?" - Cat Stevens

Hey kara,
Awesome response!
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Discovered and defeated of your prey, You skulked behind the fence, and sneaked away. --Dryden.

Thank you very much kara, i apperciate that. Thanks for being understanding and replying!

Not exactly sure what your question is? As far as handling you should wait until you animal gets used to its new home. That goes for feeding as well, dont try to feed something you just bought. Wait a few days to start attmepting to handle, and if its figity use some gloves so it doesn't see the heat, and wait atleast a week or so to attempt to feed. Your temps sound too hot, and I would reccomend getting a rubbermaid instead of a aquarium tank. Temps should be between 80-90 and humidity between 70 and 80 percent. If you have to keep the aquarium put a piece of plexiglass on top with holes in it to keep some humidity in there, and get a monitor for that and temp, hideboxes and waterbowls are necissary as well. NERD has some GREAT caresheets if you need more housing info...
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"It's my snake, I trained it, so I'm going to eat it!" - Mad Max, The Road Warrior

Welcome to the BLOOD PYTHON forum,Bloods can be very diffuclt snakes especially since this is your first .Did you say your new animal was wild caught?If so why?There are so many captive bred bloods to choose from.Captive bred bloods are a world of difference from wild caught.READ,READ AND READ MORE. Anyway,go to google typ in blood pythons and they will lead you to a bunch of blood sites.Read and copy as much as you can get your hands on.Use your common sence.You can tell the right info if they keep repeating themself.P.S. Kara gave some good advice,tight hide box,85-90 ambient air temps ,low light no noise and just leave her alone.TWO WEEKS AT LEAST.Don't play with her.She has her whole life to get to know you.Good luck,i'm excited for you because bloods are such beautiful reptiles.P.S.MY C.B BLOOD FROM NERD aint she a beauty!

First off, thanks for the kind words - I'm glad to see your little red darling is settling in so well for you!!!!

Ambient air temps of 85-90 are way too high in this type of setup...90 should be a basking temp, not an ambient temp, and I feel that such high temperatures aren't going to get her Borneo to turn back on right now, since baby bloods/STP's don't seem to respond well to hotter temps at a young age.

Just wanted to point that out...it seems like a minor thing but can make a really big difference.

K
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"Remember the days of the old schoolyard?" - Cat Stevens

Hey,
I agree with Kara, that those high ambient temps is one way to forstall, any attempts at getting your new acquisition feeding. It is imperative to first establish a well balanced ambient temp and humidity level, prior to establishing any sense of security in a newly acquired animal, whether it be a Blood or Short-tail, or any other snake for that matter.

I agree too, with Kara, that hot spots are not absolutely essential for babies or juvies and even adults for that matter, provided that they are given correct conditions not excluding temperatures well within the parameters that kara outlined for you. A suitable gradient is of course ideal, but not an absolute necessity if temperatures are maintained within precise boundaries (82-85 f).

-Angel
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Discovered and defeated of your prey, You skulked behind the fence, and sneaked away. --Dryden.

OOOOPS,I ment 80 - 85. DON'T WORRY I DON'T KEEP MY ANIMALS THAT HIGH.I've been thinking 85-90 for resp infection.Since that what I had to deal with just this past winter with my W.C.guyana boa.THANKS FOR POINTING THAT OUT.P.S Does she know thos temps are to high,and that I made a mistake?

I have been to NERD many many times the quality of the animals is very high i have purchased many snakes from them ball and bloods high and low end animals and have yet to have a problem with any of them.

Take Kara,s advise it will help a great deal and Kara if you read this you still cant have the OHBB back.

and it is amazing what they do with ball pythons.

Joe.................