Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello every one, this past weekend i just bought a young baby bareneck scrub. I bought her being told that she was being fed small mice. I have bought other species from this breeder before and have had no problems. I offered the bareneck a rat pinkie but she hasn't really expressed any interest in it. MY thoughts are that she either hasn't really settled into her cage yet, it has only been a few days (but i wanted to offer her something to eat anyways), or that she "doesn't want" to switch from mice to rat pinkies. IM hoping that this may be the problem and it will pass once she settles in to her new habitat. But i wanted to see what people with bareneck experience thought of this.

Thanks for your help,

Matt

IN addition her skin is very soft and in good condition, the scales at the tip of her mouth/nose look a little worn-out. I noticed for the first time the other night that she was rubbing her nose on various branches in her enclosure. She doesn't appear to need to shed her skin, as it is very moist, looks fresh with good irredescance; but i only aquired her this weekend therefore i do not know if she recently went into "blue" or not. So i do not know if this rubbing is causing this wear on her snout, and the cause of rubbing has yet to be determined...or if she is trying to shed.... Well this is my first scrub. Have kept and worked with Aheatulla prasina, Corallus hortulanus, BCC's, BCI's, and other species but every species and animal is different!

Thanks,

Matt

Could be mites. If not mites I'm not sure what it is.

John Light
Pristine Pythons

It sounds like an import scrub, that is not yet comfortable with it's captive life. You have to keep in mind, these are more intelligent than alot of other snake species. And with intelligence generally comes a more easily stressed animal. They understand what's going on more and try to figure it out, rather than sit and deal with it and wait for another rat to come it's way. The nose rubbing is indicative of a snake that's been freshly imported, or is not properly dealing with it's new enclosure. Either way use patience.

How do you have the set up done? Substrate? Heat source? Temps? Size of cage? Hide spots, what kind? Perch?

I've established a couple of scrubs, but most i've purchased are CB,Ch or established already.. as it can be a bit of work.. but it's not all that difficult in reality.

I can post pics of my set ups if you like, to give you an idea of what you should be working with (roughly). I would also suggest checking out the scrub forums at moreliapythons.com there are some of the most enthusiastic, well informed Scrub people in the country and world frequenting that site.

I would also check for mites, and if any are found pick up a can of provent-a-mite and use it as suggested.. you won't have a problem for long.

take it easy,
Jordan

Thankyou for your advice,

The scrub is CB, and like is posted earlier i have had previous dealing with the breeder. I never buy Wild caught, unless i have been mislead to think it is CB, i would have a hard time believing it is wild caught, as it is very yong, neonate size, and looks as such, as a healty body wieght and virtually flawless (except for the rough nose). I checked the scrub over for mite before i bought her as i do with all reptiles i purchase. The enclosure is set up both vertically and hortizontally for both stretch and the arboreal habbits of scrubs. There are basking areas, and cool perches. The subrstrate is engineered to the higher humidity needs of neonates, its not overly humid, but where it needs to be for neonate snakes. She gets misted in the eveing and also has access to a water dish that she can soak in. I researched much on the species before making the purchase. In addition the scrub is very very very well tempered, has never been aggressive and has no problem with handling. At the moment I am refrainig from handling as to limit her stress until she settles in completley. Im assuming that the problem with her nose will most likely clear with her next shed...but we shall she .

-Matt

IN addition i have only observed the nose rubbing once, most of the time she is cruising her cage or perched under the basking area. During the day she retreates to her "hide zone".

Like i said in my first post, im not overly worried, i just like to hear what other people think, helps one to be as best prepared as possible.

-Matt

Sounds like the rubbing isn't a chronic issue....sometimes they just get itchy and have to rub. If it's a daily thing, then there's obviously something else going on. Just be sure to check you temps often as things can change quickly right under your nose. Quite foten tewmps can get a little warmer than you think and it can cause the snake to get edgy and rub. They really don't need to be that warm, perhaps a warm spot of 88 degrees and ambient temps of 78-80.
But where did you get the scrub from? I am just curious if it may be one of ours. But it seems that the person you bought it from should be helping you out with your questions as well. Are they not? Or are you just looking for outside opinions?
Good luck with it.

-Yasser

Spitfire Reptiles

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I have only observed the rubbing once, and yes i try to keep the enclosure in the heat zone you recomended. I used your website for alot of research before buying a scrub. It would be awesome if she was one of yours but i doubt it. The Breeder/dealer i bought her from produces alot of the animals they sell, but they also sell alot of other animals that they havn't produced. The dealer is known as Super Pets out of Lockport NY, and they travel to many reptile shows across the country. My bareneck was sold to me as captive breed, and i would never knowingly buy WC. You have some great animals in your collection and i would be thrilled if mine grows up to have half the adult coloration that yours have at Spitfire. I enclosed a picture of her, and you can see the "worn scales" on her snout in the picture. I think it will clear up in her next shed. I havn't had her very long and im looking foward to seeing her progress. Thanks for all the help!

-Matt

>>I have only observed the rubbing once, and yes i try to keep the enclosure in the heat zone you recomended. I used your website for alot of research before buying a scrub. It would be awesome if she was one of yours but i doubt it. The Breeder/dealer i bought her from produces alot of the animals they sell, but they also sell alot of other animals that they havn't produced. The dealer is known as Super Pets out of Lockport NY, and they travel to many reptile shows across the country. My bareneck was sold to me as captive breed, and i would never knowingly buy WC. You have some great animals in your collection and i would be thrilled if mine grows up to have half the adult coloration that yours have at Spitfire. I enclosed a picture of her, and you can see the "worn scales" on her snout in the picture. I think it will clear up in her next shed. I havn't had her very long and im looking foward to seeing her progress. Thanks for all the help!
>>
>>-Matt
>>

n/p