Reptile & Amphibian Forums

he hurt his nose and im wandering if its infected.

what happened to him?

Walt

It doesn't look infected to me. I have a zonata that had rubbed it's nose very badly starting in the late summer for the last two years. It would be fine from spring to mid-summer but late summer it would start pacing the cage and rubbing it's nose.
This summer, taking a que from Frank (FR) I put it in a naturalistic cage with some round granite rocks set directly on the floor so the snake can't burrow underneath and get crushed. Then on the floor I put about 1/2 inch of Calci-Sand and on top of that about a 1/2 inch of Reti-Bark. The snake stopped rubbing it's nose for about 2 weeks but then it started doing it again. So I took the rocks and made a sorta wall in one corner of the cage on the cold side. I then filled the corner with several inches of soil, I think it was called Tropical Mix or something, for reptiles. I soaked the soil with water and then coverd the top with some Juniper tree clippings. The very first day the snake made it's own burrow in there and has not rubbed it's nose at all since and it's totally healed now.
What I described is I guess just a fancey humidity chamber and there are many ways you could make one but that is what I did acting on Franks advice and using my own experience with how I have found zonata hiding in the wild.

Posted by: Aaron at Fri Nov 4 22:30:14 2005 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ]

It doesn't look infected to me. I have a zonata that had rubbed it's nose very badly starting in the late summer for the last two years. It would be fine from spring to mid-summer but late summer it would start pacing the cage and rubbing it's nose.
This summer, taking a que from Frank (FR) I put it in a naturalistic cage with some round granite rocks set directly on the floor so the snake can't burrow underneath and get crushed. Then on the floor I put about 1/2 inch of Calci-Sand and on top of that about a 1/2 inch of Reti-Bark. The snake stopped rubbing it's nose for about 2 weeks but then it started doing it again. So I took the rocks and made a sorta wall in one corner of the cage on the cold side. I then filled the corner with several inches of soil, I think it was called Tropical Mix or something, for reptiles. I soaked the soil with water and then coverd the top with some Juniper tree clippings. The very first day the snake made it's own burrow in there and has not rubbed it's nose at all since and it's totally healed now.
What I described is I guess just a fancey humidity chamber and there are many ways you could make one but that is what I did acting on Franks advice and using my own experience with how I have found zonata hiding in the wild.

That was interesting. Do you find your Zonota likes the humid area over the dry area? I have a few hide areas and one has damp moss.
I find he spends lots time in it and was concerned about blisters,etc but so far after few months no problems.
The rest of the cage,hide areas are dry but always a bit concerned as I thought they were dry area snakes thats why I ask . I initially used the moist area to help shed (its moss damp in deli cup with hole) than I noticed he alternates between 3 hide areas but thats his favorite so as of now left it there.

Thanks

The soil is the only hide in there but I would say most of the time it does not use it but it does sometimes. I really think it likes it though.

Okay thanks