Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Should it be every 5 days instead of every 7?

Anouther hatching question:

If the skin around it's neck is sorta wrinkled, and if the snake just shed days ago, what could it be? Dehydration maybe? Something else? He has a waterbowl in there, and I've yet to see him drink (which means nothing, I suppose, because it's not like I'm watching him 24/7). I know he knows it's there though, so I assume if he gets thirsty he drinks.

And, I also notice that he stays on the cool side almost regularly...I've seen him on the warm side maybe once. My temps aren't too hot....85-88 on the warm side...but the cool side can dip down pretty cool at night. Cool enough that I think if he layed on that side after eating he may not digest properly...

I'm being paranoid, I'm sure. But thought I'd through the questions out there anyways.

Thanks!
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- JENN ROSE -
www.jennrose.com

0.1.0 classic corn~ "Pumpkin"
1.0.0 leucistic texas ratsnake~ "Worm"

I'd move to every 5 days. The wrinkles could mean he's a little thin, maybe dehydrated. They usually drink directly after a meal. They get most of the water they need from their meals.
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Redtail "Kilo"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Raven"

I generally feed mine every 7 days as do most keepers. That said,if they are aggressively hunting earlier than that, I feed them and then increase the size of the prey item the next time. Now, you are correct in being concerned about dehydration. Loose skin can definitely be a sign of dehydration. Does he have a water bowl that is big enough to soak in? That could be the reason he is hanging on the cool side. What about the temps in the enclosure? Maybe they are a little warm if he is staying on the cool side and appears dehydrated. Are they measured with an IR temp gun? Are you checking at the base of the enclosure or high up? Remember, the snkae is ususally on teh surface unless he has a climbing branch. There can be a dramatic difference between the two options. IMHO the warm spot shouldn't exceed 85 degrees. It could also be an issue of humidity. Depending on where you live and the size of your water bowl, you may need to spray the enclosure or add a humidifier to the room. What are the cool side temps? I generally like mine in the 72-74 range. I personally like to trust the snake's instincts. If he needs more heat for digestion, he will undoubtedly go to the warm side - if he has a hide spot there. Some snakes just feel a need to stay in hiding after the eat - others don't. You'll need to figure that oine out yourself. If he stays hidden a lot, then definitely make sure he has a hide on both sides. Has he been eating OK? Is it a hatchling or adult?

Okay...lets see.

He is a hatchling. I've only had him since last Wednesday, but he accepted his first meal from me (on Friday) without any hessitation. Seems to be a great eater.

That being said:

I don't have a temp gun. Am considering ordering one today, to keep better track. I do have two digital thermometers with a probe on each side of the tank. I have my probes placed just at the surface of the aspen shavings (allthough he seems to spend all of his time burried under the shavings). He has PLENTY of hides...a hide on the warm side, a hide on the cool side, TONS of leaves and foilage to hide behind, and of course the shavings to burrow in.

As for temps...the warm side has been between 84-88. The cool side however, has been dipping down to the mid 60's. Should I get a second heating mat to keep that side in the 75 range? I asked this once before, and everyone said it wasn't necessary, and that as long as he had the option for warmth and regulation, he would be fine.

His water bowl is large enough for him to easily soak his whole body. I've held him over the bowl a few times, to show him that it was there...and each time, he'd actually almost dive in and go for a swim...never appeared to be drinking though. Would just swim around and then crawl out and go hide. The humidity gage says it's around 60percent right now...I live in Southern California...and it doesn't realy get all that humid outside here.

So...I dunno. Here's some pics of him and his enclosure. Visuals help I suppose. The first pic is a pic from the place I got him from...it shows the wrinkling. I don't think he is underweight, but maybe you can tell me. I've never had a hatchling before....I got my corn as a yearling, and she's definatly a healthy gal...heh.

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- JENN ROSE -
www.jennrose.com

0.1.0 classic corn~ "Pumpkin"
1.0.0 leucistic texas ratsnake~ "Worm"

He shows some wrinkling in one picture but not the others. Overall I think he looks healthy and your set up sounds excellent. I think he's sounds just great and a cute little guy to boot!

LOL. He's definatly cute...and hasn't tried to bite once (yet) which I hope is a good sign of things to come with him.

He does still have the wrinkling (allthough it doesn't really show in those other pics. But, I'll just keep an eye on him suppose. He ate like a champ and shed perfectly within days of arrival...so, if anything is going on, it's probably just him still adjusting to the new home. I'm just a paranoid mum, I suppose!

Thanks!
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- JENN ROSE -
www.jennrose.com

0.1.0 classic corn~ "Pumpkin"
1.0.0 leucistic texas ratsnake~ "Worm"

Hi Jen
Everything looks good but let me ask a couple things. One is the location of the water bowl. I prefer the cool end for a couple reasons. One there is less evaporation two it seems to make the water more "drinkable" since you can't overheat it and three i try to put a big hide on the warm end.

The next thing would be do you have any "wet hides". This would be a hide in the form of a small container filled with sphagnum moss that is slightly damp. I use anything from the show delis to yogurt cups to glad throw away tubber ware. The moss you can get at any chain store with a garden area. just get the stuff that is 1005 moss with no additives or fertilizers. You can get it from a pet store but it will cost double.

Lastly have you tried misting the cage?? A little water on the leaves may be the trick for the little thing plus if you mist the snake directly it will drink the water that rolls off its head. The loose skin is a very bad sign most times. If a problem becomes visual it is in a serious stage already. That said from the pics he looks good but if you seeing loose skin you might want to force the snake to soak for a little while by trapping it in a deli or tubber ware with air holes and water half way up its body. Soak for no more than half a hour.

If the snake does have a problem than it would not likely be as active as you describe but a little soak might help and it can't really hurt. All in all I would not be to worried if it eats and is active.

later Jason

Okay...well, I will try moving the water bowl. And I moved the two hides around, placing the larger one on the warm end, and the smaller one on the cool end.

I don't have any wet hides. I was told to use wet hides when the go into blue, but not all the time. He shed the day he arrived (last Wednesday) so I didn't think it was necessary to put one in there just yet, you know?

I did mist his cage. When I mist my corn's cage, she'll instantly go up to the glass and start drinking off it. This little guy seems to take absolutly nonotice though. But, then again, like I said, it's not like I'm watching him 24/7, so he could be drinking when I'm not watching.

As for him being active...he was active on Wednesday, when I first brought him home. After that, he was hiding...constantly. I took him out on Friday to feed him, and he ate like a champ...but after that, more hiding. This didn't worry me in the least...he's a baby, he's in a new place and he's scared...of course he's going to hide. So, he hasn't really been all that active when I'm watching. But, when I do hold him, he is quite active. Not lethargic at all. Extremely alert and contantly flicking his tounge and exploring about.

The loose skin is only around his neck...and it's not alot, but it's still there. What does the soaking do, if I try that. He's not going into shed, and if he's not going to drink it...what other benefits are there in forcing him to soak (other than scaring him further, I might think). If you think he really needs that though, I'll give it a try. But I will definatly try misting and keep a bit more moisture in the tank as well.

Heh...it's funny. When I got my corn, she didn't eat for the first three weeks, but drank the second I first put her in the tank...boom...straight for the water. This guy, ate instantly, but doens't seem to like aknowledging water! Sigh.
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- JENN ROSE -
www.jennrose.com

0.1.0 classic corn~ "Pumpkin"
1.0.0 leucistic texas ratsnake~ "Worm"

You know loose skin on the neck is weird... Loose skin on the tail is dehydration but on the neck its weird. I really don't know what to tell you on this now that I think on it more. Soaking him would re-hydrate him if it was needed but I don't know that neck folds indicate that. I ah ... just don't know what to tell you.

I like moist hides all the time. During shedding I add a little more water just because they dry out over time. Most of my cages have them or in my drawers i mist the whole cage.

Give us a better pic of the folds... maybe with a zombie girl holding it

Later Jason

HA!! Funny.

Well...maybe he's just an odd looking fellow then. Because...the pic of him with the folds...that pic is over a month old. If he was THAT dehydrated for over a month, I don't think I'd be talking about him right now, because he'd be dead. And the rest of his body looks just fine. So...who knows. Maybe he's a touch thin. Or maybe he's just "special". Maybe he's a mutant and is hidding gills!!

I'll try to get anouther pic or two tomorrow (I've had him out twice today over this, and dont' want to bug the poor little guy anymore today).

BTW- That corn is ridiculously amazing! My corn's a pretty little girl...but damn...that one is gorgeous!!

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- JENN ROSE -
www.jennrose.com

0.1.0 classic corn~ "Pumpkin"
1.0.0 leucistic texas ratsnake~ "Worm"

is feeding my Texas rat hatchlings every four to five days, with smaller meals.
i've seen really good growth and lots of activity with this schedule.

now that being said.... i also have a pair of '05 lavender TX rats that just wont eat but every eight days or so.. they're healthy and are growing, but are not big eaters..

later
byron.d

If the snake was underfed or dehydrated at the breeder or due to shipping, as long as you feed him once a week and give him access to water, he should be fine. It sounds like you are taking great care of him and are a great mom! Nice pics.

I agree that the warm side should only be between 80-85 degrees. A 60W spot bulb is better than a regular bulb. I found a great setup at Petsmart. It's an aquarium-like tank for reptiles (won't hold water for fish) with a sliding screen top. They come in different sizes. The one I'm showing is a 5 gallon. As my snake grows I'll up-size.

Bonus, as Tweek is actually in the photo! I'll follow up with pics of our snakes (mine, my son's, and my daughter's)...

Walt

He loves the half-coconut (got most of the accessories at Petsmart). He uses the lava rock (from my mom's yard) to help shed, and it's light (so it won't hurt him) yet very rough. Broken flowerpot from my mom.

Here are pics of (in order):

1. Tia - daughters 0.1 Okeetee phase Corn Snake
2. Jackie - son's 0.1 X-mas phase Grey Banded King Snake
3. Tweek (South Park) - my 1.0 Jalisco Milk Snake

Walt

Hey...I responded to the email you sent me...and it got bounced back! Horray for copy and paste:

Hahah. Thanks. For the staples, I made little geletin appliances.
Basically, I sculpted what I wanted out of clay, molded that, and the poured
foamed geletin in the mold (allthough if you get unflavored knox
gelatin from the market, you can experiment with that...just pour in a little
bit of hot water so it's a thick consistancy...you can also paint that
on for some really nasty burn looks....just make sure it's not too hot
first...or you'll get some really nasty real burns to go with it!)
Anyways, with the franken gurl, I cliped the "legs" off of real staples,
and then just glued those into the appliances.

Anouther fun thing to do, if you want to do gouge effects for
halloween-

Buy some cotton balls and tissue...and some liquid latex. You
basically put a spread out peice of cotton or some tissue on your skin, and
paint latex over and into it...you can push it around and kinda almost
sculpt with it right on your skin...and can create all kinds of gross
gashes and ailments. And then you just color over it with makeup and add
blood. Just be weary...using latex where there is alot of hair kinda
feel like pulling off a bandaid durring removal...and never use latex in
your hair or eyebrows...just for that reason.

As for the snake...I'm sure he'll be fine. I'm just increadibly
paranoid. My other snake I got when she was allready of yearling size. The
hatchlings just looked so small and delicate....I wanted something
heartier. But, I really wanted a leucy texas rat, and was told over and over
again to try and find a calm hatchling, to better help guarentee that I
get a calm adult (since they're known to...well...be little jerks!).
So, that's what I did. I found this sweet little guy. But he makes me so
nervous! He's sooooo tiny! I'll be so much happier when he even gets to
half the size of my other snake...I'll worry less.

But he's eating great (so far, I've only had him long enough to feed
him once so far...but will be trying again tomorrow). He's super shy
and hides alot, which is to be expected. The heat needs some more
tweaking though. I have a rheostat hooked up to the pad, but even on the
LOWEST setting, it still ranges from 87-91 throughout the day...which is
really too warm. I have a thermostat around here someone, and I'm going to
rig that up today, to make sure it's always around 84ish. I'll keep
changing his water and occasionally misting...feed him when he's due, and
I don't think I'll hold him for litterally a week or two. Just to help
him really calm down and adjust to the knew home, I think. I was
probably a touch to anxious to show him to the boyfriend, and then to my dad
when he visted, and so on. I gave him his three days to cool, but he
probably needs more than that to really feel comfortable. Heck, I've had
my corn for 5 months, and she didn't really start exploring until after
the first three!

So, the verdict is in. I should just relax!!

- Jenn

ps- I LOVE TWEEK!!! LOL. He's beautiful. Someone on anouther site had
a butter corn named...well...Butters! Love that.
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- JENN ROSE -
www.jennrose.com

0.1.0 classic corn~ "Pumpkin"
1.0.0 leucistic texas ratsnake~ "Worm"

Yeah, sorry. It bounced because I have an old e-mail address hooked to this account. I can't change it because the new e-mail is linked to a second account here...yadda yadda, it's a big mess!

Thanks for the makeup tips!

And thanks for the compliment for Tweek. I hate to bum you out, but the other owner posted Butters died. I don't think he knew why. I think it was over on the Corn Snake forum, here at kingsnake.com.

Walt