| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| n/a |
Posted - 25/04/2010 : 11:50:22
Hi, Well Ketchup is new to me but not to this world as she's about 3yo. I took her over from someone who couldn't keep her any more. She's been home about 2 1/2 weeks now and I have a few questions :-
She had her first feed with me a week ago and I sort of understood not to handle her for a few days, she'll defeacate after about 3-4 days and then handle her - well it's been 8 days now and no poo to declare!
I've just changed her water a checked the whole viv.
I'd get her out now but I've also sort of understood that it's best to handle her of a evening as that's her normal lively time - I do get the feeling that if I get her out it might stimulate her to defaecate as last time she was out she poo'd all over me!! Bless 
I've been reading that only 1/3 to 1/2 of the viv floor should be heated but I've inherited (with her) a 3' viv and the heat pad stretches over (well under actually) about 2/3 of the viv floor wich leaves only space for her water dish in the cool area and not a second hide - can I leave some of the heat pad sticking out from under the tank ie pull it out a ways or will that mess up the thermostat workings??
I'm going to get a proper digital termometer to attach to the thermostat as I cannot see what the temp is in there at all.
Can't think of any more questions for now
Grateful for any feedback
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| 16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Kellog |
Posted - 03/05/2010 : 19:56:52
quote:
Originally posted by jayemsee
Thanks again or all yr advice - I've tweeked the thermo a few times and it goes up to 29.8 now, is that too high - I'm loathe to move it again or it may go down too far again.
29.8 will be fine, but no higher. If you could move it a tweak down it might be better but I wouldnt be too worried at the moment.
Pics are up on FB now - I haven't moved her middle hide to the end yet as she fed last night so I'm leaving her be.
Checked out your pics, Ketchup is gorgeous  . You are doing the right thing about leaving the hide at the moment as you dont want to disturb her while she is digesting her food, but maybe next time you have her out to handle you can have a move around and see if you can make things fit a bit more to your liking.
I had her out on my bed yesterday to measure her and photograph her vent so that I could ask if it was bulging enough for the bath - when, yes, you got it poo all over the bed - ha at least I know what a full vent looks like now :o}
That is just one example of the corns' sense of humour  ! Get you all worried about them not pooing and then poo all over your bed  !!
Turns out she's probably just over 42/43" (not easy measuring a wriggly snake) then what with one hand gathering her in and the other keeping the wet poohy sheet off the mattress I forgot all about weighing her - there's always next time.
I know exactly what you mean about trying to measure a wriggly snake, we have come up with lots of different ways of trying to do it - from kitchen roll tunnels and lego tunnels, to running pieces of string along them . Think there is a computer programme that works it out if you have a good pic of them. I find best way is if you get a full shed, measure that then subtract 10% (cos it stretches). Dont worry about weighing her. I weigh mine before each feed, that way it is a regular time of them being weighed and when I put them in the weighing box they can expect to be fed.
Just bought a cork hide - should I wash/freeze/microwave it or anything - it was from a reputable pet suppliers that do a lot of herp stuff and they said it was fine ........ 
I would have thought that if it was something that was bought for use with reptiles then it would be fine to use. It is only when you use stuff from outside that you need to treat it. If you do want to put wood in then you need to clean it with reptile disinfectant (I use Tamodine) or bleach (10% bleach to water I THINK), rinse really well, allow to dry and then bake in the oven. I cook mine for an hour at 160oC. It just makes sure that any bugs and their eggs are killed. You also need to be careful about what sort of wood you use. This link may be of interest to you - http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8993&SearchTerms=treating+wood
xxx
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| n/a |
Posted - 02/05/2010 : 18:21:57
Thanks again or all yr advice - I've tweeked the thermo a few times and it goes up to 29.8 now, is that too high - I'm loathe to move it again or it may go down too far again.
Pics are up on FB now - I haven't moved her middle hide to the end yet as she fed last night so I'm leaving her be.
I had her out on my bed yesterday to measure her and photograph her vent so that I could ask if it was bulging enough for the bath - when, yes, you got it poo all over the bed - ha at least I know what a full vent looks like now :o}
Turns out she's probably just over 42/43" (not easy measuring a wriggly snake) then what with one hand gathering her in and the other keeping the wet poohy sheet off the mattress I forgot all about weighing her - there's always next time.
Just bought a cork hide - should I wash/freeze/microwave it or anything - it was from a reputable pet suppliers that do a lot of herp stuff and they said it was fine ........ |
| n/a |
Posted - 02/05/2010 : 12:01:46
Hi Steve, I've been to find you on FB so we can picture swap - s'nice to find another newbie - jane |
| n/a |
Posted - 02/05/2010 : 11:59:59
Thanks Kehhlyr, the bricks came with Ketchup so any bugs would have done their deeds ages ago although I would have thought her previous owner would have sterilised them. On this subject though, what's the best way to sterilise a log/branch from the garden for her to clamber over?? |
| n/a |
Posted - 02/05/2010 : 08:24:47
Just a little idea for a hide. If like me you want yo give your snakie as much room as possible to move around but also want to give them a good hide I have over come this by getting a polystyrene box like the ones that tropical fish are shipped in, cut it down to size so it fits the lenght of one side of the viv from front to back, cut a hole in the front and covered the top with the substrate so to me the hide is all but invisible and my lad seems alot happier since I have done this as before I was like you I had a hide made from slate. I cant get pics on this site but I have some in my pictures on face book just look up Steve Guthrie. It sounds as though we got our snakies at the same time and like you I got mine from someone else he is 3 years old and a little over 5ft. Good luck and welcome to the site its great on here nice people always willing to help.
Steve |
| Kellog |
Posted - 02/05/2010 : 05:09:12
quote:
Originally posted by jayemsee
Thanks Kellog,
Well I got my digi thermo and it's saying 25.7C to 27.7C over last three days - think thats a good temp with not too much fluctuation
Yes, it's a glass/perspex viv, 36" x 12" x 14" with perspex lid, only a tiny vent 2" x 2" in the top and all held down by three house bricks!!
I've changed round the interior so the heat mat is only under 1/3rd with her favourite hide that end - that's the controvertial 2 bricks and a slab of slate, which I've realised uses up a great deal of wasted space under the bricks! The other hides in the middle and water dish at the end.(I'm going to post pictures of the tank on Facebook)
When I changed this all around and put her back in she spent the next three days hiding up the hot end - not sure if she's cold or phased by the change around - I thought I read somewhere that corns liked a new set up, gave them something new to explore, I guess they're all different though.
Forgot to weigh and measure her will do next time she's out - this afternoon I hope but I don't like to dig her out if she's hiding Jealous of those who say they can open the door and snakie comes out onto their hand - don't know that Ketchup likes me that much - I'm longing for a front opening viv as mines up on a dresser and I have to climb up on a stool, dismantle all the house bricks etc etc - means I don't do it as much as I'd like
Jane
Sounds like you have got your heating sorted out Jane, you could maybe do with tweaking the stat up a tiny bit as 25oC is a bit low for the warm end and Ketchup can cope quite happily with a heat up to 29oC....it really is a case of tiny adjustments of the stat until you get a heat range that is about right.
Dont worry about her hiding away after the change round, some corns do like having their vivs altered but they may take a bit of time getting used to it before they come out to explore - especially for Ketchup as she is still settling in with you so may still be a bit nervous with all the fiddling that has gone on while you have tried to sort out her heating.
The housebricks and slate sound fine to me....the only issue is the one you bring up, that they take up a lot of room. It may be worthwhile thinking about replacing them in the future, once she is more settled in. Corns like hides that are fairly small, where they can curl up and feel the sides of the hides against them....I havent seen the pics yet on Facebook so dont know if this is what that hide is like for her.
You could do with making sure that not only is her water bowl in the cool end but that she has a hide that it totally in the cool end....going by your description the other hide is in the middle of the tank, which means it may still get a bit of the heat from the heatmat.
Dont be jealous of those members whose corns come out to play! Lots dont and often the only time I see my corns is when they are in their hides and I remove the hides to take them out to handle them (except at the moment as they are both horny and both will head for the slightest gap in the glass to escape ). Some snakes do seem to chose to come to their owners hands....but mine dont and I would think that the majority dont. Corns dont want to be handled, they tolerate us doing it and then begin to enjoy the time they have exploring outside of the viv....but that means that if you wait for Ketchup to come to you then you will be waiting a very long time  !! Dont be afraid to dig her out if she is hiding, just make sure that you fiddle with the substrate a bit to begin with, just to let her know that you are there so she isnt surprised. It really does sound an effort to get her out (although well done with the escape-proofing!). Hopefully you will be able to change your set-up soon.
xxx
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| Kehhlyr |
Posted - 02/05/2010 : 01:00:20
The house bricks and slate sound good to me, although a good cook for about an hour before they went in the viv would've been preferable as if the bricks/slate are holding any bugs it'll kill them off.
Bricks are brilliant, you know there is NO WAY that they can explode in the oven because they have to get cooked to make them.
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| n/a |
Posted - 01/05/2010 : 16:45:35
Thanks Kellog,
Well I got my digi thermo and it's saying 25.7C to 27.7C over last three days - think thats a good temp with not too much fluctuation
Yes, it's a glass/perspex viv, 36" x 12" x 14" with perspex lid, only a tiny vent 2" x 2" in the top and all held down by three house bricks!!
I've changed round the interior so the heat mat is only under 1/3rd with her favourite hide that end - that's the controvertial 2 bricks and a slab of slate, which I've realised uses up a great deal of wasted space under the bricks! The other hides in the middle and water dish at the end.(I'm going to post pictures of the tank on Facebook)
When I changed this all around and put her back in she spent the next three days hiding up the hot end - not sure if she's cold or phased by the change around - I thought I read somewhere that corns liked a new set up, gave them something new to explore, I guess they're all different though.
Forgot to weigh and measure herwill do next time she's out - this afternoon I hope but I don't like to dig her out if she's hiding Jealous of those who say they can open the door and snakie comes out onto their hand - don't know that Ketchup likes me that much - I'm longing for a front opening viv as mines up on a dresser and I have to climb up on a stool, dismantle all the house bricks etc etc - means I don't do it as much as I'd like
Jane |
| Kellog |
Posted - 27/04/2010 : 05:39:57
You have been given some really good advice Jayemsee and I am so glad to see that you are taking it on board. You have obviously realised how important the digital thermometer is and the sooner you get it the better.
Just a few questions. You say the heatmat is under the viv, does this mean that Ketchup is in a glass/plastic tank rather than a wooden one? (sorry if I am having a brain fog moment and missed that bit of info in what you have said ). With glass/plastic fauns/vivs the heatmat goes under it, with wooden ones it goes in it. How big is her tank? (thinking about it, just the fact that you refer to it as a tank must mean it is glass/plastic??).
How long is she? How much does she weigh? The reason for asking is that my Silvesta is only a bit older than Ketchup and is being fed weekly at the moment, on 2 medium mice. I do wonder whether one of the reasons for the lack of poo is that she is not getting enough food?
Does she have a bulge near her vent? This is a sign that she needs to poo or is about to. If she does then a bath will help encourage that. Handling them does stimulate them to poo - it is just part of snake keeping I am afraid. I prefer it that way as it keeps my snakes' vivs cleaner and you learn to read the signs of when they are going to poo, so you can have kitchen roll ready to catch!
She definitely needs a 2nd hide in so she can move from one end of the viv to the other. I have a plant pot in Kellog's hide, but have cut it at an angle so it lies down (making sure that I...my OH ....sanded the hole in the pot and where it was cut). It is definitely better for her to have a ground level entrance as well. You must make sure that the pot you choose has a hole that is big enough for her to slide through easily - I know that sounds silly but Kellog had come out of the hole and then gone back in at the same time and almost got himself stuck, luckily he was able to back himself out. Staple has made some good suggestions for other things you could use - corns dont care what they are as long as it is somewhere safe for them to hide.
I would suggest that you start to handle her regularly, every day if possible (except for the 48hrs after she had fed)....and just take the consequences of being pooed on! She needs to get used to being handled and you need to get used to handling her.
xxx
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| Sta~ple |
Posted - 25/04/2010 : 12:56:34
Yes flower pots are good :) you can makes hides from anything, cardboard boxes, clean out microwave meal rubs, plant pots, toilet roll the list goes on :) I find that my snakes prefer boxes to any other hides I buy... the ungrateful reptiles XD
I would use a ground level entrance, snakie might not think to crawl up to go into the top hole.
A slate on 2 bricks? That's sounds a bit unsafe x.x but that's probably just me |
| hillzi |
Posted - 25/04/2010 : 12:52:35
If you click something like post new reply, or quote someone, instead of quick reply, you get a selection of them on your left, ones like this;
       
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| n/a |
Posted - 25/04/2010 : 12:43:37
Wow thanks for all the feedback -
I'm feeding what were described as medium white mice and was told that she was maybe ready to go up to two every 10 - 14 days as she was beginning to look around for more when fed 1 - I left her for a good 14 days since her last feed with previous owners to let her settle and be handled a couple of times b4 I did it and then only gave her one - she didn't eat it straight away in fact not until I got bored with sticking my head around the door every 20 - 30 mins and forgot all about it for 5 or 6 hours then next time I checked no mouse and fat snake!!
She was out so we've just had 15 mins together - she was quite feisty I suppose because I haven't had her out for 9 days but settled in the end - no poo though - and I put her back when she was calm.
Never seen her soaking or water splashed about or drinking for that matter!
I'll give her a few more days as she had a poo just a couple of days b4 I fed her so maybe it just takes her longer as you say.
Yes Danny Brown, pads under the tank so I'll pull it out a bit - going to build a new, bigger tank soon so may need the bigger mat then - will get digital thingy asap though and sort another hide out - can I just clean up an old flower pot with a big hole in the top tha she can pop out of or should she have a ground level entrance - her only hide at the mo is a slate on two bricks and quite exposed so thinking that should be the cool hide and use new one for hot end??
Yes Hillzi completely understood :o) - where d'you find all the smileys??
Thanks both ^_^ |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 25/04/2010 : 12:20:57
Sometimes it takes mines 2 weeks to poo once fed so you have to take a chance when you handle lol just have towels at the ready and some clothes you don't mnd being pooped on.
What type of viv is she in? With a Glass ones you could just pull away what parts of the heatmat you don't need but if it's a wood one the heatmat needs to be in the viv and you will need a smaller mat.
You can get some really nice cheap digital aquarium thermometers off ebay, just don't get them from China as it will take ages to get to you and customs may charge you. Mine has a picture of a fishy on them XD
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| hillzi |
Posted - 25/04/2010 : 12:19:48
I'm thinking its an on/off stat, which are good, but tend to fluctuate. they will drop below the desisered temp before heating up to the tempreture, sometimes they go over the temp you want and then take a while to cool down when the stat automatically turns off, if that makes sense?? |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 25/04/2010 : 12:09:24
So is te heatmat under the viv or in the viv?
If it is underneath which is how it sound then yes you should be able to have some hanging out so only around 1/3 of the floor space is heated, then get a second hide for in the cold end.
As said above she may be stressed as she can not properly thermoregulate.
Its good that you have taken her on.
Why don't you head over to the introductions section and say hello properly.
Its also good your getting a digital thermometer they are a crucial piece of kit as the thermostat probes arn't accurate so although you may have it set to the right temp on the thermostat it will be a different temp in the tank.
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| hillzi |
Posted - 25/04/2010 : 12:01:54
Hmm well she could just not want to go.. my adult male poo's once a month, but I feed him every fortnight, so that's why
Or she might not be getting enough nutrients thus meaning her taking a longer time to digest to extract the nurients.. What are you feeding her? If in doubt get her in the bath in luke warm water (26~28*) and deep enough so she can submerge fully.
When snakes are moving it does stimulate their bowels so thats why she emptied on you Corns are cresepuclar, not nocturnal as many peoplt think, but active around dusk and dawn, but all snakes are different! My guys out right now.. you get some nutcases
If I were you I'd remove that heatmat and get a smaller one ASAP. She could be too hot and thus stressed from not being able to thermoregulate properly - does she soak in the water alot?
Well done you for taking her in, wer'e a knowledgable, friendly bunch and well done for coming on here to sort her out
Welcome, btw! |
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