| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| zig-zag |
Posted - 10/05/2012 : 19:15:58
Hi,
Wondering if you guys could advise me in regards to retained skin on a new snake.
It's not a brb but a red blood python but I feel the solution would be the same and I trust the advice given here.
So got him/her home today and want to leave 'ruby' to settle for a week, but... Ruby has a bit of retained skin on the back of the head, not near the eyes but where the body meets the head.
So I'm wondering if it's more important to bath ruby and aid the removal of skin or to settle for a week and deal with the skin then?
Thank you! |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| CDN_Blood |
Posted - 13/05/2012 : 01:18:11
Glad to be of some use :) |
| zig-zag |
Posted - 12/05/2012 : 21:40:30
quote:
Originally posted by CDN_Blood
quote:
Originally posted by zig-zag
One more for you CDN, lol. Sorry!
I'm very curious to find out how you feed your snakes, came across your rants on the website which included one about tongs and hand feeding. But you didn't mention what technique you used?
Have to say you have made me think twice about using tongs if what you say about them is true.
Siggi
I simply place a thawed food item at the opposite end of the cage, close the lid and walk away. They track it down and eat it unless I stay there, in which case they hunt me instead because the scent of food gets them excited and I'm the thing that's moving, so it's best that I leave the room.
Bloods have a *very* strong feeding response and trying to use tongs to feed them is a good way to make the evening news. They can be just plain dangerous when they smell food, so I strongly recommend not even attempting this.
New snakes can be a little shy about food, but once it's had a few meals in your care and it comfortable eating, you'll notice a huge difference in it's response to the smell of food. They're fast, powerful and not that smart, to you need to be faster than they are and smarter than they are - they're running on pure instinct and adrenaline when they smell food, so you need to run on pure intelligence and use all the speed you can muster to get yourself out of their vicinity after introducing food.
Makes sense. I have left the food with my brb before and it has failed to work, but he has only just settled in and it was after he failed to feed from tongs so I'm not going to use that as an experience to go by.
I have to say I hate using the tongs myself, it has scared my snakes more often than it has helped feed them. I will definitely give this a try and try implementing it with my snakes.
Thanks for taking the time to answer all these questions for me, it's responses like yours that make me happy to have caught this darn reptile bug hehe.
I will be a regular to your site as I enjoy the material you have created on there and it's very informative. Rants being the personal favourite, there's always a lack of people willing to express their opinion on matters that are found acceptable by society even though it's clearly cruel and inhumane by any ethical or moral standard. Reptile shows being the target of my hatred there, didn't think any herpers shared my view on the matter to be honest.
Hope to bump heads with you again sometime as I have learned a lot from this short encounter, thanks!
Siggi
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| CDN_Blood |
Posted - 12/05/2012 : 18:59:09
quote:
Originally posted by MrBD1980
Hey, sorry to butt in but I currently use tongs to feed my BRB....I'd be interested to hear the points against their use. (not being cheeky, just new to this game and trying to learn!)
Cheers
Bri
Tong Feeding Rant -> http://cdnblood.clanteam.com/CDN_Blood/Rants/Entries/2010/12/19_Tong_Feeding_Snakes.html |
| CDN_Blood |
Posted - 12/05/2012 : 18:56:08
quote:
Originally posted by zig-zag
One more for you CDN, lol. Sorry!
I'm very curious to find out how you feed your snakes, came across your rants on the website which included one about tongs and hand feeding. But you didn't mention what technique you used?
Have to say you have made me think twice about using tongs if what you say about them is true.
Siggi
I simply place a thawed food item at the opposite end of the cage, close the lid and walk away. They track it down and eat it unless I stay there, in which case they hunt me instead because the scent of food gets them excited and I'm the thing that's moving, so it's best that I leave the room.
Bloods have a *very* strong feeding response and trying to use tongs to feed them is a good way to make the evening news. They can be just plain dangerous when they smell food, so I strongly recommend not even attempting this.
New snakes can be a little shy about food, but once it's had a few meals in your care and it comfortable eating, you'll notice a huge difference in it's response to the smell of food. They're fast, powerful and not that smart, to you need to be faster than they are and smarter than they are - they're running on pure instinct and adrenaline when they smell food, so you need to run on pure intelligence and use all the speed you can muster to get yourself out of their vicinity after introducing food. |
| MrBD1980 |
Posted - 12/05/2012 : 17:43:20
Hey, sorry to butt in but I currently use tongs to feed my BRB....I'd be interested to hear the points against their use. (not being cheeky, just new to this game and trying to learn!)
Cheers
Bri
|
| zig-zag |
Posted - 12/05/2012 : 14:25:55
One more for you CDN, lol. Sorry!
I'm very curious to find out how you feed your snakes, came across your rants on the website which included one about tongs and hand feeding. But you didn't mention what technique you used?
Have to say you have made me think twice about using tongs if what you say about them is true.
Siggi
|
| zig-zag |
Posted - 12/05/2012 : 13:54:25
quote:
Originally posted by CDN_Blood
Blood pythons are nervous, insecure and rather paranoid creatures, which is why they don't like open spaces. They're generally much happier in smaller spaces because it makes them feel more secure. I've tried custom enclosures as well as large terrariums and there's a reason I switched to tubs with paper. The Bloods are actually *the* reason I switched to tubs, which I was loath to try for years.
Getting a Blood python out of a custom-built or large enclosure can be quite...challenging. The more space they have, the more defensive they tend to get, whereas with a tub of suitable size, they feel secure and don't offer nearly as much resistance. I think you'll also find that anyone who understands what these snakes are really all about will advise against front-opening enclosures. When they get frightened they get defensive and that can trigger uncontrolled lunges, but when these things do get to that point, they throw themselves into it with all their might and they usually get completely airborne in the process, so front-opening enclosures can have your frightened snake literally leaping right out and onto the floor, which only scares it more and compounds the problem.
My Bloods are quite well behaved because I do understand and respect them, as well as spend quite a bit of time keeping them as social as they'll allow me to (they don't like extended periods of interaction and usually start showing signs of stress after about 5 minutes), but they were indeed more difficult to work with in larger tanks or custom enclosures, so finally switching to tubs was quite helpful in that aspect, as well as keeping the right mix of humidity and fresh air that they require.
As you suspected, they do seem to use their tub as a single hide. I don't even bother using a hide in their tubs because they seem to feel secure enough in a tub without a hide, so that is another bonus.
It is difficult to find quality information on them - there are a lot of know-it-all-know-nothings out there, but there are also a handful of truly sincere keepers who've been keeping Bloods a long time and making quality observations and they're the ones you want to be picking the brains of. Try a search for National Reptile Fans and you'll find two others there of high calibre who are always happy to provide input - it's what we're there for :)
WOW! Thank you, a lot of very good information there! Itīs the same for me with not wanting to go to tubs, I felt it was usually a case of it being beneficial to the keeper rather than the reptile. In which case I would never consider it. But, I'm not an idiot and am more than willing to take a more experienced keepers view into serious consideration.
Are you able to point me in the direction of good instructions/explanations to using tubs. I will of course look myself but just if something comes to mind.
I have very little knowledge of tubs. Mainly because I have felt, as mentioned before, that they were for ease of use rather than optimum care.
quote:
Originally posted by CDN_Blood
but there are also a handful of truly sincere keepers who've been keeping Bloods a long time and making quality observations and they're the ones you want to be picking the brains of.
You were unlucky enough to be the first I found, haha. Can't thank you enough though for taking the time to answer my inexperienced self, I will feel much more confident that I'm giving my Blood the care she(hopefully female) requires and more.
Kind regards, Siggi
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| CDN_Blood |
Posted - 12/05/2012 : 11:13:57
Blood pythons are nervous, insecure and rather paranoid creatures, which is why they don't like open spaces. They're generally much happier in smaller spaces because it makes them feel more secure. I've tried custom enclosures as well as large terrariums and there's a reason I switched to tubs with paper. The Bloods are actually *the* reason I switched to tubs, which I was loath to try for years.
Getting a Blood python out of a custom-built or large enclosure can be quite...challenging. The more space they have, the more defensive they tend to get, whereas with a tub of suitable size, they feel secure and don't offer nearly as much resistance. I think you'll also find that anyone who understands what these snakes are really all about will advise against front-opening enclosures. When they get frightened they get defensive and that can trigger uncontrolled lunges, but when these things do get to that point, they throw themselves into it with all their might and they usually get completely airborne in the process, so front-opening enclosures can have your frightened snake literally leaping right out and onto the floor, which only scares it more and compounds the problem.
My Bloods are quite well behaved because I do understand and respect them, as well as spend quite a bit of time keeping them as social as they'll allow me to (they don't like extended periods of interaction and usually start showing signs of stress after about 5 minutes), but they were indeed more difficult to work with in larger tanks or custom enclosures, so finally switching to tubs was quite helpful in that aspect, as well as keeping the right mix of humidity and fresh air that they require.
As you suspected, they do seem to use their tub as a single hide. I don't even bother using a hide in their tubs because they seem to feel secure enough in a tub without a hide, so that is another bonus.
It is difficult to find quality information on them - there are a lot of know-it-all-know-nothings out there, but there are also a handful of truly sincere keepers who've been keeping Bloods a long time and making quality observations and they're the ones you want to be picking the brains of. Try a search for National Reptile Fans and you'll find two others there of high calibre who are always happy to provide input - it's what we're there for :)
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| zig-zag |
Posted - 11/05/2012 : 15:43:23
quote:
Originally posted by CDN_Blood
Btw, on the subject of enclosures, I can guarantee you 2 things about Bloods; they do *not* appreciate large enclosures and they do *so* much better in plastic tubs than anything else I've tried. I've only been keeping Bloods for 11 years, but you can take those 2 things to the bank and I can't stress these items enough to anyone. Food for thought :)
I only took one image so far and it's not the greatest of shots as I feel the camera is very invasive while they're settling in, had to get one though so I had something to look at for this coming week.
I did take note of your tubs on your youtube videos, which did get me thinking because I have come across a lot of contradicting information regarding viv size.
Main thing I'm seeing is the complete opposite, and that they like their floor space. I was seeing a lot of 6x2x2 recommendations for a fully grown blood, I think this was on every care sheet I found. But I'm slow to trust everything I read, so I did try take my small knowledge and also a lot of different care sheets to find what I thought was best. Information for these guys seems very scarce, so you can imagine I was happy to find your site!
Back to the point :)this has been the only thing which has had me going in circles, did you find you had a lot more feeding and temperament problems before settling with tubs? Very interested in your observations on this subject.
Also, not used tubs myself. Do you treat their tubs more as a single hide rather than the 2 x hides in a larger viv style set-up like mine?
Thanks for taking the time to reply, very appreciated! |
| CDN_Blood |
Posted - 11/05/2012 : 14:22:24
Btw, on the subject of enclosures, I can guarantee you 2 things about Bloods; they do *not* appreciate large enclosures and they do *so* much better in plastic tubs than anything else I've tried. I've only been keeping Bloods for 11 years, but you can take those 2 things to the bank and I can't stress these items enough to anyone. Food for thought :) |
| CDN_Blood |
Posted - 11/05/2012 : 11:53:27
Well I'm glad you enjoyed my website and like my views on herps. I gotta say that I like where you head's at, too, lol. Feel free to chat me-up using any of the methods on the Contact Info page of my site - I can talk reptiles for hours :)
So now the only remaining question is when do we get to see an image? |
| zig-zag |
Posted - 11/05/2012 : 10:52:41
quote:
Originally posted by CDN_Blood
Yes, they know what they're doing as long as they have the things they need to do it with. Bloods love water - they're heavy, clumsy snakes, so like Anacondas, they're much more comfortable in the water. I've observed mine soaking for day and even weeks at a time.
I guess that's the great thing about these guys, they'll never be your pet but if you respect them they allow you the privilege of helping with their care. Hard to describe but I will never feel I own these amazing creatures, simply have the pleasure of their company.
My plan for the bloods adult enclosure was designed with soaking in mind. My favourite idea for this at the moment has to be an old Georgian ceramic sink converted into a snake bath, nice and heavy was the thought there!
Great website by the way, so much info and I really respect your view on looking after snakes greatly! So refreshing to see, as researching snakes has made me feel that to many people treat them as collectiblle ornaments and not something that needs stable and reliable care. So many snakes seem to just swap homes willy nilly, very sad to see.
Sorry for rambling! I'm a bit alone in my snake world here and love talking about them :)
Thanks again!
Siggi
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| CDN_Blood |
Posted - 10/05/2012 : 23:45:56
Yes, they know what they're doing as long as they have the things they need to do it with. Bloods love water - they're heavy, clumsy snakes, so like Anacondas, they're much more comfortable in the water. I've observed mine soaking for day and even weeks at a time. |
| zig-zag |
Posted - 10/05/2012 : 22:27:22
quote:
Originally posted by CDN_Blood
Can you manage a water basin in it's enclosure large enough for it to soak in? That's always better than trying to bend a Blood python to your own will...
Yip, bought him/her a large water bowl as I knew they liked to soak. to my surprise ruby was in there within a couple of hrs, only seen my brb in his once! So cool to see, guess it's just proof that snakes know how to look after themselves best =D
I think he/she will take care of this without my aid but will just keep an eye out.
Thanks!
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| CDN_Blood |
Posted - 10/05/2012 : 20:30:47
Can you manage a water basin in it's enclosure large enough for it to soak in? That's always better than trying to bend a Blood python to your own will... |
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