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jeff7377
New Member
USA
76 Posts |
 Posted - 16/07/2012 : 00:16:47
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I have a few questions but first let me give my vivarium conditions.
Substrate-cypress mulch
Temps- 76f cool, 80f warm. Day time. 73f, 76f night time
temps controlled by thermostat connected to 2 UTH.
2 Hydo/Temp digital meters
Large water bowl
2 hides. one cool side , one hot side.
ambient humidity 91%
moister hide. (that she has never used)
Here is the situation.
We have had "baby" for 8 weeks. She is very small but not unhealthy looking. After her settle in period we fed her and all went well. The next week she would not take food, but she had started turning dark and belly was a little pink. No eye caps yet. Figured she was going into shed. She never turned blue but got fairly dark and wrinkled.
Then we had a humidity issue so her humidity dropped to 50% for may be 24 hours. Week 3. Still refusing food and starts a bad shed. My fault. Figured the humidity drop caused this. Still, she never blued. Took another week to help her get through the shed. Raised humidity up to 95% and tried all the shedding tricks. Pillow case, steam bath, water soak. She ended up getting everything off but her eye caps.
Week 5. I finally get her to eat 2 pinky mice F/T and she is doing well except for the retained eye caps. Now she has gotten dark again with the skin around her neck being a bit wrinkled, belly is starting to turn pink. I have noticed her rubbing her head a little but not aggressively. Will she turn Blue or should I be expecting another shed soon? One other thing. I have not seen her soak in her water bowl ever.
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IncurableFlirt
Yearling
USA
516 Posts |
Posted - 16/07/2012 : 07:03:05
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| Poor little dear, sounds like she's had a rough time with the eye cap issue. It sounds to me like maybe she's getting ready to shed again, so hopefully this time she'll be able to get the stuck shed off. I would definitely wait on the experts before making a final decision. Hopefully Snakesitter will be along soon and can give you some better advice than anything I might have. :D I am so glad she ate for you, though, that's a good sign that she's starting to feel a bit better. The only thing I could suggest is maybe to bump her heated side up just a couple of degrees (82F max)....maybe the warmth will help kick in with her body preparing for the shed cycle. I'd definitely watch her pretty closely if she does shed, though...to make sure the retained caps do come off. :) |
Jenn.
11.8 Ball pythons
1.0 BCI boa
1.0 Brazilian Rainbow boa |
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jeff7377
New Member
USA
76 Posts |
Posted - 16/07/2012 : 11:11:17
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Will do Incurable. Hardest thing to do is wait and hope that you have everything right. I have 4 more days at home before I go back to work for 6 weeks. Hopefully she will shed in that time. I drive my wife crazy asking about how Baby is doing and whats going on when I am up at work. Sue does great with her though. I am just a control freak  |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 16/07/2012 : 23:45:39
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Hi Jeff! A 24 hour span of low humidity should not have caused a bad shed -- it may will be due to something that happened before you got her.
What is her background? How old was she before she came to you, and what conditions was she kept under? I'm trying to assess humidity background, shed history, and any possible scale damage.
The pink belly is a definite sign of nearing shed, though an early one -- she could easily still be a week out, or even more. The "wrinkles" you refer to in the neck area are not uncommon as shed approachs; on some animals I see them wherever the snake bends.
Brazilians will use their water bowls when in the mood...but I rarely see babies use them. It seems to become more common as they age, especially after meals and before sheds. You can try switching both the water bowl and humid hide to the opposite sides of the tank and see if that helps. BTW, how do you have the hide set up -- what material do you pack it with?
For feeding, offer somethung larger than pinkie mice. Mouse pinks are way too small a food for a baby Brazilian, and you'd need to offer four or five to make a decent meal. I feed mine rat pinks from birth. If you think that is too large, you can try a mouse fuzzie. Do not be surprised if she refuses around shed, as some snakes do this. A missed meal or two is not a concern. If you really want her to eat, however, try a live mouse hopper. They are like waving bags of free candy in front of first-graders, or free pizza in front of teenagers. Just wait til after she sheds to try this, and keep a careful eye on her the entire time the live food is with her.
Good luck! |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
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jeff7377
New Member
USA
76 Posts |
Posted - 17/07/2012 : 03:29:30
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Thanks for responding everyone.
I have no back round on her. I just happen to be in petco window shopping when they had just got some new reptiles in. She was still in her shipping container when I saved her from a horrible life there. They have no idea how to care for tropical snakes, but that's a whole issue in itself.
I have no idea how old she is but she is really small. Thats why were feeding pinkies and they leave a lump in her middle. I may have just gotten larger than normal pinky mice. There not rat pups. I checked  . Her body is about the size of my little finger, maybe a bit smaller and I have small hands. Could you guess her age by length and diameter? Do babies turn "blue" like the older snakes right before shedding?
BTW Cliff thank you for all the info you give on the forum. It has helped teach a lot of us how to be better BRB parents.
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jeff7377
New Member
USA
76 Posts |
Posted - 17/07/2012 : 04:05:37
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Cliff:
Water bowl is large and sits in the center of the Viv. Partially on the UTH. Humid hide is a medium size ziploc storage container half filled with sphagnum moss. But I cut the hole out of the bottom and not the top. I have moved it from warm side to cool side and back again. I do maintain 91% humidity though.
As far as scale damage. I looked her over really well before I bought her and she looked clean and shiney like she had just shed. I have a picture posted that was taken the day after I got her. Absolutely beautiful. I know that the next BRB we get (And there will be another. The wife insisted) we will contact a breeder and do it right. Just have a very short window that reptiles can be shipped to Alaska.
You have some beautiful babies, hope you will have some when were ready and get your bloodlines up North .
Thanks again
Jeff&Sue |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 18/07/2012 : 21:44:11
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| Kudos on saving Baby from the pet store, Jeff. Age is unfortunately impossible to deduce from length or weight, as feeding frequency and size make such a huge difference in growth rate. Yes, babies do indeed go blue -- though with rainbows it's more of a pink belly followed by a dulling of their color overall. Your humidity setup sounds good. I actually prefer holes on the "bottom" of the humid hide's container rather than its top. And you are very welcome -- though there are several other here (Todd, Incurable, Blackcat, others) who also have great advice! |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
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jeff7377
New Member
USA
76 Posts |
Posted - 18/07/2012 : 22:46:45
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| Thats for sure. There are some great folks on this forum. I am sure to get to know you all by name soon. Forgive me if I hurt anyone's feelings |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 18/07/2012 : 23:29:44
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| I'm sure you did not :D, but as noted it's a great group here. As hard as you're working to get it all perfect, you'll fit right in! |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
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Blackcat
Hatchling
United Kingdom
341 Posts |
Posted - 19/07/2012 : 20:57:58
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quote:
Originally posted by jeff7377
BTW Cliff thank you for all the info you give on the forum. It has helped teach a lot of us how to be better BRB parents.
I couldn't agree more 
This site has been invaluable to myself and any answers I give to people will all have been acquired from reading posts on here.
There are some very knowledgeable peeps on here who are kind enough to give advice - very much appreciated and a huge thankyou to them all |
1.1.0 BRB's 0.0.2 CRB's
0.1.2 Corn Snakes
1.0.0 House snake
0.1.0 Crested Gecko |
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Color changes....or not.
