Snakes

[van]

Alright, thanks to all of you, I think I'll just set him free tonight and hope he does well, since the wounds aren't really that deep and it doesn't look too bad other than his eye getting scratched.

@Ivalynfyre -
Sorry, I tried taking a picture, but I just can't focus with my sister's camera for some reason, and he doesn't want to stop squiriming. I'd take your advice and try applying somethine like that, if we had any of that stuff. >< I'm just hoping he'll just do well on his own, I don't want to keep him for too long in fear that he wouldn't survive like Jazi said.

[Grimace]

I got an awesome picture of my sassy boa eating.

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-a ... 7472_n.jpg

[IAmLink]

Ugh...welp tonight was Theodwyn's feeding again, and she refused her mouse >.<

I tried like last week, really hot/boiling water, put her in a small container, left her in the dark alone for an hour+...but she still didn't eat.

She's quite active right now, cruising around her viv. I've never had this happen before, so I'm not sure what to do. Should I just act as though she did eat and wait another week? Anything else specific I should try next time?

This is really strange for me because she was the last one I was worried about, the babies concerned me more when it came to feeding time. She just acts very stressed out. I feed in a separate container, but she does not like coming out of her viv and she does the tail rattle a lot. She also did not get handled much at all this last week, I only had her out once and that was three days after her last meal and only for about 30 minutes.

I know she's only refused just one mouse and I probably shouldn't start to worry yet, but she's just seemed so stressed at meal time and I hope I'm not doing something wrong >_<

[plum]

Feeding out of the viv is kinda pointless, IMO. If your snake is in correct conditions, then it's not going to have any problem digesting a bit of substrate along with its meal and the 'feeding in viv makes the snake cage aggressive' is a myth..
Try feeding her next week in the cage, with a hot mouse, and if she doesn't take it, leave it in overnight. If she's in a busy room, maybe put a towel over her cage.

[Ruruskadoo]

I usually take my snake out when I feed her because I house her on aspen, and since she's pretty small I was always worried about her ingesting some of her substrate. I fed her in her tank for the first time recently. I opened the tank and she was curled up in a snakelump in the front of her tank, so I poked her with the mouse to get her attention. She actually made a little puffing noise. XD That's the first time I've ever heard her hiss. I poked her again and she hissed again but didn't move or anything, just like "LEAVE ME ALONE, I'M TRYING TO SLEEP." (Although to be serious she probably thought the mouse was a threat because she's not very smart XD) Then I shoved the mouse in her face and she scented it for a few moments before finally realizing it was food and opening her mouth and slowly taking the mouse. She's so herptastic. I would have liked to watch her to make sure she was eating okay, but I was running short on time, so I just left her to eat in peace.

[Grimace]

Yeah, any snakes I have on injestable substrate, i take out to feed. Anything on paper towels just gets fed in the tank.

[plum]

Why? If your snakes are in correct conditions, a little substrate isn't going to hurt them at all. If you're feeding f/t straight from the water and are concerned about bedding sticking to it, then dry it off with a paper towel or use a blow dryer to thaw it.
-i just said that, lol-
anyways, it isn't snakes, but check out how smart monitors can be! Ta-da.

[Grimace]

Why? If your snakes are in correct conditions, a little substrate isn't going to hurt them at all. If you're feeding f/t straight from the water and are concerned about bedding sticking to it, then dry it off with a paper towel or use a blow dryer to thaw it.
-i just said that, lol-
anyways, it isn't snakes, but check out how smart monitors can be! Ta-da.

Depends on what they swallow. Its bad if you have a snake swallow a big shred of aspen, or a sharp sliver of wood or something.

[plum]

But snakes eat rodents and birds and other prey items that have rather sharp claws, beaks, etc., and get it down fine. I've had a snake eat an oversized rat with rather sharp claws butt-first and there was no negative affects.
Eventually feeding out of cage will become plain dangerous with certain snakes. An eight foot long boa in feeding mode is something you don't want to have to move to and from a feeding container. Not to mention getting moved with a full stomach is likely to be stressful.

A method I used when my animals were on loose substrate was to have an area in the cage covered with a paper towel, lure the snake over there, and feed there. Then when the snake goes back to its hide, take out the paper towel while it's digesting.
My corn's old cage used to have a second level, it was made out of cardboard and I never had substrate on it, so it made a good place to feed on.

If people insist on feeding out of enclosure, I can't stop them, but personally I do not see the point in it. I monitor all my snakes while they eat to make sure nothing bad happens(even though they are on paper towels), and I can intervene if anything bad is happening.

[Raichern]

Question: My friends rats just got babies and she's asking if I'd like them for my baby snake. She says that the rats are healthy, do you guys think it's alright if I take them? They're around 2,5cm she thinks, I don't believe that they can be any bigger right now.

If I take them, how do I do to get them freezed down the easiest way?

Edit: Ouch, she takes them for £5 each, I bought 10 for £3 at the reptile sale v.v