Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

quasimodo

This is so daft but totally true. I have over a dozen young pituophis, all sturdy and growing and eating well. This afternoon I fed them each a large fluff mouse and left the room. They are individually housed, each with a single piece of plain kitchen-roll as substrate. When after a short while I went back into the room to check their progress one of them had a third of its piece of kitchen-roll sticking out of its mouth. Shocked

On gently pulling the stuff it came out bit by bit like a wet sausage with the fluff the last to come out, all tangled up in the paper. I will make sure that the babe drinks to replace the moisture lost due to the paper, but what a narrow escape....

Just wanted to warn people of what can happen, so please keep an eye on feeding snakes.
Sue

sam · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:16 pm Post subject:

Was the mouse dry? It definitely looks like another good reason to dry off the defrosted food before feeding.

Thanks for the heads up!
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lovesnakes · Key Member Joined: 10 May 2007 Posts: 323 Location: essex

now i know pituophis will eat just about anything, but that's ridiculous Shocked

seriously though. glad you caught it in time Very Happy

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best of luck in the new season

Stuart · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:01 pm Post subject:

lucky escape..thanks for posting up.. Cool

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davo · Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:14 pm Post subject:

narrow escape. It's just they stick to anything really, never heard of such an extreme event, but yup, really need to make sure it's totally dry I guess.

SteveL · Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:17 pm Post subject:

thanks for the heads up

Confused

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Snowy · Contributing Member Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 179

In the three years I have used kitchen roll I have never had this happen. Could it be the brand I wonder? I once used a supermarkets own when they were out of thirst pockets and found them not too good.

I do make sure the food is dry before putting it in but then I don't heat them up in water but on an exposed part of a heat mat.
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23/07/07 RIP Mousey a furry companion of 15 years.

RonW · Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:15 am Post subject:

Something like that happened to me once, but with a young emerald tree boa. I used to use several kitchen roll sheets on the bottom of his cage to hold the moisture a bit longer. At some point the animal stopped feeding and looked decidedly uncomfortable (didn't coil perfectly). Because the animal did look healthy aside from that and they can look a bit weird around shedding time I just kept an eye on the animal. Then one day I found a weird looking turd in its cage. Upon closer inspection the turd contained a whole kitchen roll sheet Shocked

The animal immediately looked happy (no wonder) and fed Very Happy

quasimodo · Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:33 pm Post subject:

I am sure that it was my fault, the fluff could not have been dried properly. It has taught me an important lesson though... Embarassed

No great harm done as the wee chap ate two pinkies the next day, but it now has a real attitude problem Rolling Eyes

and made concerted efforts to tag me Laughing

Nice one....

Thanks for all of your comments guys,
Sue

Lady Python · Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:22 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the warning. I usually dry off the rodents with a hairdryer (one of our Royals won't look at it if it's even slightly wet). Always watch the snakes eating anyway. Love watching them enjoy their meal Very Happy

I find it fascinating and never get tired of watching them.
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3 Royal Pythons - Byron, Bobby & Rosie
3 Boas - Zig, Zag & Sevvy
1 BRB - Sunny
1 Milksnake - Ringo
2 Cali Kingsnakes - Nigel & Sally
7 Cornsnakes - Kai, Ryoko, Kiyone, Charlie, Onyx, Jake & Barney
1 Pinesnake X Bullsnake - Joe

RIP Sammy Snake