Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[gsrawlinson]

i recently bought a sub-adult royal about 6-7 weeks ago and placed him in a Viv i set up myself.

the temps are monitored daily - including air temperature at warm and cool ends. the royal itself is not very active and spends most weeks under the warm side hide. this is also quite worrying?

the first week of owning this royal he shed fine and i have introduced mice of medium and large sizes as instructed from the pet store. there has been no response at all to food.

i do not know what else to do to make him feel less stressed, the Viv i believe is not too big and identical hides are at both ends. i do not handle the royal and will not until it feeds.

is there anything any can suggest to help eliminate stress or to spark a feeding response.
thanks

vivarium pic
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/gsrawlinson/DSC00090.jpg

[sguido]

I wouldn't worry too much yet. I have an adult female that I got back in August and she has yet to eat. I monitor her weight and she has only dropped about 40 grams since September.
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[mike h]

what was the pet store.
Is it CB CF LTC?
Did you see it feed at the store?
Did they say it had been deeding at the store or was feeding witht here supplier?
Who supplied it to them?
Can you trust the word of the store (unfortunately a snakes a snake to alot of them, like some used car dealers)
Basically we need to find out its history.
If its history is genuine then patience is probably all that is needed.

mike
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Check out my albino royal python website!

[Scott W]

pretty much as Mike said above.

What are the temps out of interest?
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Please DO NOT pm orders for reptiles, send email instead scott@captivebred.co.uk

[matty]

I'd also be worried that they advised you to change his food size so suddenly. Have you tried offering him what he is used to at the store?
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-Matt

http://www.reptilechat.co.uk/

[gsrawlinson]

temps are approx 32.4 at the warm side and 27.6 at the cooler end. as of earlier this morning.

the royal is captive bred and im unsure of its sex and im not 100% of its history, i can only try and investigate this. it was feeding regularly on standard medium mice i even asked has it ate rats or anything and i was told no only mice. so thats what ive been trying.


what is the best way to introduce prey ive been using mice and placing it in front of the hide opening.

will changing from a overhead red bulb to heat mat make much difference or will that just create an unnecessary disturbance.

would anyone suggest varying prey as yet or stick to what it is used to?

[Scott W]

The spot bulb is fine.

I would aim for a surface heat in the hide (under the spot bulb) of 32 not just air temp (the air temp may need to be warmer than 32 to give a hide temp of 32).

Defrost the mouse slowly at room temp, then leave it somewhere warmer (like on the top of the viv above the heat) for another 20 mins to boost it's temp.

Then just leave it a few inches from the hide entrance. Do this last thing at night and don't disturb until the next morning...NOT EVEN A PEEK

Only remove if it didn't eat the following day.
_________________

Please DO NOT pm orders for reptiles, send email instead scott@captivebred.co.uk

[Budsteam]

Our royal has heat mat beneath and overhead ceramic bulb so ground and air air temp at warm end pretty similar.
Other thing worth looking at ... our royal climbs around a lot, he has a big bark tube and 2 tree-like pices of decor as well as ground hides - he is very active at night explores every nook and cranny... Maybe if you put in some climbing decor and a raised hide may encourage some movement and thereafter more interest in food.
Worth a try.

[gsrawlinson]

a lot of people have said branches would be beneficial, do u think this would help or would just stress the snake out more because the environment has changed.

if you have a heat mat and ceramic bulb what is used with a thermostat? both heat sources or just heat mat?

thanks

[mike h]

hello
This is what I would do.
Get a large contico from
http://www.eurorep.net/retail/product_info.php?cPath=85_167&products_id=1309

Put newspaper on the bottom. put in a hide big enough for the royal but not too big.
e.g. one half of school kids butty box the type that clip together. cut small square on one side for royal to get in.
or the green paper type hanging basket liners are good about 99p from wilkies. get a suitable sized water bowl.
get a small tupperware container and put moss in it or failing that lightly mist the box in the morning and evening. or just put some moss in to keep humidity. oh and put ventilation holes in the contico sides and lid.

In you current tank place heatmat(thermostatically controlled) but no other heat source. useing thermometers digital probe set surface temp in contico box, but outside of hide at 88f.

Place royal in contico in the main tank with ONLY the heat mat. make sure heatmat is warming approx a third of the contico box and that the hide is over the heatmat.
If you are happy all this is perfect. forget about the royal for a few days.
after a few days at night useing a red bulb to give light. defrost 1 mouse (again this is what I would do) have long forceps and kitchen roll handy. have glass on viv open and contico lid ready to be removed
Put mouse in very hot water e.g. when you put your finger in you have to take it out quite quickly.
immediately and very fast dry with kitchen roll. gently useing forceps put mouse in front of hide, very very gentle use very slow minimal movements, be patient, if after a couple of mins it has not struck but is showing interest, slowly reheat the mouse in hot water. dry and gentle put in front of hide. if it strikes and holds gently tug on the mouses tail and then let go and sit down and watch without moving till it is consumed.
if it lets go stil dont move for 5 mins as often they will sniff around once they are convinced the food is dead, then eat it.
if it does not strike after a few mins leave the mousepart in hide and gently secure contico viv and leave alone till morning.
phew this is what I would do and I am sure a lot would do differently.
mike
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