Alex update, and lots o' questions

aleekslovesshaki · #1 (**permalink**) 12-30-2002, 02:05 PM

Thank you all for the suggestions! Sorry I haven't replied in awhile, all of this holiday stuff had me running around everywhere! Unfortunately, I haven't seen Alex around yet... I seriously doubt my cat would eat him, probably just do a little batting if she ever saw him, but he'd take off I'm sure if that happened. One day we actually came home and found her inside the aquarium with our two gerbils, who were still alive and well; she was just sitting there watching. Anyway! My brother left a mouse on the floor, which he then forgot about and proceeded to step on, bare-foot .... oOoooH grossss. Every few days I've been searching around his room to no avail. I seriously doubt I'd find the snake by looking around like that but hey, it's worth a try! The mouse remained on the floor for a few days with no bite... but I'll have to fill up Alex's water dish and tell my brother to leave it on the bedroom floor in case he feels like hydrating a little. Hopefully my brother won't step in IT too! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img] Every day he asks, "Ky, have you seen my snake?" because he seems to think that -I- lost him... absolutely nooot. He never likes to admit fault. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img] Hehehe. I'm still at a loss as to how Alex got out, though. On one hand I'd like to talk my brother into getting another snake (like I did with the first one... shhh, don't tell him that!) because I miss the little guy (the snake, not brother) but I don't want to run out and replace him right away, and what would happen if Alex decides to reappear? Which brings me to two questions, both of which will most likely be indicative of my snake ignorance! One, what are the rules for keeping snakes together in a habitat? Is it pretty much wise to keep them separate? Can you keep, say, corn snakes together? If you can, does that apply in every situtation, such as, a baby and an adult, or captive bred and not captive bred, venomous with non-venomous, two not of the same clutch, etc etc? What would happen if you put a corn with a ball python? Along that same vein, out of curiosity, I've seen some pictures of biiiiig snakes on these forums. In a typical reaction from both sides (if there is one), what would happen if I held up a little mini corn snake up to one of those bigger snakes? Just wondering.. not planning on doing any of this, obviously! I'm just getting a feel for things. Well, that was like 30 questions right there... but my "second" one was, I haven't seen a particularly wonderful variety of snakes in my visits to Petco and Petsmart (who I would not buy a snake from, judging by the fact that they are overpriced, seem to be ill-educated about the snakes, and the ball my friend bought from them had mites) and a reptile shop in a neighboring city, which is where we got Alex from... okay, that was a really long sentence. Let's punctuate! Yeah, so my question is, are there any "fairly commonly" sold snakes, besides corns and ball pythons, that anyone might recommend -- ones that are good for near-beginners, or rather for people who are responsible owners and interested in learning a lot more about snakes. Please accept my apology if something in this post did not make sense.... it's 6AM and I haven't slept yet, I'm quite sick at the moment, and I ... seem to talk a lot. =D Oh, one more thing -- are there any sites with really cool snake pictures around? I was looking at rtb's 'post your pics' forum tonight and there were some great pictures on there. You guys are awesome, thanks for all the help and welcoming! Good night!

Kylee

schatzie001 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-30-2002, 02:45 PM

i did a lot of research before buying my first snake, and you cannot beat a columbian red tail boa...they are great beginner snakes [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]

i will defer your other questions to the experts here...but i do know you should not house different types of snakes together, or even same type but different sizes. too much stress
[addsig]

#3 (**permalink**) 12-30-2002, 02:59 PM

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> One, what are the rules for keeping snakes together in a habitat? Is it pretty much wise to keep them separate? </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

As a general rule, snakes are solitary creatures. Kept together, one will probably suffer as they compete for the best hiding spots, best basking spots etc.

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> Can you keep, say, corn snakes together? </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

Not advised, corn snakes have been documented to be cannabilistic on occassion.

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> If you can, does that apply in every situtation, such as, a baby and an adult, or captive bred and not captive bred, venomous with non-venomous, two not of the same clutch, etc etc? </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

Size difference is bad, one might squish the other, and the smaller will definitely be stressed by the larger. CB vs WC may result in your CB acquiring disease and/or parasites. A lot of vens eat other snakes regularly as part of their diet and vice versa. For example, kingsnakes eat other snakes very regularly, including venomous ones.

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>What would happen if you put a corn with a ball python?</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

Again, the disease thing, since they are from different parts of the world, one's natural flora might be deadly to the other. In addition, different snakes from different continents will have different husbandry requirements. Temperatures adequate for a Royal Python will be deadly for a corn snake, way too hot.

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>Yeah, so my question is, are there any "fairly commonly" sold snakes, besides corns and ball pythons, that anyone might recommend -- ones that are good for near-beginners, or rather for people who are responsible owners and interested in learning a lot more about snakes. </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

Ratsnakes in general are pretty easy to care for. Kingsnakes and milksnakes also fall into this category generally. RTB's are pretty popular, but they can get quite sizeable compared to the above mentioned colubrids.

If keeping multiple snakes is not possible, i.e. if Alex turns up AFTER a new snake is purchased, will he be able to be maintained or will this cause trouble? It sounds to me like your brother needs to come to terms with the responsibility of the escape and general snake keeping procedures before another animal is procured.

_________________
Rome did not build a great empire by having meetings, they did it by killing all who opposed them!

Jay

aleekslovesshaki · #4 (**permalink**) 12-30-2002, 10:40 PM

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>RTB's are pretty popular, but they can get quite sizeable compared to the above mentioned colubrids.</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

What size do they grow to be? I've actually never seen any RTBs in any of the (few) stores I've been in that sell snakes. Any good sites or facts you can recomm-- oh wait, I am at redtailboa.net, aren't I? Hahaha. Does this site have an information page about them? Oh, and can they kill my cat? Gotta keep that in mind, since she's my mom's "favorite child".

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>If keeping multiple snakes is not possible, i.e. if Alex turns up AFTER a new snake is purchased, will he be able to be maintained or will this cause trouble? It sounds to me like your brother needs to come to terms with the responsibility of the escape and general snake keeping procedures before another animal is procured.</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

Oh yes, he'll be maintained if we purchase another and then find him. Don't get me wrong, our pets don't live in neglect. =] If the lid was not snapped on properly, it was probably a one time accident, because this experience, I'm sure, will make him a lot more careful about putting the cage lid on properly if not putting it on properly was actually what happened (that's the only thing I can think of). I don't live here, I actually live in a dorm 2 hours away from my family, but maybe/hopefully by fall '03 semester I'll be able to get an apartment and get my own snake baby. =] My brother does want a snake, though, so I'm trying to educate myself as best as I can on the best options. He's more of the guy to read the 'corn snake manual' and that's pretty much it. I like to research more.. I was the one who asked the reptile shop guy like 50 questions before my brother bought the snake. Anyway, if he ends up with two (a new one and then Alex) then he'd just have to go buy another aquarium and all that entails. There's not really another option. He didn't do a bad job taking care of Alex... it's just that he's a butt about admitting fault, and therefore blames the escape on anything but himself. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img]

Thanks for the information guys, I'm really interested in it and I'm sure it'll be useful!

[addsig]

#5 (**permalink**) 12-30-2002, 10:47 PM

I'm sure if you click on the caresheets link there to the left, you'll find all you need. Females can easily reach 8' and 40 pounds, males tend to be a bit smaller.

If he's a butt about admitting fault, that's an issue. Unless someone else is handling or feeding the snake, it and everything that happens to it is 100% his responsibility and fault. Period.
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#6 (**permalink**) 01-02-2003, 10:28 AM

Hmm I actually have found the BCi females to be in the area of 8'+..average of like 9' actually and also in excess of 45lbs too usually. There's also the ones that get to like 10' even hehe. Males i have found to average in the area of like 7-8' usually and weight in the 25-30lb range basically. My largest female is 10'+, weighs 65 lbs+ and also has a 24" girth easily.
BTW.. There are boas that don't grow as large as these ones do even. The hog isle is one of them.
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