Setup info

kojak81184 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-21-2006, 04:24 AM

I had a problem with my redtail not eating before. As everyone can probably tell this is my first snake. I have a ten gallon aqarium, with aspen substrate, The heat lamp is just plain metal with a 60 watt bulb. I have a sticky therm on the front of cage to tell temp. I also just bought a sticky undercage heat pad thingy. No I'm not using both at same time. Chicken broth and hampster shavings did not work. I think the fact of the matter is the whole cage setup, now have in better area for humidity the thing I'm wondering now is.... how can I set the tank up so that I get the heat and the cool sides at the same time? Oh and by the way she is around three months old and maybe 18 or 20 inches long. I tried getting some fuzzy mice but they looked to big as far as her girth, I don't know maybe I'm wrong but it looked that way to me. The only thing I haven't tried is the (braining) I even tried to put the pinky mice in her mouth twice but she just spit them out both times. Thanks for all the comments from before and hopefully I'll get the same result from this thread, thanks again to evryone for all the help so far.

Freakkboy · #2 (**permalink**) 07-21-2006, 04:52 AM

http://redtailboa.net/modules.php?na...ewarticle&id=4
Here is a good care sheet from this site. The info is good, so I wouldnt worry about following any of the recomendations.
I think maybe it is hard to get a good thermal gradiant in a 10 gal aquarium. I personally do not use them for my boas when they are smaller, at any rate do you have a good portion of the top covered to help regulate heat loss?
If it is all screen you will loose heat and humidity extremely fast, possibly allowing drafts in the enclosure if near a window or air vent.
As far as not eating, a boa of 18-20 inches should be eating rat pinkys at least, that may be why it is being picky.
Hope this helps.

Corvinedragon · #3 (**permalink**) 07-21-2006, 09:32 AM

Wait till it's night time.
Warm up a pink rat, brain it (Just poke it's eye and push the head a tiny bit so some fluid builds up) Set it in near the snake, and leave the snake alone for at LEAST an hour. Completely alone.

That is the only way my baby boa will eat. :/ All conditions must be met.

Heidi · #4 (**permalink**) 07-21-2006, 12:02 PM

You need a more accurate way to measure temperatures. Either a temp gun or a digital thermometer for both the hot side and cool side. I think if you get one to measure both sides you'll realize it is impossible to get the proper heat gradiant on both sides of a 10 gallon. You'll either have to settle on the warm side being to cool or the cool side being too hot. Go to the store and get at the minimum a larger sized rubbermaid tub for the time being or a 20 gallon long aquarium and cover the screen. I hope you didn't stick the heating pad to the bottom of the 10 because it probably will not be able to be reused even if it is big enough for a 20L.

Once the husbandry conditions are corrected and you let the snake settle in their new home for a couple weeks you may find that it starts eating due to the relief from the stress of being kept in the improper conditions.

SnakeCollector · #5 (**permalink**) 07-21-2006, 12:05 PM

i agree that you should start off with a twenty gallon long.much easier to get the temps right and keep them right and they are only about 20-30 dollars

kojak81184 · #6 (**permalink**) 07-21-2006, 02:56 PM

Thanks, yall may be right but she just looks like she might not be able to eat rats yet. she is really small, but on the other hand I don't know how big pinky rats are eigther. Is it just a 20 gallon or is it a 20 gallon long? By the way what do I do, do I put a divider in it or just keep it open and the lite on one side or how is it done? Thanks again everyone.

kojak81184 · #7 (**permalink**) 07-21-2006, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kojak81184

Thanks, yall may be right but she just looks like she might not be able to eat rats yet. she is really small, but on the other hand I don't know how big pinky rats are eigther. Is it just a 20 gallon or is it a 20 gallon long? By the way what do I do, do I put a divider in it or just keep it open and the lite on one side or how is it done? Thanks again everyone.

Keep your mouth shut and let evryone think your an idiot, rather than open it and leave no doubt.

VoodooChile · #8 (**permalink**) 07-21-2006, 03:16 PM

Id go for a 29L if you can afford it, if not, a large plastic tote works fine.
Leave it without a divider, what will happen is the overall air temps will rise enough to keep your boa warm, but one side will be warmer than the other, allowing the boa to move from warm side to cool side and thermoregulate its body temperature. They arent like us, their body temps rise and fall with the air temps around them. Temps should be around 85-88 cool and 90-92 warm
At night the temps can drop by roughly 10 degrees all around. The analog (round dial based thermometers) arent as accurate as a digital you can purchase in the garden dept at WalMart. (inexpensive)
Humidity should be in the 60% range, and you can raise it by misting the cage, adding a wet towel, or another bowl of water during the snakes shed cycles.

Make sure you provide hiding places on each side (warm and cool) usually pet shops sell the logs cut in half and hollowed out, you even can use a cardboard box and toss it when it gets soiled. The hide needs to be large enough for the snake to coil inside of and its sides touch the sides of the hide.

Once you get your set up right, and allow the snake to settle in without disturbing it for several days, it should eat for you. I would recommend a pink rat, but without seeing the snake its hard to say. If you have a Pet store, you can ask if they have any newborn rats and check them for sizing. Please feed frozen/thawed prey

How long has it been since the snake ate? What did it eat?
I think because of the setup, it is just stressed, once that is corrected, it should come around

kojak81184 · #9 (**permalink**) 07-22-2006, 04:38 AM

It has been six weeks since she ate last, or at least thats how long I've had her and the guy told me she ate 4 or 5 days prior to me buying her. He said she ate two fuzzy hampsters. She has defficated twice since I bought her and not ate anything. She is only about 3 months old right now and she may be a half inch or 3/4 inches wide at her widest point so I don't know what she can handle cause I havn't seen anything but pinky and fuzzy mice yet and fuzzy mice look to big but not sure. In advance thanks again.

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