A few more questions

Kent K25 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-14-2003, 08:18 PM

My Baby will be coming in from New York this next week, and i just was wondering what type of calming period i need to give it as far as putting it in its cage and leaving it alone for a while. Is it stressful for the snake to be handle much immediately, if so how long do i just leave it alone in its cage before its cool to be normal with it?
Also i will be doint the pre killed feeding and was wondering what yall do with pinkies and fuzzies to kill em, I mean i have no problem sticking a rat in a pillow case and giving it a good wall whack, but how bout a pinky, yall just do the same thing to kill it. I considered just feeding him live while he is eating harmless pinkies etc... but then realized it is probably better for him to be accustomed to eating pre killed. Let me know your expert opinions.

Thanks again
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trinitywolf · #2 (**permalink**) 03-14-2003, 08:33 PM

Hey Pure...I moved this post to the Help Me! forum, so you know where to find it next time you look.
I do make a concerted effort when I recieve my snakes to leave them alone for a few days to let them adjust to their new environment. I usually try to give them about 4-7 days. This is not a hard and fast rule, as some snakes may be perfectly fine being handled right away. It may just be to make me feel better and serve no real benefit to the snake, but I think that it allows them to acclimate to their new home before stressing them further. If your snake does get stressed out it can cause a variety of health problems, including causing it to go off food.

Others will be along to add other opinions to this. Good luck though!

Ted
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schatzie001 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-15-2003, 01:56 AM

TW made some good points, so I will just add a note or two, kinda confirms what he said.

When we first got our baby bci, it was SOOOO hard not to hold him constantly. They are so cute, and we really had to fight it. So handle as little as possible at first, let him get used to the new digs, and after a week start handling maybe 15 minutes at a time.

Ours did not take food after the 3rd day, nor the 5th. He finally had his first meal about 7-10 days later and it took a bit of coaxing from me to get him to eat. lt comes down to getting acclimated. So don't be discouraged if yours does not eat the first try. Just leave him alone with the dead prey and try not to get too anxious about it.

As far as killing the pinkie, gently pull the head and snap the spinal cord - there is a post somewhere here about that method. If you do the pillowcase trick it may splatter to pieces (though I really don't know, never tried that).

Good luck!
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Kent K25 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-15-2003, 02:10 AM

Bleah, you would think a 6'5" guy could handle breaking a little pinkies neck, but just the thought makes me squirmish. Even better that everyone is afraid of snakes, but i love em, yet cant handle a pinky!
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JonnyB · #5 (**permalink**) 03-15-2003, 02:14 AM

I would also suggest about a week till you handel my snake has been moved 4 times since Igot her a year and a half ago (I'm in the USCG) and even though he was in the same cage just different house I still gave her about 7-10 days before I handeled.
As far as prekilling pinkies I would not suggest the pillow case thing. yuck!
I p/k adult mice by flicking back of head. I know it's a little violent but it gets the job done. I would use the same technique for pinkies or fuzzies just a softer blow
jon
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Kent K25 · #6 (**permalink**) 03-15-2003, 02:22 AM

Dang Jonny you must have one heck of a flick! But then again i guess i dont know how hard a flick it would take to kill a rat, i just imagine it has to be a pretty good one.
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Sunn · #7 (**permalink**) 03-15-2003, 02:27 AM

Hey Pure....

The advise on handling is right on....so be patient! Tough as it seems....
I know you will...you've asked all the right questions and been patient in choosing your baby so what is another week?

As for the rat pup....I've seen them wacked on a tabletop hard enough to instantly send them to heaven yet not so hard as to splat their lil brains out.

Spinal/skull dislocation or whatever they call it works better on larger rats...so does the wack em on the wall from a pillowcase or baggy situation.

Personally I can't kill em....my hubby does for me since I did more injuring than killing.
I also have a gas chamber to send them to heaven and this works great. It can be small scale or large scale....up to you and your freezer and snake population needs.

Let me find the link here.... http://redtailboa.net/modules.php?op...ic=10922&7

that should work....if not go to Help Me and look for the post: How are the frozen rats killed? Gas, breaking neck????? It's from Feb. 22nd I think.

Keep in touch.

[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] Sandy
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Blackwidow_woman · #8 (**permalink**) 03-15-2003, 08:22 PM

[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_cool.gif[/img] I also agree on waitting for the handling, as for the mice pinkies or rat pinkies or adult mice i just use the handle end of a butter knife and wack them on the back of the neck and make sure they are dead.. with medium rats and full size rats i use something a lot heavier, put them on the counter and wham they are done for..for as hard as i hit them in the back of the neck i know there dead..reguardless i always keep an eye on my animals when feeding them.. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_cool.gif[/img]
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JonnyB · #9 (**permalink**) 03-15-2003, 08:37 PM

>>Dang Jonny you must have one heck of a flick! But then again i guess i dont know how hard a flick it would take to kill a rat, i just imagine it has to be a pretty good one.

lol. No pure I kill mice with a flick I have done rats like that but takes 2 or 3 and I have to ice my finger afterwards. OUCH! one good flick to back of head will take mice rite out so with pinkies a softer blow would be as effective.
jonny

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Sunn · #10 (**permalink**) 03-16-2003, 02:03 AM

SoPure.....

I'd always feed rat pups over mice given they will take them or I can switch 'em and putting
shavings from a mouse bin will make a rat pup smell right if your baby is on mice now. I've switched everything up to 8 ft onto rats....they are just much healthier than mice...

Like I said ...the killing 'em is the hubby's job! I keep enough in the freezer not to be a pain constantly.

A flick eh? laffin....my flicker isn't working right I guess!

[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] Sandy
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JonnyB · #11 (**permalink**) 03-16-2003, 02:14 AM

I've had a problem getting my RTB to take frozen [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]
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