New friend with an ill-kept RTB. What to do?

Voodoo · #1 (**permalink**) 08-28-2003, 07:58 PM

I don't know if this is the proper forum, so if it's not, move it. Er.

Longish story

Through the grapevine, a guy I used to work with heard that I'm the local "snake lady."

Now, his gf has a 6 y/o 6.5' RTB. Because she's been really busy with work and such for the last three years, she (Cupcake) hasn't been handled much.

The cage hadn't been cleaned out for about 5 months (because she didn't know how the snake would react to being handled) before I came over and had her bf help me clean out the cage. They had her on rabbit pellets, now newspaper, with a heat rock and a dog-sized water bowl in a 4x2x2 plywood cage.

Now, the snake's well-fed (p/k large rats - I gave her the RodentPro addy to order some online), but fed in the cage. She's also an absolute sweetie. Cody and I got her out and let her play with us out in the yard.

Now, I reccomended to her to either get a large Boaphile cage or build, say, a 6x3 cage. A larger water bowl, of course. Maybe a hide. And definatly a better heat source. BigAppleHerp sells heat tape, right? I gave her that addy.

Now, should I just keep an eye on the snake (we go over there on Sundays to play Risk, hehe), or should I suggest maybe giving it up? Her bf says he really wants to start taking care of the snake (since he IS the one that got me to help him, is willing to build a new cage, wanting all the heat sources info, etc).

What would y'all do? I don't want to hurt her feelings, which would probably just make her defensive and not want to take my help.
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Voodoo · #2 (**permalink**) 08-28-2003, 08:01 PM

PS: Could anyone with a lot of RTB experience give me their Email addies to pass along to her? I helped where I could, but I'm not a RTB master, hehe. I'd like her to have people that know more than I do when she has questions.
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LdyDrgn · #3 (**permalink**) 08-28-2003, 08:02 PM

I'd give him the chance to do better by the snake. Keep an eye on her and offer help when it looks like he needs it. You gave the addy for this forum, too, right? [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]

You can give them mine and Morti's e-mail... we'd be glad to help [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

ldydrgn@redtailboa.net
morti@redtailboa.net

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morti · #4 (**permalink**) 08-28-2003, 08:04 PM

Educate, educate, educate....

It sounds like you have a good start there... just let them know what to do, offer help doing it, and then if they don't do it, suggest giving the snake up.

-Morti.
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morti · #5 (**permalink**) 08-28-2003, 08:05 PM

And I agree with Michelle... Definately give both of our e-mail addys as well as my care sheet.

-Morti.
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Voodoo · #6 (**permalink**) 08-28-2003, 08:12 PM

Is there anything I didn't cover? I may have missed something.

And is your caresheet the one on this site?
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LdyDrgn · #7 (**permalink**) 08-28-2003, 08:15 PM

Morti's Caresheet

[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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SteveP · #8 (**permalink**) 08-28-2003, 10:00 PM

Educate and encourage! Giving them support and allowing for a few mistakes will encourage them. Like Morti said, sounds like they've got things turning around there for the better. If you're able to go over once a week that's great. You can regularly ask how the snake is doing and interact with them and the animal. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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JuliusSqueezer · #9 (**permalink**) 08-30-2003, 03:51 AM

Yah...just because we care and are passionate about these animals doesn't make us snake police and mean we can bully people and take away their snakes...tactful suggestions (something I've personally never been good at lol ) are always the best route. If that doesn't work...beat em in the head and run off with their snake. That's what I do....umm but be nice about it.
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Constrictor_BO · #10 (**permalink**) 08-30-2003, 02:30 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> just because we care and are passionate about these animals doesn't make us snake police and mean </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

Nahh.. just mean.

Sounds like this guy is wanting to do right and take care of the snake. Educate him and see how he does.

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