Your one stop reptile community - baby RTB pushing insistently on glass with nose...good or ba

driftwooddodgeman · #1 (**permalink**) 05-08-2002, 07:38 AM

I had a Ball Python, got rid of her yesterday, (bought as a wild-caught adult...liked striking quite often...) so I moved my RTB from it's 20Gal tank to the bigger 60Gal tank. Also, just changed out the substrate from wood bark to newspaper, and now it's pushing quite hard on the glass, like it wants to escape. Never done this before...anything wrong with my actions so far? Also, found it with it's head under water for a lil bit, and later after coming out, noticed it "coughing" or something. It's whole body would contract, and a tiny cough-like noise could be heard...any suggestions? [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]
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driftwooddodgeman · #2 (**permalink**) 05-08-2002, 07:42 AM

sorry...forgot one thing...along with the coughing, it would also have like a spasm with it's neck...would be looking straight ahead, then it's head would bend upwards quick like...kinda worried [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_frown.gif[/img]
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#3 (**permalink**) 05-08-2002, 09:14 AM

Ok..clarify what ya mean on the changing the cage thing please.
Also..Is it only doing that when you found it in the water or all the time ya mean?
DANG IT!! ignore my caps..I do that often here arghhh]
iF ONLY WHEN CAME OUT OF THE WATER..IT PROLLY HAD WATER LOGGED IT'S LUNG IS ALL AND WAS EJECTING SUCH FROM THERE. i WOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT THAT IF THAT'S THE CASE.

As for the rubbing on the glass.. prolly just wants to escape is all hehe. How many hides ya got in there for him?

WELCOME TO REDTAILBOA.NET !!!

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captainmorgan · #4 (**permalink**) 05-08-2002, 02:17 PM

Hey Lori, I wouldn't rule out IBD either....these are weird symptoms...... [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]
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driftwooddodgeman · #5 (**permalink**) 05-08-2002, 03:01 PM

If by changing the cage, you mean changing the substrate, here ya go; I took out the bark, because when I've run my hands thru it, I always come out with splinters, and as soon as I put her in the cage on the bark, she went straight to the water and soaked ALL night. Never done this before. Thought maybe she was getting splinters. Also, she has just gotten over a case of mites, and I believe I got them all, but don't want to take the chance of some hiding out in the woodchips. Don't think the Ball had any, but just want to be sure. I put newspaper "ads" in as substrate. Are there chemicals in color ink or something? Thought about that as it was after I put her in there on that paper that she started acting wierd...As far as the "coughing", it was only for a short time after coming out of the water. She looks fine now. Still hangs out by the water dish, though. Do RTB's like caves? I have a large rock cave on the other side in which she has never gone. The water is on the cool side, with temps around 80-85*, and inside the rock is 85*, above the rock is a heat lamp set at 85-90*. I just replaced a 100W bulb with a 50W bulb cause when my Ball was in there, that rock would reach 100 some days, and usually sat around 95. From reading other posts here, I decided that was too hot for RTBs, but have also read they like a 95* basking spot. Anyway, I have 3 hides for her; the rock on the hot side, a log in the middle, and a log on the cool side. Also, is it bad to have a 1 1/2 ft RTB in such a large cage? I read that sometimes it's just "too much space" for them...

Thanks for the welcome, Lori. I am sure I will learn a lot from this place, as I still have quite a few questions, and I'm sure will have MANY more to come...

NOTE: All references to the RTB as "Her" were suddenly in my head all day. Have named "him" Thumper thinking he's a male. Haven't had it sexed...maybe my subconscious knows something I don't? [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif[/img]

As far as what captainmorgan wrote...

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Don't SAY that! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]

Here's one more question...Will she be as tame when she's 10 ft long? Hope so! I am wondering if when they get older, they get more of their "wild instincts" back. Thanks for responding...hope this post isn't too long! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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#6 (**permalink**) 05-08-2002, 04:19 PM

A quick way to stop the nose rubbing is to put some opaque material about 2" high all around the bottom edge of the glass. I use black construction paper. If they cannot see through it, chances are they will rub their nose a lot less...
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eddie · #7 (**permalink**) 05-08-2002, 04:31 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> Hey Lori, I wouldn't rule out IBD either....these are weird symptoms...... </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

Too much in coincidence with the timing for that..
My guess is you took her away from familiar ground and now it is trying to get back to home.
Did you get rid of all its old substrate from the other tank?
If not, put some in its new home to give it a familiar smaell.
You may want to put in a second hide, since there is more room for it, to add to its security feelings.One on the warm and one on the cool side.

And last but not least, Welcome to Redtail!
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Barrin · #8 (**permalink**) 05-08-2002, 04:50 PM

my king rubs its nose on the glass every time he is sheddin.
I can all ways tell when he is readdy to get it off cuz he is
rubin away at the walls like a day ahead.
I dont know if yours is the same situation...
There is my .02 cents worth...
oh,
and welcome to RTB [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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Shadrach · #9 (**permalink**) 05-08-2002, 07:31 PM

Go with what the others are saying here, as far as giving it time to adjust to the new enclosure and coughing up the water! I have a ball python that does this quite often as far as getting water in her lung's. it's just a pain in the butt to have to sit there and listen to them cough it up!!!
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driftwooddodgeman · #10 (**permalink**) 05-09-2002, 12:25 AM

>><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> Hey Lori, I wouldn't rule out IBD either....these are weird symptoms...... </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>
>>
>>Too much in coincidence with the timing for that..
>>My guess is you took her away from familiar ground and now it is trying to get back to home.
>>Did you get rid of all its old substrate from the other tank?
>>If not, put some in its new home to give it a familiar smaell.
>>You may want to put in a second hide, since there is more room for it, to add to its security feelings.One on the warm and one on the cool side.
>>
>>And last but not least, Welcome to Redtail!

Yeah, that's what I thought. Maybe she smelled the Ball in there. All substrate was replaced. Her old cage just had newspaper in it, due to the mite prob. I have 3 hides available...one on the hot side, cool side, and in between the two...she's got plenty of places to hide, but never does. Always hanging out by the water dish. Also, had another question; is it normal for baby snakes to have poor coordination? That's how Thumper got her name. She was always falling over when trying to stretch up to the light...pretty cute and fitting name, I think. Anyway, yeah, she seems to have calmed down quite a bit since yesterday. Glad to hear that coughing thing is normal! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] Thanks, guys, for all your input. I'm sure I'll get plenty of advice and help as I need it later on...you guys are great! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
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LdyDrgn · #11 (**permalink**) 05-09-2002, 03:56 AM

You mean you didn't bleach the enclosure out after having WILD CAUGHT python in there??? OMG...that is very important. Enclosures need to be bleached out before transferring another snake or lizard into them. Did your Royal ever get to see a vet? Do you know for a fact it was healthy? Lori should be along soon...... [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_evil.gif[/img]
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ss26969 · #12 (**permalink**) 05-09-2002, 04:09 AM

yep what they all said ................. give it some time to settle in
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driftwooddodgeman · #13 (**permalink**) 05-09-2002, 04:59 AM

Nope...sure didn't. It never saw a vet, but looked pretty healthy to me. (but then again, I'm still pretty much a newbie...) You think it's too late to do a quick scrubdown of the cage? I really don't think there was anything to worry about, but I guess we'll see...it wasn't in that cage very long, but I know that probably don't mean much...keep up the comments, as I have a lot to learn still... [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
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