# Photos of my new snake and his enclosure!



## SLACkra (Sep 22, 2005)

enjoy! he has definatly started exploring. feeling quite safe in his soroundings untill some crazy creatures aims a metalic object at him and blinds him with flashes of light :lol: 

the close up of his head has had basic photoshop editing. personally i think the auto colour fix thing makes him look redder than he actually is. however i like that shot cause of his tongue an interesting blue in that photo!

cheers

andrew


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## staffsrule (Sep 22, 2005)

Cool, nice little fella !!


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## trader (Sep 22, 2005)

He is so cute!  It looks like a huge enclosure for him...Just a hint on the toilet paper rolls...if they are from scented toilet paper your lil guy may not appreciate the scents coming off of them as they warm up in the heat of the enclosure....
:wink: Well done and congrats again Slackra!


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## alexr (Sep 22, 2005)

Worth the wait buddy!!! Quite the budding photographer too (watch pugsly :wink



SLACkra said:


> feeling quite safe in his soroundings untill some crazy creatures aims a metalic object at him and blinds him with flashes of light



LOL. Trust me ...much beter then when a crazy creature goes really fast in a metalic object and he is blinded from flashes of light from a thing up high on a poll... and far cheaper too.


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## SLACkra (Sep 22, 2005)

> scented toilet paper



there is such a thing? 



> LOL. Trust me ...much beter then when a crazy creature goes really fast in a metalic object and he is blinded from flashes of light from a thing up high on a poll... and far cheaper too.



and i am sure you have alot of knowledge of being blinded by flashes of lights from a thing up high on a poll


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## Guest (Sep 22, 2005)

Cool pics SLACkra looks like he is making himself at home........ Been tagged yet?


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## SLACkra (Sep 22, 2005)

i am not sure actually! possibly but i didn't really feal anything and i don't have any bite marks. he put on a good show when i quickly showed my dad him. he had ventured to the top branch and suddenly he had 2 people looking at him. just started striking. poped the lid back on and left him be. i think hes in his warm site hide box atm, though he has ventured into the toilet paper rolls.

andrew


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## peterescue (Sep 22, 2005)

He goes through a lot of toilet paper.
Do a bit more reading Slackra, they dont eat corn flakes

Nice one all round.


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## herptrader (Sep 22, 2005)

SLACkra said:


> > scented toilet paper
> 
> 
> 
> there is such a thing?



Alas most are... you will know exactly what is meant if you take a quick sniff before using them in an enclosure.


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## swampie (Sep 22, 2005)

Nice one mate and i see there's no shortage of hide places. Bredls are the coolest.


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## africancichlidau (Sep 22, 2005)

Gorgeous little tacka mate, congratulations


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## pugsly (Sep 22, 2005)

> He goes through a lot of toilet paper.
> Do a bit more reading Slackra, they dont eat corn flakes



PMSL

Well done mate looks great, the photoshop editing made the photo look great i gotta get my hand on that program, then look out everyone! :lol: :wink:


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## ether (Sep 23, 2005)

If thats him in the middle picture in top of the branch, then that enclosure is huge!!


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## childreni_440 (Sep 23, 2005)

IMO that enclosure is far far too big for a snake of that size. I would suggest something smaller. Where's the heating in the enclosure?


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## The Rock (Sep 23, 2005)

The enclousure is fine he will grow into it in know time as long as there is a warm and cool end for him to thermoregulate.
Slackra please tell me those wires are not insde the tank.?
Rob


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## OuZo (Sep 23, 2005)

Awwww look how cute he is!!! 

He's not gonna know where to choose when he wants to hide lol


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## SLACkra (Sep 23, 2005)

> Slackra please tell me those wires are not insde the tank.?



:shock:  he dosen't seem to have a problem with them, but your recomendations please! whats wrong with them?? the white ones are the thermometer and the silver one is the probe thermostat.

actually i think he loves his new place. i put some towls around the back and on the sides to make it a bit darker. last night he was in total explore mode, and got royally annoyed everytime i walked by! hes currently curled up in the non scented toilet rolls. 

andrew


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## The Rock (Sep 23, 2005)

Just put the heat pad or what ever you are using under the tank NOT inside. As long as you have one end,4-6 inches or so, where you can put your hand on the floor and its nice and warm, and the rest of the tank cool, there is no need for a thermometer at all.! As for the thermostat Id get rid of it and conect a light dimmer to the pad instead. That way you just adjust the dial to suit and always have a constant warm and cold spot. Use the thermometer for the room the the snake is in and when temp gets 30 degrees or more theres no need to have heat on and can be turned off. Simple. You will easily work out what time of year and when this happens and timer set accorrdingly will turn lights on and off if you arnt there.


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## junglemad (Sep 23, 2005)

There looks like way too much crap in there...it looks like a recycling depot.Nice little aware snake....


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## SLACkra (Sep 23, 2005)

atm the current setup seems to be working. the heat pad is located under a tile which completely covers it. so the tile is kept nice and toasty. 

actually i wreckon the lil dude likes all the crap he is always in a different hide, but i think he likes the toilet rolls alot, might put a couple in the warm spot hide.

andrew


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## childreni_440 (Sep 23, 2005)

Is that enclosure on the floor? Is there lots of movement ie walking past alot?


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## danw (Sep 23, 2005)

Nice snake!You are doing a good job!


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## SLACkra (Sep 23, 2005)

ya his enclosure is on the floor atm. i am avoiding walking past and he usually hides where he can't see out the front. 

thanks danw!

andrew


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## Deano (Sep 23, 2005)

peterescue said:


> He goes through a lot of toilet paper.
> Do a bit more reading Slackra, they dont eat corn flakes
> 
> Nice one all round.




LMAO


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## The Rock (Sep 23, 2005)

Seriously slackra, Id be putting the heat pad under the tank not inside, Its not worth the risk. If anything happens it will be the classic I told you so.!!!!


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## SLACkra (Sep 23, 2005)

true but i think its pretty safe to have it in contact with glass and tile instead of carpet or wood etc. and the probe keeps it from getting to warm.

definatly a darkness loving snake hes up on his branch.

andrew


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## childreni_440 (Sep 24, 2005)

Is the heat pad the sole source of heat in that enclosure?


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## SLACkra (Sep 24, 2005)

yes. 

i move some toilet rolls into the big hide box that sits ontop of the warm tile. while i put a couple more in there today i found him sitting in one. he likes toilet paper rolls...

picked up 2 pinky rats today they didn't have velvet and they had fuzzies and fuzzies were definatly way to big for him, pinkies look perfect for him. $3 each though!

andrew


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## Wrasse (Sep 24, 2005)

Rock, what has you so concerned with the heat mat setup ? It may not be ideal in your eyes, but what exactly makes it wrong ? (Genuine question)


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## childreni_440 (Sep 24, 2005)

> picked up 2 pinky rats today they didn't have velvet and they had fuzzies and fuzzies were definatly way to big for him, pinkies look perfect for him



A snake of that size should take fuzzies.


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## SLACkra (Sep 24, 2005)

fuzzie rats?


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## childreni_440 (Sep 24, 2005)

> fuzzie rats?



Velvets at least.


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## SLACkra (Sep 24, 2005)

didn't have velvets only fuzzies and pinkies. pinkies look perfect for him though. will take a photo of him feeding so you can get an idea of the size of them compared to the size of him!

andrew


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## childreni_440 (Sep 24, 2005)

Im sure he will eat pinkies no worries. Keep in mind a snake can eat food items much larger than thier head. I look forward to pics. When will you be feeding him?


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## SLACkra (Sep 24, 2005)

the pinkies are at least twice the size of his head more likely 3. probably feed him some time this week maybe tuesday so i he will be ok to handle on thursday.

hes a strange lil dude. hes up on the peice of glass that makes the overflow. 

andrew


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## childreni_440 (Sep 24, 2005)

> hes a strange lil dude. hes up on the peice of glass that makes the overflow.



Just as long as he doesnt escape.


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## The Rock (Sep 25, 2005)

A number of things,- if theres a slight falt anywhere and the snake wees zap dead snake. Ive also seen snakes strangle themselves,(belive it or not),on wires in tanks. VERY VERY bad idea. 
Slakra,- put the tank on concrete or if you need it where it is put a fire proof sheet of something down first, just get that heat pad out of there. You obviously like taking un-needed risks.


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## foxysnake (Sep 25, 2005)

Just a question - does everyone else keep that much stuff in their enclosures? Seriously, I'm curious. I just have a water bowel, lots a newspaper and a stick blue-tacked to the wall. (And yes there is a blue lightbulb for heating.)


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## trader (Sep 25, 2005)

water bowl, hide, branch/log, and BC.


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## Wrasse (Sep 25, 2005)

The Rock: OK thanks. I see your point. I guess freak accidents can happen and it is always best not to go increasing the possibilities. 



foxysnake said:


> Just a question - does everyone else keep that much stuff in their enclosures? Seriously, I'm curious. I just have a water bowel, lots a newspaper and a stick blue-tacked to the wall. (And yes there is a blue lightbulb for heating.)



If the only enclosure I had was physically too large for the snake I was to put in it, then yes, I would fill it up with lots of hides and stuff. To minimise the open floor space the snake has to move across to thermoregulate or reach water etc and hopefully help to reduce the stress a large open empty space can cause, especially when moving to a new keeper also.


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## The Rock (Sep 25, 2005)

The set up is fine, except for the heat pad. He will grow into it in no time.


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## BROWNS (Sep 25, 2005)

yep chuck the heat mat under the tank and i'd wack your tile on top of your newspaper which will hold a more constant heat just like the surface of a road where you see most snakes.


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## SLACkra (Sep 25, 2005)

going to fix the heat pad sitch today. outside the tank it goes and i will remove the tile as it will no longer serve a purpose. 

thanks for the info guys! freak accidents i don't like the sound of them...

well i gtg fix up the heat mat and probably get bitten

browns just read yoru post you posted just before me while i was writing my post. so i should have the heat mat under the tank then newspaper then the tile?


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## BROWNS (Sep 25, 2005)

if you want to use the probe t/stat maybe get a thick enough piece of ply,melamine you can put under the whole tank with a hole drilled to place the probe in rather than inside the tank you can basically check the heat with your hand after initially adjusting your temp...


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## SLACkra (Sep 25, 2005)

ok like make a groove for it to sit in then the heat matt ontop of it. set the thermostat so that the warm side temp is sutiable. got a spare bit of melamine will move the heat mat today and see if i can find the tools to make a groove in the melamine to fit the probe.

will go move the heat matt now.

andrew


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## The Rock (Sep 25, 2005)

Dimmer is much easier than thermostat.


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## serpenttongue (Sep 25, 2005)

The Rock said:


> A number of things,- if theres a slight falt anywhere and the snake wees zap dead snake. Ive also seen snakes strangle themselves,(belive it or not),on wires in tanks. VERY VERY bad idea.
> Slakra,- put the tank on concrete or if you need it where it is put a fire proof sheet of something down first, just get that heat pad out of there. You obviously like taking un-needed risks.



I agree totally with The Rock. You should never allow a snake to make direct contact with any heat source(with the possible exception of hotrocks-which i think are useless and shouldnt be used anyway). Snakes bellies arent very sensitive to high temperatures, so your little hatchy could be laying on a heatmat thats burning its belly and it probably wouldnt even know it. 

Also any uneaten food could cook and rot quicker if its left on a heatpad by either you or pushed onto it by a constantly moving snake.

Good to see you've taken it out  .


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## SLACkra (Sep 25, 2005)

ya removed it. folded up a small towl then placed the heat mat ontop of it hten the tank ontop of that. the temp on the warm end is 36'C.



> Dimmer is much easier than thermostat.



as this is only temporary i am going to stick with the thermostat as its doing a pretty bang up job at keeping the warm end not to hot and not to cold.

andrew


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## OuZo (Sep 26, 2005)

> Just a question - does everyone else keep that much stuff in their enclosures? Seriously, I'm curious. I just have a water bowel, lots a newspaper and a stick blue-tacked to the wall. (And yes there is a blue lightbulb for heating.)



I don't have anywhere near that amount of stuff in my enclosures lol. I used to have heaps of hides in with babies but was told they have to get used to it sometime so now there's only one. I'd be very careful of the blutack though! I've heard the horror stories of snakes and sticky things :shock:


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## SLACkra (Sep 27, 2005)

he ate a pinkie rat last night. disturbed him from his hide and put the pinkie infront of him. just looked at it then i wiggled it and away he went! didn't do much coiling around it but i reckon he knew it was dead.

photos will come soon gtg walk the dogs

andrew


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## Vat69 (Sep 27, 2005)

May I ask what brand of heat mat you are using? It must be pretty hardcore if you're worried about it getting so hot that it'll take away the heat gradient in the enclosure.

I've never used any kind of guage with mine. Just stick them under one end of the tank. It stays warm and the other end of the tank stays cool. Easy.


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## Guest (Sep 27, 2005)

Yeah im the same as Vat69, i havent used a thermostat or dimmer for any heat mats ive used with no dramas at all by just sticking them under the end that i want to be the hot end.


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## SLACkra (Sep 27, 2005)

its the smallest and highest wattage heat matt from the herp shop. 14watts and cappable of heating up to 20' higher than the ambient temp. i could easily see it going to 40'C easily.

andrew


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## Vat69 (Sep 27, 2005)

I'm curious, why did you buy one with that much capacity? (I didn't even know they made ones that needed to be regulated).


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## SLACkra (Sep 27, 2005)

during the winter my room gets cold like 13'c sometimes, so being able to heat above 20'C of the ambient temp means the temp on the hot end is still at around 33'C when its that cold.

Also the 7watt and 14watt matts were the same price so went for the more powerful model. 

andrew


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## olivehydra (Sep 27, 2005)

OuZo said:


> > I don't have anywhere near that amount of stuff in my enclosures lol. I used to have heaps of hides in with babies but was told they have to get used to it sometime so now there's only one. I'd be very careful of the blutack though! I've heard the horror stories of snakes and sticky things :shock:
> 
> 
> 
> Too true, many years ago I had a hatchie do some nasty damage (lost scales and almost a spectacle) still scar tissue visible today. The culprit was a bandaid of all things!


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## Vat69 (Sep 27, 2005)

Fair enough. Where I keep my snakes it can get down to below 5 degrees and all I have is a regular heat mat. They do fine. 
But hey, whatever works for you, do it.  
Personally I just think it would've been far easier and cheaper for you to have just bought a regular one with no thermostat.
Everything's different when it's your first snake though, I understand :wink:


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## SLACkra (Sep 27, 2005)

sdaji sold me a probe thermostat for like $50 so i am happy. the setup works. the lil dude is digesting his meal in his warm hide box and spends tha majority of his time in it so it must be pretty good. 

little off topic theres a crazy beard with a big ptach of yellow outside my window and its just looking at me and chirping.... 

bak on topic, ya i keep on hearing aobut how sticky things do terrible damage to snakes! he aint coming in contact with anything like tape or adhesives.

andrew


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## Vat69 (Sep 27, 2005)

As he settles in he should hopefully be spending an equal-ish amount of time in the warm and cool areas.  
So it's not really the best thing if he's spending the majority of his time in the warm hide, but that's probably due to him just getting used to his surroundings.


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## SLACkra (Sep 27, 2005)

actually at night time hes all over the place but in the day hes in his warm spot. hopefully soon he will be happy enough to venture out of his hide during the day, but i don't see that happening any time soon.


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## star11 (Sep 27, 2005)

He's a beauty mate.
Don't worry, he will settle down soon...he won't even notice you walking past the enclosure when he feels comfortable in his surroundings....I reckon anyway :wink:


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## SLACkra (Sep 27, 2005)

> He's a beauty mate.



thanks!

ok some more photos!:

night time exploration:





Bite wound:




Feasting:




good comparison of pinkie and the snakes head:





andrew


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## The Rock (Sep 27, 2005)

They are mainly noctunal thats why they dont move much during the day.


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## SLACkra (Sep 27, 2005)

thought so. thanks for that info rob. well hes settled in then, exploring eating etc. probably going to leave it till friday or this weekend before he gets his first handling session. 15mins every 3-4days ok?

andrew


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## The Rock (Sep 27, 2005)

Personally Id just leave him alone but each to their own.


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## star11 (Sep 27, 2005)

I'd take him out every 2nd day or so to begin with, but each to their own.
JMO


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## SLACkra (Oct 10, 2005)

**UPDATE**

ok well a lil update, sorry no pics. the lil guy is doing great. took anouther pinkie last week. hes getting better with handling still bites a bit. todays handling went well while the last handling he wasn't in a great mood and gave me a couple great bites. 

i took him outside today and it seemed to calm him down i think he liked the sunshine. i think hes coming up to a shed not sure when its going to happen but his colouration is becoming darker. 

i will post again with more pics and i might attempt to messure him (get his length with a piece of string then messure the string)

cheers

andrew


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## Wrasse (Oct 10, 2005)

Make sure when you take him out, he can get to shade as well as sun and hang on tight, will be a nice little feast for birds. :shock:

Eating well, you must be doing something right


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## SLACkra (Oct 10, 2005)

> Make sure when you take him out, he can get to shade as well as sun and hang on tight, will be a nice little feast for birds.



I know i was standing over him the whole time he didn't seem to terribly mind! 



> Eating well, you must be doing something right



i have no idea what that something is! hes just a pig! though he seems a bit thin (but thats probably just me). going to try him on fuzzies for the next feed. 

andrew


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## Guest (Oct 11, 2005)

Beautiful animal who bred him?


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## SLACkra (Oct 11, 2005)

The Rock did. if i buy more snakes i will probably try to buy off him.

andrew


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