Advise please: New Diamond hatchie

[Jinx03]

Hey everyone,

So, I got my first snake at the expo over the weekend, I've been doing heaps of reading, heaps of research and have planned how the first week or two should go, but keep reading contradictory pieces of advice so was hoping to hear the recommendations of people who have far more experience than i do! She's about 3 months old, first ate on xmas day, first shed on xmas day and has been eating and shedding since then. And she's a diamond python...

So, she is home and in her new click clack, has done a bunch of exploring/ exercise and has spent a bunch of time sitting under her heat emitter, she also spends time in the hides down the cool end of her tank. So We're pretty sure she is happy with the temperature, but are keeping an eye on the gauges and all that stuff.

So, what we are trying to figure out is how long we let her settle in before handling her? The info we've read ranges from 48 hours to 2 weeks and we're really not sure, because we've also read that handling her is important so she get used to us handling her.

Also, we got a feeding history, but the last 2 feeds aren't dated, which we didn't realise until after we left. So we're thinking that it was probably a couple of days prior to us buying her that she was last fed. How long do we wait until we feed her? Do we handle her first and then feed, or go strait to the feed, then wait the couple of days for digestion and then handle?? And do we wait 2 full days after the feed before handling her??

We're both VERY keen to handle her, but are also conscious of leaving her to settle before we handle too much. We've heard we should build up from 1 minute today, 2 minutes tomorrow, 5 the next day etc. to get her used to us handling her.

Any help and/ or advice will be very greatly received!!

Thanks.

 

[kitten_pheonix]

Dont handle until she is feeding properly, once shes feeding correctly you will know she has settled in.

 

[bigguy]

Once it starts eating for you at home, then you can start handling, but not to much at first. Should feed at least once a week and the food item should be easily visible in the stomach as a lump. Do not handle after feeding till you can no longer see lump.

 

[ajwill]

Hi, I'm the other half of 'we' who can't wait to handle the new DP. Thanks for the advice, confirms what we were thinking. Two more questions:1. Enclosure size: currently in a 32x25x12cm click clack. Python is around 50cm long. Is this too small? We have a 2 ft fish tank that's being secured and fitted out but do we need something in between?2. Feeding question: I had a Spotted a few years ago and was advised to just place the food in the cage. Sometimes ate, sometimes didn't. In a lot of YouTube feeding videos they are shaking the food in front of the snakes and sometimes even whacking them with it. What's going to work best?

 

[Norm]

1. Enclosure size is fine for now
2. Stay away from fish tanks, poor ventilation and heat retention due to all the glass and usually a mesh top.
3. Preferably using long feeding tongs wiggle the mouse in front of your snake, if it wont take it leave it on the cage floor, turn off the lights and leave it in peace for at least half an hour. If it hasn't eaten it, you can try leaving it a bit longer ( may need to be reheated ) or remove it and try again in a week.

Best practise is to handle through the day and feed of a night, this is when pythons are naturally hunting and you will notice a definite change in behaviour between night and day.

 

[Jinx03]

Thanks everyone for your advice, we tried her on a PM tonight and she ate it happily. We tried dangling it in front of her, but she was happiest when we left it in the click clack with her. Anyway, first feed achieved, so we're feeling a little more confident now.

Thanks again!!

 

[tahniandshae]

If PM stands for pink mouse then move straight onto fuzzies. A pink mouse is way too small for a 50cm diamond

 

[ajwill]

Yep, thought it might be. Just ate two really quickly. Will move onto fuzzier from the next feed. Eating and handling fine now.

- - - Updated - - -

Make that three.

 

[hypertension]

Now I will throw a spanner in the works on handling... I got our girl when she was about 6 months old and we handled her everyday except feeding days from day one. She settled in instantly never missed a feed and fed from tongs straight away. She was in a click clack when we got her and she went straight into a large upright enclosure with plenty of hides and branches. She has never attempted to strike in or out of her enclosure. Her body language indicates a desire to explore every time she is out. She is now 12 months and still loves being handled and never shown any signs of aggression.

I don't think there is a perfect rule of thumb but more of a varied range depending on the animal and learning to read them.

Good luck and hope you're DP.

 

[ajwill]

Lol, thanks hypertension! That didn't complicate things at all! We just picked up a set of shelves on council clean up and are starting on an enclosure this weekend, so probably moving into a bigger home soon.

 

[ajwill]

Hey @hypertension - was this your first snake?

 

[hypertension]

Yes [MENTION=12173]ajwill[/MENTION] it was, but had kept and bred over 200 bearded dragons in the last 6+ years

 

[ajwill]

Lol, sounds like you've got your head around scaly people.

 

[hypertension]

Lol, sounds like you've got your head around scaly people.

Always learning and wanting to learn, comes from being an analyst and s need to make it simple

 

[ronhalling]

Hey guys, a good rule of thumb for feeding sizes for your little 1 is 15-20% of the snakes body weight, you have owned a spotted python so you will know how big a food item they can get down even with their smallish heads, as far as handling is concerned i have always believed 7-10 days of total isolation after you get it home to get over the trauma of having it's life turned upside down, even putting a towel over the top so it does not get disturbed by the movements of these new giants in it's life. just make sure to give it fresh water every day or 2, i hope your experience with your new snake is something you will cherish always. .............................Ron

 

[ajwill]

Thanks Ron, that's a good rule. Yeah, we're definitely onto fuzzies now and they're going down so fast. Daryl takes them in less than a minute every time and eating like clockwork. We're keeping an eye out for stress signs and seeing a good mix of basking and hiding. So much cherishing of this experience

 

[GBWhite]

AJ,

I've put this pic up before about 2 months ago but I'll put it up again to give you and anyone else interested just what a hatchie is capable of eating. I estimate this little guy was only about two months old when he wandered into our mouse shed and nailed a full grown adult mouse.Pinkies have no nutritional value for young carpets (diamonds) offer your kritter either a large fuzzy or better still one that is almost weaned (hopper mouse). You and your snake will benefit.

Cheers,

George.
View attachment 313764

 

[ajwill]

Yep, we had that discussion last night. Eating them so quickly that is definitely time to go up a size at least.

And yeah George, that's a very big mouse in a very small snake.

 

[Norm]

Eating like clockwork and a good mix of basking and hiding, sounds like it's settled in well.

 

[Jinx03]

She's done really well and has settled in brilliantly. Just took 2 fuzzies pretty easily tonight and has been handling really well. Gave me a bit of a nip this afternoon, but now i know that handling her when she's that hungry/ frisky isn't what she wants!!