Childrens Help

[nemooy]

Hi everyone,

I took my childrens to the vet today to be sexed. He told me, he thinks it is a male but wasn't 100% sure because the snake tensed up and he said it was too small and to come back in about six months.

He also told me for the age of my snake it is a little small. He told me I needed to buy an infrared thermometer to check the temps as a thermostat is pretty much a waste of time. I currently have the hot end at 30 and the cold at 26. He still lives in a click clack.

I have been feeding 1 fuzzy every 10 - 14 days and have recently moved to 1 fuzzy every 7 days. When do I move up a food size. I had a look at weaner mice today and they looked far too big for the size of my snake. I can't tell you exactly how long it is cause I have just fed it and didn't want to pick him up. He is 15 months old. Below is a pic.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Nicole

 

[saximus]

When you feed him/her does it leave a very obvious lump? You'd be surprised what they can fit down their gob. If the weaner mice are about the size of the thickest part of the body or a bit bigger it will be fine

 

[JAS101]

any half decent probe style thermometer will be fine , i wouldnt go by the numbers on the thermostat as they can be out a few degrees .

 

[killimike]

Is 30 a little borderline for a childrens?

There are also threads on here where people recommended much larger food items than fuzzy mice for a yearling antaresia.

 

[nemooy]

Saximus I had just fed him, so if you look at the bottom of the pic there is a small lump where the food is.

Because I just bought fuzzies could I feed two in one sitting or one every three days until they are gone and get some larger mice.

 

[saximus]

Ah ok yeah lump should be bigger than that. Go for two at a time until they're used up

 

[Darijo]

I'm taking a wild stab, but could you measure your snakes using a long piece of string, then cutting that to the right size and measuring?

 

[jham66]

You could try putting something familiar next to him/her to give us a reference for size. Maybe a biro, or at best a ruler. Guess-timation is an accepted method...

 

[nemooy]

Darijo - I didn't even think of that. A little brainless today.

The thermostat I'm using has temp gauge that is in the tub, you can see it near the head. Do I still need a probe style thermometer.

 

[nagini-baby]

my yearlings are on 2 fuzzies a week and my 2yr old is on hopper mice. and also gets two.. hope that is some indication..

 

[Serpentess]

my yearlings are on 2 fuzzies a week and my 2yr old is on hopper mice. and also gets two.. hope that is some indication..

That sounds like you're feeding food items too small too. My spotted male was on weaner rats when he turned 2! Childrens aren't much smaller than spotteds so I would think your 2 yr old should be eating fuzzy-hopper rats at least. It will also mean that they will only need one food item a week, not two.

Edit: My female spotted was a little smaller when she was 2, so she was only on hopper rats at that age. She's now over 3yrs and she eats small adult rats.