Juvie Diamond Python behaviour

[LilithLeChat]

I was just watching her pushing the bedding up with her head outside the hide. She came down the twig, used her head to push up the bedding in a heap, went for a dip in the water dish and then came up the twig again, rubbing the side of her face against it. She seems to be doing circles of the click clac, up and down the twigs.
Hunting behaviour? I noticed that she defecated some time this evening, maybe she’s hungry again?

 

[Fall guys]

Please explain to me how a cold blooded animal is going to get "warmer" by burrowing???



If you can achieve that through placement that would be sufficient in the short term. Not sure on your set up but I think you will struggle to achieve your goal though I could be wrong.

I had a mind blank and temporarily thought they were using an under hearing method.

But yes, they will “dig” under the substrate If they want to

 

[Bluetongue1]

As with most things, there is more than one way to skin a cat and people vary in their preferred methods. It does not matter how you achieve the end result, so long as you achieve the end result. With respect to heating, that means a safe and consistent appropriate temperature gradient. Pauls_Pythons has already specified that and given additional sound advice. I would reinforce what he said about a cool end being particularly important for diamond pythons. They are the most southerly occurring python in the world.

A click clack on a bench will be exposed to ambient room temperatures, which usually vary day to night and each time a door is opened. A range of around 26 to 18 degrees over a 24 hour period would be normal. This mean that the cool end of the click clack can get to the mid to low 20’s, which is what you want. Place that click clack in another enclosure, where the air flow is much more restricted, and you risk the cool end remaining at a significantly higher temperature. This is because the larger enclosure will trap warm air from the heat given off by the heat source used for the click clack.

Some older style heat mats used a gel to absorb and distribute the heat. However, because of their design, if they failed they could over-heat, even to the point of being a potential fire hazard. Quality modern heat mats are thin and safe from overheating. Something like a 5W heat mat is simple and easy for heating one-third of a click clack but not much use for anything else. Two runs of say a 15W heat cord, with a thin tile or aluminium tape used to spread the heat (again placed under one third of the enclosure, is a fair bit more effort to set up and can be equally effective. The advantage here that the same cord can later be used to heat a larger enclosure.

As Paul has done, I believe in explaining why we do things rather than just saying what should be done. If you understand the why, then you are more likely to implement advice and it allows you some latitude to it differently yet still be effective. Downside is longer posts.

 

[LilithLeChat]

@Bluetongue1, thank you for your post. I don’t mind long posts, the more info, the better.

If I understood correctly, I don’t need to keep the hot part at around 30 degrees, as it is most important that the snake has the cool spot in low 20’s?

 

[Fall guys]

@Bluetongue1, thank you for your post. I don’t mind long posts, the more info, the better.

If I understood correctly, I don’t need to keep the hot part at around 30 degrees, as it is most important that the snake has the cool spot in low 20’s?

You need both, somewhere for them to bask and somewhere for them to retreat to, if they decide they’re a bit too hot.

As bt1 said, if you keep the click clack in the enclosure, the enclosure traps the hot air and raises the ambient temps = increasing the cool end temps, which you don’t want

 

[LilithLeChat]

I have removed one of the two IR bulbs from the enclosure and moved the click clack slightly away from it. I also got IR temp gun and will see if that helps with temperature gradient. If that doesn’t work, I’ll get a cord or a mat.

 

[Fall guys]

I have removed one of the two IR bulbs from the enclosure and moved the click clack slightly away from it. I also got IR temp gun and will see if that helps with temperature gradient. If that doesn’t work, I’ll get a cord or a mat.

why cant you just do what others have suggested and lock the cat out?

 

[LilithLeChat]

LOL
Well, I just checked the temperatures inside the click clack after leaving it for an hour. The fork of the twigs where she likes to curl up nearest to the lamp is 31 degrees, opposite side is 23 degrees. I’ll continue monitoring to make sure it’s not a fluke.

I’ve also put in a toilet roll tube in the opposite end as an extra hide.

You clearly don’t know my cats and the vengeful shenanigans they get up to when they’re denied something...

 

[Scutellatus]

why cant you just do what others have suggested and lock the cat out?

Don't throw stones when you live in a glasshouse Bl69aze.

 

[Bluetongue1]

@Bluetongue1…If I understood correctly, I don’t need to keep the hot part at around 30 degrees, as it is most important that the snake has the cool spot in low 20’s?

Pauls_Pythons stated: “Young diamonds, first winter its normal to heat 24/7 BUT they must have access to a cool end to enable thermoregulation. Temp should be around 32-33 at the hot end but low to mid 20's at the cool end.”

Diamonds do need to warm up to similar temperatures as other carpets. As adults the basking heat source should be similar but run for a significantly shorter time if keeping diamonds indoors. Having said that, this is not appropriate for juveniles. You simply need to make sure that the thermal gradient has a good enough range. Your 31 to 23 sounds pretty damn good to me.

You know your cats and what is required in terms of the temperature gradient, so do what works for you. It is strongly advised that reptiles should be kept in a shut room set up so that any escapees are contained. I will leave that piece of advice to your own discretion.

If you would like a bit of info on hides and maybe substrates, I have some notes you are most welcome to – either posted here or by PM. Up to you and please don’t feel you might offend by declining.

 

[LilithLeChat]

This is the current set up

https://imgur.com/a/40fe9Ik

And Cassandra is doing “I’m an arrow” impersonation.

I’m currently using up a free bag of sawdust I got when I bought the set up, and I have also bought a bag of Kritter’s Crumble. Info I found on substrates was that I can use paper kitty litter or just newspapers. However, I’m happy to hear any other suggestions on substrates and hides, as I’ll need to get more as she grows up and I expand her environment. I will also get locks for the glass panels.

 

[Fall guys]

This is the current set up

https://imgur.com/a/40fe9Ik

And Cassandra is doing “I’m an arrow” impersonation.

I’m currently using up a free bag of sawdust I got when I bought the set up, and I have also bought a bag of Kritter’s Crumble. Info I found on substrates was that I can use paper kitty litter or just newspapers. However, I’m happy to hear any other suggestions on substrates and hides, as I’ll need to get more as she grows up and I expand her environment. I will also get locks for the glass panels.

I use Breeders choice cat litter

Paper towel/ news paper

Or fine kritter crumble


I can’t see how that setup is reaching 30°c temps o.o unless the light is super hot, but I’d feel likely that distance, the 30° would be an ambient ish temp

 

[LilithLeChat]

I’m thinking, once she outgrows the click clack I will put a board half way up the enclosure to create a floor, so she still doesn’t feel overwhelmed by the size. I also have a cow skull that I’m thinking of putting in there as a hide - is that ok, or could it become a problem?

 

[Fall guys]

I’m thinking, once she outgrows the click clack I will put a board half way up the enclosure to create a floor, so she still doesn’t feel overwhelmed by the size. I also have a cow skull that I’m thinking of putting in there as a hide - is that ok, or could it become a problem?

Those kind of hides only become a problem when the snake gets a bit big for them and then they get stuck in the holes

 

[LilithLeChat]

Ok, thanks. Better not do it then.

 

[MANNING]

.. I will also get locks for the glass panels.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com.au/ulk/itm/192358026274

 

[LilithLeChat]

I also have a question about her diet. I’m currently feeding her mice that are around 5cm long (minus the tail) every 5 days. On the day she eats, the bulge is visible, but by next day it is hard to see. When do I need to start feeding her bigger ones? Or do I feed her 2? One after the other, or after a couple of days?

Any advice on feeding snakes bigger mice/rats and increasing the intervals between feeding seem to be “as the snake grows”, but that’s not telling me much.

Also, the advice on feeding Diamonds is that they’re better off hungry than overfed, but does that rule apply to growing juveniles?

Does she need a variety in her diet? Any mineral or nutrient supplements?
[doublepost=1528632369,1528632323][/doublepost]Thanks @MANNING

 

[Fall guys]

For feeds they can EASILY eat 2x the size of the thickest part of their body.

I do it by weight and feed 20-30% (the rats vary in size) of body weight weekly for my darwin and a medium rabbit (40%) monthly for my coastal.

Where other people do it based on head size, the guy I get my rats off told me they can start feeding rabbits when their heads are about the size than the average thumbs, and it worked for my coastal.

For your diamond I’d say small rats (not adults) or adult mice.


The size of feed really depends on how fast you want them to grow, the bigger the food the bigger they get faster

I usually go through a packet of food, then weigh them to see whether they can go up or not

They don’t need supplements as they get everything from their food (so long as they have fur and all that)

 

[LilithLeChat]

Awesome! Now that’s something I can work with

I have digital kitchen scale so I guess I need to put her in a lidded plastic container to find out how much she weighs

 

[Fall guys]

Awesome! Now that’s something I can work with

I use this quote all the time from my breeder “they eat their food like a noodle” you have to imagine when they constrict their food, they squeeze it and therefore making it quite a bit smaller (amazingly they don’t crush the bones because that would cause problems) and their muscles stop it from un noodling