Lots of questions

[inkgirl]

I have a spotted python...first time owner so I have lots of questions. I'd like as much feedback as I can get.
FACTS
He is very placid & does not seem to get stressed from me handling him
He is a spotted Python
He is approx 2.5 foot long
He is currently in a 4ft glass fish tank. Half of the top is covered with wood the other half screen.
There is a heating mat under the tank (the mat is under a thin piece of ply under the tank)
There is a thermostat set on 28c.
He currently eats 1 - pinky mice per week

1 - How do I know how old he is ?
2 - How do I know if I'm feeding him enough.
3 - I'm concerned he spends a LOT of time underneath his large hollow rock.
4 - I get him out regularly, at least 1 a day, for 1hr
5 - I've seen some scales come off while he's on my hand. Should I be worried ?

 

[ssnakekid]

hey he would probably be around 2 years old and you should feed him larger mice or rats adults mice or fuzzie or weaner rats

 

[Snakelove]

Definitely get a larger meal. pinky mice are for hatchies not for a spotted that's 2.5 foot. if you just gotten him then leave him be for a week or so. definitely bump up the heat. 28degrees is way too cold. 31-33degrees is fine. you can't really trust the thermostat readings, get a thermometer so you can accurately determine if it needs more heat or not.

 

[Blondie84]

You should be feeding it something that is slightly larger than the thickest part of its body, so that you can see it once it has eaten but not so big that it is bulging and spreading the scales.

It also should take a good 10 mins for it to get it down.

Some people feed by weight. If you choose to follow this method, the feed should be roughly 20-30% of the weight of the snake.

And yes I agree, needs to be hotter. 32 degrees at the hot end, down to mid 20's towards the cool end. Use a thermostat to control the heat mat but you also need a thermometer to be able to judge the temp of the enclosure.

 

[BrownHash]

Do you have photos of the scales that came off, or where they came off from. It might just be bits of retained shed that have come off?

 

[inkgirl]

Scales were on my thumb. So it was around the middle of his body, they were all clear & flaky/dry, I've checked him over & I can't find any sort of differences in the feel or colours etc of his scales.

 

[AM Pythons]

sounds like a bit of shed that may have been on the floor, upsize your food to velvet mice, after you have let it settle in for a few weeks, it needs time to get used to its new home..

 

[Fantazmic]

You should be feeding it something that is slightly larger than the thickest part of its body, so that you can see it once it has eaten but not so big that it is bulging and spreading the scales.

This is a really good piece of advice, I had never thought about working out the size of the food item like that

I agree temps are important....if they are too cold they cannot digest their food properly

When we set up our click clack we got a thermometer with a probe so that you can place the probe at different locations around the tank to make sure the temps are right

Elizabeth

 

[Jarden]

id offer him some rats atleast a small - medium weaner sized maybe 60 - 80 grams bump the temp up to 32 - 33 def leave him be snakes hide majority of the time and come out for a look at night time

 

[inkgirl]

would you mind having a look at the pictures I posted to just confirm with me that he is in fact a Spotted Python??

 

[BrownHash]

Looks like a Spotted to me.

Do you know what the temp is in the hot end of the enclosure? Depending on where the thermostats sensor/probe is the hot end may be warm enough. Either way get a thermometer in there and check it out. As other guys have suggested up his food to something bigger. It also sounds like the 'scales' were bits of retained shed that had flaked off, I wouldn't worry too much about them too much.

How long have you had the snake for? If its having no problems eating then I wouldn't worry about not handling him too much. Some snakes find being moved into a new enclosure a bit stressful and the rule of thumb is to leave them alone a bit and let them get use to one thing at a time. If they get stressed they can go off their food. If this hasn't happened then its probably doing alright. Also, keep in mind that a lot of snakes will start to go off their food about this time of year as the weather changes.

 

[fabregasreptiles]

its a spotted. mine is like 1.3 years old, 90cm and eating adult mice every 10 days so i suggest you feed hijm bigger mice.

 

[inkgirl]

Thanks. I.ve only had him for a week. Apparently he had his last feed the day I picked him up.
When I'm holding him he doesn't seem to stress. He seems to sit happily. Although yesterday he bit me for the first time as I accidently knocked his rock over & I think I frightened him.
Last night I was watching him in the dark & I saw him looking down the end of the tank & just opened his mouth. Confused me a little???

 

[goneself]

Probably just stretching/realigning. You'll probably see him do this quite often.

 

[adfel]

2 - How do I know if I'm feeding him enough. If you weigh him and then work out what 205 of his body weight is.. you should be feeding him that size food (Guide only)
3 - I'm concerned he spends a LOT of time underneath his large hollow rock. he may feel safe under there... Is it warm there???
4 - I get him out regularly, at least 1 a day, for 1hr.... I bet he loves that...

 

[dickyknee]

4 - I get him out regularly, at least 1 a day, for 1hr.... I bet he loves that...

I'll bet it doesn't .....

 

[Jarden]

I wouldn't handle for a hour a day as snakes will start to get stressed after around 15 - 20 minutes. You know how much to feed him based on the thickest part of his body.

 

[Blondie84]

And would also likely be getting quite cold by then. My girl is very social. loves to be out and about and hates being put away but even I cant keep her out for an hour at a time because of the temp issue.

 

[inkgirl]

thanks blondie. would I be better off getting him out maybe for 15 - 20 min then maybe a few hours later getting him out?
I've started putting him away as soon as he starts to cool down.
it's very warm up here he doesnt seem to begin cooling for at least 30 min. sometimes longer.
He just seems to enjoy being out he usually just wraps areound my neck & in my hair or under my shirt

 

[Snakelove]

thanks blondie. would I be better off getting him out maybe for 15 - 20 min then maybe a few hours later getting him out?
I've started putting him away as soon as he starts to cool down.
it's very warm up here he doesnt seem to begin cooling for at least 30 min. sometimes longer.
He just seems to enjoy being out he usually just wraps areound my neck & in my hair or under my shirt

How do you know he enjoys being out while you're holding him? I reckon people handle their snakes not for the snake's benefit, solely just for their own. I handle mine 10 minutes 2 days after she defecates. who knows if that's right or wrong lol.