PLEASE: Advice and Criticisms For New Parents of Stimson!?

[mikethemidget]

The question is, what advice do you have for us specifically, does anything seem out of place or wrong or could be done better?! How do you think we are doing so far. Please, any advice is welcomed!

After much setting up, waiting, and DIY, my partner and I have finally got our lovely Wheat-belt Stimson Python: Whil Wheaton. We researched an unbelievable amount, scoured many forums and

safe DIY's, and this is the set up we currently have.

-Bill is exactly 12 months old, and the best part of 60cm.

-The tank is 120cm wide X 34cm deep X 45cm tall with custom cut plexi glass lids secured with foam extremely well and safe (no tape or dangers).

-The heat mat is 28cm wide x 15cm long, and has hide number 1 on it which is a home-made polystyrene/tiling cement mix with paint and clear SAFE acrylic.

-There are 4-ish hides, one big home-made, one medium store bought, and two small toilet rolls half buried.

-Substrate is Kritter Krumble.

-Home-made cut and boiled log, sprayed with mite spray.

-Two water dishes on opposite sides

-Two opposite digital thermometers measured at surface/just under substrate at hot and cold end.

-In daytime, the temperature is held at 27-28c on the cool end, and 36-38c in the hot end.

-Night time, the temperature is held at 26-27c cool end, and 35-36c at the hot end.

-There is a SECOND heat mat, on the way from eBay here in WA. 42cm x 28cm which will be used in addition to warm half of the tank better, the other half will remain cold.

His temperament is fantastic. Very accepting and calm being held, not shy, never bitten before. He is taking to the large tank extremely well. He routinely chooses the cold hide though (27-28c). He was fed two days before we brought him home, so we wont try until next week when he is settled, but have tweezers and fuzzies ready.

Thanks so much guys, absolutely love the site and will be on here loads now and in the future.

--Mike C

 

[Herpo]

Sounds good. The only thing is that 120cm sounds a bit large to me, but with a good number of hides, he should be good. Plus, you commented on his temperament, which doesn't sound like that of a stressed snake. But some of the more experienced members will soon put in their advice. I especially love the name!

Welcome to the forum, and enjoy your stay,
Herpo

 

[arevenant]

Drop your temps a little on the hot end (34 - 35 day and 30 - 32 night) It'll be a little more chill and save some stress on your heat mat...

 

[mikethemidget]

Thanks so much for the quick responses Herpo and Arevenant.
Herpo: He does have several hides that he can choose from and isnt stressed as far as we can tell.
We originally had him in a 30cm x 26cm click clack style container but he damn near escaped through a small hole for airflow, and loved the large tank so we are giving it a go.
Arevenant: the bloke at the shop suggested 38c at the hot end. Any reason for the suggested drop? Everything I've researched suggest your range as well. 35c being the perfect hot end temp.

A question for you both though, he is doing something strange which is in the morning when we wake up around 930am, and at night say 9-10pm when we get home, we find him BURIED in the colder end, or in the cold hide. Any reasons why this would be? He definitely knows where the heat is, and soon there will be a bigger surface area with a larger mat on the way. He has not shed yet, or tried feeding yet.

Also is it normal that he is COOL to the touch? Definitely not freezing, but noticeably cold when he comes out of the chilly end buried.

We had a hell of a scare when we couldnt find him, and starting tearing the house apart assuming he escaped, and found him buried at the bottom of the cold end completely hidden.

Thanks so much for the responses, absolutely love the forum guys!

 

[Herpo]

Hi again,
Yeah, if he has several hides and isn't attepting to bite, feeding properly and everything, he'll be fine.

The behaviour you describe seems normal. He is most likely just switching between both zones buried so as to reach a comfortable balance between to temps, a process called thermoregulation. I can't remember where I read that. But what he's done sounds normal. You sound like a very enthusiastic keeper, and I'm sure the snake will live a long and happy life under you.

Kind regards,
Herpo

 

[arevenant]

He's cold to the touch because he is cold blooded. They get their body heat from outside sources.
Also the guy at the shop probably told you that so he could sell you a bigger mat or extra lamps... As a general rule, don't listen to anyone working at a pet store - they usually give horrid advice and just want to up-sell you things you don't need.

 

[mikethemidget]

Thanks again guys, we will try feeding him soon and see how he goes although he never missed a feed at the shop, but obviously he's still settling in.

After dropping the temperature I think he's a bit more comfortable actually, cheers.

I did read about thermoregulation I just found it strange he was there in the morning and night when we wake up/come.home but I thinj we're being overly cautious. He knows where the heat it. Thanks so much guys, mind is much at rest now!

 

[Herpo]

I did read about thermoregulation I just found it strange he was there in the morning and night when we wake up/come.home but I thinj we're being overly cautious.

We all were, it's cool. Hell, I still am, but 'm too new to really count.

 

[Burgo89]

As said defiantly drop the heat, once you feed him you will notice he will use the hot end more while he digests the meal. There is no such thing as an enclosure that is to big, if you can give him plenty of room to move around and mimic his natural environment as best you can with plenty of hides and tight places to squeeze into the calmer the animal will be.

 

[mikethemidget]

Thanks Burgo. We did drop the heat. My second heat mat arrived, so now we have an absolutely flawless gradient during both day and night its fantastic. We literally JUST fed him, he struck the fuzzy gently and then dragged it back into the warm hide, and is gently pulling it in occasionally. I assume swallowing it. You guys have been brilliant, thanks so much. So happy he struck on the very first feed and is happy!

 

[mikethemidget]

Can I ask guys, we fed him last Thursday and it went flawlessly. He struck it gently, dragged it back into the hide and was quite fat for the following two days. How often/much do you guys recommend feeding? Store reckons one fuzzy every two weeks. He has never refused a feeding or been picky, but when do we increase amount, size or Frequency of meals? He's exactly 12months old and 55cm long.
Cheers again

 

[PythonLegs]

You'll get a thousand different answers to this one, I follow the 'get fed after you shed' routine, have never had a problem.

 

[mikethemidget]

Yeah that's kind of what I expected. As a yearling does one fuzzies every 10-14 days sound reasonable?

You'll get a thousand different answers to this one, I follow the 'get fed after you shed' routine, have never had a problem.

 

[Ironmind91]

On a complete side note, I absolutely love the name hahahahaha.

 

[PythonLegs]

Yeah that's kind of what I expected. As a yearling does one fuzzies every 10-14 days sound reasonable?

After you feed, is there a noticeable lump in the snake?

 

[mikethemidget]

After you feed, is there a noticeable lump in the snake?

Most definitely mate haha he's a fatty afterwards

 

[PythonLegs]

Nice!