Spotted Python Update from Vancouver, WA

[Ameron]

Last April 12, I posted my first Aussie Forum post. I told how last January at a Reptile Expo in the Portland/Vancouver USA area where I live, I became interested in carpet pythons for the first time. My research eventually steered me towards the Childrens group for smaller size & placid temperament. Four days later I found a local dealer with a 2009 male Spotted Python that I eagerly bought for $125. (Good price, I thought.)

My Spotted has been here almost 3 months and I’m very pleased with his behavior. He handles very well, and usually eats well. I feed live (please don’t report me to the Central Scrutinizer!) and allow him to stalk normally in his 55-gallon, naturalistic vivarium.

The only time he has ever bitten me was a one-time instance in the dining room while retrieving him from under a large dresser. I had made much noise removing drawers to find him. In an awkward moment for us both, he formed the S pose and I knew that he would strike. I extended my hand anyway to get it over with and proceed with pick-up. It hasn’t happened since; he’s usually quite predictable.

I handle frequently and enjoy interacting with him on his terms. When weather permits, I take him outside for highly supervised exercise in the yard or on shrubs or trees where I have previously checked the area for holes or any danger. I’m looking forward to more discovery time together later this spring & summer.

(Our yard is a heavily vegetated, quiet acre within city limits, back from the rode with vacant lots on two sides. We have garter snakes, frogs, salamanders, opossums, raccoons, rabbits and many birds.)

Below is a description of my 55-gallon Vivarium. I have it setup so that the heated area is in the front, center for best viewing. Denser vegetation & hide spots are to the sides.

Features: Two hollow tree stumps, central rocky area with under-tank mat heated rock, high climbing arch, covered pool, three levels of usable space: ground, middle, canopy. Corners have the most foliage; the center basking area is the most open. Cave is formed by covered pool & wall perimeter which cover 33% of the biome. At the base of the pool is a cool, circular hide spot filling the entire corner.
Hide spots: Three: two at cooler corners (one behind soak pool & Kilgore rock); one in warmer center.
Rocks: Eight: Medford layered, Hidden Valley lava, Three Forks ridge, Cottonwood Creek brown, Three Forks flat, Catlow Valley, Kilgore, Steens Mountain.
Branches: Eight: uniformly high forming an even arch across the biome.
Driftwood: Wind River grotto, Hidden Valley burned root, two sagebrush portions.
Plants: Nine fake species, two live species (moss & lichens).

Below is my Flicker link for recent photos. Mostly vivarium shots, I don’t have many good shots of the snake yet. Forgive the poor quality of the .avi film; it was my first ever made, and I got somewhat silly:

Flickr: Options 2010's Photostream

I’m quite enjoying my new exploration & discoveries as I cross over the frontier from Colubrid land into Python territory.

Ever forward!!

1.0 Antaresia maculosa
0.1 Pantherophis guttatus (Carolina)
1.0 Elaphe schrencki

 

[disintegratus]

That's a beautiful setup. A veritable palace for a Spotted
I'm not a huge fan of Antaresia, we have 3, but as my interest in the hobby grows I'm leaning more towards "big, bite-your-face-off" type snakes (I have a very cranky Olive and next on the list is a scrubby); but that was an informative and well-written post.

The only thing I disagree with is that you feed live as I think in most cases it's not necessary, but to each their own.

 

[Snowman]

Vancouver, Western Australia.

Just jokes.
Setup sounds good.

 

[sharky]

All sounds great! I'm with disintegratus on not live feeding. F/T(Frozen/Thawed) is much cheaper and much safer for the snake too Live animals can bite/scratch your snake and could cause infections, but otherwise your spotted will absolutely love it in there

 

[Ameron]

Good Point!

We all see the limits of the world within our scope of vision. How region-specific that can be.

In my part of the world, the abbreviation WA is for Washington state.
In your part of the world, Western Australia.

I didn't even think of that when I posted. It will be awkward for me to "catch up" with the rest of you when I try to think in terms of meters & centigrade, not feet & Fahrenheit.

(A warm day in the 30s?? Yikes!!)

Please be patient with this American. I am not typical, I can critically think, I don't think that I have the right to send troops to your region to occupy you and change your leadership, and I'm actually fit & in-shape at age 53.

Ever forward!

 

[buffcoat]

We all see the limits of the world within our scope of vision. How region-specific that can be.

In my part of the world, the abbreviation WA is for Washington state.
In your part of the world, Western Australia.

I didn't even think of that when I posted. It will be awkward for me to "catch up" with the rest of you when I try to think in terms of meters & centigrade, not feet & Fahrenheit.

(A warm day in the 30s?? Yikes!!)

Please be patient with this American. I am not typical, I can critically think, I don't think that I have the right to send troops to your region to occupy you and change your leadership, and I'm actually fit & in-shape at age 53.

Ever forward!

I'm also one of the "yanks" that post here. When I see "...turn your heat up to 26", I think to myself Wth, turn it up more. Then I remember its all metric and non-imperial over there lol. Google gets a work out from me!

Nice set up mate. I love my colubrids but have really taken a fancy to the Aussie fauna. I just wish they were easier to get here in the states. I've been looking for a reasonably priced female woma, red ackie and a pure jcp for months now. Bhp's are also kinda hard to find, unless you want to pony up $1000+. Makes me sad.

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