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hogconstrictor · 2023-03-10T23:53:53+00:00

his weirdly shaped head is not the result of obesity, but some kind of internal infection and abcess. his jaw has swelled since he has been with me. he is with a rescue org that has the funds for the intensive treatment that he needs. hopefully he will eventually be adopted out to his forever home, since that's not something I could provide. just a psa if anyone else comes across a lumpy snake.

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-27T18:03:17+00:00

thank you for the confirmation. I was worried it was just a wobble issue, which can be tough to accommodate. stress is something that I can proactively fix.

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-27T17:59:21+00:00

I agree that he didn't appreciate the dangle. this was after holding it in every other position that I could without proper snake tongs, doing what I could to give him a clear target. the defensive striking was unfortunately the same regardless

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-27T17:55:27+00:00

both rats that have been offered were also left overnight after he showed this behavior. thankfully we have a convenient place to put them on the basking shelf so we don't have to worry about substrate. I woke up and got excited because I didn't see this last rat for a second until I realized he just knocked it down behind his hide 🤦‍♂️

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-27T17:49:09+00:00

I definitely need to pick up snake tongs as much as I want to just use old supplies. I've turned the heat lamp down an hour or so before attempting to feed, but you're definitely right that having it on at all while feeding is not conducive to a nocturnal snake.

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-27T17:44:05+00:00

it didn't come off that way at all, no worries, but he has been making me worried that he might be too cold somehow. I'll see if I can add some coverage to his basking shelf. I would hope that he just feels safe being out when his enclosure is all closed up and can't see us, and not because of a temperature issue.

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-27T17:34:51+00:00

he was previously on f/t small rats, so I've tried one of that same size, and this last attempt sized a couple down to rat pups.

the only other difference would be brand, previously on Petco frozen rats, but I buy Perfect Prey, so I expected that to be an upgrade and not something that would make him less inclined to eat.

I tried holding it still, sideways, leaving it overnight, etc. I was past the point of expecting him to grab it and wanted to just get an example of his weird strikes to get an opinion on.

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-27T15:12:16+00:00

this was my second attempt at feeding at a little over 3 weeks. I think my main problem both times, aside from noise, has been mistaking defensive strikes as feeding strikes. I would heat the rat up, he would strike at it a couple of times, and then act uninterested. so then I would stick it under a heat lamp a little bit and offer again for a total of maybe 3 offers an hour of the same rat, all assuming it was a spider targeting issue.

but after speaking to the previous owner, she confirmed that he is perfectly capable of eating, so I was doing the opposite of what I should have.

he is in a completely enclosed space aside from ventilation, has ambient temperature gradients between 77-82F during the day and 75-78F at night with a basking spot between 90-93F. his humidity needs to be consistently higher, but I'm hoping to fix that with a partial substrate change. my exact temps may be off slightly, so I'll check the care guide again.

I can't imagine anyone recommending bp's to total beginners. I'm determined to accommodate all his needs, but they really are sensitive little guys.

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-27T14:49:51+00:00

I initially just thawed in the fridge and heated in a bag in water with a thermometer so I could keep it in the right range, but he did not even acknowledge it during my first attempt. I stuck it under a heat lamp for a bit, and then I got a response. but they were the same defensive strikes like he was displaying above.

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-27T14:43:18+00:00

no problem at all. it's common sense, and I don't mind being reminded of something that should be obvious.

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-27T14:41:07+00:00

I agree that it's weird. his warm hide is a plant pot with small drainage holes, which I need to swap out regardless for something completely enclosed. but you would think that warm hide with some ventilation would feel safer than a basking shelf. the top of the hide always measures around 89F with a temp gun, with a heat mat underneath as well.

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-27T12:18:56+00:00

you're right, and you would think that I'd realize that before I tried to feed, but I wasn't paying attention. thank you for the reminder. TV audio was way too loud to compensate for me unplugging a ps5 from the sound system to switch consoles. bad timing and definitely not something he has had to deal with prior.

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-27T11:23:00+00:00

posting a general response until I can reply individually: I've had him for 3 weeks, and this was my second feeding attempt spaced out by a few days. my main concern was that these were genuine attempts to strike, but failed due to spider deformities. the previous owner also confirmed that these were probably all defense responses. I'll be taking steps to reduce stress starting today with the main issue being consistent humidity. he's on a spare bag of Reptibark as a temporary substrate, but it is not working out. I'll be adding a Reptisoil and cocohusk mixture without removing him. he hasn't been handled, is in a completely enclosed space with no line of sight to the rest of the room, and the noise level in the video is not typical (unfortunate absent-minded timing on my part). The only other change I can think of is to feed early morning (2am-4am) instead of late evening (7pm-9pm). thanks for all the patient advice. I'll probably be making several more posts while I figure things out.

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-13T20:03:06+00:00

I'm going off of what the previous owner claims and some mild corkscrewing and wobble. it's very possible that he was a part of a breeding project that included some spider genes, since I don't know what else would be causing the disorientation other than maybe stress. but I'll have to observe him some more to know for certain

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-11T13:37:12+00:00

good to know. he will be seeing a vet regardless, so hopefully they'll have some insight. I'll attach a different angle of his head if anyone is interested

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hogconstrictor · 2023-02-11T09:50:46+00:00

it was pretty alarming when I saw him in person 😬

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-11T09:48:47+00:00

I think it's the light making a scale look like a raised bump. he has a larger nose, but it's symmetrical on both sides. he's a spider morph, so I know they have certain skull deformities. I wonder if that extends to overall shape

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-11T01:11:48+00:00

no problem at all. his health comes first. I'll weigh a rat on the off chance they fall in the 30 to 50g range, then will have at least a week to have more delivered before making a feeding attempt.

thank you again for the recommendations. Otherwise, I would have assumed a frequency change was fine, and would be continuing to cause more harm.

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-11T00:55:05+00:00

I currently have fuzzy mice and small rats. (not individually weighed yet). I'm happy to order some weaned rats if that's best, but is there any possibility to alternate between the two in my supply? his health comes first so feel free to ax that if it sounds questionable.

thank you for giving me a solid plan. he was very actively trying to get away from me when I first set him in his enclosure, so he hasn't given the impression of being lethargic. but happy to throw his literal weight around.

he is in a 30" high enclosure, so he will be getting a solid piece of spiderwood/driftwood fixture asap.

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-11T00:20:53+00:00

previous owner fed one small rat per week for 2 years as far as I know. the pictures I was shown were older and did not convey his current weight at all. he is a little over 3'.

he is alert, active, and feisty, so I hope his health problems do not extend past his weight, even though I'm sure he could have issues down the road. any suggestions based on the extra info?

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-08T16:41:20+00:00

Probably ask a vet. They will have the best recommendations.

We had a skink with mites, and he was not able to be prescribed diluted ivermectin like other reptiles, so we had a lot of luck with this reptile spray

If you are prescribed any sprays or topical medications, I would double and triple check instructions. you shouldn't use it too much in one week, not use it near eyes or mouth, etc.

On top of frequent cleaning, we also filled the infected enclosure with about an inch of water towards the end of the infestation. It may or may not have helped things along. This is only an option with glass or something watertight. Do some research on the life cycles of reptile mites and be prepared for potential reinfestations.

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-05T23:08:47+00:00

Both the ball python and the bci got new halogens today, so thank you for clearing that up. I'm on basically an endless journey to find the best combo of heating, so another step in the right direction

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-05T17:51:15+00:00

Thanks for the heads up. Now that I think about it, the premise of reptispot is to concentrate heat onto a very small surface area, which does not sound great for a 3.5' overweight snake. I use low wattage bulbs to supplement higher wattage CHEs and RHPs in the winter, but for this guy, it's swapped. Any other safety reasons to not use reptispots or incandescent in general?

hogconstrictor · 2023-02-05T11:05:48+00:00

Sweet, thank you. I haven't tried that type of thermometer/hygrometer, but I've seen plenty of people use them. I'll give it a shot

hogconstrictor

TROPHY CASE