some new snakes

[Ariel]

Went to the reptile show and my sister and I both picked up some new snakes!!! I got a leuestic texas rat snake and my sister got an albino bull snake.

I've got my rat snake set up in a 20L with a heat mat on the underside, 2 hides, one on each side, a large waterbowl. I'm using aspen for the substrate. It's reading pretty warm (102F) on the thermometer so I plan to pick up one of those things you can use to control the temperature (totally can't remember what it's called right now...lol) Thermostat or whatever.

Unfortunately my sister kind of bought the bull snake on impulse and hadn't done any prior research. She freaks out anytime it starts shaking it's tail and hisses at her. We got most of the basic care/setup down, though I think she'll probably have to get something to control the temp on her heat mat too.

She has it set up in a 5g and otherwise set up exactly as how I described the rat snake being set up. I'm guessing it may have not been the best choice for her because of it's disposition so if anyone has any advice that would be great.

Some pics of the new guys...

 

[Noexcuse4you]

Gorgeous snakes! I've been eyeballing leucistic rats myself.

Bullsnakes are a bit nippy when they're young, but she should settle down as she gets older with regular handling.

 

[AudreyElizabeth]

Pictures do not do leucistic rats justice in my opinion.

 

[Ariel]

Gorgeous snakes! I've been eyeballing leucistic rats myself.

Bullsnakes are a bit nippy when they're young, but she should settle down as she gets older with regular handling.

They're awesome. I hadn't planned to leave with a rat snake, but I'm so happy I got him.

That's good to know, I'll try to help my sister with handling him regularly, (after a couple of weeks anyway, don't want to stress them out to much right now).

Pictures do not do leucistic rats justice in my opinion.

No, they really don't. Such a stunning snake.

 

[zonbonzovi]

Nice bull...it caught me by surprise as I've never seen an albino(I haven't been looking very hard, though). How old is the leucy? I absolutely love mine.

 

[Ariel]

Nice bull...it caught me by surprise as I've never seen an albino(I haven't been looking very hard, though). How old is the leucy? I absolutely love mine.

I hadn't either until we got to the show. But I hadn't done much research on them before hand, just kind of did a little looking, but quickly dismissed them because I was researching smaller snakes.

I'm not really sure how old he is, not to old, he's only around 3ft right now. He's absolutely gorgeous and pretty sweet too, the guy I got him from said he'd only ever struck at someone once. Since I've had him he only showed threatening behavior once when I accidently brushed up against him while moving stuff around, he shook his tail at me but didn't do anymore then that.

 

[Terry D]

Ariel, Yeah, those leucistic lindheimeri are freakin awesome. Nice pickups for both of you. I remember when the leuc Texas rats first came out how high they were. Nice to see that they've come down. I haven't kept in 15 years or so but one of these days something like that may begin the collect again! :clap:

Terry

 

[Ariel]

Ariel, Yeah, those leucistic lindheimeri are freakin awesome. Nice pickups for both of you. I remember when the leuc Texas rats first came out how high they were. Nice to see that they've come down. I haven't kept in 15 years or so but one of these days something like that may begin the collect again! :clap:

Terry

Thanks. Ya, he wasn't to bad, only about $80. I adore him. he gets pretty active at night, it's great watching him.

I'm getting a little worried though. During the day the heated side is around 86F and the cool side is around 75F but during the night it really drops. When I woke up this morning the whole tank was 71F even the heated side. And right now, the temp had started to drop and it reads 77F on the heated and 74F on the non heated.

 

[Noexcuse4you]

Thanks. Ya, he wasn't to bad, only about $80. I adore him. he gets pretty active at night, it's great watching him.

I'm getting a little worried though. During the day the heated side is around 86F and the cool side is around 75F but during the night it really drops. When I woke up this morning the whole tank was 71F even the heated side. And right now, the temp had started to drop and it reads 77F on the heated and 74F on the non heated.

That doesn't sound like too bad of a drop. Native snakes are pretty cold-tolerant. What heating system are you using? (thermostat, heat pad, thermometer, etc.)

 

[Knight_Exotics]

2 nice snakes! like the albino bulls and bulls once you buy them are addictive!
so many morphs to choose from.

bulls are all hiss than bite even babies bluff for the most part enjoy!



chris

 

[Ariel]

That doesn't sound like too bad of a drop. Native snakes are pretty cold-tolerant. What heating system are you using? (thermostat, heat pad, thermometer, etc.)

That's what I was thinking. I guess I'm just freaking out because this is my first snake and my sisters only other snakes both died pretty soon after we had them.

I don't have a thermostat yet but I plan on getting one. We're using heat pads to heat the cages, and as far as thermometer, it's an Acurite. I don't think it was acctually designed for reptile cages, but it's really nice to have. It's digital and displays two tempatures on the screen. the inside temp and the outside temp.

2 nice snakes! like the albino bulls and bulls once you buy them are addictive!
so many morphs to choose from.

bulls are all hiss than bite even babies bluff for the most part enjoy!



chris

lol, I know what you mean, I didn't even get the bull and I'm all....Ooooo I want one!

I noticed that. The entire time it lunged only once other than that it was all just threats.

 

[Terry D]

Thanks. Ya, he wasn't to bad, only about $80. I adore him. he gets pretty active at night, it's great watching him.

I'm getting a little worried though. During the day the heated side is around 86F and the cool side is around 75F but during the night it really drops. When I woke up this morning the whole tank was 71F even the heated side. And right now, the temp had started to drop and it reads 77F on the heated and 74F on the non heated.

Ariel, Work's picking up and I was out like a light at 12-something a.m. I agree with what Ne4 said above, although I'd watch that and not let it drop too low on a full stomach. Maybe I worry a bit too much but I'm the same way with my tropical t's. Good luck with your beautiful new snake!!

Terry

 

[Ariel]

Ariel, Work's picking up and I was out like a light at 12-something a.m. I agree with what Ne4 said above, although I'd watch that and not let it drop too low on a full stomach. Maybe I worry a bit too much but I'm the same way with my tropical t's. Good luck with your beautiful new snake!!

Terry

Alright, well, I'm working on trying to figure out a way to keep my room from getting so cold. I might just bring up a space heater. lol.

I am wondering if I should get a bigger heat mat though. It does eventually get up to 86F but it takes forever! My sisters tank drops too but it's usually back up by 10am. It's past noon and mines sitting at 74F.

 

[zonbonzovi]

Ariel, that doesn't seem too bad at all. During winter, the cold side of my tank can drop to the mid-60s & my Cracker will still eat, defecate, swim, etc. He almost never preps for shed on the hot side, which averages high 70s/low 80s.

 

[AudreyElizabeth]

Ariel, that doesn't seem too bad at all. During winter, the cold side of my tank can drop to the mid-60s & my Cracker will still eat, defecate, swim, etc. He almost never preps for shed on the hot side, which averages high 70s/low 80s.

LOL The leucistic rat I have seen was named Cracker as well.

 

[Ariel]

Going to bump this back up with a few questions.

I know you're not supposed to handle for a week after you set them up, and i really believe that, but.... I couldn't help myself and I did handle him once earlier this week and he was so great for it (this is for the rat snake btw) and I went to handle him again today, because was out and looking pretty and active, and he went from sweet little doll to the devils incarnate and started lunging and coiling up, so I put him back and plan not to mess with him for awhile.

My questions are, I understand that I shouldn't have put him away, (I also realize I shouldn't have been handling him in the first place. :wall: ) but when the time comes that I want to start working with him and handling him whats a good way to prevent myself from getting bitten by him? I know it will take regular handling to hopefully calm him down, but I'm just curious what are safe ways to do this, not only for me, but for the snake?

I guess my mom also fed him a fuzzie yesterday, could the meal have caused the change in attitude? (though I've always noticed are hognose more agitated before he's been fed. not after)

I must sound like a total noob, this is my first snake, my mom has one and my sister has had ones before, I guess despite all my research there are still plenty of idiotic mistakes I can make and lots of things I still really need to learn. I also need to learn to listen to the research I read. I feel like a bad person for handling him even though it hasn't been a week yet.

 

[Ariel]

I handle the rat snake today and he was really good about it, he was being very calm, no threatening behaviour, nothing. Well my sister wated to hold him, but she was trembling and went to pick him up near his head and he whirled around and bit her. She said it didn't hurt to bad, but i feel kind of bad. I had him for a little longer and got him to calm down, and then I put him away. I figured someone was bound to get bit by one of the two eventually, oh well.

 

[Terry D]

Ariel, I was going to chime in and say it won't hurt, read the previous post, and still am. The only native colubrid I've ever taken even a somewhat nasty bite from was a large e coachwhip while capturing that yanked back after biting, making a cut- it still wasn't that bad. I've had a fairly unpleasant bite from a diamondback watersnake but that was moreso a reflection of their nasty mouth and scavenging habits afterward- not mechanical damage. Although I've never been bitten, I hear that some indigos have a little more pressure than other snakes. For the most part they seem inoffensive. I've only ever handled one large indiv. that had apparently become overheated while crossing a road and never attempted to bite. I brought it to a shady spot in the direction it was going, then splashed a little water on it. The snake took off like nothing happened shortly after.