General Herp FAQs

[JLC]

21. How should I transport my snake for moving across town?

The safest way to transport your snake, whether moving across town or going to the vet, is to put it in a snake bag. (A pillow case turned inside out will work fine.) Secure the top of the bag and then place it in a small box (cardboard or plastic w/ holes) and make sure there is enough padding to keep the bag from sliding around in its box. If the weather is extreme, heat packs or cold packs may be added as needed. Never, ever leave your snake unattended in the car during the day!



22. How should I transport for moving across the country?

Read the above question for information on how to transport your snake with you throughout the day. If at all possible, try to make the trip without extended stays or side-trips. If you can make the trip with just one or two overnights, your snake should be fine in its bag and box. I would recommend keeping a thermometer in the box to make sure temps aren’t getting into any dangerous ranges. If you have to spend more than two nights on the road, bring along with you a rubbermaid or sterilite container, newspaper for substrate, hides, a water dish, and a heating pad. After a night or two in the bag, the snake may want a chance to stretch out and get a drink of water, but excessive “packing and unpacking” may stress it even more than the move already does. Once again, it can’t be stressed enough to never leave your snake unattended in the car during the day. Plan your daytime meals with drive-thrus in mind. After the move, allow your snake a period of acclimation as if it were new to you.



23. Can I keep two or more snakes in one tank?

It is possible to do so, yes. But it is NOT a recommended practice. Snakes are not social creatures and it is stressful for them to live together. What may appear to be 'cuddling' is in fact the snakes competing for the best parts of the cage. Aside from the stress factor, snakes living in the same enclosure are free to share parasites and diseases with each other. This also makes it more difficult to figure out which one is sick if you notice abnormal stool, for instance.



24. Where can I buy a rack?

There are many rack manufacturers online. A google search should yield you some results. We have a page with reviews of some cage manufacturers: http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules....category&cid=2



25. Where can I find blueprints to build my own racks?

Doing a search on the forums or on Google should find you some help. Here's a link to get you started: http://www.arbreptiles.com/cages/rack.shtml



26. What does CH, CB and WC mean?

CH - Captive hatched. These are animals hatched from eggs either laid by a female impregnated in the wild, or eggs found in the wild.

CB - Captive bred. These are animals whose parents bred in captivity, and who were hatched and raised in captivity also.

WC - Wild caught. These are animals who were born and lived in the wild before being caught and imported for the pet trade.



27. Does my snake need a vitamin supplement?

No. Everything your snake needs is in the rodents it eats.



28. What does reptile poop and/or urine look like?

Snake poop looks like.. well, poop. It's brown, generally log shaped, and doesn't smell pleasant. Snake pee comes in two types. Urine, which looks like it should, yellow liquid, and urates. Urates are chalky white or yellowish excretions.



29. I see white chalky stuff in her tank. What is it?

This is urates, a normal extretion similar to urine.



30. What’s the best way to thaw prey?

Place the mouse or rat into a plastic ziploc bag, then into a container of hot water. Replace the hot water several times until the rodent is thawed completely through. Pinch the belly to make sure there are no cold or frozen spots in the middle.



31. Is it dangerous to feed live rodents?

This depends on how you go about it. Feeding live can be very safe as long as you follow a few simple guidelines. Never leave a live rodent in the enclosure with the snake unattended. A rodent left to get hungry may start nibbling on your snake (who may actually not notice) If your snake shows no interest in the rodent after 15-20 minutes, remove the rodent and try again next week.



32. What are some common ailments I should watch for?

Respiratory Infection (RI) - often caused by too low temperatures or stress. Signs include wheezing or gurgling sound during breathing, bubbles in mouth or coming out of nose, excessive saliva and even open-mouthed breathing. Veterinarian attention is required.



Mouth rot - this is an infection of the mouth. You may notice sores or lesions in the mouth or excessive mucous. It can be caused by many things, including rodent bites, foreign materials lodged in the mouth, excessive rubbing of the nose or mouth on rough objects, too cool temperatures, or un unsanitary environment. Veterinary attention is required.



Thermal burns - these are caused by a too-hot heating element. This is why hot rocks should NOT be used for reptiles. ALWAYS know what the temperatures are in your animal's cage. A fresh burn will make the skin stiff in the area, the second stage involves the skin sloughing off and exposing the raw skin. Consult your veterinarian for treatments during healing time. Any animal that has a raw sore should have newspaper or paper towels for bedding. Wood shavings or bark can get stuck in the sore and irritate or cause infection.



Scale rot - Scale rot causes the scales to enlarge and turn brownish and some will fill up like blisters. This is often caused by a damp and/or dirty cage. Immediately clean the cage and seek veterinary assistance.



Internal parasites - Indicators include loss of weight even when eating and regurgitation. Veterinary attention is required.



External parasites - Mites are the most common. They are tiny red or black dots normally seen around the eyes, chin, and vent of the snake. Provent-a-mite is a good way to eliminate these. Ticks are also sometimes found on snakes. Carefully check over the entire snake (ticks like to hide out between scales, especially on the belly) and remove all ticks.



Inclusion body disease (IBD) - one of the most serious of snake illnesses. It is a virus that affects only boids (pythons and boas) Snakes can be carriers without showing any symptoms (usually boas) IBD is highly contagious and always lethal. Symptoms include listlessness, stargazing, (holding the head upright at odd angles for extended periods of time) snake unable to right itself if placed on it's back, regurgitation, retention of shed skin and paralysis. Always quarantine new snakes!

33. What do those numbers mean that I see when someone lists animals? 1.0 albinos or 2.3.1 normals or whatever?

This is a ratio of male to female to unknown-sex. So, 1.0 would be one male. 2.3.1 would mean 2 males, 3 females and 1 unknown.