eating

[ilikebeer]

i just put my jcp and ball python in its cage yesterday....how long should i wait to feed him....the breeder said he hasnt fed them in a week....he said its also best if i wait another week so they can get settled in their new home....whats anyone elses opinion??????

[ilikebeer]

another thing....he said he got them started on baby rats ....is this a good thing and should i keep feeding it the rats so that i will not have to switch it over later on?????

[Diamondpython]

keep feeding them the rats jungle carpet pythons are very difficult to switch over later in life so keep feeding them rats. wait a week for them to settle in and then give them a rat.

[mykee]

No offense, but did you do even an iota of research before putting the lives of two great snakes in your hands? I'm guessing no. You can make it all better by going to the pet store and buying two books; one on balls and one on JCP's about the captive husbandry of each species, read it, re-read it and apply something that you read to bettering the enclosures of the animals that you are now responsible for.

[Brent Strande]

Are they in one cage? If so, go out to Walmart and get a rubbermaid and house them separately. If they are apart, then I apologize as I must have misread...

[hooter]

Sounds to me like they are in the same cage as well. If so please do as Brent said and house them separately to avoide many problems.

As for the feeding question I would wait about a week and try a rat of whatever size the breeder said he was on. GL

[ilikebeer]

yah sorry they ARE in seperate cages...
and ya i did research on them....and i know you should let them sit for a week and settle before handling or feeding BUUUUUUUUT ... my question was that because the breeder did not feed him in the last week i wasnted to know if i should feed them just in case............
thank you!

[mykee]

Gee, I'm sorry, I must have misunderstood you then. You've had your snakes for all of two days, and your first question was how to tell if a snake is going into shed, and then you mentioned that you were keeping your ball and JCP at 82 degrees. My mistake, you must have done loads of research and just never come across the proper temps to keep your snakes at...... Sorry, my bad.

[ilikebeer]

82 ambient temp....(middle of the tank)
and from what i read...it says that the snakes will get cloudy when they are in shed.......
dont you think its better to ask ppls opinions....maybe i will get some onfo the "books" dont have...
hey at least i am asking questions and care for the animal....

[sassmuffin]

Maybe you can try being more specific and providing more information in future threads so as to avoid misunderstandings. Although I do agree that asking opinions and advice from people on the forum, just to clarify or contrast and compare/discuss what works best, etc.... it's also important to do A LOT of research. I am nowhere NEAR as qualified as probably almost all of the people on these boards, but I at least know that much. I have probably read and re-read all the information on the type of snake I am getting at least a hundred [million...] times and I'm still looking for new information just to be sure I can clear any doubts I might have, etc....And if you had done in depth research on your snakes, you would have known the answers to some of the extremely basic questions you've been asking. I mean, most books and caresheets will cover any basic questions and problems one would have in regards to specific snakes....

Anyhow, that's just my two cents. As stated before, I am NOT a snake expert, but that is some pretty general, common-sense advice for you....

-Kristen

PS: I'm not sure it's doing you any justice to use internet slang.... =/

[ilikebeer]

You are right,,,,
but i still want to make sure....put it this way...every question i asked, i more less knew the answer...and there are more than one answer in the readings....its just i want to hear if any one else says the same thing....and the more people that say and agree to the same thing tells me that is more likely the right answer,,,,
like i want these animals to have a healthy life so i am researching ....sorry if i ask basic questions lol...but i dont know why people are harrasing just because i want to double check,,,if i really thought i couldnt handle the pet...trust me i wouldnt have gotten it...thanks for your concerns

[sassmuffin]

That's good then. I suppose paranoia as such never killed anyone, and who doesn't want to protect their pet and make it happy as possible.

At least later on down the road, if you have any small questions, try and lump them all on one thread, and again...always provide lots of info so people don't misunderstand! Not asking for your life story, just enough so people get the right idea. :D

[TexasAggie04]

Don't bite his head off. There is a lot of conflicting literature out there, one person says one thing is better, another says another. Wouldn't you rather he asked if he is unsure, than do something wrong? Too many people on herp forums like to jump down people's throats for "newbie husbandry", instead of encouraging them into the hobby with friendly advice.

[mykee]

Too many people don't do any reasearch before going out and putting the life of their new acquisition in jeopardy until they find some information. Fact: cart goes after horse, not before it.