Moluccan scrub

[Will0W783]

I just got one of my dream snakes this past Saturday- a female Moluccan scrub python. She's still really young as she is only about 2.5-3 feet long and very slender. She's in shed right now so as soon as she is done I will get some pictures. So far she isn't bad for a scrub- she will strike at you through the glass if you move around in front of her quarantine cage too much, but once she's been hooked and is out she's not bad. If I move my other hand, she'll nail it, but I've been wearing gloves with her so it doesn't faze me. I've only held her to change her paper towel bedding because she keeps tipping her water over and peeing everywhere. I've so far needed to change it one to two times a day so she isn't sitting on wet paper towel. She's a messy girl! I'm hoping once she is through with her shed she will be less strikey, but I'm prepared for it to take some time and gentle working with her.

I was wondering who else on here keeps Moluccans, and what their experiences are?

[percey39]

Haha its always fun trying to tame scrubs. I have no experience with moluccans, but do keep a few morelia kinghorni or australian scrubbies. They are extremey vile when they are young and very cage defensive. Once they are up around the seven foot mark i find they are better tempered but will still nail a stray hand or anything that moves a little too quick. I have a yearling female who is roughly seven foot and she is my little princess and will never look like biting me, but will attempt to tear shreds off anyone else who tries to handle her. She still pee's on me quite a bit but never hisses or strikes. My older two are still very very unsociable and would prefer to bite anything and everything.

I cant want to see photo's!!!!!!

[emseeKAY]

same here ive scrubs aren't too popular around here, in fact i've never heard anyone even mention one let alone see one lol thats why i love this site and google ;)

[Will0W783]

Moluccan scrubs are my favorite sub-type, because they stay relatively small for scrubs and there are a bunch of sites that say they're more docile. And they are golden with gorgeous patterning. As soon as Molly shed out I will get her pics.

P.S. I quarantine in my upstairs large bathroom and this morning when I was brushing my teeth, my one cat walked in and saw Molly's cage. He went over to check it out and she nailed the glass right in front of him. The cat did a triple backflip and flew out of the room all fuzzed up. Hilarious! I will have to be more careful not to let him in again. Heheherheh

[Man_vs_Wild]

My freind on you utube breeds mollys. They look yellow almost. Heres my new scrubbie.

[Freebody]

Grats and i cant wait to see pics :)

[marvelfreak]

Congrats! 9965 So how big do Moluccan get?

[Will0W783]

Males get 8-9 feet, but mine is a girl so she should top out around 6-8 feet. Man vs Wild, that's a very nice scrubbie- what locale is he/she?

On another note, Molly cleared up almost all the way today so she should shed in a day or two. She was pretty curious when I was in to check on her, so I opened the cage and put on gloves and she came out up my arm. No musking and not one strike and I held her for around 10 minutes! She seems to be a pretty well-mannered little lady.....so far. lol.

[Will0W783]

Oh also, Moluccans are very very slender snakes. They are supposed to be about half the girth of a carpet python of the same length and from what I've heard of them they digest their meals very quickly. One of my favorite things about Moluccans is that they mature into a nice golden yellow, and almost seem to glow.

[percey39]

Do the moluccans have the purple glow like the m. kinghorni willow

[Will0W783]

I don't think so. Molly is the first Moluccan I have seen in the flesh, but I've read a LOT on them over the last year since seeing them on Scott Crowe's website. They look like they are made of 24K gold and have a green iridescence in folds. Molly is still in shed, but she looks to still have some of her rusty baby coloration. She should lighten up consistently with age and then develop a thick, dark dorsal stripe.

[percey39]

Wow so they sound like they have their own kind of sheen. I love when mne first shed and you take them outside they get this eerie purple glow all over. I cant wait to see pics. Also they stay around a managable size un like mine where i have two people around.

[Will0W783]

Considering how calm she was tonight and how well she's cleared up, I'm hoping she'll shed tomorrow and I can nab some pics tomorrow night.

[percey39]

Can wait!!!!! My smaller girl is going to shed tonight or tomorrow as well

[Will0W783]

OOOH, you'll have to post pics when she does!

[percey39]

Yeah i will put some up, she has had clear eyes for 3 days now so its about that time.

[Will0W783]

Cool. Can't wait to see her.

[shaunyboy]

congratulations willow,cant wait to see pic's of your new scrubby

cheers shaun

[dragunov.762]

you guys come up with the oddest species as pets and i love it. i have tripled the types of snakes i know about now.

[Will0W783]

Haha, little miss Molly is shedding right now and she's in a fiery mood. She repeatedly struck at me through the glass last night but once I got her out for a soak she was like, "Oh you just want to hold me. Cool." lol...spunky little devil. She somehow got out last night and was under the cabinet by the toilet this morning and took a swipe at my fiance's feet while he was on the throne...lmao. We got her and put her back and added an extra set of cage clips, but it was an interesting morning. As the old skin comes off, that signature Moluccan golden glow is showing. I will take some pictures tonight.

[Will0W783]

There are sooo many species of snakes, dragunov.762. Even I still learn about new ones frequently. Infernalis has taught me a lot about garters, and percey has some venomous species I'd never heard of before.

Update of fiery little Miss Molly- she has begun shedding as of last night, but was having a hard time of it and was pissed off at the world. I put her in a soak and got a lot of it off, and she seemed much calmer after she'd been out. As the old skin comes off, that signature Moluccan golden glow is coming out on her. Sooo pretty!
Last night after her soak, I must not have fastened the cage clips tightly enough, because this morning when my fiance was on the throne she popped out from under the cabinet and took a few swipes at his feet...hahahaha. I heard him yelling in there and cussing. He caught her and put her back in her cage and we added a second set of cage clips. She was less than thrilled to be re-incarcerated, and my fiance was wide awake after that.

[Will0W783]

There are sooo many species of snakes, dragunov.762. Even I still learn about new ones frequently. Infernalis has taught me a lot about garters, and percey has some venomous species I'd never heard of before.

Update of fiery little Miss Molly- she has begun shedding as of last night, but was having a hard time of it and was pissed off at the world. I put her in a soak and got a lot of it off, and she seemed much calmer after she'd been out. As the old skin comes off, that signature Moluccan golden glow is coming out on her. Sooo pretty!
Last night after her soak, I must not have fastened the cage clips tightly enough, because this morning when my fiance was on the throne she popped out from under the cabinet and took a few swipes at his feet...hahahaha. I heard him yelling in there and cussing. He caught her and put her back in her cage and we added a second set of cage clips. She was less than thrilled to be re-incarcerated, and my fiance was wide awake after that.

[percey39]

Sounds like molly is being a bit of handful at the moment lol, i would hate to cop a bite on the toe's or feet lol.
Ok princess shed today, but as its night i could not capture the purple glow as the flash washes it out. I will take more pictures for you tomorrow during the day. She is very slender as all young scrubs are, but i can assure you she is just over 7 foot. I will have to find something better than an old beer bottle to size her in a photo with lol. This is a Morelia Kinghorni or Australian scrub python.

[Will0W783]

Wow, she's pretty....and big! Her patterning is so vivid. Gorgeous girl you've got there. :)

[percey39]

Cheers, she is still very young. Only a yearling this girl but growing incredibly quick for only being fed once every 7-10 days. The patterns will get a lot darker on this one with age, they should look a very nice black when she is 5-6 years old. I will take some more photo's tomorrow out in the sun so i can capture that glow i have been speaking of.

[emseeKAY]

scrubbies are cool looking snakes, i hear they have quite big personalities as well lol

[percey39]

Extremely big personalities lol, either nice or satans first born. Im hoping to produce a 5.5-6m scrub as there is a recorded length of 8.3m but this was in the 40's and highly unlikely. The biggest scrub in captivity here was 5.85m i think.

[shaunyboy]

Cheers, she is still very young. Only a yearling this girl but growing incredibly quick for only being fed once every 7-10 days. The patterns will get a lot darker on this one with age, they should look a very nice black when she is 5-6 years old. I will take some more photo's tomorrow out in the sun so i can capture that glow i have been speaking of.


she has such an angelic face for a scrubby mate.

not the usuall if you come near me,im going to rip into you face.

cheers shaun

[percey39]

This girl is an angel, she is the one who was very sick when i got her. She has impressed my mates and missus as she will not bite me or strike at me anymore, but she wil have a go at anyone else. This one is converting many people i know into scrubby fans.
Its a shame about the weather it has been raining non stop for the past 2 days, but as soon as it clears i will get more photo's.

[Will0W783]

Ok, sorry these took so long, and they are not the greatest quality, but she won't hold still and my fiance's been too busy to help me take better ones. I will try to get some better shots soon. For now, here is little Miss Molly the Moluccan. http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/91861097_photobucket_24029_.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/91861097_photobucket_24028_.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/91861097_photobucket_24027_.jpg

[Will0W783]

She is turning into a little sweetheart. She is very cage aggressive, but once she's out she's just curious and exploratory. She's fully out of shed now- she was so dry when I got her it took her a few days to get all the old skin off, so she is showing some nice iridescence.

[ineedsoap16]

She is georgeous!!!

[Will0W783]

Thanks. She's got such huge eyes.

[percey39]

She looks great, those big eyes wont miss much!!

[Will0W783]

Oh no, she doesn't miss a thing. She's on full red alert as soon as I enter the room, until she determines whether to try to kill me, or whether she's coming out to be held. I've never seen a snake do such a complete 180 in cage versus out. Out she's a curious little angel; inside the cage she's demon spawn....lol.

[dragunov.762]

that is exactly how my hedgehog is. in the cage he is always huffing and will even jump at you to get you with his quills but when i finally manage to get him out he is just fine

[Will0W783]

It must be a territory thing. Plus, I imagine it's frightening to see a big old hand descending on you. I'd probably bite me too, if I was in her place..lol.

[Will0W783]

Ok, sorry this took this long. Here are some much better pictures of Molly. She has turned into quite the calm and curious little gal. She seems to enjoy coming out and doesn't even musk me anymore :) She still has some nose rub from striking at the glass so much the first day I had her.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/Molly%20the%20Moluccan%20Python/IMG_2598.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/Molly%20the%20Moluccan%20Python/IMG_2597.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/Molly%20the%20Moluccan%20Python/IMG_2601.jpg

[Will0W783]

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/Molly%20the%20Moluccan%20Python/IMG_2600.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/Molly%20the%20Moluccan%20Python/IMG_2596.jpg

[percey39]

She looks great, love the gloves lol. Must still bite like hell in the cage, my girl has calmed down heaps from that stage. Its all about routine and cool, calm and collected movements whilst holding them.

[Will0W783]

I had the gloves on because I wasn't sure how she'd react to a camera shoved in her face with the flash on. I use the gloves to pull her out, but honestly they came off after the first few shots. She just didn't sit still long enough to get more that a few full body in my hands shots. She was more curious about the camera than anything. I still don't have the stones to stick my bare hand into her cage and grab her but she hasn't tried to bite the last three times I've pulled her out. It's been very calm and uneventful. She's been a little angel- hasn't even musked me lately. I don't think for a second that she wouldn't nail me if I moved too quickly or held her a bit too tightly, but we're on the road to building an amicable relationship. I don't foresee her being much trouble to work with in the long run at all. She's sooo pretty too.

[percey39]

They are a great species though, i believe they are pretty similar to our scrubbies personality wise. They are very active and always very alert to their sorroundings. I had to go through the bitting stage with all of mine but thats half the fun of them. You have never had a bite like theirs or as frequently while they are young, but they are worth every bit of blood!!!

[Will0W783]

Haha, yeah she nailed me pretty good the first day I had her. I was at a friend's house because there was a huge traffic jam and I couldn't get home for a few hours. I went to bring her out of her deli cup to show him and Wham! I bled all over his garage...lmao.

[shaunyboy]

looking good kimberly

love the huge gloves dont blame you as scrubby's are fiesty and fast.

cant wait to see pic's of this one growing up.

just love scruby's head shape and scales

cheers shaun

[Will0W783]

Thanks, Shaun. Yeah, it's the exaggerated Morelia head and very delineated scales that made me seek a scrubby.

[Man_vs_Wild]

I would just like to say you are beutiful woman willow. Your new snakes great to. I would wear gloves to with a new snake.

[Will0W783]

Why thank you Man vs Wild. I still don't trust Molly enough to start out holding without gloves. If she's having a good day I take them off after a while. She doesn't seem to be attracted to my body heat enough to "taste" me. I had a Macklot's a while back that would try to eat any bare skin he came into contact with. Whenever he had to be removed from his cage I'd have to put on a sweatshirt and full gauntlet gloves and nab him right behind the head...lol

[Man_vs_Wild]

When i first got my first water python hatchling, I asked the breeder for a nasty one not realizing how sh....it scared of snakes. I herd they would calm down with handling.
I let it out of the bag onto the table and wham, the dang thing leaped at me tring to bite. I took two steps back and froze with fear. go on lol.
Dan thing thought it was mike tyson. as i stared at its rapid tounge flicking, i made a slight movement and twice it strikes:sorry:. The third time it jumped of the edge of the table. I picked it up after a good spray with the garden hose to show it who wears the pants and i was relived that it was nothing personal... till the next time i had to pick it up.

Im not sure why i cant over come fear of defensive strike. I flinch every time. I dont let my snakes bite me.
First time i was bit, I put my coastal near my rats to light him up. Had a smoke than went back to pick him up. Before i had time to flinch dam thing had sunk its teeth into my thumb. i still flinched. Ripping my hand away made it hurt even more. Hurts way more than i thought it would. :eek:
This snake breeder said just stick ur hand in its cage and let it bite you to over come ur fear. Yeah right.

[Man_vs_Wild]

willow i wish you were my girlfriend

[marvelfreak]

I like the pics. First one he looks all sweet and friendly, second he got that get out of my face or i will eat look. lol

[Will0W783]

Thanks!

Yeah, she does have a fierce looking face. But she's not bad. She just looks intimidating from head on. She's mostly just a curious little girl though. She's getting some triple antibiotic ointment on her nose daily now to help heal the rub, which she does not appreciate. She's not being awful about it though. I put it on a q-tip and quickly reach in and dab it on her nose before she knows what hit her...lol.

[Man_vs_Wild]

I thought that mark was where it had been striking the glass tring to bite you.

[Will0W783]

Yes, that nose mark is from where she's been striking the sides of her cage and the screen lid the first two days I had her. She has stopped that now though, thank heavens. She made her poor little nose bleed the first day and I felt horrible. I put a towel around the sides of her cage so she couldn't see when I was in the room and generally tried to stay out as much as possible. I'm putting ointment on it to help the healing process, as it is raw skin and must not feel good.

[percey39]

How is the scrub taming going Kim? Can i see some updated pic please as her colours would be really starting to come through now and would have grown heaps!!!!
My girl is now eating medium rabbits lol and nailed me a good one again the other day lol she didnt want her worming injection and let me know all about it!

[Will0W783]

She is quite calm actually. The only thing is she has gone off feed now. I do not handle her much at all, really only to clean her cage, because of the not eating issue. She looks as though she may be going into shed, so I think that is why she has stopped eating. She will be offered food again tonight, and hopefully she will take it. I deworm them by injecting the Fenbendazole into their food items. Molly was dewormed before I got her though.

[percey39]

Im sure she will be in shed, as scrubs in my experience are absolute pigs with their food. I reckon given the opportunity my yearling would eat every day if she could LOL.
I find injecting the snake easier as thats all i have ever done and i know it works, but its personal choice.
Would love to see some feeding pics if she takes it.

[Will0W783]

I am going to buy her a live mouse today, since she again did not eat her meal last night...she's skipped 3 feedings and I've checked her out and no mucus in her mouth. She has got to be getting close to shed, as it's been about two months since she last shed, and she is still young and growing, but she doesn't appear cloudy. She's alert and calm. When I went to feed her last night, she ignored the food and came out onto my arm...lol. So I held her for a minute and then placed her back into her tub with the f/t mouse. I leave her food overnight because she doesn't take from tongs. When she was taking her meals, it would take her about 2 minutes after I put the food in until she was eating it.

[percey39]

My scrubs were all very finicky at the start and you would have to tease fed them all the time. I still have to heat the prey item up till its hot for me to touch and wiggle it around as if its live. I had troubles with one of them at the start similar to what your experiencing, in the end i had to start to scenting my rats with a chick. After a couple of scented feedings off he went and has not looked back.

What are your temps and humidity like? I know scrubs are very hardy once they are get going but temps and the like can play a huge part at the start. My hot spot is up around 44 degrees celcius which is 10 degrees hotter than most of my other snakes and they love it. Cool end is around 26 degrees and they alternate between these temps quite happily. Humidity is not a huge issue for our natives and because of that i only try to get around 40-55%, some people chase 70-80% but there is no need. I read some people believe 50 - 65% is the best humidity range for molucann's.

Hopefully after the shed she starts going strong for you.

[Will0W783]

The hot spot is up around 87-88, but ambient temps are around 84 and she can get to a cooler spot around 80 under her hides and in the back corner. She spends most of her time in her water dish, which is wide and shallow. I have checked her thoroughly for mites, and she was treated when I first got her, so I know she has no mites. Humidity is around 60%.

[percey39]

If she has just recently started laying her water than that in a obvious sign she is going to shed ( as you would know ). As i said my guys have a hot spot of 110 which they all spend plenty of time in. From what i have researched your temps seem fine for moluccans, but i would bump the heat up a little more say 92.

[Will0W783]

She's been hanging out in her water for over 2 weeks, but doesn't seem to be clouding up. The last time she shed she clouded, cleared and shed within 2 weeks. She's alert, active and curious, and doesn't have any mucus or wheezing, and her fecals came back clean. I guess she is just not ready to eat right now.