Introducing: Fred

[Necrias]

Picked up my first snake yesterday (and first pet since I was 8!), which I believe is a 1 year old male dwarf motley RTB... someone please correct me otherwise! At the moment he is 21-22 inches long, and the breeder said to expect him to get to 4-6 feet, which is perfect for me as anything over 6 feet requires an exotic animal license here in Iowa.

I got him for a helluva price from the local breeder since he isn't "pure" motley, but it is by far the best purchase I have made in years! I love the little fella, so far he has a fantastic temperament and seems to enjoy being handled and loves exploring outside his cage. Oh, and he chose the name Fred, not me... I decided to let him roam around my coffee table (which is littered with books) and name him after the author or a character of the first book he stopped on. As you can see below, he seems to have taken a liking to Nietzsche... good boy:)

As far as future plans... I WANT MORE ALREADY! lol I have an all-or-nothing attitude when it comes to any endeavor, so I am having a hard time to keep from going nuts and get another one every week. I start graduate school next fall (Philosophy), so once I move out there I would like to get a pair of baby common BCCs (I like albinos, but I would be very picky about it) and eventually breed them. Once I get a house and a steady enough income to feed their enormous mouths, I would absolutely love a giant python, probably a Burmese. Well that is enough about me, on to the pics!

[Lankyrob]

Sweet snake, it is common practice to let new guys settle for a week or so to get used to their new environment before being handled, just water changing and spot cleaning.

Tho he does seem pretty chilled out, as much as you can tell from a pic.

[Necrias]

Sweet snake, it is common practice to let new guys settle for a week or so to get used to their new environment before being handled, just water changing and spot cleaning.

Tho he does seem pretty chilled out, as much as you can tell from a pic.

Yeah, I left him alone for a few hours before letting him out, he seemed to have settled down quite nicely. As far as I can tell, the only thing he doesn't like is having his tail touched, but he doesn't get snippy, just scurries away.

Also seems to hate light and avoids it whenever possible, so I got him some plants today for extra shade and it looks like he is enjoying it!

Also want to thank everybody on this forum for being such a great source of information, I have learned a ton just lurking the last few days!

[stephanbakir]

Great to be of help!, love the pics too.

[Necrias]

Great to be of help!, love the pics too.

Thank you!

Just did his first feed, went pretty well! I made the mistake of dangling the mouse over him while he was chilling in his water bowl, he dragged it underwater and became confused and seemed to lose interest. I quickly but gently pulled the mouse by the tail (and Fred along with it) out of the bowl and onto the substrate. He was still confused and tried eating it leg first, then started to bite the belly... I waited until he let go and gently grabbed behind his head and took the mouse out. I warmed just the head in hot water, then dangled it back over Fred, and everything went perfectly after that!

I know I should probably have just left him alone, but I didn't want him to hurt himself by trying to eat rear first. I am probably just overprotective, he likely would have figure it out eventually :)

Guhdurnit you guys have me obsessed now and it's all your fault! Every stinking one of you!! =P

[stephanbakir]

Snakes can eat rodents tail first without issues for the most part.
Grabbing a snake behind the head is an easy way to hurt it, tail it and use a snake hook to support the front half of the body (overkill unless its in feeding mode)
Glad to have helped start this obsession!
Snakes can eat/constrict under water without issue for the most part.

[Necrias]

Snakes can eat rodents tail first without issues for the most part.
Grabbing a snake behind the head is an easy way to hurt it, tail it and use a snake hook to support the front half of the body (overkill unless its in feeding mode)
Glad to have helped start this obsession!
Snakes can eat/constrict under water without issue for the most part.

Thank you, I'm glad I'm part of this forum, I would be clueless otherwise! He did seem o be having trouble going from the tail end, it was a fairly big mouse in comparison, roughly 2x body width.

[Jay]

Just an opinion, you should have waited 2 weeks before feeding to ensure low stress levels you may or may not have a regurgitation. For your next feeding switch him to rats. Also purchase a pair of hemostats, or hot dog tongs(If you don't have some) for future feedings. Dwarf or not it is still a Boa proper precautions should be taken.

[whoaxmary]

Everyone else already covered what I had to say. Just sharing a picture so you know not to worry.. My bp has done this a bunch of times.
In this certain picture the rat pup is actually smaller than she normally eats.
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/whoaxmary/meal078.jpghttp://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/whoaxmary/meal080.jpghttp://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/whoaxmary/meal082.jpg

[Lankyrob]

Lol - you should set that up as a slideshow running backwards - will look like the pup is escaping!!

[shaunyboy]

Thank you!

Just did his first feed, went pretty well! I made the mistake of dangling the mouse over him while he was chilling in his water bowl, he dragged it underwater and became confused and seemed to lose interest. I quickly but gently pulled the mouse by the tail (and Fred along with it) out of the bowl and onto the substrate. He was still confused and tried eating it leg first, then started to bite the belly... I waited until he let go and gently grabbed behind his head and took the mouse out. I warmed just the head in hot water, then dangled it back over Fred, and everything went perfectly after that!

I know I should probably have just left him alone, but I didn't want him to hurt himself by trying to eat rear first. I am probably just overprotective, he likely would have figure it out eventually :)

Guhdurnit you guys have me obsessed now and it's all your fault! Every stinking one of you!! =P

thats a nice looking snake you have there,welcome to the addiction that be snakes or should i say ssnakess...!!

my irian jags a bit daft when it comes to feeding,he tries eating from all sorts of wierd starting points

i do just what you did,i heat the head up a lot more than the rest of the rat.that way he hits the head everytime

i've noticed snakes can be pretty dum at times

cheers shaun

[TeaNinja]

Lol - you should set that up as a slideshow running backwards - will look like the pup is escaping!!

lol, good call. xD

[Necrias]

thats a nice looking snake you have there,welcome to the addiction that be snakes or should i say ssnakess...!!

my irian jags a bit daft when it comes to feeding,he tries eating from all sorts of wierd starting points

i do just what you did,i heat the head up a lot more than the rest of the rat.that way he hits the head everytime

i've noticed snakes can be pretty dum at times

cheers shaun

Yeah mine doesn't seem to be the sharpest tool in the shed :rolleyes:

BTW, found out our local breeder just hatched several dozen carpets... I might be getting another little fella sooner than I was planning :)

Also found out a guy in my home town makes custom reptile enclosures (Habitat Systems Limited - Creating Environments of Quality and Distinction (http://www.habitatsystemsltd.com/)) and will be going down tomorrow about a possible 4x2x2 or rack so I have an excuse to add to my collection! Just need to decide what to get first...