Here is what you should do next!
As you can
probably imagine. The stress from being pulled from your home (and routine)
that you’ve been used-to your entire life, tossed into a dark box and jolted
around while you are transported out of state and then introduced immediately
to a new environment can be quite extraordinary.
Here are
few things we think will help you get your new addition settled in:
·
Unpacking
– Give your new snake a quick look-over to ensure that it is OK. Do not spend a
bunch of time staring at it and handling it. Get your new snake setup in
its new enclosure immediately.
o Notify
us by text 480-760-5856 that your new snake arrived safely.
o Leave
it alone for the first few days (3-7). It’s OK to check in on it but minimize
handling
o Do
not try to feed it
o Give it fresh water and show it the water
·
Enclosure
Setup – The basics are quite simple;
o It
should be secure in order to keep the snake in and to keep other things out
§ If
you are using glass for your enclosure you should provide a hide box
o It
should have some sort of bedding (we like paper) but there are many suitable
alternatives
o There
needs to be a fresh/clean water source (we like deli cups)
o It
should have the right temperatures. Depending on the size of the enclosure this
can be tricky. However you want an ambient temperature of 80-84 degrees and a
warm spot of 85-88 degrees. The snake needs to have the choice of whether it
wants to cool off or be warm which will require enough space to make that
happen. If you are too low or too high your snake will show signs of stress
including striking and not eating.
o Humidity
should be between 30-50 percent. Anything more/less can cause skin and
respiratory issues. If your new snake has trouble shedding try spraying it with
water at the shed stage where the eyes go clear (after being opaque or “blue”)
but right before it sheds its skin.
o It
is best to have your enclosure in an area that isn’t high traffic
·
Water
- your new snake needs fresh water;
o It
also needs your help identifying where the water is. It can be helpful to guide
the snake when putting it away towards the water bowl (repeat several times
over the first few weeks. Snakes sometimes don’t instinctively know where the
water is.
·
Food
– after 5-7 days you can try and feed your snake;
o If
this snake came from us it is established on frozen thawed rat pups and has
eaten at least 5 times without missing a meal. We recommend you feed similar
food.
o Not
all baby bloods have developed to a point where they will strike their food.
You should try to offer the prey item on tongs. If the snake doesn’t take the
food right away, tickle the snake's face area momentarily and drop the prey
item on the cooler side of the enclosure or outside of its hide. Check back in
a few hours or the next day.
o We
do not feed live or fresh killed rodents so we will not offer any advice on the
subject other than you must be attentive when feeding this way.
o Your
new snake was established and eating fine while in our care. If it isn’t eating
now you have some work to do to dial in its environment (give us a call and lets talk about it).
·
Handling
– You’ve given your snake some time (3-7 days) to settle into its new
environment.
o If
you’ve fed recently give it a few days to digest before handling
o If
your snake is huffy, this is normal. Blood pythons are huffy by nature and in most
instances this is not a threat display
o If
your snake is nippy or flighty. Be patient, gentle and understanding that your
snake is likely stressed by the handling activity or something in its
environment.
§ Don’t
be forceful. Allow the snake to move around how it wants to move, but hold it
just firm enough to keep it from falling from your hands.
o Your
snake is still biting after a few weeks? Give it more time! We have worked with
hundreds of blood pythons and actively keep several hundred at a time. 99.5% of
the fussy ones settle down with time. They get used to the environment and
schedule and just mellow out.
·
Defecating;
o Blood
Pythons do not pass stool the same as other snakes. They tend to hold on to it
longer than usual. Be patient. If you have set them up properly and keep their
water fresh and clean they’ll pass the stool when they are ready.
We find
Blood Pythons to be amazing creatures and nothing like the wild and crazy
aggressive biting snakes you hear stories about. They are gentle snakes that
learn to recognize their caretakers. They are easy to care for and if the time
is right and the conditions are adequate they will readily reproduce while in
your care.
Thank you
again for your purchase. We want you to be successful with your new Blood
Python. If you have any questions on the guidance above or if you have issues
after following the guidance above please feel free to reach out to us giantkeeperreptiles@gmail.com