Animal Stories - People Talking About Snakes



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Latest Animal Stories on Snakes (384)

Betty - 2010-11-02
My redtail boa has white patches with a blue tint in to it so can you tell me if it's a fungus and what to do about it?

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Mandy - 2010-11-18
In your loacal pet store there is a spray to treat fungus and from the sound of it your snake has just that.....look in the reptile area! GOOD LUCK

Jessika - 2008-09-15
I bought a rough green snake 3 weeks ago and I can't seem to get it to eat. The tank it resides in is a 10 gallon, the humidity is always around 65-70', and there is adequate climbing and hiding places. I have 2 small crickets in there now that have been living in there since I got the snake. But it still wont eat. I even put a waxworm in it yesterday, and still no eating. What am I doing wrong?
I love the snake, its a beautiful color and stays small, very docile allowing me to hold it everday. I really don't want to return it to the pet store I got it from. But how do I get it to eat?

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Audra - 2010-04-28
Hi Jessika...
I would stop handling it until it eats.... :)
Jesse - 2010-11-05
It sounds like your snake is stressed. You should stop handling it every day. Sometimes snakes get stressed from over handling and will refuse to eat. I suggest no handling at all and opening the tank as little as possible (only to change the water) until it eats. Also, make sure there is plenty of greenery in the tank. Green snakes may become stressed if there are no green places for it to hide in as they are used to blending in with their environment.

If you do decide to return the snake, I suggest getting a kingsnake instead. Kingsnakes are excellent eaters. If I let it, mine would eat frozen pinkies (baby mice) until it was too fat to move. You will need to buy a bigger tank later on (they get between 4-5 feet long), but a 10 gallon should be alright for a baby. They are also very docile, I hold mine every day except the days it eats and the day after and it has NEVER bitten me. Hope this helps.

Vanessa - 2010-08-10
I currently have 3 snakes (6 foot corn snake, 5 foot rainbow boa and a baby ball python). My husband wants to consider a Red Tail Boa but I am a little concerned. I have read everywhere what amazing snakes they are as pets and how docile they are but I am concerned with the size they can reach.

I was hoping to hear from current owners of full adult size Redtail boas as to how large the enclosure will need to be and how easy it is to handle such a large snake?

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Paul Jr. - 2010-08-30
Well it all depends on how much you feed them on how big they get usually, the more you feed them usually the bigger they will get, not sure on the enclosure I've yet to find out.
Tony - 2010-10-29
I have 3 fully grown boas 2 females about 9ft and a red tail about 7ft a 4ft by 2t by 2ft will be ok for 1 boa. Boas can be easy to handle your best bit is to get a young 1 then as it grows your be use to it.

BRISTON - 2010-10-02
I just got a rtb about a week ago. When I fed him he didn't take the mouse until a half hour after I put the mouse in the box is that normal?

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Tony - 2010-10-29
I have 3 rtb fully grown about 9ft yes its all right my snakes dont always eat straight away i leave the rats in over night and there gone in the morning unless there going to shed then they wont eat untill after..

nikola - 2010-10-29
Hi. I have a wild snake. It's 20 cm long now. I noticed a lump with sharp edges on its body. It looks like it have eaten a rock from the substrate. Is there something i can do?

Ryan - 2010-10-19
I am getting a snake witch is best a land or water snake?

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peter brower - 2010-10-21
I've had both land and water snakes. I prefer banded water snakes as they are inexpensive (mine were $6.99) and are very active. They are in and out of the water all day and night, and I love to watch them hunt.

matt d - 2010-09-27
Hi we have a baby boy ball python, two actually. Mine is perfectly fine, healthy, active, and curious, our other snake seems quite skiddish, flips upside down a lot when exploring my hands, and seems to have a very hard time climbing up and gaining orientation if I hold him by the tip of the tail. Just wondering if this is something I should worry about, please help. -new snake owners -matt

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michael mccoy - 2010-10-10
Not to scare you, but a trip to a qualified herp vet is probably in order. IBD or inclusion body disease is a viral affliction of boas and pythons. The disease is characterized by propensity for regurgitation, mouth rot bloating and lack of body coordination. Not to say your snake has that, but it might be worth it for you to be on the safe side and take him in. It's also highly contagious.

Carlos - 2010-10-03
I have a question that I keep getting different answers on, so I'm open to any suggestions. I have a 9 year old ball python named Angel, and I recently bought a baby python not to long ago. I've been asking around to see if it'd b a bad idea to put them together or not, because she could easily hurt the younger python. My question is it ok to put them in the same tank together or take them out together? Or is it to soon to put the the baby python with the adult?

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michael mccoy - 2010-10-10
Most snake keepers will tell you its a very bad idea. Although rare, cannibalism in ball pythons has happened. If you're going to house two ball pythons together it is best to make sure they're of equal size. On the other end, I'm sure its been done before without issue so really what it comes down to, are you willing to lose one or possibly both snakes? We currently house two adult males together. We also feed them in separate containers.

Anonymous - 2009-11-21
Damien is my ball python. He is 4 feet long and I love him to bits. The weird thing is how he likes to help me vacuum my house, LOL. As far as feeding issues, he eats like a porker. Very happy guy, a great addition to my family :) ~KRISTEN

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stephen - 2010-10-04
I'm surprised with you, be very intelligent coz a beast is always a beast, especially snakes.

Lenny - 2008-04-29
I have a young ball python named Patch. Ball pythons are chubby snakes; short and fat and generally quite slow when moving, so they are not likely to scare someone who is afraid of snakes. They are incredibly strong creatures with over 77% of their entire bodies consisting of pure muscle, so they will squeeze very tightly and effortlessly to anything supporting them. Ball pythons often scare their new owners when they refuse to eat for months at a time. This is simply because they are sensitive creatures and they become shy and reclusive when introduced to a new situation. It may take your python a full year to become accustomed to your home, and so he will be quite reluctant to eat. Very seldom will a reptile eat when shedding, so you can speed up the shed by warm baths every couple of days until the snake finally gets rid of his skin. It is always better to feed several small prey items rather than one large one. I suggest offering a live pinky mouse every to every other day. If the snake eats it, he eats it. If not, it can wait a day or two. This is the best way for a snake to eat, as it does wonders for their digestive tract. Studies show that snakes fed this way can top fifty years or more, and even in some cases, outlive their owners! A larger snake can be fed a larger mouse, or more pinkies. Breeding colonies of mice is a great way to get hundreds of mice for under ten dollars, and to keep them for years to come. Ball pythons are extremely sensitive to drastic temperature change, and they can slowly freeze to death even at room temperature! Remember, your body makes heat on its own, but snakes need their environment to make heat for them. This is what "cold-blooded" really means. Have you ever noticed your snake crawling towards appliances, heaters, warm food, or even towards you? They can "see" warm places, and they like to be near them to regulate body temperature. A cold snake will quickly wander to the warmest place it sees to keep itself alive. That's why it's a good idea to turn on a small heater and put a towel next to it whenever your snake gets loose. You can check the towel every couple of hours to see if your buddy is sleeping underneath it. If you let a mouse crawl on the towel, your snake will also be attracted to the tasty smell.

SITE ADMIN: Alter the text as you see fit, post the parts that you like most if you need to make room. Feel free to leave my address on the page, as I enjoy helping inexperienced python owners in their times of need. Feel free to contact me at any time, I'd be more than happy to chat!

Lenny V. Lisbeck
Heavenly Hollow Herps
Leech Lake Area, MN

shiroisan-leonardo@hotmail.com

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Dezirae - 2010-10-03
Hi, I have a baby ball python named Chico. He is a little over two months. I do handle him a lot and I found out that that does cause a refusal to eat with ball pythons. I usually take him with me when I go places. Is that unhealthy for him?
The first time I fed him a fuzzy, he ate it. My local pet store did not have any live fuzzies so I had to buy a frozen one. I thawed it out and gave it to him but he will not eat it.
Also, I feel like it's time for him to shed, but he isn't. I am worried his tank is not humid enough. Help?

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