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osouthlondon
Hatchling
United Kingdom
54 Posts |
 Posted - 09/02/2009 : 12:34:41
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Hi,
Nice to meet you all. Having owned lizards for some years, i have decided to (and finally persuaded the Mrs to let me) try my hand at snakes, i have started with a little beaty of a royal called Calyx. Any advice on keeping him alive and happy would be well appreciated. |
Edited by - osouthlondon on 09/02/2009 12:35:39 |
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osouthlondon
Hatchling
United Kingdom
54 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2009 : 12:47:22
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| Also i would like to know if it is worth getting a hydro(hygro?)meter, and exactly how important the humidity of the enclosure is. |
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lee2308
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2597 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2009 : 13:39:03
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| hi and welcome,i use one of those cheapy dial ones but humidity is not that important,around room humidity is ok,just give the viv a light spay around sheddig time. |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2009 : 14:14:27
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Hello, there are too many suggestions I could make, could you tell us about your current setup so that we can comment?
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osouthlondon
Hatchling
United Kingdom
54 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2009 : 15:39:28
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| When i first bought the Royal, i was advised to keep him in a small plastic container as apparently they dont't like open spaces. So fair enough i bought a little tub off of the guy and i also bought a small exo terra water bowl, a cobra heat mat, an on/off stat for the heat mat, a 'magic eye' stat for the red heat bulb (housed in a reflector), and i already had a glass viv from a previous animal. I was advised to put the Royal inside the tub, inside the viv. I did this for about a day and was not very happy with it as, although i know they liked to be enclosed, that was ridiculous. So i insulated the glass viv with cladding and duct tape (That may sound really bad, but i know what i'm doing with insulation, plumbing background you see), i put sphagnum moss down as substrate and i provided three hides (one at each end, one in the middle), i provided plenty of foliage and a few bits of driftwood, to break up the open spaces and make it seem more enclosed (He seems to like it). I have got the mat at 84f and the lamp at 92f. The lid of the viv is mesh so doesn't lend very well to the humidity but i have placed the water near to the warm end to try and moisten the atmosphere a little. To be honest i'm thinking about investing in a better set-up as i am a bit of a perfectionist and i'm not 100% happy with what i've got. |
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wolfspirit
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
5741 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2009 : 15:47:32
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Hi welcome to the forum,
I dont worry to much about humidity, mine is reading around 55% sometimes 60 sometimes 50, i have a moos box and i keep that damp so if my royal needs moisture he canget it from there, he also has his water tray that he can soak in if he is ever inclined...
Dont forget the pics of your Royal, how old is your Royal? |
"No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from
now and make a brand new ending."
-- Source Unknown
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osouthlondon
Hatchling
United Kingdom
54 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2009 : 15:56:27
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| As for his age, the fella did tell me, but i was so involved in trying to remember all the practical advice he was giving, it escapes me completely. I did try to phone the store but had no luck and it is one almighty trek to get there again. Is there any way to rough guess the age? |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2009 : 18:11:35
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Could I see a photo of the setup?
In a small viv I don't see the need for a lamp aswell as a mat?
Good on you for having stats on both. |
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lee2308
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2597 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2009 : 19:34:53
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| just another thing,if the bulb is housed in a reflector,is it possible for the snake to still touch the bulb and get burnt. |
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Gingerpony
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2663 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2009 : 20:31:52
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heya and welcome 
are you using the sphagnum moss as a substrate dry or damp? if it's damp it's likely to be too humid for a Royal. i have a cheap dial hygrometer, not for it's accuracy but it should be good enough to show any drastic changes in the humidity.
what size is the bigger enclosure and what size is Calyx? i'm assuming you've clad the outside of the tank so she can't get caught in the sticky tape, does that enclose 3 sides of the viv? if it does it should make her feel safer and less stressed by the move. it's hard but try not to handle her for a week, then try a feed and if she takes it leave her another 2 days to digest the meal then let handling commence! |
Dumerils boas, BCO hybrids, Sinder Hypo boas, cornsnakes, ratsnakes, Day Geckos
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osouthlondon
Hatchling
United Kingdom
54 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2009 : 08:35:19
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| Hey guys, thanks for all your help so far. To answer a few of the questions. I will get photos of the viv, but probably not until tomorrow because i'm at work now and my home pc is wrecked!! The viv is about 3ft long by maybe 1ft deep and 1.5ft high. I have insulated three sides because as was previously suggested, it makes him feel safer, and yes i did it on the outside. The heat bulb is outside the viv (The lid is mesh so i have covered it two thirds (but not insulated it) and the lamp shines through the uncovered mesh. The thermometer for the lamp stat is about halfway down the tank, directly in the glow). The sphagnum moss is moist and is currently only in the hides, the current major substrate (on advice) is newspaper, however i was recently told that the ink could be detrimental to his health?? Calyx himself is about 40cm long at most. I handled him when i transferred him from the carry box to the viv and he hissed at me twice so i left him alone for 10 minutes then tried again, and he was good as gold, very nervous, but even the Mrs said he seems to have taken a shine to me! His first feed is due today and i was told by the seller that he has been eating one adult mouse every tuesday. I want to try him on a rat pup today as i was told that they are more beneficial to his growth, if he doesn't take it i will try braining it. Fingers crossed!! |
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osouthlondon
Hatchling
United Kingdom
54 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2009 : 14:24:41
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| I wonder if anyone can help. I have just taken delivery of one almighty load of sphagnum moss, can i use it as a substrate for the entire enclosure vice the newspaper? |
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Gingerpony
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2663 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2009 : 20:37:04
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i use newspaper with no ill effect on any of mine, and use shredded paper from work in the hides and to give them something to burrow in (mainly for the corns though)
if Calyx is less than 18" long a 3ft viv would mahoooosive for him!! how big is the plastic tub? it might be a more appropriate size. for smaller Royals in tubs/RUBs a heatmat is probably the most effective method of heating and the stat probe should be on the substrate in the warm end.
Also how long have you had him? he could really do with a week to settle in his new home with minimal interaction (just changing the water and checking he's still there) and then try a feed - regardless of if he was due a feed earlier in the week. |
Dumerils boas, BCO hybrids, Sinder Hypo boas, cornsnakes, ratsnakes, Day Geckos
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2009 : 20:44:17
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| I would allow him a dry hide and a moist hide so that he has the choice, probably the moist on at the cool end. |
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osouthlondon
Hatchling
United Kingdom
54 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2009 : 10:15:57
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| Last night i fed him, having not read the above advice to leave him for a while to settle in. I offered him a rat pup, which he wouldn't take until i 'jiggled' it around a bit and then he struck at it (and scared me half to death!! I'm used to lizard's strike speed but he was 100 times faster and i wasn't expecting it!) and constricted it but then left it. Feeling a little disappointed i removed the rat pup and my Mrs suggested trying him on a pinkie which i did.....Success! He struck it constricted it and gulped it down no problem at all. With regards to the size of the viv, it's probably not 3ft at all, i'm rubbish with sizes. I will measure it, but i have broken it up with hides, plants, water bowl random bits of driftwood. There's barely an inch square that is open, would that still affect him even though it's mostly closed in? Is the size determined by how far he can move? or how far he can see?. |
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wolfspirit
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
5741 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2009 : 12:07:18
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OK, this is how i got my Royal from Pinkies/mice to rat pups, i might have been lucky but it worked for me, i put a rat pup and a fluff together in a bag in the freezer, when it came to feeding time i also defrosted them together in the bag, I then offered him the fluff first which he took no bother then the rat pup which he also ate, and he was fine with the switch, never had to do it again...now my Kingsnake is a whole different story, he wont eat anything with a whiff of rat on it. You would think it would be the other way round...lol..
But you could try it after you have got a few feeds into your royal and see if it works. |
"No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from
now and make a brand new ending."
-- Source Unknown
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osouthlondon
Hatchling
United Kingdom
54 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2009 : 12:26:09
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| That's a great idea, i'll give that a try. Thanks!! Also do i need to upgrade my temp checking tools? ~I have currently got one £4 dial at each end but apparently they can be off by up to 20 degrees! I have been advised to get myself a digital one or a temp gun. |
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wolfspirit
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
5741 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2009 : 14:30:03
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| I have got two digitals and one bog standard thermometer which i move around to check temps against the digital ones. i would love one of those infra red ones, and may well end up getting one, |
"No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from
now and make a brand new ending."
-- Source Unknown
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matty18714
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2016 Posts |
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Dazzetski
Yearling
United Kingdom
461 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2009 : 22:02:05
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Hello & welcome, the people on here are great 
I've got 2 digi thermo's & a digi hygrometer much better than dials... in my humble opinion 
Any questions will get a very quick reply  |
 
0.2.0 Cats (Spud & Phoebe) RIP Stevie fat man
1.1.0 Royals (Syd & Sofia)
2.2.3 Corns (Hogan, Shaggy, Sparkle, Tango, Fred, Haribo & Go Faster)
0.0.1 Columbian Rainbow Boa (Escobar)
1.1.0 Variable King Snakes (Lancelot & Guinaverre)
0.0.20 Fish |
Edited by - Dazzetski on 11/02/2009 22:02:21 |
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Paulusworm
Fully Grown Royal
Azerbaijan
1550 Posts |
Posted - 12/02/2009 : 07:26:57
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| Hello mate and welcome . |
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