| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Royalbob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
1115 Posts |
 Posted - 05/11/2009 : 18:16:12
|
just wanted to Introduce myself and my new royal. I'm Rich and he's called Bob. I bought him 3 weeks ago along with his Viv which is L = 4ft x D = 2ft x H = 1.5ft. He's 2 yrs old and really great, so tame. Bobs almost 4 ft long. I changed the heating set up of the viv straight away as there was only a very old radiator type plate 50watt which was struggling to keep temp and on no thermostat. I now have 100 watt ceramic bulb attatched to a pulse thermostat with temps at 88 hot end and 82 cold end. 3 hides, low level branches and water bowl also some fake plants. I let bob settle for a week then fed and he struck and ate first time. (happy)
Two things where concerning me, I've only ever seen him come out of his hide on the hot side twice at night, never in the day. Does this mean he's still not warm enough or just shy?
The second is that I keeing seeing that anything over a 3ft viv might be too big is thus true.
Pls excuse such a long intro and firing questions straight away. |
1.0 Enchi butter
1.0 Enchi X Pastel
1.0 Fire het clown
1.0 Bumblebee
1.0 pinstripe
0.1 Enchi Fire
0.1 Pastel calico
0.1 Yellow belly Pinstripe
0.1 Lemon pastel poss het clown
0.1 Het clown
0.1 Yellow belly
0.1 Green Mojave
0.1 HC Albino
0.2 Normals
 |
|
|
bengy_s
Yearling
United Kingdom
252 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2009 : 19:12:09
|
Hi Rich and welcome.
Sounds like your doing a lot right and Bob must think so as he is eating ok (royals will refuse their food if they are unhappy in anyway). Ok in answer to your questions:
1. Royals are nocturnal, hence why you see him at night and not in the day. He most likely has a party while you sleep! The temps are fine, the ideal "hot spot" temp is 32.5*C / 90-91*F. You can tweak it very slightly if you wish.... Great move by the way for using a ceramic and thermostat, perfect for Royals.
2. The "equasion" for the ideal size viv is the length of the viv PLUS one side should = the length of snake. So the ideal for yours would be 2.5 X 1.5 ft (30X18inch), or 3 X 1 ft (36X12inch). But again its a guide and being that you have loads of husbandary (hides, foliage, wood etc), he should be ok as it is giving the illusion of a smaller environment. If you see a 3 foot viv around for a bargain then I'd go for it. But he should be ok in the interim.
Ok I hope that answers your questions ok. I just have a couple for you too:
1. As I said, good move using ceramic & thermometer, are you using a bulb guard to protect the snake from the heat of the ceramic bulb?
2. Are you sure he is only 2 years old? That is pretty much as big as a male royal would get. It could well just be he was a quick grower, however mine is between 18-24 months and is only 80-90cm (not quite 3 feet).
3. What size/ weight prey do you feed him & how often? I would say (without seeing photos) that he should be on small adult rats every 12-14 days. NB this is just a guess as I don't know his weight or girth. The normal guide is feed him 10-15% of his body weight each feed. Or prey between 1 & 1.5X the widest part of the snake. The time between feeds varies as they grow, roughly: a hatchling every 5 days, yearling every 7, semi adult every 10 & adult every 12-14 days.
Sorry for long reply also!
Im ben by the way! |
 R.I.P Chester |
Edited by - bengy_s on 05/11/2009 19:16:10 |
 |
|
|
Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2009 : 19:35:18
|
Hi Rich, welcome to the forum  |
 
 |
|
|
|
Royalbob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
1115 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2009 : 21:05:46
|
Hi bengy, thanks for getting back. Yes I've got a bulb gaurd around the ceramic. The guy in the stop done a little well tiny deal on that the bulb and the ceramic holder etc.
As far as his age the guy I got him from kept quite a detailed feeding and general track record and he has his birthday down as July 2007. Thinking now could of been when he purchased him so maybe give or take a few months.
Was thinking the same thing with the viv if I see a cheap one come my way that's a bit smaller I'll grab it.
I'm feeding him a small rat once a week at the moment, just had second feed yesterday and seemed very hungry.
They are just a bit smaller than his girth at the widest part.
Thanks for the advice on that so I'll increase the size of his food slightly and feed him every 10 days instead of seven.
Thanks again for the info. |
1.0 Enchi butter
1.0 Enchi X Pastel
1.0 Fire het clown
1.0 Bumblebee
1.0 pinstripe
0.1 Enchi Fire
0.1 Pastel calico
0.1 Yellow belly Pinstripe
0.1 Lemon pastel poss het clown
0.1 Het clown
0.1 Yellow belly
0.1 Green Mojave
0.1 HC Albino
0.2 Normals
|
|
|
|
Royalbob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
1115 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2009 : 21:06:47
|
| Thanks for the wecome Blackecho |
1.0 Enchi butter
1.0 Enchi X Pastel
1.0 Fire het clown
1.0 Bumblebee
1.0 pinstripe
0.1 Enchi Fire
0.1 Pastel calico
0.1 Yellow belly Pinstripe
0.1 Lemon pastel poss het clown
0.1 Het clown
0.1 Yellow belly
0.1 Green Mojave
0.1 HC Albino
0.2 Normals
|
|
|
|
Gingerpony
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2663 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2009 : 21:24:16
|
heya and welcome
just out of interest do you still have the power plate and would you sell it? |
Dumerils boas, BCO hybrids, Sinder Hypo boas, cornsnakes, ratsnakes, Day Geckos
|
|
|
|
Royalbob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
1115 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2009 : 22:04:27
|
| Hi. Mmm I dumped it in the bin it had some strange gunk all in the centre of it but to be honest didn't really give a proper go at cleaning it. I'll have a look in the morn as only couple days back. If it's still their it's yours. Sorry was trying to turn over a new leaf and not keep hold of everything. |
1.0 Enchi butter
1.0 Enchi X Pastel
1.0 Fire het clown
1.0 Bumblebee
1.0 pinstripe
0.1 Enchi Fire
0.1 Pastel calico
0.1 Yellow belly Pinstripe
0.1 Lemon pastel poss het clown
0.1 Het clown
0.1 Yellow belly
0.1 Green Mojave
0.1 HC Albino
0.2 Normals
|
|
|
|
reptilekeeper1992
Yearling
United Kingdom
331 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2009 : 23:33:15
|
hey and welcome to the forum.
No worries about the size of your vivarium in my opinion. My royal, Boo, is only 3 months old, just under 2ft long and is in a 3ft vivarium and she has been happy, feeding everytime and everything.
So yea, all good
and welcome to the forum  |
|
|
|
Luke1987
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
3 Posts |
Posted - 06/11/2009 : 09:44:17
|
| Welcome from a fellow noobie |
|
|
|
bengy_s
Yearling
United Kingdom
252 Posts |
Posted - 06/11/2009 : 12:09:52
|
Sounds good with the food & everything. Its good you got him from a store with good records also!
yes that is perhaps a good idea with the food and going up a size. You may find it'll help to weigh him. I did it by buying some digital scales (£10 argos- cheaper on ebay), put a tub on the scales and zero it, then put the snake in and see what he weighs (i work in grams). Then weigh the food (as is) and see how that works as a % of his weight. Some stores don't sell by weight (category of size) but once you weigh the ones you have, if its not say 10% the weight of the snake then go up a size and weigh them etc. |
R.I.P Chester |
|
|
|
bengy_s
Yearling
United Kingdom
252 Posts |
Posted - 06/11/2009 : 12:13:14
|
| PS. The small rats i feed my snake (you'll find size classes vs. weight vary considerably from shop to shop) weigh between 100-115 grams, so are perfect for my 1,100g snake. So being that your snake is a foot bigger then perhaps medium rats, every 10 days is the way to go. |
R.I.P Chester |
|
|
|
MissCat
Fully Grown Royal
1971 Posts |
Posted - 06/11/2009 : 13:26:01
|
| hullo and welcome :) |
|
|
|
Royalbob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
1115 Posts |
Posted - 06/11/2009 : 15:36:39
|
Just wanted to say thanks for all the welcomes and advice from everyone.
Cheers bengy will do. |
1.0 Enchi butter
1.0 Enchi X Pastel
1.0 Fire het clown
1.0 Bumblebee
1.0 pinstripe
0.1 Enchi Fire
0.1 Pastel calico
0.1 Yellow belly Pinstripe
0.1 Lemon pastel poss het clown
0.1 Het clown
0.1 Yellow belly
0.1 Green Mojave
0.1 HC Albino
0.2 Normals
|
|
|
|
Royalbob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
1115 Posts |
Posted - 06/11/2009 : 15:44:36
|
| Gingerpony, sorry the power plate has already been taken with the rubbsh. |
1.0 Enchi butter
1.0 Enchi X Pastel
1.0 Fire het clown
1.0 Bumblebee
1.0 pinstripe
0.1 Enchi Fire
0.1 Pastel calico
0.1 Yellow belly Pinstripe
0.1 Lemon pastel poss het clown
0.1 Het clown
0.1 Yellow belly
0.1 Green Mojave
0.1 HC Albino
0.2 Normals
|
|
|
|
Robert
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
957 Posts |
Posted - 06/11/2009 : 16:05:24
|
| Hi there and welcome to the forum :) |
|
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Hey there
