Epicrates cenchria

[CWilson13]

Since they are more recently "domesticated" compared to dogs, the saying isn't as true for Reptiles. No such thing as a bad pet, just bad owners. I do understand people having a fear of snakes, my mother was terrified for years, hated being in the same house as one. But eventually she got over it. I think anybody can do the same.

 

[JessJohnson87]

I don't have a fear of them, just not my forte. The husband doesn't like cats or snakes and we had a pit bull before I realized he was happier being at my moms house. She lets him run around to the neighbors houses with her permission and he's the sweetest and dumbest dog ever. One day I picked my son up from school and had Apollo with me, I let my son walk him home and the looks that people gave me, as they drove by, for letting my 6 year old walk a pit bull was priceless.

 

[amsdadtodd]

Cory, I wish you were right, but there are legitimate phobias which some people just can't break. I've also had an interesting conversation or two in church where some steadfast individuals insisted that I could not be legitimately dedicated to my faith because snakes were cursed and cast out of the Garden of Eden! Even entertainment media works against them, perhaps you remember a cartoon called BC, in which one of the characters walked around with a club she used to bash the snake character?

Sad, but it also gives us an opportunity to correct some peoples thinking, but some folks just have a fear or loathing too deeply ingrained.

Todd

 

[JessJohnson87]

My grandmother is like that. She hates snakes, pit bulls and the fact that I drink wine. I did told her Jesus turned water into wine and I thought she was going to kill me, she did surprise me when I had taken Apollo to her house one day and she actually rubbed his belly. Close minded people make this world difficult to be free in and I agree with fears, I'm terrified of heights and planes but I'm taking one to Las Vegas in December, hello happy pills! I have a friend that is petrified to drive a car and will literally break down in tears when she sits behind the steering wheel of one.

 

[CWilson13]

Jess, every Pit I have met is a big baby same with another so called dangerous breed, Rottweilers. Even ones that had been abused before, still sweethearts. People's misconceptions of animals are typically based on inexperience or ignorance.
Todd, I do know that there are crippling phobias out there. I meant more along the lines of people who are creeped out by something. Or just get that uneasy feeling looking down on a bridge etc. As far as the church folks who feel that way, well that is part of their personal faith so no point in trying to convince them of something else. It is very true that Reptiles of all kinds have been demonized by media dating back to, well biblical times.
I believe that given the right opportunity, many of us could change a few minds about them however. I try to convert everyone I know into Herp-fans lol

 

[CWilson13]

Pandora update:
She has been in her new home, a 40g Breeder, for two weeks now. She really seems to be happy, she regularly comes out of her hides and stretches out. The little goof still uses her plastic plant as a ladder to try getting to the lid though. When handled she is active as can be also. As funny as it may sound, she seems to recognize me when I talk to her through the tank. She really seems to prefer spending time being handled by me than my wife :coverlaugh: We finally got a length measurement, she is just over 26" long. Her next feeding day is Sunday and I will be checking her weight early that day. Along with feeding, she has graduated from two F/T fuzzies every 2-3 weeks onto 1 F/T Hopper every other week.

 

[JessJohnson87]

I bet she would LOVE some driftwood or cork bark to climb up. I have a mangled up looking tree stump thing I'm not going to use if you would want that? I could send it to you, already bleached it and stuffed the holes Ziggy could get stuck in with paper towels. He didn't really like it.

 

[CWilson13]

Since I have updated everybody on Apollo, it is now Pandoras turn

She is doing phenomenal!! She seems to really love her 40g breeder home now. I have switched her from just the coconut fibre substrate to a mix of that and some repti-bark. So far the humidity holds a little better in the bigger tank. Soon, I hope, I will be getting her a zoo-med repti-fogger to jump the humidity even higher.
Pandora has graduated from eating f/t fuzzies on to f/t hopper mice now. Once I realized she could take 2 fuzzies without hesitation I figured it was time. The only times she has refused a feeding was right before a shed, which is very common. As far as interaction goes, I am still her favorite person :biggrin: in fact, Pandora now will come to the front of the tank and "stare" at me when I am in the room and have not let her out for a day or two. I like to think that she starts to miss me when I don't bring her out every day. When she is out we tend to just hang out on the bed and watch youtube videos of Reptiles. I have noticed that there is a specific channel that gets her attention. Funny part, to me at least, is that channel is about venomous snakes https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUtdmXEDHdSHPZP37n_Bymw The link is for anybody interested in keeping or just learning about venomous snakes, and in my opinion is probably the most informative and all around great channels about any reptiles.
Back to my gorgeous girl though. She still wants very little to do with my wife but has accepted that she will occasionally hold her.
On to the slightly gross update; she has defecated and urinated perfectly thus far, along with 2 completely perfect one-piece sheds. With the dry New England air during this time of year I have been worried about these because of the high humidity requirements for her breed. Hence why I am looking into the repti-fogger. In fact, if anybody has any experience with this item or any other humidity devices, I would love some feedback

Sadly I do not have any new photos of Pandora to share. Her coloring blends very well with her substrate and that coupled with her smaller size, 27-28in long and 120g, make photos inside her tank hard to get right. Soon though, I will be taking her out and trying for some with the wifes camera.

 

[CWilson13]

I bet she would LOVE some driftwood or cork bark to climb up. I have a mangled up looking tree stump thing I'm not going to use if you would want that? I could send it to you, already bleached it and stuffed the holes Ziggy could get stuck in with paper towels. He didn't really like it.

Also, forgot to reply to this generous offer... I am currently trying to organize some false bamboo and vines for her to climb on. Problem is, her length means she can reach the top easily and I want to keep her from her overhead heat source. I'd hate for her to even get a minor burn from it while it is on.

 

[JessJohnson87]

Yeah that tree stump is not very tall but I ended up using it to stick a fake plant in for my crested gecko and stuffed the inside of it with paper towels, he appreciates it more than Ziggy did.

 

[CWilson13]

Somehow she manages to use her hide and small fake plant, neither of which is much over 4in tall, and gets right up on the screen. Glad I have the lid clamps lol
Well I am glad your new guy got to use it instead

 

[JessJohnson87]

Snakes are crafty. Might have to use books to, my mom's ball pythons escaped before with clamps so she had to use heavy books on the lids as well.

I thought about putting the bird's nest fern I bought today in the stump but Axel has been sleeping on one leaf of that plant with his butt hanging off of it all day so I didn't want to disturb him.

 

[amsdadtodd]

Cory, I started out with a Repti-Fogger and found some challenges with it's usage. It comes with a collapsible type flexible hose, which is very finicky about being supported. If it sags enough, condensation will build up to the point of blocking the flow and backing up the mist into the body. I gave it to my daughter for her boa, Cuddles, and instead bought a standard room humidifier from Ocean State Job Lot and modified it with some PVC pipe and bends. I find this to be a much better system, with the added benefit of not needing to be refilled so often. I have the intensity at just under 50% and on a cheap timer so it's on for 30 minutes, off for 30 minutes, throughout the day.

Todd

 

[JessJohnson87]

I made a neat waterfall years ago. I took a kidney bean looking water dish filled it with river rocks and used a small pump for like a betta tank and a little bit of tubing attached to a nice piece of cork bark and it was awesome, plus safe for geckos. I honestly might do that again one of these days for my crestie.

 

[CWilson13]

Jess, luckily Pandora is still small enough that the clamps hold, I had to use 5 bricks on Drake's enclosure way back when. Though he was over 7ft, when the time comes I may do something similar. Though once I am back to work I will be saving up to get Pandora a proper enclosure. Either from Boaphile or Herpcages.
Todd, yeah I have read similar complaints about the hose on the reptifogger. I have been looking for a humidifier with the proper opening to attach some airline tubing or pvc. Sadly all I find have either narrow slit openings or rectangular ones. The reptifogger would be a temporary item really, like I mentioned to Jess, I hope to be getting a proper enclosure within a few months. Does the fogger actually help with humidity? Aside from the hosing issue I mean.

 

[CWilson13]

The waterfall idea might work too, that is something I can look into for sure

 

[JessJohnson87]

You could use a bigger dish or decorative bowl and a larger piece of bark. It's safer than the ones they make with sharp edges and might help with the humidity some. I had it in my leo's tank some years ago and he never had problems shedding.

Plus it's so easy to make and probably a bit cheaper.

 

[amsdadtodd]

Cory, the fogger absolutely does help with humidity. I've tried a couple different ways. One, as I described above, so the mist dissipates as it moves through the tank. The other way, I had the intensity on full, and allowed the mist to fill the tank to where you couldn't see anything inside. I did this four times a day, for a half hour at a time. This method left a great deal of residual condensation, which would then evaporate off over a period of a couple hours, keeping the humidity up. I've decided to stay with the half hour on/off cycle instead, just for the sake of a more uniform level.

I'm actually surprised you aren't fogging already, I've heard those rainbow boas are very moisture demanding.

Todd

 

[CWilson13]

Jess, the main problem I am seeing with using a waterfall is the floor space it would take up. She is a terrestrial snake, even if she oddly climbs now and then. So I have to leave as much room at ground level as possible.
Todd, you are very right, BRB need upwards of >80% humidity and so far between misting 2-3 times a day and having a humid hide for her I have been lucky. I really would rather not continue being lucky though. Especially with just how dry winter in New England gets. I think the fogger will help out a lot, at least until I get that new enclosure.

 

[amsdadtodd]

Cory, I just came from Ocean State Job Lot, they have the same humidifier I used in stock. I've attached a picture. You should have an OSJL near you, they have gone on a rampant expansion in the last couple years and have saturated Massachusetts. This one is 40 dollars, and I didn't need to modify it at all. I just didn't insert the white plastic diverter on the top, and instead inserted a PVC elbow which I had ground slightly thinner on my bench grinder. Honestly, I took off so little material that it could be done with a piece of 40 grit sandpaper of a file in a few minutes. The pipes coming from that modified bend are just press fit in, I didn't bother with PVC cement since it's just water vapor going through it.