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 #1718054


Hero71
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 Need some help

We are new to this site & were very happy to find somewhere to get some help for our little guy! We have recently acquired a 9 ft male Burmese python. We have had him about 6 weeks now. Everything was going great until the last few days. He was eating great, shedding, loves to be handled. A friend had to get rid of him. He had handled him since he a baby, so he is a very social snake. The other day, my husband went to get him out & he wouldn’t come to my husband like usual, so my husband thought he would just change his water & give him some time. When he put his hand in there, Maze (that’s his name) struck at him. So he waited a couple of hours & tried to get him out & fix the water & he struck again. It seems that the last 2 times we have fed him, he has struck at his food & missed it. Then he seemed to be "looking" around for it for a few minutes. We are not sure what is going on with him, but we need some advice on what to do. Thanks for any help!



04/27/08  03:49pm

 #1718256


Bebos-burms
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   Message To: Hero71   In reference to Message Id: 1718054


 Need some help

You need to condition/train him to know when food is coming in and when its handling time. More or less ’hook train’ him. Use a hook ot dowel rod/whatever to rub or tap him and get him recognizing he’s going to be handled before actually touching him. Yet when its feeding time, just introduce the prey into his cage.

He will most likely come to the fornt thinking its food each time, but using the hook/tool,etc to get his attention off thinking its feeidng time will make him realize its handling time,etc. It may take some time but it works well.



04/27/08  07:14pm

 #1718356


Hero71
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   Message To: Bebos-burms   In reference to Message Id: 1718256


 Need some help

Thanks for tyhe advice, but I was wondering: is this something he would just start doing? I mean he is 8 yrs old & has been hand raised since he was a baby. And now all of a sudden he is acting funny. I wonder if he is stressed or something because our house has more going on then were he came from. We have kids and dogs & the other guys was single with a few roomates. Can this stress him out?



04/27/08  08:30pm

 #1718698


Bebos-burms
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   Message To: Hero71   In reference to Message Id: 1718356


 Need some help

Yup ,sudden changes in environment will/can cause issues fo different sorts with snakes.



04/28/08  06:48am

 #1718982


Element
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   Message To: Bebos-burms   In reference to Message Id: 1718698


 Need some help

Hello,

Do you not like to be bothered some times? This can happen with any "pet". You just have to respect their wishes that at some times they might not want to be bothered. You broke off into how he missed the prey the last couple time you offered food. How are you offering and what? Perhaps your not heating it up fully? Try to make one area of the prey (head) hotter than the rest of the body so it can focus more on one part to strike at. Are you hand feeding or offering off of tongs or forceps? Are you waving it around? Snakes do not have depth perception when striking and can hit anywhere or anything, it just happens.

If your not already you should try hook training. Not sure if the previous was doing this at all or how he was offering food? With somethings snakes can get into a "learned routine". You open the door and it could learn that it’s feeding time. If you get a snake hook and tap the snake gently before your going into handle it and take it out that will accustom it to that. When offering food don’t tap it at all. Simple learned behaviors like this work well. There could be numerous reasons as to why it struck at your husband besides what I mentioned above. Do you own other pets, dog, cat, rabbit and other small fury things? If he was handling something prey like it could have smelled it on him and mistook his body heat for the prey’s. Hopefully this wasn’t the case. I hope things work out and get better for the snake, and you. Hope this helps a bit.

~Element
04/28/08  02:19pm

 #1719418


Hero71
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   Message To: Element   In reference to Message Id: 1718982


 Need some help

Thanks Element, there was a lot of useful info for us in your post. We found out today that the previous owner used the hook when he picked him up. He would tap his head & then pick up his body. He just never told us that and when he brought him to us, he just picked him so that’s what he has been doing. He even sold the hook instead of sending with Maze. Also, he eats live rats. We just drop it in there.

And yes, we have 2 dogs. We are concerned whether or not there is just too much going on in our house for him. He;s not used to kids & pets in the house. But if our new puppy doesn’t stop peeing in the floor, she might become food! We just want to make sure that we are doing all we can for all the members of our family, even the ones with no legs! Thanks for the advice!
04/28/08  07:02pm

 #1719816


Element
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   Message To: Hero71   In reference to Message Id: 1719418


 Need some help

Hero71,

Glad the information I typed up could be of some help! If your worried about odors from the dogs you could try using a shirt that you wear when you hold the snake. Use it every time and try to keep the smell away. It shouldn’t be any trouble, my dog’s smell never bothered mine. I had a feeling it was the hook though. You could use anything until you get one. Use a broom handle if you have to. If your worried about the traffic (kids, dogs and what else have you) try placing the enclosure in a less volume area of the house. Sounds like your on the right track, keep us all posted and if you need anything else ask away.

~Element
04/29/08  01:01am

 #1719967


Grunt
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   Message To: Element   In reference to Message Id: 1719816


 Need some help

thats right element that hooks a great thing.
04/29/08  09:35am

 #1721009


Contortrix
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   Message To: Grunt   In reference to Message Id: 1719967


 Need some help

Wait... 9ft long, 8 years old? That doesn’t add up. Was he starved at some point in his life or something? Mine’s around 3 years old and 10.5 feet!
04/30/08  10:08am

 #1721016


Contortrix
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   Message To: Contortrix   In reference to Message Id: 1721009


 Need some help

And is also male, forgot to add that part.
04/30/08  10:15am

 #1721104


Grunt
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   Message To: Contortrix   In reference to Message Id: 1721016


 Need some help

not all burms get as large as others I have a male that will be 4 yrs old in august and is 12ft without being powerfed and a female that is pushing 16ft that is a sibling to the mal, . and I know of many males and females that are under 12ft that are even older than mine. one thing people need to remember is genetics plays a big part of the growth in animals, as well as in humans. yes diet plays a big part as well and just like with humans an animal that has a smaller growth potential that is fed more becomes overweight. Also not all animals of a species has the same metabolic rate.
04/30/08  12:22pm

 #1723033


Hero71
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   Message To: Hero71   In reference to Message Id: 1718054


 Need some help
05/02/08  08:44am

 #1723832


Element
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   Message To: Hero71   In reference to Message Id: 1723033


 Need some help

Hello,

Wow! What happened to this guy? He’s got some major damage to the mouth, stuck on skin from previous shed/s, has no real muscle tone and looks quite a bit under fed. Not sure if s/he is going into shed or if it’s from before but the eyes look glazed over. If it’s stuck on shed over the eyes that could be why it struck at you. Hopefully I’m wrong and it’s just going into or coming out of a shed.

Not sure if it’s an old pic or new so I shouldn’t jump the gun, I do however tend to do so out of concern for the reptile. Get your temps and humidity corrected. If you need a proper care sheet please ask. I’m off to work and don’t have much time but please ask and correct anything wrong. Have you gone to a proper Vet. in your area to get that mouth treated? Only thing I can think of is live prey was left with the snake and it (being the snake) became the prey.

~Element
05/03/08  07:44am

 #1724513


Grunt
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   Message To: Element   In reference to Message Id: 1723832


 Need some help

I have actually talked with hero and the damage on the snakes face is from when the previous owner had him and he escaped from his cage, hero is very concerned and is doing everything he can to get this animal up to 100% .personally I think he is showing excellent effort , even just by stopping in and asking questions.
Shawn
05/03/08  11:10pm

 #1724677


Element
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   Message To: Grunt   In reference to Message Id: 1724513


 Need some help

Quote:

I have actually talked with hero and the damage on the snakes face is from when the previous owner had him and he escaped from his cage, hero is very concerned and is doing everything he can to get this animal up to 100% .personally I think he is showing excellent effort , even just by stopping in and asking questions.
Shawn



Hey Shawn,

Thanks for the update. I apologize for jumping the gun. It’s only out of concern for the snake though. Glad to know he’s doing everything he can, keep us updated! Good luck!

~Element
05/04/08  08:23am

 #1725426


Hero71
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   Message To: Element   In reference to Message Id: 1724677


 Need some help

He has had 2 full sheds since i have gotten him. He is looking much better. He is beautiful and shiny.
05/04/08  10:49pm

 #1725729


Monty08
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   Message To: Hero71   In reference to Message Id: 1725426


 Need some help

Any new updated photos?

Elvia.
05/05/08  09:37am

 #1726195


Hero71
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   Message To: Monty08   In reference to Message Id: 1725729


 Need some help

Trying to get new pics. They haven’t turned out very well. Gonna try again tonight.
Josh
05/05/08  06:28pm

 #1726319


Hero71
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   Message To: Hero71   In reference to Message Id: 1726195


 Need some help

Here are some new pics. Sorry about the quality.
05/05/08  08:36pm

 #1733531


Grunt
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   Message To: Hero71   In reference to Message Id: 1726319


 Need some help

here are some new pics taken after I got him to take a few rats.Thanks hero71 he’s doing great , He is settling in just fine.





05/12/08  09:47pm

 #1734075


ROADKING
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   Message To: Grunt   In reference to Message Id: 1733531


 Need some help

Wow I’m glad he is in good hands now. The previous owner did somw damage to his mouth. I’m glad to hear he’s doing better. Nice looking snake though.
05/13/08  01:27pm

 #1734198


Grunt
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   Message To: ROADKING   In reference to Message Id: 1734075


 Need some help

Quote:

Wow I’m glad he is in good hands now. The previous owner did somw damage to his mouth. I’m glad to hear he’s doing better. Nice looking snake though.



just to clearify the damage to this snake was done before hero71 recieved him. hero did a great job putting some weight on him and cleaning him up before I got him.
05/13/08  03:44pm

 #1737817


Denial9945
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   Message To: Grunt   In reference to Message Id: 1734198


 Need some help

Man I hate seeing burms in bad heath especially a labby. Glad to hear hero got him out of a bad situation. And I know shawn will get him back to being a burm in no time.
05/16/08  09:47pm

 #1738017


Grunt
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   Message To: Denial9945   In reference to Message Id: 1737817


 Need some help

Thans Danny . how are things down south?
05/17/08  06:16am

 #1738112


Denial9945
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   Message To: Grunt   In reference to Message Id: 1738017


 Need some help

Things are going great. We finally moved so I have a ton of room for new reptiles lol . Once I get everything set up right this week ill post pics of all my herps because I havent posted anything about them in a while now. Adnr ight now we are working on building a walk in cage for my water monitor. Hows everything up there?
05/17/08  10:04am


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