My snakes are home!! :)

[TaraRose]

Hey all. I just wanted to say thanks for all the great info you shared with me. My snakes came home today, and I fed them today for the first time too. They are very good eaters! I have seen them both drink already, and I think they are burrowed under their substrate sleeping (at least I hope they are. I haven't seen then in about an hour :eek1: ).

I have a few more questions, though...

Okeetee has red eyes. They said she was okeetee orange, but since her eyes are red doesn't that make her some type of albino?

They had a background taped to the back of the cage that I took off. Do they need the background? Will they be more stressed with it off?

They hides seem to be very small compared to the size of their body. Is this ok or should I get bigger ones?

Right now they are burried completely under the substrate. In the future if they are burried and I brush the substrate away to find them to pick them up will it startle them enough for them to bite me?

I'm surprised...I really like watching these guys. They are beautiful..hopefully will get some pics tomorrow

 

[snakemom1961]

Are you keeping them in the same viv? It's been mentioned it is probably best to seperate them for many reasons. I dont' think taking the b/g off the back of the tank will affect them as much as having them both live in one viv. do a search on cohabitation and you will get others opinions on that......lastly good luck and enjoy your new babies!

 

[TaraRose]

Hmm..well thanks for the advice on cohabitation. I have done a lot (and I do mean A LOT) of research on cohabitation and have heard conflicting things. I don't think I have totally made up my mind about that but in the meantime they have been together for the entire two years of their lives, so I don't think another month or so will hurt them

 

[tyflier]

A background *can* help them to feel more comfortable as it closes off one side. This is more helpful if it is behind the hides.

Speaking of hides...you would be surprised how small of a hide a snake can fit into, however, in order to give you a reasonable opinion, pictures would be needed.

As far as the color morphs of your snakes...again, pictures will make it much easier to identify. But, could it be possible they said "Reverse Okeetee"? A reverse okeetee is a form of amelinism, or "albino"(though it isn't really a true albino. a search through the genetics section will provide much more info)

My snake burrows under her substrate all the time. I just move it around until I find her. She has never made a strike at me to bite, though admittedly, this is no guarantee that she never will. Snakes only have their mouths as defense, and some may strike. However, it is my understanding that the bite of a corn snake is more akin to dragging Velcro across your hand than any idea of what a "snake bite" might feel like. I wouldn't worry about it.

Overall...anything you can do to make the transition from one home to another is going to be beneficial to the snakes. If the background was part of their environment, it may help them "settle in", though it probably isn't necessary. Just make sure they each have hides on both the warm and cold sides of thetank so they can both be secure and thermoregulate without "fighting" over who gets the hide.

You've already heard the opinions on co-habitation from the replies to the other thread, so I won't go into it again. Just consider separating them, for their own health, when you can...