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Newbie snake owner and new forum member! :-)

JennaJ

JennaJ

New member
Hi everyone!
I made my first posted in another thread with a question, but decided this was probably the better place to post and get some advice.

Got my first baby corn snake almost a week ago. She came unexpectedly, as she wasn't supposed to show up until a week later. :eek: I had what I needed, but wasn't really prepared! Got her set up as best I could on *no* notice.

I've got her in a 17" x 12" pastic pet keeper (8" tall). I have a heat mat under one side as well as a heat emitter at a distance. I think my temps are OK. Saw her drink the first day and has eaten her first meal successfully to the best of my knowledge- have left her alone since then (3 days ago) and haven't thoroughly checked for a regurge in there.

She spends most of her time hiding wedged inside a driftwood log I got her. So this means she's a few inches off the substrate. My main concern now is that she digested/is digesting OK and has enough heat overall. I'd also like to start trying to handle her a bit, but the way she wedges into that log I'm not sure how that will work. Don't want to take the log away if it's the only place she feels secure.

I'm probably just being a worry wart. Any thoughts or advice would be great! :spinner:
 
Welcome to the snake world and the community. It's practically nessicary to post pics of your snakes here! Also, about the issues no worries! You actually don't HAVE to have a heating pad, but for digestion it is reccommended. Wait until the week mark before picking her up. Just lift the driftwood log and pick her up, slow enough for her to know you are doing it, but quick enough for her not to panic. As long as you aren't hesitant and use firm motions, you should be fine. Hold her for about 5 minutes. you can keep moving up in 5 minute marks. Also, Here's a tip I wish I had known when I had my first corn. After each shed take a pic! It's cool to see how the pattern changes... :)
 
Thanks Lyion! I'm very excited to take pictures and show her off but I'll take your advice on the "One week rule" for handling (even though it's hard to wait!).
 
Alright, I've reached the 1 week mark- not going to handle her though, since she ate yesterday.

But now I'm very worried, I've noticed she's making clicking/popping sounds. Not often enough to be with every breath, but fairly often. Since I've only had her a week I don't know when her last shed was. Really hoping it's not a respiratory infection. I e-mailed the vet so I may be bringing her in after a day or two... :-(
 
for your previous question about gettin her out of the log.. TICKLE her out! just stroke her really gently on one side and she should come out the other end :) as for the noise.. i couldnt say i just hope its nothing serious! :( maybe its hiccups! :D
 
ive read on other forums that that clicking and popping in hatchlings usually turns out to be just loose skin in the nasal passages before a shed is due. wait until shes done digesting (48 hours is the rule), then pick her up and see if you see any drainage or bubbles coming from the mouth or nose. and listen for other noises like a wheezing, any sneezing, or other "odd" noises besides the clicking and popping. did you notice her eyes become blue or cloudy recently? this is the cue for a shed coming on. they usually shed 2-3 days after the cloudiness to the eyes clears up. but dont fret, it can take longer sometimes. if youre worried though it wont hurt to have a vet check her out soon though. but dont panic yet! and welcome to the site and forum, youll find a lot of useful information here =]
 
Thanks for the reassurance :) I actually just discovered when I went to clean her cage that Reptibark is making the sounds I'm hearing, so all is well apparently!

Can't wait to take some pictures of her- hopefully in the next day or too!
 
Sneak's first pictures :)

A few pictures from my 2nd time handling her. Baby's first pictures... awwww :) Hopefully I'll manage to get some whole body pictures before she sheds for the first time since getting her.
 

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Oh, is that what she actually is? Or just another name for it? What I ordered was a "black motley" but I only have a rough sense of the different color morphs.

She does have such a great bold pattern, I love it!
 
Anery A is sometimes referred to as a "black albino"... which of course makes no sense when you think about it.

The actual name of the morph is Anery A.
 
Another one I got tonight...

While cleaning her cage I lifted up her temporary hide....
"I'm not comin' out! I'm a-scurred!"
My hubby handled her for the first time tonight :)
 

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Aww, she's pretty!!!! Repti bark is super dusty and splintery and doesn't allow the snakes to burrow. I like aspen a lot better and it doesn't tend to make the snakes sneeze so I am not in a constant state of panic. =)
 
OMG! That is a beautiful Anery motley! What a wonderful first snake. Welcome to the forums! And keep posting pics. She is so perfect looking. I am a little jealous.
 
If Sneak could blush, she probably would be ;) I love photography so I'm looking forward to taking more pictures.

I've found that she can burrow in the reptibark, but only does it when she's trying to get away from me! :rolleyes: Sometimes just her head will be sticking out. Adorable!

OK, so here's by biggest question right now-- how long does it take, on average, for a snake to get used to you (i.e. doesn't freak out when you go to pick them up) and how often should I be handling her to work up to that? Don't want to bother her too often, but don't want to do it infrequently enough that it isn't constructive.
 
I havent bothered mine a whole lot, had them 2 weeks now. They don't really freak out when I get them outh, My male (who is Anery A, but not motley) is much more mellow than than my normal girl. She doesn't really love me getting her out. My male seems pretty ok with it. I just got 2 new males this morning, but I have to leave them alone for a while :( I'll see how they act.

Good luck! - looks like you got yours a week before I got mine. They have both eaten twice and one is going blue so she'll be shedding soon. THey are from the same clutch so I would imagine he will too.
 
It can take a while, especially for a baby. Think in terms of months for a snake to adjust to all the newness.
 
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