This might seem like a weird question, but I'm worried I'm messing up my new baby settling in. My schedule is a little funny, with about half the nights of the week me being not home. The other nights when I am home there's lights on longer and the tv. Will this nightly change in atmosphere make little Darwin uncomfortable? I notice sometimes that he'll be poking his head out of his hide but as soon as the lights come on his shoots right back in. I know that they do hide a lot, but I'm worried I'm confusing him by some nights being home and others not.
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Settling in trouble
- Thread starter Katie779
- Start date
I don't think it's a problem. The main thing is just not handling him, so he can explore his environment and settle in without a giant pink predator trying to catch him. And once you go to bed, he'll be out and about.
A week is a good amount of time to let him settle in. I hope the feeding goes well for you! And after that, give him 2 or 3 days to digest and then you can start handling him a bit more.
Nythain
New member
You might want to consider investing in a cheap way to cover most of the cage at night. I have this problem myself, since I'm a very nocturnal creature (I actually get tired during the day and have to sleep with the lights on). My biggest problem was my computer "monitor" is actually a big screen lcd hdtv which lights up the whole room. So I worked up a makeshift curtain for little Plissken's viv that I close at the same time each night. I have noticed him more active during the times he should be after a while of the consistent simulated day/night cycle. Could just be psycho semantic though.
Do you think that completely darkness is necessary if there is still a semblance of a day/night cycle? Darwin's viv is located more to the side of my tv, so he's not in direct light from it or any other light. The room itself is of course brighter than complete darkness, but is usually pretty dark, and MUCH darker, obviously, than day time.
He's also fairly small and skittish, so I'm sure that's playing a role. That, and he's only been here a day over a week.
On the bright side, later today is his first feeding and I couldn't be more excited! lol
He's also fairly small and skittish, so I'm sure that's playing a role. That, and he's only been here a day over a week.
On the bright side, later today is his first feeding and I couldn't be more excited! lol
Nythain
New member
Complete darkness isn't a requirement by any means... Naturally speaking there's almost always a moon, city lights, and various other glows at night. Also, they're crepuscular and not completely nocturnal. Id say as long as the room is "night time" dark then it should be fine. You should be good really... I wasn't sure of how dark/bright your room was based on your previous post but as long as there's a consistent day/night light cycle then everything is solid.
Mogey
city livin'-nature lovin'
In my opinion, don't be too worried about sources of soft light like televisions. Unless you have an amazing setup like Nythain, then it shouldn't be too problematic.
Red's viv is on my desk, less than 5 feet from adjacent from where my TV is. At first I was worried that me being in the room or the TV might disturb his day/night cycle since I use dual lighting in his viv. After watching more, I noticed light wasn't a huge deterrent for this little guy. I have track lighting in my room, so the lights are independent and move along a metal track and swivel, so when I'm in the room during his "night" (which begins at 7), I only use the track lights from one side of the room (the ones above the desk side of the room. Since they swivel, I point them towards the other side of the room so the desk and viv side of the room stay in shade).
As far as settling, every snake is different. I'm a beginner, but the most valuable thing I've learned so far is the value of observing your animal for periods of time, at different periods of time. Find out your corn's habits, how it handles digestion, where it frequents during those days, etc. I can't suggest it enough- observe, observe, observe
Red's viv is on my desk, less than 5 feet from adjacent from where my TV is. At first I was worried that me being in the room or the TV might disturb his day/night cycle since I use dual lighting in his viv. After watching more, I noticed light wasn't a huge deterrent for this little guy. I have track lighting in my room, so the lights are independent and move along a metal track and swivel, so when I'm in the room during his "night" (which begins at 7), I only use the track lights from one side of the room (the ones above the desk side of the room. Since they swivel, I point them towards the other side of the room so the desk and viv side of the room stay in shade).
As far as settling, every snake is different. I'm a beginner, but the most valuable thing I've learned so far is the value of observing your animal for periods of time, at different periods of time. Find out your corn's habits, how it handles digestion, where it frequents during those days, etc. I can't suggest it enough- observe, observe, observe