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When's a good time to replace?

R

Roxannenava

New member
I miss my boy who went missing about 3 weeks ago or so and I was wondering when a good time to get another corn is. I was also wondering if getting an adult would be better than a baby. It's nice to watch a new addition to the family grow but I don't want to risk losing another. I have a Zilla cage with the locking lid but Jake got out still somehow. Any advise is appreciated.
 
I have those Zilla tanks too, and I have used older models as well.

I can tell you from witnessing the event that a slender snake can wriggle its way up the front corners and squeeze itself through the tiny crack/hole found on the top right and left corners. The clips in the back of the new Zilla cages are to help prevent this I believe because they help hold the lid into place. The older models didn't have these clips and that lid only has to inch forward a tiny amount before that tiny hole becomes and escape route. I have also seen snakes choose to crawl into a groove in the lid instead of through the hole. It was weird to see a snake hanging from ceiling.

The newer model clips are wonderful, but not perfect. I have to be extra cautious with one of my lids because it won't clip itself just by pushing the lid in from the front. I have to give it an extra squeeze near the clip to get it to lock into place.

If you want to start with a young snake again, check your tank to make sure everything is in proper order.

The other option would be to find a sub-adult. You can still see some of the growth, without some of the worry of having a baby.

I can't say how long to wait. Do you have room for 2 snakes? If the young one shows up and you have a new one already, what would you do then?
 
Yeah I have the room but it would be crowded a little. My son wants a baby ball python now and I would rather deal with a corn since this is my first time owning a snake. Pythons are really beefy and I would like to feel more comfortable with snakes before jumping into that. How big are sub adults? I would love another corn
 
Someone was on here just the other day telling us how they found their missing snake after three months of being gone. Keep hope! Good luck. BTW, one more snake never hurt anything ;)
 
1) Do you have any hides/ornaments in the tank that might be harboring your "escapee?"

See this thread

2) There is always the possibility of getting a baby, and keeping it in a Rubbermaid or Sterilite bin until they are big enough to go in the Zilla without the risk of escaping out a teeny tiny hole.
 
yeah! I too agree with Ali cat and squimish!

I got my baby at 4 months old, and he was TINY so I ran out and got a sterilight bin with a locking lid, my boyfriend drilled some air holes for me and PRESTO a sucure home for a baby! I just placed it inside of the tank with one half over the UTH and the other half is at room temp. it works great!

you can even use binder clips on the sides of the bin that done have locks. :) for added security..
 
Roxannenava said:
I miss my boy who went missing about 3 weeks ago or so and I was wondering when a good time to get another corn is. I was also wondering if getting an adult would be better than a baby. It's nice to watch a new addition to the family grow but I don't want to risk losing another. I have a Zilla cage with the locking lid but Jake got out still somehow. Any advise is appreciated.
Click to expand...

You know, right now would be a fine time to get another snake......and if you do I would bet dollars to donuts your missing snake would be found by this weekend!! :)
 
Replace whenever you are comfortable, but if I were you I'd make sure I had something available in case your lost friend decides to show up. My 30g little guy escaped in December and after searching for weeks I was sure he was dead - I have two cats and a dog sooo..... - but just about two weeks ago now the little guy showed up in the middle of my living room.

I also keep ball pythons, and to be honest, if you get them as hatchlings, you hardly even notice their size increasing. I got mine at 90 grams each and they're sitting at 550-600 grams right now and they still seem like little babies to me. I also have a friend with multiple 1000+ gram adult ball pythons who I visit and handle frequently. They're not as much as a handful as you might think. They're a lot ..quieter temperament wise when being handled - just compared to my two corns. My corns are moving around and looking for things to get into, and pretty active. The balls tend to just chill in one spot, or climb my arms.

Anyways, whatever you decide, good luck! I hope your little guy turns up like mine did :) It was a nice surprise, let me tell you!
 
For what its worth:
My BP has stressed my tolerance of patience. She's very docile and i've never felt threatened by her, but I don't handle the "i'm not hungry right now" type of snake. I am so used to my corns/milks that will eat anything I toss in there.
 
captainjack0000 said:
For what its worth:
My BP has stressed my tolerance of patience. She's very docile and i've never felt threatened by her, but I don't handle the "i'm not hungry right now" type of snake. I am so used to my corns/milks that will eat anything I toss in there.
Click to expand...

Heh. look up "hunger strike" in the dictionary and you'll see a picture of my dum, dexter. :headbang:
 
captainjack0000 said:
For what its worth:
My BP has stressed my tolerance of patience. She's very docile and i've never felt threatened by her, but I don't handle the "i'm not hungry right now" type of snake. I am so used to my corns/milks that will eat anything I toss in there.
Click to expand...

Haha yeah, I totally get that. My male eats like a champ, but my girl is piiiccckkkkyyyyy. You have to have it heated just right, completely dry, blast the head with the blow dryer, and have all the lights off, and use tongs. Or she'll just sit and stare at it indefinitely.
 
Thank you so much. I am convinced I will be getting another addition. I just can't decide baby python or baby corn. I thank you also for all your good thoughts and support. I am super glad I joined this forum.
 
If you're worried about the feeding thing, go for a Spider ball python. They look absolutely wicked, and they seem to all have killer appetites compared with other morphs.
 
So I did purchase a baby ball python and I have found some tricks that can be used to tempt a finicky eater. So because Bella is brand new she always balls when she is picked up. Next week while attempting to feed her do I just place the food in with her and hope she eats? Or should I skip a few feelings until she gets use to us and being with us.
 
Grats on your new addition! You should leave her alone, with no handling for a week to let her settle in. After that you can try to feed. Do you feed f/t or live?
If f/t just make sure the head of the feeder is nice and warm when you feed. After thawing in water, I warm my feeders up with a hair dryer, and then blast just the head for .. Oh thirty seconds or so so that it is the warmest part. Then hold it by the tail in front of her and wait for a strike :)

Good luck!
 
I have Bella now. Decided on a baby ball python. She is just gonna get use to her new home then we will start getting her use to us. Seems like a big change but its a welcome one and I can't wait to have experiences with her. My son is VERY excited as well.
 
Yeah the feeding issue is kinda freaking me out but I am sure we will manage. I read about some tricks so I am feeling pretty confident.
 
Couple of things with a new baby ball:

Did you get her from a breeder or a pet store?
Do you know exactly what she was eating before, rat or mice, frozen or live?

This is going to sound harsh, but after you get the cage changed around, ZERO handling for a full 7 days. Just check her water and make sure the temps are good, but do not handle her. Offer her first meal at the end of the 7 day no handling period. For the first meal, offer exactly what she has eaten before. If it was live, you need to offer live. After a few successful meals , then you can try to change to frozen thawed.

If you follow those steps, there should be no issues with feeding.


Is there any way you can snap a picture of your cage set up? Big open aquariums are really scary to baby BPs. A less confident and fearful snake may need extra hides or ground cover. Toss in some paper towel rolls, or fake plants.

They are shy and secretive snakes. An additional way to help is covering a few sides of the tank. You can use aquarium backgrounds, towels, or simply dark colored paper. This does not have to stay up forever. Cover three sides and leave one open. Over time (months) take the paper down one side at a time.
 
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