| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Ras |
Posted - 25/09/2010 : 18:33:59
Hi all,
I have a baby hognose, born in july.
Currently he is being kept in a standard size faunarium, with kithcen paper as the substrate, on the advice of the breeder. He has been trying to burrow for some time, so today while cleaning his faunarium I put him in the viv that he will live in for good, which has aspen in, which he loved.
My question is, could I put him in the main viv for good now? Or is he too young? He is about 9 inches long, the breeder said wait until he was about 12 inches, but I fail to see what difference this will make. He will be hard to find because he will be buried alot of the time, but when he is hungry, he will hunt, which is when I will feed him, he just looked so happy to be in the big viv, and kept trying to burrow after I put back in the small one.
Thanks all,
R. |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Andy_G |
Posted - 27/09/2010 : 19:19:13
Hehe. SOME species are agoraphobic most certainly, but I am not certain hognose snakes or some of the top-of-the-food-chain boids would fit into that category. It's not a myth started by manufacturers, but a finding by some individuals who have kept snakes in captivity for decades. I've only been at it for about a decade now myself and I can attest that some species are definitely afraid of open spaces or they feel vulnerable in daytime light. Not all. :) |
| Ras |
Posted - 27/09/2010 : 17:30:13
Lol, no thanks! :P |
| Andy_G |
Posted - 27/09/2010 : 15:55:21
quote:
Originally posted by Ras
People very rarely see tigers in the wild either... The fact that you have seen them while they were basking, hunting and/or looking for a mate is kind of my point, if they were agoraphobic, they would conduct all of their business underground or in a manner that kept them hidden fully. Snakes aren't agoraphobic in nature, it's a bizzare myth that's been spread by the manufacturers of various sizes of vivaria that they use to get people to by slightly bigger models every few months because otherwise they will "scare their snakes". Just look at the vast number of photographs of snakes, hognose species included, that are available on the internet.
On a different note, I have been observing him closely, he is quite un-stressed, and is in the process of developing a rather intricate network of tunnels through his aspen :D
Keep a few ball pythons in a big tank set up, then get back to me on that.  |
| LouiseB |
Posted - 27/09/2010 : 13:27:55
That's an interesting point about viv manufacturers, but surely it would be more in their interests to try to sell us the biggest tank they could, and therefore make us think that snakes need loads of space??
I'm just playing devil's advocate here - I keep my hoggy in a bigger enclosure than is probably recommended, and he seems fine in it, but I wouldn't use my experience as advice because not all snakes are the same... |
| Ras |
Posted - 26/09/2010 : 19:32:32
People very rarely see tigers in the wild either... The fact that you have seen them while they were basking, hunting and/or looking for a mate is kind of my point, if they were agoraphobic, they would conduct all of their business underground or in a manner that kept them hidden fully. Snakes aren't agoraphobic in nature, it's a bizzare myth that's been spread by the manufacturers of various sizes of vivaria that they use to get people to by slightly bigger models every few months because otherwise they will "scare their snakes". Just look at the vast number of photographs of snakes, hognose species included, that are available on the internet.
On a different note, I have been observing him closely, he is quite un-stressed, and is in the process of developing a rather intricate network of tunnels through his aspen :D
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| Andy_G |
Posted - 26/09/2010 : 18:32:26
I've never seen a snake out in the open unless they were basking, hunting, or looking for a mate. They like to be hidden and are most definitely agoraphobic in nature, but it sounds like you have a good handle on things. |
| Ras |
Posted - 26/09/2010 : 12:29:24
I have decided to go for it.
I've never really agreed with the agorophobic snake argument if I'm honest, a snake in the wild has the whole of the wild and they get by ok. I put him in and he burrowed straight away, which I think is good because it's an expression of natural behaviour. Needless to say, I now have no idea where he is, but he has hot and cold hides, water, and thick aspen throughout the entire enclosure so he can hide wherever he wants now.
If I see any behaviour which indicates stress I will put him back in the small hide, but he has been such a laid back snake I don't think it will be a problem. When I got him I had to drive approx. 60 miles home with him, as soon as I got in I offered him a pinkie, and he took it without hesitation, so it will take alot to stress him enough to go off feed. |
| Andy_G |
Posted - 26/09/2010 : 06:18:15
Hognose snakes will sometimes stop feeding consistently when put in such an enclosure at too small, but at that size I would say that if plenty of hide areas are given as well as 3 inches of aspen substrate, and you can keep the temps up and the humidity down, go for it. I would advise that you do not handle him until he eats twice in his new, bigger enclosure. |
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