My corn problem :)
Posted 17-05-2009 at 09:56 AM by squaccy
Thought I'd write my first blog about my rather frustrating nose rubbing corn.
We got him from a family friend when he was 2ish years old. We've had him for 10 months now and have learnt a lot on the way. The original research we did was...all wrong... but then somthing more sinister happened.
Columbus the corn started trying to push through the glass nose first. Not just waving his underside along the glass, actually physically pushing through the glass with all his strength.
Here is the list we tired:
(When I say reduced the rubbing, I mean he rubbed 3 hours a day instead of 4)
1) increases the temps to 29c in the warm end 25 in the cool end...for a week.
2)decreasing the temps to 25c in the warm end, 21 in the cool end...that REDUCED the rubbing.
3) Decreasing his feed (one mouse every 2 weeks)
4)Increasing the feed, one mouse every week...REDUCED the rubbing.
5)Changed him for newspaper to woodchips...
6)Changed him back again (yet to see whether this works)
7)Handled him more...obviously reduced this
Handled him less
9)changed light bulbs; tried energy saving, red, high energy...even GREEN!
10) Bought more toys...reduced slightly
11) added more hides...
and thats about it. At the moment, nothing has stamped it out completly, the changing of the newspaper is our last hope otherwise we can fiddle with the humidity.
The problem we have, is its a bit like a slot machine. We might have one thing correct, but two things wrong...the next experiment we might have 2 things correct and the third thing wrong and we won't know which one it is.
I would never sell him, no matter what he does.
We got him from a family friend when he was 2ish years old. We've had him for 10 months now and have learnt a lot on the way. The original research we did was...all wrong... but then somthing more sinister happened.
Columbus the corn started trying to push through the glass nose first. Not just waving his underside along the glass, actually physically pushing through the glass with all his strength.
Here is the list we tired:
(When I say reduced the rubbing, I mean he rubbed 3 hours a day instead of 4)
1) increases the temps to 29c in the warm end 25 in the cool end...for a week.
2)decreasing the temps to 25c in the warm end, 21 in the cool end...that REDUCED the rubbing.
3) Decreasing his feed (one mouse every 2 weeks)
4)Increasing the feed, one mouse every week...REDUCED the rubbing.
5)Changed him for newspaper to woodchips...
6)Changed him back again (yet to see whether this works)
7)Handled him more...obviously reduced this
Handled him less9)changed light bulbs; tried energy saving, red, high energy...even GREEN!
10) Bought more toys...reduced slightly
11) added more hides...
and thats about it. At the moment, nothing has stamped it out completly, the changing of the newspaper is our last hope otherwise we can fiddle with the humidity.
The problem we have, is its a bit like a slot machine. We might have one thing correct, but two things wrong...the next experiment we might have 2 things correct and the third thing wrong and we won't know which one it is.
I would never sell him, no matter what he does.
Total Comments 4
Comments
|
My King did it a lot to start off with, but did setle down overtime, She always rubbed up and down the join where the sliding doors overlapped. I also noticed that more climbing oppertunities calmed it (ie. vines ets). Just watch that it doesnt harm its self, I put rounded plastic strips on the door edge to prevent harm (strips from Halfords to stop you knocking the endge of the car door).
Good luck |
 
|
|
|
thanks for your advice, He does have a vine and some 3quarter foot high logs he slithers over.
At the moment, he's quiet...this time last week he was already nose rubbing. Lets hope moving him onto the newspaper has helped slightly. A new viv is coming in June and more plants are coming by Wednesday so he should have more "stimulation"! Squaccy |
|
|
|
|
wot size is his viv? is it new viv to him?, he will settle down once he knows theres no escape route!!!
|
|
|
|
|
its 3' long, about...1' ish high and about 1' deep. He's a crafty little moo, I covered the glass on his rubbing side with a towl so he couldn't see out...and he moved to the warm side ¬¬
He's only done it twice today, once in the morning and once in the evening for about 15 mins each time. I've turned the lights off now so he knows its bed time  |
|
|
Recent Blog Entries by squaccy
- RFUK rant (19-05-2009)
- My corn problem :) (17-05-2009)
