[LauraMartin]

Hi, im looking for some advice on the following issues im having with IJCP care:

Temps/Humidity-
so many care sheets, so many different answers. I keep mine at 34 in the hot end, she has a large viv and a large range of temp gradient. I dont specifically try to keep humidity high, but do spray when shes in shed. What do u find to be the best humidity and temps for IJCPs?

Substrate-
I currently use bark chippings, but what is best with regards to humidity etc?

Weazing-
My IJCP weazes, i have done a few threads about this, and have been told that its quite common for IJCPs to weaze, but im become increasingly worried, im going to get her to the vets to get checked out, but what are other opinions on the weazing thing? is it normal? it doesnt sound normal to me.

Rats-
and finally, any odd tips on getting them onto rats? Mine bloomin hates them, mice and chicks, she loves, but wont take a rat no matter what its covered in. tried mice/chick guts blood and brains, tried sewing one to a mouse, and the usual leave overnight etc, she just wont touch them! shes a yr old and already on largest mice i can find, so i need her eating something bigger asap!

thanks for reading!

 

[more_elia]

Temps / humidity - I keep mine at room humidity and don't even spray during shed cycles, never had a problem yet. My IJ's do have a water bowl large enough to coil up in if they want to though, and this probably helps with humidity too. Temp-wise, my hotspot is set at 30C and coolest spot in the viv is 23C (which is also background room temp)

Substrate - I use shredded paper, but TBH it won't help with humidity. I'd rely on the large water bowl to raise the humidity a bit, and keep the substrate dry so when my IJs want to go to ground they don't have to risk getting scale rot too

Weazing - of all the carpet pythons, IJs seem the most prone to get resp infections. Is your IJ going into shed? Is the weazing constant or only now and again? Most of my carpets will weaze now and again as they are climbing, especially if I have them out for handling, so a little weazing sound here and there is OK IMO. Are there any other signs it might be an RI like mucous, bubbles etc.?

Rats - IJs are a right pain in the bollards to get onto rats, and over the years I've tried virtually everything. I decided to let them hunger for a few weeks to get them really hungry and then try something different.....I decided to take them for a nice bumpy drive and after about 30mins of that, popped them back in their vivs and tried them that night.....I tried them on smaller rats than would be usual for their size, descented them by washing them and then warmed them up, especially the head area, and dangled in their vivs - one ate that night and the other ate 3 nights later. Sometimes its the most out-there, obscure thing that works! For female IJs it is worth the hassle to try and convert them to rats as they need to put the size on if the plan is to breed; with males you can keep them as small mouse-feeders without much hassle.

Hope thats of some help

 

[SNAKEWISPERA]

Temps / humidity - I keep mine at room humidity and don't even spray during shed cycles, never had a problem yet. My IJ's do have a water bowl large enough to coil up in if they want to though, and this probably helps with humidity too. Temp-wise, my hotspot is set at 30C and coolest spot in the viv is 23C (which is also background room temp)

Substrate - I use shredded paper, but TBH it won't help with humidity. I'd rely on the large water bowl to raise the humidity a bit, and keep the substrate dry so when my IJs want to go to ground they don't have to risk getting scale rot too

Weazing - of all the carpet pythons, IJs seem the most prone to get resp infections. Is your IJ going into shed? Is the weazing constant or only now and again? Most of my carpets will weaze now and again as they are climbing, especially if I have them out for handling, so a little weazing sound here and there is OK IMO. Are there any other signs it might be an RI like mucous, bubbles etc.?

Rats - IJs are a right pain in the bollards to get onto rats, and over the years I've tried virtually everything. I decided to let them hunger for a few weeks to get them really hungry and then try something different.....I decided to take them for a nice bumpy drive and after about 30mins of that, popped them back in their vivs and tried them that night.....I tried them on smaller rats than would be usual for their size, descented them by washing them and then warmed them up, especially the head area, and dangled in their vivs - one ate that night and the other ate 3 nights later. Sometimes its the most out-there, obscure thing that works! For female IJs it is worth the hassle to try and convert them to rats as they need to put the size on if the plan is to breed; with males you can keep them as small mouse-feeders without much hassle.

Hope thats of some help

I agree :lol:

 

[mrhoyo]

I agree :lol:

I also agree. My IJ doesn't wheeze but thats what his hiss sounds like.
He also loves rats so maybe i'm just lucky?
Try dipping the rat in chicken stock, i've heard it works for certain snakes (a certain green, arboreal morelia to be precise)

 

[LauraMartin]

thanks for all that advice guys!!

her weazing is, as far as i can tell constant, obviousley i cant hear when shes in her viv, but everytime i handle her she weazes. it used to be slight, but seems to be getting louder. especially if she is straining herslelf like trying to climb vertically or something like that. there is no mucus, bubbles or any other RI signs, and i look at her very closely when i handle her. I am gonna take her to vets anyway because it will put my mind at rest.

how do vets test for RI? is there anything i should know or prepare before going to the vets?

also thanks for the chicken stock idea, will give both the drive & washed mice a try, and the stock, as she eats chicks so it makes sense that she might like chicken stock.

thanks! x

 

[mrhoyo]

You're welcome, let us know how vets goes

 

[Mr Man]

thanks for all that advice guys!!

her weazing is, as far as i can tell constant, obviousley i cant hear when shes in her viv, but everytime i handle her she weazes. it used to be slight, but seems to be getting louder. especially if she is straining herslelf like trying to climb vertically or something like that. there is no mucus, bubbles or any other RI signs, and i look at her very closely when i handle her. I am gonna take her to vets anyway because it will put my mind at rest.

how do vets test for RI? is there anything i should know or prepare before going to the vets?

also thanks for the chicken stock idea, will give both the drive & washed mice a try, and the stock, as she eats chicks so it makes sense that she might like chicken stock.

thanks! x

they can do a swab to test for any signs of an RI.

everyone else seems to have covered the rest : victory:

 

[Razaiel]

They can often tell by looking inside the snake's mouth.

My JCP has always had this strange sound when out and about me - like a sharp inhalation or exhalation of breath. I read on an Aussie morelia forum that a lot of them do that especially when bigger. When inside their vivariums you don't hear it when listening closely to the snake's body (so long as they're near enough for you to do this) I am fortunate that mine's branch is close to the front and she doesn't mind my head poking in at her.

Always good to get it double checked at vet though let us know how you get on.