[goldie1212]

ive just been busy, ive made a nest box of a sorts, il post a pic so you can say if its ok for her for the time being. its made using some polystyrene i had hanging around for no real reason. its as big as the polystyrene would allow, and the top is thick cardboard covered in a square of rubber type tablecloth.



its sturdy, held together using blunt pencils pushed through the sides into the lengths of polystyrene. what do you think?

ive put the smaller mat in the bottom viv, with a piece of cushion floor under it and another piece over it. or would it be best to have it straight onto the wood underneath? im just waiting to see what temps it sits at with it like this. ive used plain white kitchen roll to cover the floor as we have no other substrate. il leave the thermostat on the bigger mat, and il put the thermometer on the smaller mat so i know what its reading.

now, which snake would you put in which viv? im thinking the bigger girl in the top viv, she likes to climb more than the boy. and the boy in the smaller part if the heat mat is ok for him.

am trying my best...

 

[cree]

:banghead::banghead::banghead:

Sorry, I know your trying but this thread is very frustrating!

 

[goldie1212]

what??? have i done something very wrong? i havent swapped anyone over yet. i cannot get to any shops anywhere to buy a couple of rubs, or believe me id be there now, i cant drive, even if i did my husband has the car at work until around midnight. im trying my best here, but until tomorrow morning im stuck between a rock and a hard place. the only shop we have here is a shut down old spar shop which is boarded up and a post office. its 15 miles to the nearest town. a bit of a trek with a 6 and 8 year old in tow.

believe me, its frustrating this end too. i honestly have nothing i can do until first thing tomorrow morning, and il have the kids up and dressed and all of us ready to go before the shops even open! i feel like crying as i was sold these 2 as a happy, steady healthy cohabiting pair. i knew some people kept adults together, so saw no issue and knew we would be sorting them their own vivs of a humane size within a week. now i find ive got 1 possibly 2 poorly snakes, 1 most likely ready to pop and needing specific care, and im totally lost. i have no transport, none, we dont even have a bus service, i can get to a town, but have no way of getting home for several hours later if they decide to run the bus.

 

[PAB]

Untill you get another stat, set the temps on the smaller mat and put the female in there.Put the other mat under the male, get 2 rubs/plastic boxes of correct size and put both snakes in thier own rubs.
A easier way than getting another stat is get a mat same as one of your others and connect both to a stat,via a double socket adapter and the pribe on one mat checked by a thermometer.You should beable to do that tomorrow:2thumb:

She is not going to be be ale to get any rubs Nelly by the sound of it. Put the large heat mat without stat on the side of the viv about an inch up from the bottom in the viv section above the one with the stat. the corn will be ok for a day or so.
You need to go back to the drawing board and start again .

two 50l rubs two heatmats both same size and wattage to cover third of rub (mat on th outside not inside).

I stat with both rubs set up the exactly the same and thermostat inside one rub stuck to the bottom of rub, this acts as the control viv for the other.

2 digital thermometers(a must) with probe fastend to the rub bottom above the mat to coinfirm temps.

This will be a smal financial layout for you and just a few ventilation holes to be drilled and a couple for the thermostat and thermometer probe. Much less than a vet bill. Actually you need to take them to the vets now.

remember it will not work with diffent size or wtt mats it will kill one snake. Staples do the best rubs with easy open fasteners and clear plastic which makes viewing easier. Pete

 

[cree]

Ok, like I said, I'm sorry, I know your trying. Honestly, until you ask, you wont know if there's another snake keeper just round the corner from you that might be able to help you. Surely its worth a shot at least? If I was around the corner Id help, even if it meant driving you to town so you could get what you needed. Loads of us have spares of things and most of us are only to willing to help out others, even more so when its a question of the reptiles welfare. All I'm saying is explore all possible resources, don't limit your possibilities. There is no shame in excepting help from others.

 

[goldie1212]

thank you. i am putting all this to my husband as soon as i see him tonight. im so angry at the moment. im trying everything i can to do right by these 2 and everything i do seems wrong. i cant believe that guy kept them all this time in the same set-up, we have them 24 hours and everything goes to s*#t. if we couldnt have collected them until middle of next week, which was our other option, nothing would have changed. im not saying it makes it right that we are keeping them how they would have been either way, but for the sake of 24 hours, wow!

i know, shes looking like shes going to pop, and if i had everything on hand i would have her in an ideal set-up,relaxed, right temps etc. right now, getting that is actually impossible, not just a bit difficult, i mean impossible. i cannot walk 15+ miles there, then 15+ miles back, with some new rubs for them to holiday in until next week. even if i could, we havent got the money at this very second, il have to borrow some tomorrow morning from family as without doing that they will have to wait until tuesday which im not prepared to do.

first thing tomorrow, il be headed out to get everything we need, at the very least another thermostat, everything she will need for her to lay her eggs, and will have had them checked over. by lunch time tomorrow they will be separated, and both will be at the right temps. for the next 20 hours, i need to try to do whats best for them.

they are still laying together at the moment. i dont want to swap them around until i know both will be safe.

im sorry im annoying so many people, i may have to leave posting in this section until i have them in their ideal set-ups, ive found this extremely stressful, and it seems to be upsetting others seeing these snakes in far from great condition and enclosure.


sorry, i dd mean to put the 'help needed' thread up, should i put it in the classifieds bit or on here?

i dont mind borrowing stuff for the sake of the snakes, ive lent and given so many aquatics things to others to better their lives of their pets

 

[cree]

thank you. i am putting all this to my husband as soon as i see him tonight. im so angry at the moment. im trying everything i can to do right by these 2 and everything i do seems wrong. i cant believe that guy kept them all this time in the same set-up, we have them 24 hours and everything goes to s*#t. if we couldnt have collected them until middle of next week, which was our other option, nothing would have changed. im not saying it makes it right that we are keeping them how they would have been either way, but for the sake of 24 hours, wow!

i know, shes looking like shes going to pop, and if i had everything on hand i would have her in an ideal set-up,relaxed, right temps etc. right now, getting that is actually impossible, not just a bit difficult, i mean impossible. i cannot walk 15+ miles there, then 15+ miles back, with some new rubs for them to holiday in until next week. even if i could, we havent got the money at this very second, il have to borrow some tomorrow morning from family as without doing that they will have to wait until tuesday which im not prepared to do.

first thing tomorrow, il be headed out to get everything we need, at the very least another thermostat, everything she will need for her to lay her eggs, and will have had them checked over. by lunch time tomorrow they will be separated, and both will be at the right temps. for the next 20 hours, i need to try to do whats best for them.

they are still laying together at the moment. i dont want to swap them around until i know both will be safe.

im sorry im annoying so many people, i may have to leave posting in this section until i have them in their ideal set-ups, ive found this extremely stressful, and it seems to be upsetting others seeing these snakes in far from great condition and enclosure.


sorry, i dd mean to put the 'help needed' thread up, should i put it in the classifieds bit or on here?

i dont mind borrowing stuff for the sake of the snakes, ive lent and given so many aquatics things to others to better their lives of their pets

I think I'd try the snake section, remember to put your location, I really hope you get lucky with this. No doubt there will be alot more people online this evening so fingers crossed.

 

[goldie1212]

thank you, il post it up and see :2thumb:

 

[cree]

Also Im guessing your not very far from Doncaster???? Half of the members on this forum will be at Donny on Sunday, maybe at least one will be passing by you that could help out?

 

[goldie1212]

ye, we are about 20miles from doncaster. im hoping that we will be able to afford a new thermostat tomorrow, and then i can sort it all myself. have put out a help please plee.

looking at her pics, of her as a whole and her tummy, is it possible shes just very fat? shes very squishy, she has vertical creases when she turns or coils, and sometimes you can see gaps between her scales like you can see her skin, shes been fed 2 large mice every 6-7 days which from what i can gather is too often for a 5.5ft snake. the old owner said he was going to try feeding her rats but hadnt gotten around to trying her on one.

 

[miss_mystra]

aww what a situation

I wish i was closer so i could help out in some way, you've help me out so much with my fishy friends!! Hopefully some other members who are near can help, or call in on their way up to Doncaster


I really hope you can get everything sorted soon, so you can start to enjoy your new snakes

 

[goldie1212]

we are hopefully going to pick up a 2nd thermostat from a member tomorrow :2thumb: fingers crossed hes available 1st thing. even though they are so far more problems than anything else, we are still enjoying them. im sure we will have everything ironed out by this time tomorrow :2thumb: thanks to many members help on here.

 

[cree]

ye, we are about 20miles from doncaster. I'm hoping that we will be able to afford a new thermostat tomorrow, and then i can sort it all myself. have put out a help please plee.

looking at her pics, of her as a whole and her tummy, is it possible shes just very fat? shes very squishy, she has vertical creases when she turns or coils, and sometimes you can see gaps between her scales like you can see her skin, shes been fed 2 large mice every 6-7 days which from what i can gather is too often for a 5.5ft snake. the old owner said he was going to try feeding her rats but hadnt gotten around to trying her on one.

Its possible she is fat. Personally I think 2 large mice every 6-7days is too much but Im no expert. I do however value the opinion of Cornmorphs and Vetdebbie so I would suggest showing either of them the pics, see what they think.
Seems like they both have 'issues' and a check-up with a vet might be the best option.
Housing is a big problem too. Im sure you thought you were getting everything you needed for them in the 'package' so to speak. Unfortunately the previous keepers husbandry leaves alot to be desired!:bash: ( Im being polite ).

 

[goldie1212]

leaves a lot to be desired, major understatement! we were told that it was just a case of transfer the viv to our house, plug in and go and they will be fine.

the vets visit is most definitely on the cards, as soon as we can get them there. will most likely be monday evening. they will be taken to a reptile expert tomorrow though for a general check over, our vet has no space to get them in tomorrow.

they will be split up tomorrow morning, so they havent got the stress of each other, and can concentrate on getting well. they seem so much better with the higher temps, they are like different snakes, all i can hope is that the thermostat was knocked and the knob turned (unlikely) during the move. if they have been kept at low temps would that possibly be a reason, along with the stressful cohabiting in a tiny viv, for the possible RI?

they were last fed 2 large mice each last weekend, i really dont think they need to eat as often as every 6-7 days, seems a lot for adult snakes. il wait for more knowledgable people to pipe up. theres also a thread about cornsnakes eating on here now so il follow that :2thumb:

 

[KathyM]

ye, we are about 20miles from doncaster. im hoping that we will be able to afford a new thermostat tomorrow, and then i can sort it all myself. have put out a help please plee.

looking at her pics, of her as a whole and her tummy, is it possible shes just very fat? shes very squishy, she has vertical creases when she turns or coils, and sometimes you can see gaps between her scales like you can see her skin, shes been fed 2 large mice every 6-7 days which from what i can gather is too often for a 5.5ft snake. the old owner said he was going to try feeding her rats but hadnt gotten around to trying her on one.

Ooo ooo - if you can get a lift on Sunday there's the big IHS show. We're off, it would be lovely to meet you and have a natter? I'm sure it will all be sorted by then but it's good to meet new snakey friends and there's loads of equipment for sale there at good prices too. Sorry for going a bit off topic there!

ps. she looks to have fat deposits but she also looks pregnant (ETA: GRAVID GRAVID, sorry, I know some people hate me calling them pregnant! lol), it's very hard to tell for sure from photos when they are a bit mis-shapen (lol bless her) and I'm sure it would be a relief to you if it was fat! I would be feeding a snake that size a large mouse fortnightly at most to be honest but at the moment it's better if we determine whether she's expecting. She may go off her food a bit and will lose a lot of weight when she lays too. Our kingsnake female was a porker when she came and lost a lot with laying.

 

[goldie1212]

is that the show at doncaster? ive been hinting loads at my husband, but hes not interested....may have to work on him lol.


it would be a massive relief if shes fat, but it could even be both, fat and expecting! shes gona be checked tomorrow morning so we should know a lot more after that. il post updates as soon as we get home :2thumb:

im about to draw up the plans for the wood we need to make the new build. i love planning these things, and my husband love sbuilding them, so we are all good :2thumb:

 

[cree]

I'd say if you can convice the hubby it would be good to go to the show :2thumb:

 

[KathyM]

Yeah, it's at the Dome as usual isn't it? Would be lovely to meet you if you get there but if not keep us all updated on here. The new build sounds exciting, you'll have to do a thread for it so others can shamelessly copy it lol.

 

[cree]

Just had a thought.....on the fat subject, we used to feed our adults weaner rats but were concerned at how much weight they seemed to be putting on. They are by no means fat but on the advice of a vet we have stopped giving them rats, they contain more fat than mice, as a preventative measure. Fat snakes live shorter lives. Just thought I'd pass on the advice given to me.

 

[goldie1212]

thanks for that, il look into it. want them to live as long as possible.

oh and to let you all know, the temps are stable in the bottom viv with the heat mat between the 2 layers of lino under the numerous layers of kitchen roll, and are stable at 28.5* and have been for a while, so they are now separated :2thumb: will get a thermostat on there tomorrow to make it safer. i have the digital thermometer in the bottom viv so i know what its reading at all times too and im going to check often that nothing untoward is going on.

both have a 2ftx2ft floorspace, water bowl, hides, heat mat. if the heat doesnt stay stable i will have to put them back in together this evening but i dont think its going to change, its been steady for a while now.