[missbehavin]

Ello guys

As some of you know I rehomed 2 assist fed baby Royals recently. Ive had the Male home for 2 weeks and he's doing great, booming with confidence, inquisitive, loves his food and is pretty chunky!
The Female however has been at my local rep shop as they were trying to get her to feed for me. She fed once assist fed but thats it. I had to pick her up tyesterday as they need the spare space and to me she doesnt look good she is smaller the Male and hasnt budged since I got her home. Im sure there the same age but I cant find out as the woman I had them off has gone now.

They are having to share a 3 by 1 1/2 viv at the mo. I put her in last night but not sure ive done the right thing, was thinking of getting a very usefull box and using that for her set up for now, do you think this will stress her out more moving her again?

 

[NNY]

I think it would be a good idea giving her her own viv/tub. It also means If anything is wrong with her it wont pass onto the male.

 

[wohic]

I would put in in a small tub with lots of scrunched up balls of newspaper to make her feel secure, and put her in your quietest room, just change her water daily, other than that leave her alone for a week and then try her with a feed, you may have to resort to trying live but give a fresh kill a go first, you could also try chicks or gerbils along with mice, start with F/t before trying fresh then if all else fails try live. Royal are so sensitive that the act of force feeding can kill them, It is recommended , for that reason, that they are not force fed.
good luck with her.
It would be worth you geting in touch with wendy on livefoods forum as she is experienced with royals and will help you along.

 

[wohic]

just a couple more things, dont forget to put the tub on a thermostat.


is there any chance of a picture of her ? and can you remind me of her weight and age please ? and has she ever fed on her own, if so when ?

sorry for all the questions, but i would like to help.

 

[missbehavin]

Hi, the lady who I got them from was in finacial ruin and had to be out of her house 2 weeks ago, this is why i took the 2 babies in, in a very rush way. She's not there anymore so I cant find out much more. She said they were about 6 months, but im not sure. Havnt a clue on weight or anything, I just got her home and put her straight in the viv to settle in.

I took Echo (the male) out for his daily stroll this afternoon and while he was out she actually had a little snout around. I put Echo back in and he went and curled up on her, they are still there, is this normal?
Am now looking on net for usefull box and yet more equipment!!

 

[wohic]

so have you got 2 or 3 royals ? are they all in together ?
the non feeders should really be all seperate, and the fact that while Echo was out she perked up is telling me she is scared to move while he is in there, is there nothing you could use now to put her in ? B&q and wilko etc all do suitable boxes for just a few quid, as do poundland.

 

[missbehavin]

Hiya, just got back from town and got nada.
Unfortunitly bnq and places like that are in the city which is 30 miles away, all we have is groccle shops and retaraunts.
When I got back she was having a snout round the water bowl and echo was under a hide. I think I may have been a little quick to judge as they had originally lived together for 6 months before I took them in., but we will see.
there is also the fact the I could have been told the wrong sex! If im still worried by the morning I will have to venture into the city with the kids (its just its going to cost me a tenner to get there on top of all i need).
Thanks for your help Whoic, Ill get a pic of her when shes out next and see what you think/

 

[wohic]

just want to see if there is any advice i can offer, hope you dont think i am sticking my nose in 8)

I really hope she perks up for you, and please keep us updated.

 

[liam_rokocoko]

i would definaltly give her her own enclosure and i think it would be best to get her to a vet, there could be a reason why she is not eating like parasites, im sure your husbandry is correct so i don't think its that. and if it is very skinny it may need tube fed by the vet with calcium supplements to perk her up a bit and give her the energy so that she wants to eat, good luck with her and im sure she will be alright. just give it time.

 

[missbehavin]

ok, here she is

and this is the male the same age

 

[wohic]

bless her, she does look small, hard to tell how thin she is from the pic, but i would be inclined to just leave her alone for a week in her new tub and then try tempting her.

 

[missbehavin]

Thanks. We just had a closer look at her. I put my hand in the viv and she came to inspect it, we had a close look at her while she slithered over my hand and you can see her back bones. She doesnt seem as timid as I thought but does look frail. She did pee on my hand before venturing back to her hide though! I called the rep shop about her and they offered to take her and sell her on, but I dont think thats a good idea judging on how she came back to me. We'll work it out, ill work my magic snakey charm (I hope).

 

[andysharpe]

well she'l be fine in a proper owners care now she's with you. pity about the bad conditions, glad it hasn't effected her temprament.

 

[liam_rokocoko]

yeah she is very very skinny she is a triangular shape when she should be perfectly round, i hope everything goes ok with her!

 

[t-bo]

Agree with the comments on putting her on her own... also avoid handling peeking etc during this time.

Good luck wit her

 

[mark67123]

Definitely get her into a tub on her own - use newspaper as substrate, moss isn't really the best thing for royals, apart from in a humid hide.
Using newspaper means you can safely put the food in and leave it there overnight - not a good idea with moss.

Try putting the food in early evening before she's active, near the entrance to her hide and then leave her in the dark and undisturbed till morning - don't even enter the room!

She looks tiny so if you can't get a small really useful or another storage box, a large lunchbox/tupperware tub would do - just remember to make some holes for ventilation.

Keep an eye on the temps too - mine has a warm spot of around 86-88F 24/7, with the cool side between 78-82F 24/7.
This one may want it a bit warmer - you'll need a mat on a thermostat so you can experiment and ideally a digital thermometer with a probe so you can check the temp without disturbing her.

I know it's already been said, but if she's going to feed then she needs to be left as undisturbed as possible - which means absolute minimal handling and only when necessary, eg. when cleaning out.

If she shows sign of any other illness get her to a vet ASAP, and keep an eye out for mites - the shop she was at doesn't sound like they were very clued up so it's a possibility.

And good luck!

Mark.

 

[liam_rokocoko]

i personally keep my temps at 92F-94F warm side and 82F-84F cold side, i wouldn't risk putting them below 80F, and i think for a warm side 92F-94F is ideal.

 

[mark67123]

I've had my temps warmer than the ones I mentioned but my royal just spent all the time at the cool end - so I reduced them gradually until she started to move between the hides.

Different individuals will have different preferences - if it works for you then don't change it!

 

[Atvar]

any more news on the poor thing? all i can say is good luck!

 

[Replika]

Just my five pen'orth I had a non feeder and found that by putting food in a small cardboard box (with air holes) then put snake in after then close up box so it can't get out. Leave her overnight in a very quiet, warm, dark room give it a good 12 hours or more before opening the box and letting her back within the viv. Worth a try, good luck.