Re: Black Tail Cribo.

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: : Hello all and Happy New Year, : : I just recently made the acquisition of a gorgeous adult black tail cribo. He is 4 years old already, and 6ft long. He has been living at the reptile store where I got him since he was hatched, and the move to my house has really disturbed him a lot, I used to go to the reptile store every week-end and handle him for half and hour for about a month before getting him so he'd get used to me. He is getting better now (I've had him for 3 weeks), the first week I left him alone except to feed him, so that he'd get used to his new environment... now, even though he doesn't strike when I approach him or handle him he does hiss (or breathes heavily) a lot when I touch him at first. I'm a little concerned and was wondering if I should leave him without handling him for a few weeks more ?? : He'll probably never stop hissing. Every indigo I've ever seen, from hatchling to adult, does a little hissy bluff. If mine stopped hissing when I tried to take them out, I'd think something was wrong. If it isn't biting, striking or musking, your snake is "tame". : : Also, the people there apparently fed him live rats (wich I think was a big mistake, freshly dead or unconscious rats can do the trick well) ad he has a few marks on his body, since he is pretty much full grown, and will probably shed only every year from now on, is there a chance they will ever dissapear ?? : Shedding isn't an annual event. My adults shed 6 or so times a year. The scars will probably fade over the years but more than likely will never disappear. : I would suggest getting your snake used to prekilled. If it's taking prekilled now, stick with that forever. It will probably learn to take thawed rats quickly too, which is safer, more convenient and if not frozen for too many months, more nutritious. : : Other than that he is just a wonderful animal that I'm really proud of having the occasion to take care of. I've had experience with a few other reptiles (ball pythons, red tail and rainbow boas, geckos, bearded dragons and iguanas...) but he is definitly different from any of those, mostly because of his diurnal habits and his rapid metabolism, he is also one of the few animals I've had that was already full grown, and having to decifer his moods is giving me quite a bit of work :) : : Have all a really nice day, and if you can help me in any way, I'd be really thankfull. : : I think you've picked an awesome reptile to work with. Good luck and enjoy! : : Doug

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