Icculus ALWAYS is hiding from me.

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Posted by Chris on August 08, 1999 at 07:38:56:

Hello, first post here :) Nice forum, btw.

Icculus is 5" snoot-to-poot, and about ten months old.
Here's a picture: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/9860/icpics.html

I've had him for almost five months now and have tried my best to follow
all the various wisdom for housing, feeding and taming. I just got
Hatfield's book, and it's wonderfully informative, but I felt I'd ask
this group for help.

Icculus is always hiding from me. I haven't put a formal hide-box in the
enclosure yet, so that might be it (tonight!). No walking around at all,
whether I'm home or not. Motion disorder from stress, I think.
The vet found no parasites in the fecal sample I had analyzed two months ago.

He's got a sunning cage that he's placed in as much as possible, so he gets
tons of real sunshine. In the sun, he perks up, but is still obviously
terrified of humans.

My real worry isn't taming, because that HOPEFULLY will come in time,
it's the lack of thermoregulation that's bothering me. Every time I go
to pick him up, he's in the far corner from the heat (it's about 80F where
he hangs out). His body temperature is always cold, and I've never seen
him actually GO towards the heat.

Should I stop handling for a while? Leave him alone for a week or two so he
can get some confidence up? Or should I continue to gently push for his
confidence to build?

Diet's right. UVB is right. Habitat's plenty large. Plenty of privacy because
he's in the spare bedroom that gets no traffic except me on the computer.
Can anyone help me out here?

Please email your response to me in addition to the list. My 'puter's
slow as molasses and it would be easier for me to get mail.

Thank you!
Chris

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: Hello, first post here :) Nice forum, btw. : Icculus is 5" snoot-to-poot, and about ten months old. : Here's a picture: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/9860/icpics.html : : I've had him for almost five months now and have tried my best to follow : all the various wisdom for housing, feeding and taming. I just got : Hatfield's book, and it's wonderfully informative, but I felt I'd ask : this group for help. : Icculus is always hiding from me. I haven't put a formal hide-box in the : enclosure yet, so that might be it (tonight!). No walking around at all, : whether I'm home or not. Motion disorder from stress, I think. : The vet found no parasites in the fecal sample I had analyzed two months ago. : He's got a sunning cage that he's placed in as much as possible, so he gets : tons of real sunshine. In the sun, he perks up, but is still obviously : terrified of humans. : My real worry isn't taming, because that HOPEFULLY will come in time, : it's the lack of thermoregulation that's bothering me. Every time I go : to pick him up, he's in the far corner from the heat (it's about 80F where : he hangs out). His body temperature is always cold, and I've never seen : him actually GO towards the heat. : Should I stop handling for a while? Leave him alone for a week or two so he : can get some confidence up? Or should I continue to gently push for his : confidence to build? : Diet's right. UVB is right. Habitat's plenty large. Plenty of privacy because : he's in the spare bedroom that gets no traffic except me on the computer. : Can anyone help me out here? : Please email your response to me in addition to the list. My 'puter's : slow as molasses and it would be easier for me to get mail. : Thank you! : Chris

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