black milks should feel cool to the touch...

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Posted by nategodin on March 21, 2003 at 06:59:15:

In Reply to: Re: black milk feeding and substrate...HELP PLEASE posted by ballyhoo1887 on March 20, 2003 at 15:24:17:

At least two or three of the caresheets for black milks that I've read have specifically mentioned this... here's a quote from one:

Black Milksnakes should always be kept at temperatures in the low to mid 70s. Higher temperatures, like those often kept in a snake room, can result in overeating, frequent shedding, and fertility problems. They should feel cool to the touch: if they feel warm or neutral, the temperature is probably too high. They should be provided with a shallow pool of water and plenty of hiding places.

I also second the "misses his newspaper" theory... I keep mine on bark chips, and every time I change the substrate, the snakes act generally annoyed for a day or two, since the chips tend to be quite pungent and a little dusty when they first come out of the bag.

Nate

:I'm afraid I do agree with the fact that he "misses his newspaper". I have made sure that conditions are correct in his cage, even having the breeder I obtained him from evaluate the situation. I've got him at room temp (around 70 degrees) and back on newspaper. I really do think that he had become accustomed to his daily routine. As soon as I put him back on his paper he shot straight back under it in the hiding place in the corner that he had always used before. I haven't tried him on food yet. I would like him to settle in for a few days first. Is supplemental heat necessary? Before when he was on paper and for the first week on aspen I had an undertank heater on him. The breeder told me to take it off him and keep him at room temp. Whenever I pick him up now he seems so cold. He digested the last 3 pinks I gave him, but it took him a few more days than it did with heat. Thanks for you input,

:-Mack

:
::I'm afraid I can't agree with the idea that a Black Milk "misses his newspaper". Clearly something is not correct about the setup.

::Check the temperatures at the substrate level first then make sure the snake has adequate hide spots. Even though they will burrow into aspen, mine still prefer to use a hide box on top of the aspen.

::Get the conditions corrected, give the snake a day or so to settle in, and you will see it start eating like a Black Milk.
::

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Black Milk Caresheet

Follow Ups:

Re: black milks should feel cool to the touch... chrish 03/21/03 (5)
- Re: black milks should feel cool to the touch... Art MacAilin 03/26/03 (4)
  - I ABSOLUTELY AGREE ballyhoo1887 03/27/03 (3)
    - Great snakes, aren't they? =o) Art MacAilin 03/29/03 (2)
      - Re: AWESOME SNAKES!! ballyhoo1887 03/31/03 (1)
        
        Re: AWESOME SNAKES!! elrojo 04/23/03 (0)