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Q: the best way to Candoia carinata carinata
Posted By:

herb salt

Hello.

I am keeping a Candoia.c.carinata.

I had her as a female about two month ago.

The problem is, she never eats.

I have tried pinky mouse, a house gecko, a puddle frog but no, she takes non of it.

I even tried to force feed f/t pinky mouse but also no.

Now its passing two month that she didn't took any food and im getting a little it worried.

I know snakes do stop eating some times but you know how I feel.

 

Also now I am planning to give her a better housing.

Im going to put her in a Hagen terrarium, 16"x16"x24".

What will be the best choice to set it up?

 

I would appreciate it if I can get a good info...

And please don't mistake her to other subspecies like paulsoni or solomon Is. ground boa.


Attached Photos:


Points: 150
Topics: Feeding , Caging , Caging Plans
Tags: Boa, Candoia, Carinata, Ground, Habitat, Housing, Pacific
Species: Boas > Arboreal Boas > Candoia carinata carinata
Administrative: Show/Hide

Member Comment 4/3/2018 12:11:02 PM

Sonja K. Reptiles

Can you describe her enclosure in detail, including temps and/or post a picture? Also describe the manner in which you have been offering her prey. 

 
Member Comment 4/3/2018 11:12:13 PM

Ratman

Not much to go on. Make sure her temps are high enough and good humidity. if shes in small viv at the moment then spagnum moss on the bottom will help with that. Mist the cage in the evening. Try not to disturb her too much and perhaps give her some kind of plastic (or real if the soil is sterile) foliage on her perch (assuming she has one).

Try feeding her live pinkies at night. Use forceps to offer the prey. If she doesnt show much interest you may find that touching the side side of her head with the pinkie repeatedly will induce a feeding responce..

 
Member Comment 4/3/2018 11:53:06 PM

Ratman

Also a large water bowl will keep the humidity up and you could also try "scenting" a live pinkie with a thawed lizard or frog. You can refreeze the lizard/frog several times without any harm. Some neonate Candoia also take small goldfish as their first few meals apparently. Important to switch over to pinkies or fuzzies as soon as possible though. Dont try force feeding. This is too stressful and make it even harder to get her to eat properly.

 
Author Comment 4/4/2018 12:41:02 AM

herb salt

Thanks to all of yall reply.

She is in a small tub right now, since Im working on her new enclosure.

I have put a delicup as a water bowl for right now and every time I check it make good humidity enough in the tub.

I had put a live pinky on her side before at night few times and she just doesnt have any response to it.

An Arnole, house gecko, frog doesnt work either.

I tried to force feed her after 6 weeks have past with no eating but she doesnt want to eat so currently Im just leaving her with only adding new water, no touching.

And how large dose C.c.carinata gets?

She is about a foot long, maybe slightly longer.

I have read some articles that they often stop eating for several months for no reason so.. idk what i have to do.

 
Assisted Answer 4/4/2018 8:45:54 AM

Sonja K. Reptiles

Is she an import?

I would fill the tub with some plastic greenery to provide cover/ attempt to boost her security. I believe that a good amount of feeding issues stem from an animal feeling insecure. 

 
Member Comment 4/4/2018 5:21:52 PM

Ratman

Ditto, plastic foliage or some spagnum moss if in a tub, at least a hide box (wih a hole in the top).

Something to climb on too, a sterilised bush twig (scrubbed with 15% bleach solution or 50% white vinegar then washed with boiled water and microwaved for a few minutes and left to dry) or a cut plasitc coat hanger.

Also no handling, unless absolutly necessaryif you want her to to eat.

The deli cup should be big enough for her to soak in.

Temperature should be between 26-29 deg C.

Candoia c.c. grow to about 50cm on average, about 1 1/2 feet only, 60cm (2 foot) max.

Please consider the scenting technique, or try her with fish if she continues not do eat after settling down. A ?? friend just uses pieces of Tuna to sent pinkies for his new borns after a few weeks if they dont eat at first with quite good success. I am sure she will take a live pinky or fuzzy at night once she feels secure and safe.

 
Member Comment 4/4/2018 5:26:39 PM

Ratman

The ?? was "wei xin", chinese characters dont work..

 
Author Comment 4/5/2018 12:29:38 AM

herb salt

Sojna // Yes she is an import and I know that she was staying at the shop for about few weeks. They said she did eat well but no, not at my hand.

I have put a cork tube which she can fit her whole body in it and now I keep seeing her come out and soaking her self sometimes, but ok i will give her a better hide.

 

Ratman // lol I am Korean so i may cannot read some chinese characters either.. no worry :)

Alright, I will get some spagnum moss.

And about that size, I knew it will grow small but darn people here don't listen to me lol... they are counfused C.c.carinata with some of other subspecies.

Ok and about the temp part, I get that air temp in the tank should be 26-29, but how about ground temp?

I mean do they need any hot pad under tank to form a heat spot?

And last question, I have read some saying that tuna works good, but couldn't figure out what KIND of tuna.

What does your friend use of? I bet its not canned though lol..

Lots of question, but please help, I really appreciate both of yall answer :)

 
Accepted Answer 4/5/2018 4:25:21 PM

Ratman

The spagnum is really to keep the humidity high and to provide another place to hide, its a jungle species after all..she is an import so nervous/shy and I think making her feel secure/safe is the main issue. Humidity should be between 60-80% and you probably have that at home anyway except maybe in the winter. I am English and live in the east of China so the weather isnt too different I guess. They are not so very arboreal (unlike GTPs) and spent a lot of time on the ground or soaking in the water bowl so the new cage doesnt need to be very high, a normal pvc cage or aquarium with space for branches is fine and its easier to keep ambient temperatures up.

There must be a horizontal temperature gradiant in the cage/tub (or vertical or both in an arboreal setup). So 25/26 should be the on the cool side on the top of the substrate (and in the air in general) and 29 on the warm side above the substrate. A heatpad should be used with a thermostat, with the probe placed accordingly. In an proper arboreal setup the temperature gradiant is vertical rather than horizontal so so much and often acheived best with a radiant heat panal at the top, but as I said I dont think you need that. Hide boxes should be provided for her at both the cool and warm areas. This is very important. Like me, in summer you will have another problem and the air con can be just set to 27 too cool but the humidy will still be ok. If theres no hot spot in her cage right now this is another reason (besides security) why shes not eating, so get a heat pad and thermostat immediatly.

As far as i am concerned there only four kinds of Tuna! Unlike SK we dont much choice in China or the UK. I am sure its hard to find in the few remaining rainforests in New Guinea also.. Tinned Tuna in saline, tinned in olive oil, fresh and frozen. Get some fresh or frozen tuna and cut into small pieces to freeze just for scenting the pinkies/fuzzys then feed it to the next door neighbours cat. :) but first get a heat pad and thermostat! Cheaper per kilo than fresh tuna anyway :)

You may want to get a laser thermometer if you dont have one, to double check the substrate temperatures.

 
Author Comment 4/6/2018 12:18:33 AM

herb salt

Thank you!

Oh by what kind of tuna I should have said which part of tuna lol..

I have a heat pad under her tub right now, and maybe gonna use a film heater with heat controller attached.

Also have some thermostats too, but they are really inaccurate so i was using a bunch at once than make an even out of it.

Gonna have to find my old laser thermostat...

Thanks for your detailed answer!

I hope i can make some great cage for her :)

 
Member Comment 4/9/2018 12:40:30 PM

Ratman

Please stay in touch, it would be nice to know how you progress. She is a beautiful animal and I hope she does well in your care. Not so many people outside the US and Europe keep snakes, especially unusual ones. Wild caught (or captive born) are often the most difficult to keep, they get stressed easily and take some time to adjust. They can often have internal parasites too and in Asia its hard to find a good vet, they often know less than we do about reptiles. We have to be extra careful. Whoever said love was easy? They didnt keep snakes for sure..

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