*WARNING - GRAPHIC IMAGES* Howdy from Texas

[Wolffking]

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Caesar came to a rescue center in a bad way. The prior owner kept this beautiful beast in a 30 gallon screen topped aquarium with a protruding heat lamp. His tail was burned off and left to rot and rat bites from improper feeding. He was pampered and loved by the previous shelter that rehabilitated him but I decided to take him in. Hoping to join this forum because our own rescue facility is moving and we would love to see ideas of cages for our big softy. He's in a big Rubbermaid tub at the moment (not the brown one) it is very temporary until the room we have for the animals is complete. (15 days tops). The room will be 14 x 16. We already took him to the coast and long strolls outdoors.

Please help us by shooting some enclosure pointers.

[Noelle7206]

Re: Howdy from Texas

OMG! A warning for the graphic photo would be a good idea in your cheery title, my stomach was SO not ready for that! But I'm very glad to see he's in much better hands now...can't say what I'm thinking about
whomever had this snake originally & either caused or "let" this happen....but yes, we'll be happy to offer suggestions here. Welcome...

[acephantom903]

Re: Howdy from Texas

Was the cloaca not damaged? It is hard to tell how far up the injury is. I'm kind of amazed how well he is recovering. Two good cage makers would be Boaphile: Plastic Reptile Cages, Tanks and Racks. Snake, arboreal, lizard and turtle light weight custom flexwatt heated enclosures. and Animal Plastics: Animal Plastics

They have some good ideas on cages and rack systems depending if you want to order from them or make your own. A male would need an absolute minimum of 4'x2'x1' and preferably 6'x2'x18" or larger. I'm not sure what that works out to in tubs. If you were to make your own, they sell PVC sheets at Home Depot in the sidings section usually near lumber. It is usually around $35 for a 8'x4'x1/2" sheet.

Edit: Also, you probably don't want to provide any climbing structures any taller than 12" because it looks like most if not all of his tail is gone which means he can't hold onto branches as well. Don't want him falling and breaking ribs.

[Pandorasdad]

Re: *WARNING - GRAPHIC IMAGES* Howdy from Texas

Wow. Glad that he's in a place where he can get the care he needs. I would say just get him a basic 4x2 set up. No climbing, as his tail isn't up to it.

[Wolffking]

Re: Howdy from Texas

I apologize severely I totally forgot the very graphic nature of the image. As a vet in training I tend to forget the disturbance. Sorry

[Wolffking]

Re: Howdy from Texas

He climbed up my tree haha no problem. He prefers perching and enjoying sun rays. His tails stops just as his vent starts. We were afraid that he'd have to be put down because the rot was spreading. The vet was removing vertabrae and he was just heavy breathing no biting it was amazing.

[bcr_229]

Re: *WARNING - GRAPHIC IMAGES* Howdy from Texas

Wow! How long ago did that injury happen? I'm honestly surprised he's recovering from it, I would have thought he'd have to be euthanized.

[walla2GSP]

Re: *WARNING - GRAPHIC IMAGES* Howdy from Texas

Depending on how much room you have and how many other animals you need to house, you could probably build a 4 x 2 x 4 unit fairly cheap that would still allow him to climb. I tried to mock up an idea but the picture is really poor quality. You would need particle or melamine sheet from a home improvement store, 2" screws, an RHP, 6' of heat tape, a 28 qt blanket box and plex, latches and hinges to make doors. The front and back panels would be cut from one 4x8 sheet and give you 2 - 4x4 panels. the side and top and bottom panels could be cut from a second shet to give you 4-2x4 panels. THe shelves could be cut from a third sheet to give you 4-2x3 shelves (I only showed 3). You can hang the RHP on one end to give him a basking spot, with heat tape snaked on the bottom and middle shelves and covered with plexi or pegboard for belly heat and additional radiant heating. I typically place the sweater box/water dish on heat tape to form a make shift swamp for the animal and increase humidity, some people may disagree with this.






I would recommend a Boaphile 421D,6421D, or 8421D if you don't want to build your own.

[Pandorasdad]

Re: *WARNING - GRAPHIC IMAGES* Howdy from Texas

I would have thought he'd have to be euthanized.

Snakes are survivors, that's for sure. With medical care, they can heal from some pretty gruesome stuff.

My parents learned this lesson the same way with a ball python. She ended up loosing an inch and a half of tail to a rat bite, but recovered and is still doing just fine. It was a $2.5k mistake.

[zamora]

Re: *WARNING - GRAPHIC IMAGES* Howdy from Texas

That's a pretty graphic image for sure but I'm glad he's in good hands now. The recommendations that others have given as to housing are spot on. I personally use a combination of Boaphiles for the adults and rack and tub systems for the up-and-comings.

Keep us posted please and welcome to RTB!

[Wolffking]

Re: *WARNING - GRAPHIC IMAGES* Howdy from Texas

We thought he would have to euthanized as well. If the rot didn't stop where it did we'd have to put him down because it kept spreading plus his vent is right there he'd have no where to go to the bathroom. My plans are to make him a second level. I am going to use a dresser as a base, seal it, cut the top off and create a four foot tall screened area with a my reptile fogger and a sitting tree. The bottom I will install my 30g tank I don't use any more. He climbs exceptionally well. He almost got away from us because he found a tree in the park he liked and kept going further up.

[Noelle7206]

Re: *WARNING - GRAPHIC IMAGES* Howdy from Texas

I have a rat snake that had to have a few inches of her tail tip surgically-removed after it was accidentally damaged*, and she too climbs quite well. Yes, trees are dangerously attractive to our snakes, lol!
Good luck with the custom cage-building, I've done a few of those too, though not lately.

*I was about to clean her cage...the heavy lid was unlatched but left in place, & I left the room to get something...when I came back moments later, she had pushed her way out from under the lid, but stopped
with it resting on her tail tip...the damage was done. I never imagined she'd do such a thing, especially since I've never even seen her push on the lid. Just when you think you've "seen it all" they surprise us!

[Selena23]

Re: *WARNING - GRAPHIC IMAGES* Howdy from Texas

Ou...
Poor little. Thanks U for saved it.

[Noelle7206]

Re: *WARNING - GRAPHIC IMAGES* Howdy from Texas

Any updates on this snake? How's he doing?

[tmhit4u]

Re: *WARNING - GRAPHIC IMAGES* Howdy from Texas

Poor snakey Very Glad you were able to rehabilitate and shelter him. Sounds like he has an awesome personality too. Would love to see the enclosure you built once its completed.