Hello! You can all call me Orca. I’ve been lurking for the past few weeks in anticipation for my bullsnakes arrival and now that he’s here I figured I would introduce myself!
I’m in my late teens, I love snakes, art, reading, and occasionally paddle boarding! (I forgot to take pictures of my art before I left today so I might update this later!) I would love to eventually start a business breeding and selling snakes, specifically colubrids and boas!
(I think I have snake baby fever from reading Noodhaus, Deanaiis, Solar serpents and others corn snake breeding’s/hatchings!)
Anyway, onto what everyone really wants: Baby Bullsnake!
This is my male Albino Whiteside Het Patternless 50% PH Axanthic (B) Hypo (T) bullsnake. (He is currently unnamed)
(sorry if the photos are a little grainy, his colors are also totally off - he’s a lot more white)
He’s so cute
I did have a concern though, and that’s that I have not seen him drink or really travel to the side of the enclosure with his water dish. (He’s in a 20 gallon right now and has not really left the heated side. He did ship from somewhere snowy and I’m in FL so he may just be enjoying the warmth). I don’t think a soak so soon would be good for his stress levels but I’m also unsure when his last shed was and don’t want him to possibly have issues. He hasn’t been here long (only since 2/18) so I’m sure I am just worrying but I wanted other opinions just incase.
I purchased some wood and (packaged) leaf litter at a reptile expo last week for when I upgrade his enclosure and was wondering what methods people have used to ensure the wood is safe? I’ve read I can bake or bleach it but was wondering what other methods people might use. Also, the leaf litter should be fine to directly introduce since it was sealed right?
Alright I think this is long enough! Feel free to suggest names (particularly spear and flower inspired ones because his head looks spear-like and the top of it looks vaguely like a lotus flower)! Not sure if this will influence the name ideas but his birthday is July 4th!
Nice looking bull snake and welcome to MM. I am boa guy so can’t really help with bull snakes.
I will add Eric to this post as he has lot of bull snakes. He should be able to help. @eorr53
Welcome, beautiful Bull! As long as he doesn’t look dehydrated and knows where the water dish is, I wouldn’t worry about not seeing him drink. If you’re worried about shedding, you can always have a humid hide set up. As for wood, I have always baked mine. I don’t use leaves, so I can’t advise you there.
Hey there! Nice looking bull. I wouldn’t worry about not seeing him drink. I rarely see any of my bulls drink from their dish. As noodlehaus stated if you are concerned about hydration you could offer a humid hide.
I keep all my pituophis on aspen. It’s easier to spot clean IMO and I don’t worry about humidity with these guys. They can burrow in it also.
If you are planning on setting up a natural looking viv prepare to have it rearranged or destroyed in short order. These guys are bulldozers and will quickly rearrange their enclosures. They also dig, not just burrow/tunnel, but actually dig with their necks, so make sure heavy decor is secured/anchored so it can’t crush them.
These guys are super hardy and pretty fool proof, so I wouldn’t over think things. They’re great eaters with lots of personality and are very tuned in with whats going on around them. Mine always have eyes on the “food ape” in the room!
Ah okay! I think I will switch to aspen when he upgrades. It seems more stable for burrowing and I noticed the Sani-chips got stuck on the fuzzy I offered so that got dunked in water again. Don’t want him eating that stuff . Thank you for the advice!!
A lot of pituophis keepers use the sani chips without issue. I’ve just always been a shredded aspen fan myself so never tried the sani chips. The shredded aspen will stick to feeders too but most falls off once it reaches their mouth. I’ve never had an issue with my animals swallowing small pieces/amounts of the shredded aspen.
Welcome to the forum officially and welcome to the addiction! Your bullsnake is going be so much fun. I am a corn snake gal through and through, but I love everything I’ve ever heard about bull snakes.
So @orcavos, I am a big corn snake fan but after all this bull snake talk I think I am becoming a bull snake fan too! I love the look/shape of their heads!
Edit to add: Actually @eorr53 started me thinking about them seriously after seeing all of his!!!
Can’t say much because I’ve had mine less than a week, but he’s got an amazing personality and is absolutely adorable . I can’t wait to hold him when he’s fully grown! (Might be a while lol).
This was when I took him out for a couple minutes earlier today:
He was a little upset I wouldn’t let him slither off the edge of the bed. He also has beef with my knee for some reason . He has never struck though and stops hissing after a few seconds (He did get really close to my finger while hissing and just stared at it. He must think he’s very intimidating)
That might be more of an Eorr53 question, but from what I’ve seen from mine so far he’s intelligent. Just from handling him for a short time today he was able to quickly tell my shadows weren’t threats and would stop hissing within ~30 seconds and is very curious. Even when he upset himself a little bit he would tongue flick and then go about his way.
I’m convinced he knows he’s the color of sani-chips in my room lighting at night and has decided to hide between the plants and hide/wood in the perfect spot so I can’t see him when I go to check on him after waking up. (Perhaps he watched Jurassic World at some point and has taken a play from the Indom )
Sometimes they do things that make me think they are intelligent. Then they turn around and do something that requires less than the one brain cell they probably have.
I’ll leave advising to people who know the species better.
. Thank you for the advice!!
. I can’t wait to hold him when he’s fully grown! (Might be a while lol).
. He has never struck though and stops hissing after a few seconds (He did get really close to my finger while hissing and just stared at it. He must think he’s very intimidating)
)