Plastic plants and cuts

[D'n'D]

Hi everyone, I found a small scratch on Elsa's skin on the side of her neck. I applied some Polysporin and now it is healing nicely - can barely notice it. I discovered it after she spent a full day in her plastic plant decoration. Decided to take that decoration out as it has a lot of sharp edges. I'm now trying to figure out how to enrich her habitat. She has a sandblasted vine branch that she sometimes climbs on, but I wonder what I can offer her for climbing and hiding at the same time. Any ideas?
She's been such a good girl so far. We now had her for a month and she gained 8g in one month. Love her to bits!

 

[grizlatron]

have you thought about a real plant?

 

[smigon]

have you thought about a real plant?

Real plants require water and misting which is what the corn doesn't need. A dry viv is better for them. I think there are a few people who have tried it but I think most of them switched back to aspen. Use the search button.

DnD, you only have one plastic plant? Clutter that viv up with a lot of plants and silk or plastic vines. Also a lot of hides. Many people use toilet paper tubes, I smoosh one end flat and angle it down into the substrate. They LOVE these caves!

 

[D'n'D]

Real plants require water and misting which is what the corn doesn't need. A dry viv is better for them. I think there are a few people who have tried it but I think most of them switched back to aspen. Use the search button.

DnD, you only have one plastic plant? Clutter that viv up with a lot of plants and silk or plastic vines. Also a lot of hides. Many people use toilet paper tubes, I smoosh one end flat and angle it down into the substrate. They LOVE these caves!

The one plastic vine/plant came with the viv kit. Good idea: I will try the silk plants instead of plastic. She has two nice hides and I also threw in a few toilet paper rolls. I'm just affraid that she will cut herself again in the plastic plant so I took it out. I think I will buy more sandblasted grapevine branches for climbing.

Now you say that I should use aspen and I see that the majority use aspen. The viv came with a mix of cypress mulch and coconut fiber that maintains humidity in the viv very well. Should I change to aspen now or wait until the current substrate is due for a change (most likely another month or two).

 

[smigon]

I don't think the plastic plant would have caused such an injury, take a good look at it and snip off any sharp ends if you see them.

Definitely keep up with the mulch and fiber if it is working, and then when it is gone choose what you want. Either are good for corns. No need to waste good substrate!

I ordered a whole lot of aquarium plants from eBay, mostly from China but they are cheap and give the viv a little color even though they may take a month or so to get. The taller ones that sort of wave in an aquarium just bend over and provide cover. They are also good for shedding.

It's interesting, many of the members here live in Phoenix, in the desert where outdoor humidity can be 10% (like yesterday) but I rarely have a bad shed, and neither do the other members here. The most likely ones to have bad sheds are the babies, but they grow out of that stage on their second or third shed. I don't even have a hygrometer (I don't think the others do either), corns are fine in dry conditions. The waterbowl puts out enough evaporation and they even will take a swim once in a while.

Good luck, keep us updated!

 

[D'n'D]

I don't think the plastic plant would have caused such an injury, take a good look at it and snip off any sharp ends if you see them.

Definitely keep up with the mulch and fiber if it is working, and then when it is gone choose what you want. Either are good for corns. No need to waste good substrate!

I ordered a whole lot of aquarium plants from eBay, mostly from China but they are cheap and give the viv a little color even though they may take a month or so to get. The taller ones that sort of wave in an aquarium just bend over and provide cover. They are also good for shedding.

It's interesting, many of the members here live in Phoenix, in the desert where outdoor humidity can be 10% (like yesterday) but I rarely have a bad shed, and neither do the other members here. The most likely ones to have bad sheds are the babies, but they grow out of that stage on their second or third shed. I don't even have a hygrometer (I don't think the others do either), corns are fine in dry conditions. The waterbowl puts out enough evaporation and they even will take a swim once in a while.

Good luck, keep us updated!

In Canada we can get indoor humidity lower than 20% in the winter and that's where all of us start shedding like reptiles .... hahaha! Starts with a good itch, and then it flakes off.

I only once visited Phoenix, loved it! Praying for hubby to get a job in a warmer area so we can relocate.


On another note, I'm off to ebay to look for plants.

 

[D'n'D]

I looked at the plant that I have again, and it has a lot of sharp edges and pointy ends. It looks so barren without the green branch in her viv. Tomorrow I'll have my little one work on a small DIY project with toilet paper rolls and some cardboard, to build her a 3D hiding/climbing structure.

 

[smigon]

A set of vine rope will be fine in the viv. I just take the vine, unravel a bit and cut off any I don't need. Usually a 20L can use the whole vine, sort of folded and set out. It really does make them more secure!

 

[DollysMom]

I bought a reptile ivy vine, 6 ft plastic with silk like leaves, yesterday. It was a Petsmart All Living Things brand. When cutting it into shorter lengths, I found it had a number sharp metal ends (from where the leaves join) sticking slightly out of the plastic main stem. I knew I would have to make my cuts to the main stem safe, but I didn't expect all these other wire ends along the stem. I can't use it in my viv until I inspect it in detail and clip, file, and otherwise protect my snake. If I can't make it safe I can not use it at all.

I didn't know how snake could get hurt on a plastic vine. Now I know. Glad I inspected it before I put it in the viv.

 

[D'n'D]

Yes, a lot of the plastic plants have lots of pointy ends and edges. I ordered some vine on eBay - will see how it is when I get it ($4 from HK). My plant is only plastic, however, it is impossible to clip all edges off. So for the moment I keep it on the outside to provide some darkness/cozyness in her preferred spot. I got another sandblasted grapevine in addition to the small one that I already had and added an egg carton. She explored like crazy last night. And today she couldn't wait for the dark hours to get out of her hide and climb a little ...

 

[D'n'D]

I bought a reptile ivy vine, 6 ft plastic with silk like leaves, yesterday. It was a Petsmart All Living Things brand. When cutting it into shorter lengths, I found it had a number sharp metal ends (from where the leaves join) sticking slightly out of the plastic main stem. I knew I would have to make my cuts to the main stem safe, but I didn't expect all these other wire ends along the stem. I can't use it in my viv until I inspect it in detail and clip, file, and otherwise protect my snake. If I can't make it safe I can not use it at all.

I didn't know how snake could get hurt on a plastic vine. Now I know. Glad I inspected it before I put it in the viv.

They have such a fine skin and those metallic end could hurt. If Dolly is like Elsa, she will love to hide somewhere up, and not necessary burrow. Elsa is not burrowing anymore but rather climbing these days. I can't reduce her viv temp below 24C because that is our apt temperature and we can't control it. So I assume she likes to cool herself by 'hanging out' there.

How old is your Dolly?

 

[DollysMom]

They have such a fine skin and those metallic end could hurt. If Dolly is like Elsa, she will love to hide somewhere up, and not necessary burrow. Elsa is not burrowing anymore but rather climbing these days. I can't reduce her viv temp below 24C because that is our apt temperature and we can't control it. So I assume she likes to cool herself by 'hanging out' there.

How old is your Dolly?

First, let me complement you on a beautiful viv.

Yes, this thread has really made me inspect the artificial viv plants. I'm so glad you posted this!

Now comes to the big confession because many here are very negative about this, but I got Dolly at Petsmart.

I went to the store for an aquarium plant and came home with a baby corn. Yeah, I know I was supposed to have everything set up, but when I saw him, that was my snake and a was not going to loose him to someone else.

So I don't know his/her age or sex. I have no feeding record or shedding record other than I was told he was fed a pinky every Thursday.

I'm now feeding on the modified Munson plan -- a pinky every 5 days. He is now 14 grams.

I didn't even get a weight on him for the first month because I was taking handling slow. I only started getting weights when I started feeding out of the viv post his first shed with me on March 28.

Part of me wishes I had bought him from a breeder online or at a show, but honestly I'm so attached to my little guy that I really can't regret falling in love with him and bringing him home. I had already read the Soderberg book so I did have a clue.

Sorry, for going to far off topic but since you asked it was time to fess up here! I'll never know his exact age.

 

[Zombiegirl]

All of mine have plastic plants in their vivs and haven't had an issue yet...I get the fake viney looking ones they have in the reptile section...tried a silk type for my bp and it just got all over and he got tangled up in it -.-

 

[D'n'D]

Dolly's Mom! My Elsa was an impulse buy, too. From a pet store. They gave me an estimated age (5 months). I now have her for over a month and she is thriving - I am following the Munson plan, feeding her small fuzzies every 5 days. She gained a lot and I think I will slow down to every 6 days, now that she is established and I got a batch of larger fuzzies.
She was a gift for my daughter. I went to the pet store to see if I can control myself while handling a corn (I'm phobic) and while my hands were shaking when I held her for the first time, I absolutely fell for her and took her home. My daughter likes handling her; however Elsa seems to seek me all the time, so my daughter has given up on trying to hold her. I'm sure that when Elsa will be bigger and my daughter also older, they will get along just fine. Ruxandra's hands are to small to make Elsa feel safe. My husband can't believe how attached I am to Elsa. The test of fire will be when gardening season starts and garter snakes start roaming in our garden. I freak out every time I come across them.

 

[D'n'D]

Zombiegirl, the one I got with my viv kit was the plastic/silk one. I think she got tangled in it and that's when she got her scratch. I am also waiting for the vine and will see how I can wrap it around the grapevine so it gives a more lively look to the viv.

P.S. Elsa loves that egg carton!

 

[DollysMom]

I'm glad I'm not the only impulse buyer here D'n'D. Elsa is a beauty. Thanks for sharing her here! You have provided a beautiful home for her.

So far I'm the only one who handles Dolly due to his being a baby.

Good for you for confronting your phobia! Don't feel bad if you still startle at seeing a wild snake unexpectedly. A startle reflex is not the same thing as a phobia.

 

[smigon]

Also look in dollar stores for decorations. Your shopping habits will totally change as you look at items thinking "hmm, I think my snake will like this!" when you get a deal on toothpaste that comes in a box!

Good point on the wires, I never considered them but it makes sense that the vines would have wires in them.

 

[DollysMom]

Also look in dollar stores for decorations. Your shopping habits will totally change as you look at items thinking "hmm, I think my snake will like this!" when you get a deal on toothpaste that comes in a box!

Good point on the wires, I never considered them but it makes sense that the vines would have wires in them.

Yes, things sold "for reptiles" may be unsafe. Things from the dollar store may be perfectly safe. We need to make sure we carefully inspect anything we put in the viv.

I'm definitely going to check out the local dollar store soon, smigon.

 

[IrishInIsengard]

Also look in dollar stores for decorations. Your shopping habits will totally change as you look at items thinking "hmm, I think my snake will like this!" when you get a deal on toothpaste that comes in a box!

Good point on the wires, I never considered them but it makes sense that the vines would have wires in them.

I just did this yesterday. I bought $15 worth of stuff at the Dollar Tree (which is a lot!). My viv is going to be epic!

 

[D'n'D]

Guess where I'm going later today??? Dollarama!