One stubborn folklore husbandry myth is the claim that ball pythons can't and won't climb, they don't need vertical space for climbing, they'll hurt themselves if they climb, they stay solely in their burrows and...don't climb.
This is simply not true!
In the wild, ball pythons will climb trees to hunt prey. Studies on wild ball python diets showed a surprisingly high percentage of birds in the stomach contents.
Giving our captive ball pythons climbing enrichment is important for exercise and strengthening muscles, and overall mental and physical stimulation.
Pickles ate live insects on his own today! I didn't think this was something he would be able to do with his blindness, but he's been full of surprises 🥲 Great job, little man ❤️
#lovingleosreptilerescue #reptilerescue #reptilerehabilitation #leopardgecko #reptilekeeperscommunity #reptilekeepers #reptilekeeper #survivingisnotthriving
Our tegu Delphine comes up to bask for a few hours each day, then goes back down to brumate.
Her security camera has a dumb AI feature that tries to identify whatever is moving around.
It identifies her as a car 🫠🚗
*beep beep*
**Reggie is listed as a special needs animal**
**Boid panel results were negative for IBD, Nido, Paramyxovirus, and I'll have tests run again in another 1-2 months**
From videos of other spider morphs, I'd unfortunately have to list Reggie's congenital wobble as pretty severe. He doesn't do this often, but when he does have a moment of uncoordination it's very exaggerated. It's distressing to see an animal behave like this, knowing it was bred for a certain appearance at the cost of its wellbeing.
Home from the vet and getting Reggie settled back in now ❤️
Our vet is happy with Reggie's healing progress! We should slowly see improvement on his wounds with each consecutive shed.
Reggie Rigatoni tested negative for any parasites, and had some pharyngeal and cloacal swabs done for his boid panel. Those results should be back sometime next week :)
In the meantime, Reggie will be kept comfy, monitored closely and well tended to!
Omelette's test results came back, and at the time of testing her uric acid level was high. I'm pretty careful about only giving a few insects a week, and I do offer a variety, but she was getting a few extra insects in her meals because she's ovulating.
There are so many different things that can lead to high uric acid, but I'm wondering if that's what did it. Since decreasing insects and omitting dubia roaches from the rotation, she's been back to her normal self.
She has also started digging like crazy again, so I think those infertile eggs may be on the way. She will have another blood test done in a month to see where she's at 🤞🤞🤞
One of my favorite pieces of equipment are my Govee Hygrometer/Thermometer combo devices 🙌
These are battery-operated and connect to an app via Bluetooth, where I can program them on my phone.
The Govee app allows me to label each device, set minimum and maximum limits for temperature and humidity ranges, and it sends me notifications when those ranges are too high or low. I can also check out temp and humidity history charts and see how things are fluctuating on a daily basis.
This is especially helpful for some of the more sensitive animals, like our ball pythons, crested gecko, uromastyx and tegu, but the devices can be used for any animal's enclosure.
I get my Govee devices through Amazon here:
https://a.co/d/08Nnw4y
Unagi's progress! I'm so proud of this little lady, she's definitely a fighter ❤️
#lovingleosreptilerescue #reptilerescue #reptilerehabilitation #leopardgecko #reptilekeeperscommunity #reptilekeepers #reptilekeeper #survivingisnotthriving
Parasite treatment is icky, but parasites are worse! Tikka has some pinworms, so she got a dose of anti-parasitic medication to treat them #lovingleosreptilerescue #leopardgecko #reptilerescue #reptilerehabilitation #reptilekeepers #reptilekeeper
✨️Stares in gecko✨️ #reptilekeeperscommunity #reptilekeepers #reptilekeeper #lovingleosreptilerescue #leopardgecko
Here's a little moment caught on camera that may help show why Unagi needs to be formula fed for now 🙏
If you notice in the video, when her yawn is at its widest, her lower jaw bows downward. This is not supposed to happen unfortunately, and means that there is not enough bone density to prevent her jaw muscles from flexing the bones themselves.
I did attempt to feed her a few tiny dubia nymphs yesterday (which she was VERY enthusiastic about!) but she had a very hard time holding onto them.
So for the time being, she will continue to get formula feedings and sips of calcium water. It will take a long time for her bones to mend, but we're in it for the long haul!
Chips is getting more insects offered to him now that he's had time to regain some strength ❤️ He's also slowly been picking up an appetite for dark leafy greens, so he gets a dish of fresh greens alternated with formula days.
Good job, lil Chips 🍟
LLRR focuses on reptile rescue and advanced herpetological husbandry education ❤️ Hello, my name is Ansley McDaniel!
