#deadrisil

added!

She’s a six month old tabby, and on the first day (three days ago) of her being in the apartment she hid in a hidey hole that resulted in me needing to disassemble a large part of our dishwasher to get her.

She’s fine now, and super sweet and chill.

Sure! A lot of people advise against western hognoses as a first snake because of their attitudes, occasional feeding difficulties, and the fact that you could have a minor reaction to their saliva if you receive a prolonged bite (think minor swelling, irritation. Just as a note I’ve been keeping hogs for almost four years and have never been bitten). I think they can make okay first snakes as long as you do plenty of research and are prepared for the feeding strikes! Western hognoses were my third species of snake (corn snake-> kenyan sand boa-> western hognose) that I worked with. I usually recommend corn snakes as a first snake /if you like them/ because they are practically bullet proof. If you really have your heart set on a hognose, here are a few tips!

-People often treat their husbandry like other north american colubrids, don’t do this! Hognoses like it warm (93-95F hotspot) and have fast metabolisms, they need to be fed often! (every 3-4 days for a juvenile, 4-7 days as an adult)-Males will most likely go on a feeding strike over the winter. This is normal! I would recommend a female for a first hognose because they are generally better eaters (though not always!). -Keep in mind the sexes have a pretty substantial size difference! Males typically stay under two feet and females are typically in the two to three foot range as adults. -Here’s a progression of cage upgrading for hognoses that I do...Male Hognose -> 6qt tub (hatchling) -> 16qt tub (juvenile / sub adult) -> 32 qt tub or 2x2′ enclosure (adult)Female Hognose -> 6qt tub (hatchling) ->16qt tub (juvenile) -> 32 qt tub or 2x2′ enclosure (sub adult / adult) -> 4x2′ enclosure (when / if they hit the 3′ mark)-If you keep your hog in a cage with shallow substrate or paper towels (don’t do this, paper towels are a terrible substrate for burrowing species) and not enough cover (hides, fake plants, sticks, rocks, etc) they will be more likely to not eat-”scenting” feeders is a great way to get them to eat if you have trouble! I’ve had success using tuna, salmon, and vienna sausage as scents.

He was obsessed with space before, even when they were underground, but it had always been something out of reach.

Yeah, it’s the first step on a very long road.... but often the hardest part is admitting that it’s a path one needs to take. And it’s a lot easier when you have someone with you. 

He trusts Papyrus. But, the old methods he used to cope have a very strong pull...