Changing substrate?

[EasternGirl]

Very true. I just put in a new substrate that's easily "burrow-able" and she keeps her whole body under it except her head. It's funny looking, I love it.

You ought to get a pic of that and post it for us!

I was thinking, Tress...have you spent any time at night with the lights out watching to see if the snakes are active at all? Hermes was out all night last night trying to plan an escape route...and as soon as I turned the lights on this morning, he ducked back in for cover. I know it's more true for albinos to be active at night...but I have friends who say that their non-albino (for lack of a better term) garters are primarily active at night...and I know sometimes my easterns like to come out and play in the dark...might try watching for them at night!

[tress29]

I was thinking, Tress...have you spent any time at night with the lights out watching to see if the snakes are active at all?

When I got off the computer last night, I crept in to check on them. First thing I noticed was all my worm bits have been eaten! The eastern and the radix were creeping around the back of the tank. I held each of them for a few seconds, and offered the eastern a drink of water. (I tend to put the snakes in the water dish when I return them to their tanks!)

This morning I left the lights off in the living room and found the eastern creeping around the water dish. I guess that's his favorite hide? I really need to think of some names for them, but I'm trying to wait until the weekend when my boys get back from their dad's house.

[EasternGirl]

Cool...my son named my two easterns. Does the eastern stay in the water dish a lot or he likes to hide under it?

[tress29]

He's underneath it! This is the dish, except I bought it at Meijer.

ECO Bowl Medium Dish - EC3

As far as names go, our hognose is Sweets (we're Bones fans.) The leopard gecko is Sephira (from Eragon.) Our cat is Houdini, cause he can escape over the baby gate (imagine that!) Our dogs are Lucy and Eli, for no special reason!

[EasternGirl]

Thanks! I just ordered the dish in a small for Hermes. I'm a big Bones fan too...have all the seasons on boxset! My dog is Elvis Presley...we call him Presley...I'm a big Elvis fan...My cats are Boo, Beanie and Ian...and the hermit crabs are PJ and Shelly. We get hognose snakes in Delaware...usually around the beach areas. I haven't seen one since I was little though. People often mistake them for copperheads.

[ConcinusMan]

I only use newspaper when I have to. If you have aspen, stick with that. One of the problems with newspaper is that when it gets soiled you have to change the whole thing. Another problem is ink staining the snakes, and inevitably they will eventually find a way to get under it and poop directly on the glass/floor. They will always come to the surface (or water dish) to poop so no worries about them pooping "underground".

[zendragondrew]

You ought to get a pic of that and post it for us!