REPTILE | PET GAZETTE | 21
downward spiral starts once more.
I have seen many cases of RTI now, especially
in large Boas and Carpet Pythons. My first
response is to always question the use of
tubs or racks and how these are heated. If the
animal has been living in this way I always
suggest seeking the advice of a suitable
vet but also move the animal to large viv
that has extra ventilation and remove all
plastics and resins. In this way, prescribed
medicine can help deal with the issue as it
presents, but also the body can start to heal
itself, the immune system to rebuild itself
and the respiratory system start to repair. In
every case so far, when the snake has been
maintained in this method it has seen full
recovery and then not had another episode
of infection. This is my personal experience
in cases where I have advised. I now believe
that we can take this even further by seeking
to rebuild the body through natural movement
and mental stimulation.
Royal Pythons of average size can be
maintained in the home within vivariums
that mimic the wild habitat. A deep natural
substrate can be added to allow natural
burrowing. Natural branches can be added to
create a ‘thicket’, live grasses can be grown,
and natural stone can be added to create a
basking platform. A healthy animal will use
every inch of the space, it will bask when it has
need, it will climb when suits it best, it will rest
in the burrow when it wants to and it will hunt
as and when it desires. All we have to do is
to provide enough space, the decoration and
the correct heating and lighting to allow it to
garner the energy that it needs to function. I
am also now starting to see reports of keepers
with larger enclosures start to hide food items
in the viv in an effort to stimulate the snake into
moving to find it. This is a far cry from those day
of feeding in cardboard boxes because “the
snake can’t feed in a viv or tub”.
The same theory applies for every species
from every environment. All we as keepers
have to do, is to read about or visit these
places. Corn Snakes, for example, can be
kept in live planted scrubland vivs, with live
and dried grasses and if big enough, even
small bushes. Small wooden buckets, clay
pots or natural trugs could be added to add
to the decoration. Rocks should be placed
to create a basking area. These snakes are
active and will use the whole space is it both
explores and self-regulates. The snake will, in
time, become fitter as will the owner will start
to see more natural behaviour.
Garter Snakes are one of the most diverse
groups of highly coloured and easy to keep
snakes. These will thrive in small groups
even if the enclosure is large enough. In this
case a deep substrate and grassed area
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can be provided alongside a natural stone
stack from which they can bask and hide. A
filtered shallow pool can also be maintained
if desired. This is a group that thrive when
left well alone. What better way to both see
them and to be sure that they are keeping
active than to provide a slice of the wild
environment? As this group has such a wide
wild range and with many different forms,
you could even replicate a distinct area from
where a specific subspecies if found. One
thing is clear, that when snakes are removed
from the sterility of boxes and undecorated
vivaria and placed within an enclosure that
offers them some space and that is both
decorated and energised well that they do
change habits very quickly and revert back to
a more natural state.
Our aims as effective and ethical keepers
and traders is to see animal welfare levels
increase each and every day. I firmly believe
that if we include the right sources of energy
along a quality source of food and incorporate
thoughtful decorative habitats that allow an
animal to move, explore and climb, we will
push our hobby yet another step forwards.
The animals will become more interesting as
we start to see daily patterns, they will be able
to obtain the energy that they require as and
when they require it through self-regulation
and they will in turn be exercising their bodies
and helping to keep the vital organs function
as they should. This should then increase their
average lifespan by reducing captive obesity
and poor organ function.
JOHN COURTENEY-SMITH
John Courteney-Smith’s new fact-packed
book will be published in Spring 2018
and will be available in all good book
shops, online and through the reptile
wholesale network at a trade price. This
will be a series of four new titles based
on the ‘Elements’.
To listen to John’s free podcasts
visit www.chameleonbreeder.com/
podcast/ep-55-mbd-uvb-with-john-
courteney-smith/
December 2018