u/sorrycreature

Goose has been settling in great the last couple weeks but I don’t see him come out of his warm hide much besides to eat and bask, unless he’s just coming out after everyone goes to bed. He’s very curious about me and pokes his head out when I talk to him and doesn’t startle when I take the screen off, move things around, or put my hands in there (I know front opening is ideal but can’t be picky about a free tank). I’ve started laying my hand in there for him to get used to every day and he’ll come out and smell and lick, almost start to crawl onto my hand, and then realize I don’t have food and fully turn away from me 🤣 “You don’t have roaches or worms? I’m not interested.” I’d love to get him coming out voluntarily as he has MBD from former neglect and I don’t want to accidentally hurt him by picking him up. My experienced reptile friend that rehabbed him handled him a lot that way, though, and said he never seemed bothered and was really friendly and handleable.

How can I get him more comfortable and build a gentle handling relationship with him? I know handling should be more limited with MBD cases but I’d still like to be able to share that with him eventually, even if to a lesser extent.

Thanks everyone! My reptile experience so far is only with a ball python and he’s a sturdy guy so this is all very new to me!

this is months of work come to life and watching him explore the entire thing from top to bottom and then settle into his favorite familiar warm hide brought a serious tear to my eye 🥹 welcome to your forever home, buddy! i hope you love it!

my little rescue man came home on wednesday and he loves his warm hide! i caught him sleeping in there earlier and was overcome by how cute he is 🩶 my only reptile experience is with my ball python and they don’t have eyelids so it’s so neat to be able to tell when he’s asleep!

this is my new baby, goose! he was previously in a severe neglect situation and was rescued and rehabbed by a reptile friend of mine, and we both agree i’d be the perfect home for him. he was originally kept in a 10 gallon on poo-covered reptile carpet with no lighting and has some mild limb deformities as a result, but he’s been in much better care with my friend so he’s in decent health now! i plan to keep him in a 55-gallon to start off and possibly upgrade him in the future if he seems to be utilizing all the space. i’ve had a ball python since march so i’m familiar with general reptile husbandry and what it takes to dial in temps and humidity, but are there any leo specific recommendations or advice you guys have?

a specific question i have is if halogen is a proper heat source, as it’s what i’ve seen recommended most places but i had a mod of another group tell me it’s not appropriate and will burn him ? obviously i’m going to have it on a thermostat so that didn’t really make sense to me but i’m curious what you guys use as far as heat sources.

any other recommendations are super welcome! i’ve been told the zilla rock lair is a great humid hide so i’ve ordered one of those already :) can’t wait to give him a great life!

When I got my little guy home in March, he was 6 months old, just under 300g, and about 2ft, and he hadn’t eaten in 3 months. Since I got him, he’s been eating great and hasn’t missed a meal, and now he’s up to 520g and 3 feet at 8 months. I’ve had some people speculate that he’s a female because of this, which I had never considered because the breeder told his original owner that he was male. I’m considering getting a shed test, but not super concerned either way as I’m not a breeder.

Just wondering if anyone else has a big boy that was a similar size at his age or if this is absurd lol

I am just so happy with Tito’s progress over the last 3 months !! When I got him in March, he hadn’t eaten in 3 months, but he hasn’t missed a single meal with me and has gone from reluctantly drop feeding to happily taking his rat from the tongs. He’s nearly doubled in weight and weighs 510 grams at 9 months old, and if I had to guess he’s probably grown about 8 inches, about 30 inches in total. He is a joy to handle and has had 2 perfect sheds. I couldn’t be prouder of him.

We’re upgrading to a 4x2x2 next month—any suggestions for filling it out and making it cozy for him? I was thinking an extra hide or two, lots of plants, some cork flats, maybe a low hammock or climbing rings? Also, any recommendations for in-enclosure cameras are very welcome, I’d love to see what he does when the house is sleeping. Thanks everyone!

My little guy, Tito, has been home for over a month now and I am so obsessed with him! He hadn’t eaten for more than 2 months when I got him, but he’s taken 4 rats for me no problem with braining and drop feeding and has gone from under 300g to over 350g at 7 months! He’s growing like a weed and has such a great temperament. He’s only hissed at me once and never struck. I try to handle twice a week while he’s getting to know me and he’s such a joy to handle, a bit jumpy but so docile. It’s been a learning curve with husbandry but I finally have temps where I want them and humidity is an ongoing but improving battle. No one warned me how addictive this would be—I already want a second one!

Just wanted to share my progress with my favorite scaly guy and show him off :) He’s absolutely my pride and joy