Winter house guest

This little T. radix neonate was found in my house. There is no way she can survive outside as winter is settling in. She will be given the best that I can give her until spring where she will be released back outside. I did the same thing for a slightly older female last winter.
Her name is Gem and she is settling in quickly. Fresh food, a heated hide, and plenty of freshwater. In the last 3 days, she has begun trusting me and will soon be begging for food. She's my wintertime blessing. Better photos to come.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos...medium/gem.jpg

She's only been with me for 8 days and I can already see her growing. A shed will be need very soon. She's a great eater.

She started a shed last night but needed a soaking to move it along. Today I found her shed except for the last 1/4 of an inch of her tail. I gave the tail a soak for about a minute and then finished the shed for her. She is a beautiful radix and has calmed down a lot. She never struggled during my help with her shed. Gem is truly a gem.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by guidofatherof5

She started a shed last night but needed a soaking to move it along. Today I found her shed except for the last 1/4 of an inch of her tail. I gave the tail a soak for about a minute and then finished the shed for her. She is a beautiful radix and has calmed down a lot. She never struggled during my help with her shed. Gem is truly a gem.

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Awesome Steve!!

She continues to settle down. She now knows that any activity outside her hide entrance means food. The worm barely hits the bottom and she's on it. At this rate, she'll be shedding again in a couple of weeks. They do grow fast when given good meals.

She's a bold, confident young snake. Now, anytime I mess with anything in her home she comes busting out of her hide to see what's going on. Instead of worm chunks, I gave her a full nightcrawler. She was happy to take and is now resting in her warm hide.

Man she looks so tiny. I really miss having house guests. :)

Jason

Gem has finished her 3rd shed in the last 6 weeks. She is growing like a weed and is a perfect female T. radix. The cap I used to put her food in is long gone. She eats her nightcrawlers whole now. What a joy it is having her here.

Sorry for reviving a two year old thread but I'm learning.

Can you tell me more about the "heated hide" you mentioned?
How is it heated?
(Do you specifically recommend a 9mm cartridge box? ... lol.)

My fear is that my air conditioned house may be too chilly for this little neonate I adopted yesterday.
Although, I see it is currently 61 degrees (at 6.00am on August 4th in Ames Iowa.

I have a reptile heat pad under the 9mm box, under the container. The 9mm box is a good all-around box, it's the most popular box in the country.