In the past, over twenty years, i have kept several dozen snakes to breed...Spanish ribbed newts..Lizards...etc...plus some other rare species which i have bred for various Zoo’s and similar…

I also worked voluntary at Battersea Dogs home as a dog ‘trainer’...(fuck the “Dog whisperer")…

I call my ‘dog training’ method, the “Dog ‘Big boot up the ass, show him who’s boss’ whisperer”

Now i just got the 7yr old Tarantula and another 5yr old Tarantula i had ever since it was smaller than 1cm… and the mutant ‘Plecostomus’ (’Grow as much as 4in’...Yeh.. my ass they do..they can grow over a foot long)

The ‘Plecostomus’ or ‘Plecky’ are algae eaters...you can buy the algae tablets from any petshop stocking tropical fish...(the Plec is classed as a semi-cold/fresh water tropical fish)…

They grow fuckin lovely..and are hardy fish...they deal with ‘normal’ up and down temps…

If you got goldfish...the ‘Plecky’ will live happily alongside them...as long as it gets it green algae...Eating the algae off the sides of the tank or in tab form..

Worth having a look at...if you want something a bit unusual in your tank…

I have an excellent, qualified working knowledge of the care of Tarantulas, Newts, Rat/Corn snakes and cold/freshwater Tropicals...(It was one of the subjects i studied at college and continued into adulthood)

So if you got any probs...Post here...and i’ll do my best to answer (with a ‘we actually live in the real world’ answer)

DB

(PS...Heres a pic of a Plecky)

PS…

None of the creatures above..(other than my dog) cost more than a few $$$/£££ a month to look after...I mean less than £1/$2 per week..

Its the initial set-up that costs the money (tanks...water bowls..etc)

Once thats done..its practically ‘no cost’ from then on…

DB

I have a ‘Plecky’ and it is a VERY hardy fish! I don’t know about yours DB but my one tends have a bit of the ‘meat eater’ about it, ie other fish! Also i was told by the pet shop that they also like cucumber, just the middle bit though, ever heard of that before? Mind you there one was over a foot long and had a body about 4-5 inches wide! Glad my one doesn’t eat his greens!!

HH’s man…

Yes...Cucumber is well known as a supplement for the Plecks...they do eat it...Some do..Some don’t...but its no probs for thjose that do…

But..If you do feed them Cucumber...do this method…

Cut some very thin slices...then tear it up into small, long strips/strands with your fingers..and make sure it sinks…

They will eat it...(It’s a once a month ‘treat’ only tho..and no more...)

Tear up three or four thin slices and throw it in...makes sure it sinks…

As for ‘meat eating’...No...they dont do ‘meat’ (they cannot eat or digest it)...they are attracted by the slime that grows on dead (or dying things)...that is all they are doing…

But one thing...they dont do flesh, they physically can’t...unless it has slime/algea on it…

DB

PS...Anything i post here...means i have actually put into practice and actually done in real life…

If i dont know the answer...i will say so…

DB

I have a Ball Python and a Red Tail Boa.  Payed $50.00 for the Ball Python with tank and accessories and got the Boa for free with accessories (80 Gallon Tank) from a friend that was moving. 
Have had various lizards, a couple of Tarantula’s (that I have caught myself), and also had a Florida King snake too.
And looks like I have a plecostomus that about rivals the size of yours.  He was the first fish i bought and that was about 6 years ago.  In a 50 Gallon tank now and almost too big for that.  Good thing they are not too active.  I have him in the tank with an Oscar and a crayfish that I caught from a local lake.

more pictures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/phalapatate/sets/72157606382234735/

How often do you feed your snakes?  My rule of thumb has been to feed them when I can’t remember the last time I fed them.  Seems to have worked for the last 10 years for me at least.  On average I feed them at least every 4-6 months.  I have fed the snakes both live and frozen rats (obviously thaw the rats before I feed them to the snakes).  Live food is lot more fun to watch, but pain in the ass because I have to drive 30 minutes away to even get live rats.  Frozen are nice too, delivered to your door and just keep them in the freezer until it is feeding time.  What is your preference?

Phalapatate…

Yep...that’s a Plecky for sure...EXACTLY the same as mine...no difference…

Across the world...we keep the same kinda fish....

Aint the ‘Oscars’ fighting fish...Thats the prob i see there...’Oscars’ dont take no prisoners...they attack anything..any size…

DB

(and put your pics on the ‘TotallyCrap’ Flickr group...It’s a free for all, SFW group)

My plecky is 14inches long from nose to tail by the way.  The Oscar is a bit of a fighter.  Don’t keep any other fish in the tank with it.  I have had some Black Knight Ghost Fish, but they keep getting eaten and they are $20.00 fish.  Also had a Jack Dempsey in the tank with the Oscar at one point.

Phalapatate…

When i had the corn snakes...it was always frozen pinkies or adults, then thawed in hot water (def not boiling..it fucks the smell up) randomly feeding...one time after 10 days...one time after 2 days...Then leave it for 3 weeks…

It’s what its like in ‘nature’...Captive snakes dont do ‘regular’ feeding...it fucks them up…

Break the skin on the semi-hot/warm..just defrosted mouse, until a bit of guts are hanging out...then get a pair of tweezers…

Jiggle it about a bit at the end of the tweezers...present it upto the nose of the snake and it should take and constrict.

As for feeding large snakes...once every two and half months (maybe three months) with an adult rat from frozen...Nicely warmed up and defrosted..with some warm guts hanging out…

OR.....

If you wanna feed your large snake properly randomly....

Maybe one pinkie/adult mouse bi-weekly, for an adult snake...Not forgetting the thawing in hot water and making the cut, so some guts hanging out and then making ‘Mouse’ movments at the end of the tweezers…

(It makes no difference whether you feed your snake ‘live’ or ‘frozen and thawed out’...Always bearing in mind that ‘live prey’ could damage your snake and you’ll end up with a large bill from the Vetinarian...)

Variety is the spice of life…

In the wild...they would catch a mouse..sometimes...then a large rat...then go three weeks without nothing…

Feed them randomly...once after four days...then leave it 10 days...then a couple more adult mice...then leave it for a week...then feed it one adult mouse...then a ‘pinkie’...then leave it one day..then feed it another...then leave for 3 weeks...then feed it again..

RANDOM...RANDOM...RANDOM...Be random when feeding...cos thats how it is the wild...In real life…

Random feeding...with guts exposed, after defrosting in very hot water (but not boiling...let it cool) on the frozen stuff…

DB

I think Alzeimhers is creeping in mate - you asked almost exactly the same question about a week ago

http://www.totallycrap.com/forums/viewthread/11865/

SeaDog…

Fuckin’ hell...I only did as well...I had absolutely no re-collection of it.

DB

pretty sure there was another thread like that a couple of months ago as well by you

I have a purple header womb ferret and a 12” trouser snake

Titter

Teddy..

It’s slightly worrying that i had zero re-collection of it.

I dunno…

DB

Lynx.

Breakfast of champions.

Camel…

Trouble is...i ain’t had a drink for a good while now…

Strange indeed..

DB