Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I purchased a ball python from a local pet store. It's a male, I purchased it on Sunday the 5th they said they received the snaked from the breeder on Friday the 3rd and that one out of all of them ate the rest did not. So i brought a mouse home with me and tried to feed it live mouse....it just sat the would crawl around a bit but did nothing. then I tried today (the nouse died while i was at work) but he still did not like it.
So now with the questions..
1. Should i leave him alone for awhile and let him get use to his new tank(home)
2. I have water dish couple rocks and a box (half cracker box) in the cage with a aluminum clip light for heat, is there anything thing else i should use? the bedding is the mulch for snakes.
3.how long should i wait to try and feed him again? Should i get gerbils or keep trying mice?
4.he is in a 45 gallon tall tank is that ok?
5. is there anything else i need to know?

Please let me know I was really excited about getting him have wanted one for awile. Now i want to make this just as happy for hom as it will be for me.

thanks

Earl
Bige6744@aol.com
810-691-4457
www.myspace.com/earldogg

1. Should i leave him alone for awhile and let him get use to his new tank(home)

yes definately, the best thing you could do to make your new snake comfortable is leave it completely alone for a week, let it settle in before trying to feed it

2. I have water dish couple rocks and a box (half cracker box) in the cage with a aluminum clip light for heat, is there anything thing else i should use? the bedding is the mulch for snakes.

is your waterdish big enough for your snake to coil up in? sometimes they like to soak, i highly recomend getting an under tank heater, in my cages, i put ceramic tiles between the carpet and the aquarium where the heater contacts the glass. a uth is far more effective at heating the aquarium than a lightbuld, they are designed to raise the temperature 20 degrees, put it on one side and it will give you a good temperature gradient(aim for 90 to 80 degrees). i recomend multiple hides, i use 4 ft aquariums, with a continuous hide all across the bottom. my temperature gradient runs from 92 to 78 degrees.

3.how long should i wait to try and feed him again? Should i get gerbils or keep trying mice?

mice should be fine if it is younger, for an adult snake, rats are a better choice their bones are denser, and they are larger. ideally the food item offered should be about the same diameter as the snakes largest diameter, and only feed once a weeka any more and you will end up with an obese snake( it is possible, i have one)

4.he is in a 45 gallon tall tank is that ok?

30 gallons are recomended for adults, so a 45 is perfect.

5. is there anything else i need to know?
for any other info take a look at the bp guide that is at the top of the main forum cage.