Reptile & Amphibian Forums

um i built my own cage...its all sealed up ..wood treated then covered with polyerythen so hold heat and humitidy and its plexiglass top 1/4 inch think...i bought a electric thermometer ...placed it at the bottom of the cage...humidity currently says 55 percent minimum and 95 degrees for the heat minimum...does that sound ok? i have a big water dish in there and a fountain...im worried about the humidity not being high enough or it being to hot in there...since i put in all the new stuff i bought yesterday ...the male finally ate...after 2 weeks ...he hogged up 2 full grown mice but the female still wont eat im getting worried im doing something wrong here
please help me

What species?
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
0.0.11 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.2 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
0.0.1 Youth -coming soon-

ball pythons...any ideas ive ran thro alot of idea's already and im out and shes looking way to skinny at this point

95 shouldn't be the min it should be the hot spot maximum, I would keep the cage in the 86' range and keep just the hot spot at 95'.

However I hardly think that is the reason its not feeding.

Some possible solutions are seperate the two if they are infact in the same enclosure.

Change up the item being feed. I have had Ball's refuse rats and only eat micce no matter the size. Another solution could be try a gerbil, the gerbil is actually closer to the actually prey animal balls eat in the wild.

Lastly balls like small confined spaces to make them feel secure and low light levels they really don't do day as well, most boids really don't do day as well as dusk.

For my personal keeping of the species I use tubs in a rack format. I am getting out of the species hence the reaason I have only one left. I keep him in an unlite rack with one bowl for water.

Some of the other balls I kept liked shallow bowls turned over to squeeze under. Anything that is low in level and fits just the snake with little to know room is perfect.

Lastly monitor the temps first than the humidity, often with appropriate placed water bowls within the appropriatly heated enclosure the humidity levels will be perfect. I go by the good shed method, if they shed perfect than the humidity is good. Keep in mind a snake that soaks may also be telling you humidity is to low.

It is all a learning experiance, but the most important thing is to discuss potential health concerns with a qualified Vet. They are diseases that can be traced to farms and breeders these animals come from. It may be the animal is sick and won't eat. Only a vet will know for sure.

Good Luck, and keep us posted.
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
0.0.11 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.2 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
0.0.1 Youth -coming soon-

i have the temp gauge in the corner ..turned off the light thats near their hide and the temp so far has dropped to minimum 85 and 53 humidity..maybe still dropping i'll post later...just its all being tempremental with my air conditioning running i have to check it every time i turn the air up and down to baby the heat lol

There could be a possible solution that we can help get your temps just about right. Chriss Harper and myself spend a lot, and I mean a lot of time trying to efficiently heat and maintain heat within an enclosure.

If you are more specific on the enclosure details, to include heat source and size of the enclosure. It would give us a lot more to work with. Even a picture could be handy.

I know in your origional post you mentioned an enclosure wrapped in Poly with Plexi window on top. You really need to describe the cage in a bit more detail to include the material of the cage carcass and how thick the poly wrap is, or even what. I assumed you meant expanded polysterene insulation but I could be way off.

Let us know.
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
0.0.11 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.2 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
0.0.1 Youth -coming soon-

its a cage i hand built...walls are 1/2 inch thick out of wall wood bought from lows...42 inchs long...24 inchs high and 22 inchs wide...i staind the wood then did a spray on polyerithen coating on it...sprayed on 2 times.. the front viewing window is 1/8 inch plexi and top is 1/4 inch...small vent holes and slits along top with top door with dead bolt lock...lol...2 hanging inside light fixtures both running 50 watt heat bulbs..with both on the cage can heat up to 95 degrees but i currently am running one with the heat at 84 degrees and 56 percent humidity on the cool end ..i have a x large water dish and a large waterfall and a x large hide with a rock under the lamp for them to lay on...large rock then many pieces of drift wood with a substrate that holds moisture pretty well..

It sounds like it is a good set up but I think it is aimed more towards your enjoyment than the snakes. Other than taking the animal to the vet I would create more hide spots. Like I said before Balls like small confined spaces and really don't dig light.

Heat bulbs are designed more towards durinal lizards than for snakes. A RHP or as a last resort a CHE may be a better choice than a bulb. Remember with a bulb when the light goes out the heat source is turned off. Have you taken temps in the morning before the lights come on?

Or do you run the lights 24/7, if so stop your freaking out the snake. Also what type of room is the snake set up in. Balls are skitish animals that don't like a lot of movement or load noises. Granted they can't hear but they can feel and all stereo's and high traffic areas create vibrations that most snake don't tolerate.

Also snakes need a heat gradient, it is fine for the hot spot or zone to be around 95' day and about 90' at night but the cool side should be about 85' all the time. You keep giving us measurments of the temps on the hot side and jus tthe humidity for the cool side. In reality you should be measuring for both on both sides, if you measure at all.

Back to decor I would really create some more hide spots like turned over dishes. I use the shallow pan thats used under pots for hide areas. Just cut a hole big enough for the animal and your good to go.

Beside that and seperating the two there is not much more advice I can give on caging.

If you feel my answers are in adequet there is a Ball forum available and they may be better suited to give you the answers you need but may not want.

Good Luck
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
0.0.11 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.2 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
0.0.1 Youth -coming soon-

i put another hide in and i turned off one of the heat lamps ..i have been running them 24/7...is it ok to turn the heat off ? if so i work 3rd shift and could turn both the lights out when i leave for work...when i turn the one light out the cage drops in temperature almost to 80 degress and the humidity to 60 percent on the cool side that sound good ? i have the female using one hide and the male using the other..i was told the males eating habits might be intimidating the female into not eating is that true ?

I still can't empthasize the need to measure temps across the entire enclosure, or at a minimum the two ends. Reptiles need a thermal gradient so they can thermoregulate. This is needed not only to maitain proper health but it also is necesary for proper digestion.

The 24/7 lighting is probally what has created some intimidation issues with your snakes. As well as housing them together, they really should only be housed together during breeding season. If posssible seperate them to different enclosure it is really best for them.

If you can't seperate them there are other things you can do to help with feeding caused intimidation, IE the female won't eat because the male is nearby. Feeding the animals seperatly is probally the best solution and often feeding outside of the enclosure is the best method.

I used to feed my young balls in paper bags by themselves. The dark enviroment eases the balls tension and they don't need to see to hunt. It is best to check on the snake every so often don't want live prey items to harm the snake.

Which brings a good point are you feeding live of F/T, I have found very few balls to except F/T animals, they like the live prey.

If your animals are larger than what can fit in a standard paper bag, use a rubbermaid tub with lid, don't worry they aren't airtight. As a plus the rubbermaid tub can double as a place to store snakes during cage cleaning days. I myself use a 34 gal for all my cleaning needs. I don't feed live prey items anymore, save for the crickets.

Good Luck and look into CHE's they will help maintain temps without light and can be used 24/7.
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
0.0.11 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.2 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
0.0.1 Youth -coming soon-

well i have no way to seperate them and they freak out when i do so i made a special hide for the female that the male is to big to fit in and she is in there now ..has been for about 4 hours now ..but i will try the paper bag tech. i tried all kinds of frozen using all kinds of tech.'s but none worked so i went to live and my male ate 2 full grown mice in one feeding...and female i have tried all kinds of sizes of live mice with no luck...most she's down is flick out her tongue on them then nudge and cuddle and watch but man i really appreciate all this help no ones gone this far to help me all this help is really easing my mind and helping me to get my cage set up much better...if i turn of the lights for about 10 hours will they freeze to death or is it unhealthy untill i can heat a no light heat emitter ?

Long time ago in a place far away I was in your same shoes and didn't have the luxury of Kingsnake to help me along the way. I have learned a lot ove rthe years and feel they aren't secrets and that if the need arises I should share. This forum has helped me a little since I have started using it but its the people I have meet and the relationships I have built because of the forum that have meant the most. We are all part of the same family of users we have similar goals and interests it is only fair to help our own. Unlike some other forums I believe this forum excepts the newb questions and mis conceptions more readily, mostly due to the maturity of the users represented here.

Anyways back to the topic, If different sizes of mice don't work try my Gerbil recommendation. Like I previously mentioned it is closer to the wild prey balls encounter. Of course I would try the mice in the brown bag before I spent loads of money on a Gerbil. Also if its possible I recommend using appropriatly sized rats for food. They have a better protein content than mice and will allow your pythons to grow that much more.

I don't think they will freeze to death if thier lights are out for a few hours each day but it isn't the best for them. Also if the room they are living in stays in the 70's they will be fine for the night. With the amount of insulation you said you had a enclosure heated to 85' during the day will cool off slowly during the off cycle.

It is in your best interest to obtain the Heat emitter as soon as possible.

Good Luck and feel free to ask anymore questions you may need answers for.
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
0.0.11 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.2 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
0.0.1 Youth -coming soon-