Reptile & Amphibian Forums

recently bought my ball...yesterday in fact. The Petco lady seemed pretty knowledgable but I have read different from what she said so I just wanted to clear a few things up.
*He/she is about 16 in. long and I have him in a 20 gallon long in case that helps.
1.) He ate on 7/29/07 and she said to try and feed him on 8/2/07 and then if he didn't accept the fuzzy then wait a couple days. True?
2.)She said to put the heating pad in the center with the lights over it and a climbing tree on one side and water dish on the other. I have read to put heat on one side and the cooler area on the opposite. Which is which.
3.) She also said he should be eating one fuzzy so I was wondering when to move him up to 2 or even to bigger meals in general.
4.) I have an aspen bedding I believe and his tree has a hole through it a little larger than his largest point. Is that good enough to take care of the shedding.
5.) Should a large water dish be enough to keep the humidity high or should I be using a spray bottle as well, and if so how often? (would a humidity guage of some sort help)
6.) Should the heat mentioned above be enough to keep the temp high enough?
7.) How often should I spray the tank down, and whats a good humidity?
8.) The most anxiously awaited question: When can I handle him. Petco said 3 days after they fed him, but the "manual" I bought said 2 weeks. Is there a certain amount of time I should let him acclimate to his new home before handling him?
9.) I need a name. I have thought of a few but none seem to be to my liking so I may just be lacking inspiration, so any funny and/or meaningful thoughts would be great.
10.) How soon should it be pooping if it ate on sunday?
11.) What are signs of a stressed snake, so i know what to look, because it sounds like a big problem especially with BP's.
Thanks in advance and I appreciate any help you can give me.

I have some experience with lizards but not a lot with snakes, so any other information would be greatly appreciated.

1. Would be good to try near the end of the week 5-7 days would be a good time table for baby a BP.
2. By heating pad I hope you mean one for reptiles (UTH) and not just a regular heat pad. If you use a light make sure it’s a low watt florescent and yes hop spot on one side 90-95 and cool on the other side 80 give our take a few degrees
3. Wouldn’t worry about that yet just get it started feeding on a consistent basis. General rule width of food idem same as width of snake.
4. OK
5. I would mist once every three days even more when in shed. 60% humidity is good on a normal basis 80% or so when in shed.
6. You need your UTH to be on a thermostat so you don’t cook your snake.90-95
7. see 5
8. Just hold your snake for short periods of time until it gets use to you.
9. can’t help you there
10. Always varies but usually around the time they shed they will leave you a nice mess.
11. Just be observant you will notice when you hold it they start to breath heavy if they are stressed.

Side not 20 gal is a little big so give it lots of hides so it can feel comfortable plus if you came here 1st every one would have said never buy a PB from PETCO not a very good reputation around here for reptiles good luck though.Also lots of care sheets on web pages for you to look at also is a few good books out there you might want to look at too.
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Vince Pramuk []__[]

The enclosure is too big rule of thumbs for glass enclosure is: the enclosure should be 2/3 of the length of your Ball Python.

1.)No you want to leave your BP alone for a full week with no handling before offering food. If he refuses allow another week no handling before offering again.

2.) Place the UTH on one side and put a tight hide (all side touching is body above the UTH this will be, your BP warm side and it should be between 90 and 94, on the opposite you should have a cool side of 80-84 where you will place another tight identical hide. (Avoid log hides as they don’t provide enough security.

3.) Rule of thumb feed something slightly smaller than the girth size ( widest part of your BP’s body) and know that as an adult he will not require anything more than 2 to 3 mice or one small rat a week (45-65 grams)

4.) Yes as long as you provide proper humidity

5.) You can spray the enclosure, place an additional water dish above the UTH, switch to a substrate that hold humidity better (repti-bark, cypress mulch etc), partially cover the top of your enclosure

6.) ???

7.) As needed and read 5 also make sure you have the correct reading dial and stick thermometer and hygrometer do not work you need to get something similar to this that can be found at Walmart for 12$

8.) Honestly you do not want to handle your BP until he has successfully ate at least once for you, if he does you need to allow 48 hours between feeding and handling to avoid regurgitation.

9.) Sorry I already have a hard time naming all of mine

10.) Not set schedule they go when they go sometimes once a week sometimes once a month it varies from one to another.

11.) A snake that does not spend the day in it’s hide, out exploring all the time, refuse to eat, etc
Thanks in advance and I appreciate any help you can give me.

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Deborah

You asked some good questions!

Google: Ball Python Care Sheet

http://www.vpi.com/publications/the_ball_python_care_sheet

http://www.newenglandreptile.com/CareBall.html

http://www.kingsnake.com/ballpythonguide/

http://www.wnyherp.org/care-sheets/snakes/ball-python.php

http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules.php?id=59&name=Sections&op=viewarticle

Lots more out there, too.
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Astronomy Picture of the Day

So is it good if its spendind all day in its hide?
If i shouldn't handle it, then should I wait to fix all the things that are wrong with the cage so far?
Jacob

Fix your husbandry if needed then leave him alone (no handling) for a full week before attempting to offer food

Yes being in the hide all day is good, that is what BP do.
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Deborah

Yes, staying in the hide all the time is normal. Mine will occasionally move from the warm to the cool hide, or vice-versa, but are rarely out and about. They are shy animals, and the less contact they have with other animals (including people) the less stressed they are, and that means they'll eat better and be healthier (that goes for most herps, too, not just BP's). Sometimes I don't even see mine much when I feed. I just put a warm (warm as in about the temp of a 'live' rat's body temperature, maybe a little bit warmer), FT rat in the hemostats (22" hemostats) and drag it past the hide the snake is in. Sometimes I'll see a nose peek out and it'll strike and wrap the rat, sometimes I see no nose but get a strike, and sometimes they just completely ignore the FT rat.

One thing to remember about feeding is that these are noctournal snakes, so they'll be most active just after sunset and into the evening, and you'll probably have more luck feeding if the snake is out and on the prowl (don't confuse this with the "I'm unhappy and looking for a better home" wandering, though). All the feeding issues you read about in the care sheets are true, too. All ours will eat FT rats, but it hasn't always been that way, and getting some on FT rats has been a toughie. Live.. easier, but FT.. tough sometimes. FT is much more convenient, though, and safer for the BP (I have never had a FT rat bite one of my snakes).

And as far as hides, I just use plasic flower-pot saucers upside-down with a bit of the edge cut away so the BP can get under it (any sharp edges are removed, too). Cheap & easy to clean. And I use the smallest that the BP will fit under - the tighter the fit the more they seem to like it.
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Astronomy Picture of the Day

Also, most things I have read say to get a thermostat, and i am beginning to hate petsmart more and more even though i've been trying to give them the benefit of the doubt because they say that its fine without one. Should I invest in a thermostat, or just stick with the heat lamps i am using?

Right now: 12:08 am I have the red light on and it is giving me 92 degrees on the hot side. Is it possible to just use the red? because the white isn't giving me the high temps i want. I also have a large water dish on the hot side under the lamps and was getting about 50% humidity. but right now i just checked it and it was below 40 and the dish was still full, so i sprayed the tank down with a squirt bottle. I have 3 layers of foil and duct tape over the lid on 3/4th of it, WHAT AM I DOING WRONG? I NEED TO FIND A WAY TO KEEP THINGS CONSTANT...TEMP AND HUMIDITY.

I NEED ANY WORDS OF WISDOM