Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a few question, I just got my ball python yesterday, and been reading a lot about them.. I was told to set his cage up and leave him be for like 4days until his next feed. question 1. is it ok for him to stay in his hide all day? 2. When I feed him how long should I wait to handle him? 3. Is it anyways to tell how old he is? 4. Im using a clip lamp with a red bulb, is that fine to use for a heat source..

Last anyone knows of a good site for a beginner like me.. I want to learn just about everything it is to learn about my new pet..

1. is it ok for him to stay in his hide all day?
Yes, and make sure you have a hide on the hot side and cool side, very important with babies.

2. When I feed him how long should I wait to handle him?
I would give him a day or two to let it digest, remember snakes are cold blooded so the it takes time for them to break down their food and if there is too much activity before it is broken down it is going to come back up. Not trying to scare you but in a full day or two it should be fine.

3. Is it anyways to tell how old he is?
Size can help give you an idea of the age however if the seller didn't or know or didn't tell you it is very hard to say some people over feed their snakes with makes them bigger faster but a lot of people also under feed their snakes (petstore do this all the time) simply to keep them alive.

4. Im using a clip lamp with a red bulb, is that fine to use for a heat source..
I will be honest I personally would return the heat lamp and bulb and just go with uth (under tank heat), get a heating pad that is right size for you cage set up. Most snakes in the wild go out on road or rocks at night to get heat from the ground they don't tend to clime up and bask in the sun. Side note heat rocks- BIG NO NO, don't get one just get a uth and you should be fine.

Good luck and hope you enjoy your new friend!!!
matt

Thanks for all the info.. But so for as the clip lamp goes I have a underneath heating source also, but it not keeping the warm side temp up, Plus I live in Vegas and right now its getting cold and my home is cold.. thats the only reason why I using the lamp

First of all, You're on a good website for ball pythons. Check out
http://www.kingsnake.com/ballpythonguide/index.html

It's a pretty good care sheet.

Trust me just a under tank heater will be fine. A heat lamp will suck all of the humidity out of the tank and you will have major shedding problems. I keep my house around 71 degres because I hate being hot but inside the hide on the "warm" side of my enclosures the temp is about 88-92 degrees. A good hide will lock in the heat but wont cook your snake. See my pics of my normal and my pastel. The hides on the left are over the heat pad. the lamps you see are 5 watt compact flourscent blacklight bulbs that give off almost zero heat and are just for "looking cool" at night. They will move back and forth if they get too hot or cold though you may never see it. When I first got into balls about 15 years ago I thought my first never moved from the cool spot until I started watching her at night. What are you using for substrate?

-----
"What are you afraid of? What ever it is, it's here. That and things your little irrational mind couldn't even dream of."

oh ok.. Imma listen I have to get another hide. I just have a hide on the cool side right now, and something for him to climb to help shedd..