Reptile & Amphibian Forums

can anyone please tell me what to do now with the baby? when do i feed him and will it know how to drink water if it needs it on its own? sorry if i sound dumb, i just want guided advice. can you tell i am a nervous 1st time snake mommy or what? thanks for your advice and patience. missy

It's going to be about ten days before he sheds. Keep him in a simple, humid set up until he sheds. Make sure he has a water bowl. After all the babies shed, they will need to be set up individually. less is more with the babies. Mine go in a shoe box rack with aspen bedding, a hide box, and a water bowl. You can give him a few days to settle in after that, then try offering him food (check to make sure his "belly button" is completely healed up). Some people offer rat pinks as a first meal, some offer mouse hoppers or small adults. It seems to depend on individual preference of the breeder, feeder availability, and size of the snake.

If the snake doesn't eat right away, remove the food item, and wait another week. You're going to be tempted to offer the baby food again the next day or two. I was when I had my first clutch, and all I did was stress out the little albino I was trying to feed. As long as they're at the proper temps and have a nice secure hide box, a healthy baby will eat when it's ready. Wait a full week to offer food again if it doesn't eat the first time. If it consistently refuses on type of prey, try another. As far as the drinking, they know instinctively that they need to drink, you won't need to aid him along in that.

There is a really good book by VPI, I call it the ball python Bible. If you go to VPI's website they sell it there. It has EVERYTHING you need. I hope this helps.

thanks. i will check it out

thank you for your info

You can either leave them together until they shed (about a week to 10 days) or set them up separate right out of the egg -- it's your choice. But once they shed you need to put each one in a separate small tub with hide and waterbowl. Once they come out of the egg, wash them off and put them in their tub and leave them be - you don't want to mess with babies at all until they are on a good feeding schedule. If any come out with their cords - don't panic just keep them on damp paper towel and until it falls off. They will find water and heat and security on their own - don't worry about it. Once they have shed out you try feeding them - at this point they definitely need to be in separate homes.
-----
Tosha
JET Pythons
Toshas Blog

Herp Medicine does not equal a bottle of Baytril - Dr. Scott Stahl

thank you

My hatchlings go into a sweater box with lots of wet paper toweling. The whole clutch together will stay there until they shed and I keep the box in the same incubator where they hatched with a temp of 89 degrees until shed. Then they are housed individually in shoe boxes in an Animal Plastics rack with ambient room temps of 82 and a hot spot of 89-90. I set them up and allow 1-2 days rest and then offer a feed of live mouse fuzzy. I like fuzzy mice that are plump with eyes not quite or just opened. They are not so aggressive and they don't intimidate the snake. My most recent clutch of 10 were first fed yesterday and all 10 ate. The clutch pictured just hatched and we will see if they do as well!