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I have always loved pythons but never actually owned one. That changed today. I was excited to finally get to see the BP my niece has had for about a year and a half. When I saw the conditions under which the snake was kept I decided to bring it home as she obviously wasn't interested in taking care of it. It was kept in a very cool basement with no heat source. There were no windows so it had no access to a normal light cycle. She kept it in a glass tank with a screen top and it was filthy with feces and cat hair in it. I can't imagine the stress it felt having a cat climbing on the screen.

I have washed the tank with hot water and soap. I replaced the half log hideout with a 6in opaque plastic bowl with a hole barely big enough for the snake to fit thru (it probably needs to be a little bigger since it's back rubbed going in). The snake is about 30in long and looks thin to me. It has definite wrinkles when it coils up that I've never really seen in pictures (at least not as pronounced). It hasn't eaten in 3-4 weeks since she is afraid of mice and her ex-boyfriend used to feed it for her. Now for the questions.

1. I know the tank needs to be disenfected but I have no idea what to use. I did see something on the pro exotics website that I was thinking of buying. Any advice here would be appreciated.

2. I put a UTH on the tank and replaced the repti-bark with lizard liner carpet. I added two digital temp/humidity gauges. I'm not sure where I should place the sensors though. At the moment they are under the carpet since I wanted to keep the snake off them. One is directly above the UTH and reading 90, the other is next to the water bowl and reading 81. Should they be somewhere else? Do the temps need to be lowered at night?

3. It is in the middle of a shed that doesn't appear to be going well. I don't know when it started but it is comeing off in small patches. I put a wet t-shirt on the screen but the humidity level won't go above 55%. Could the reading be wrong due to poor placement of the sensors (under the carpet)? I did try to soak it a little in warm water but it wasn't enjoying it and was making it difficult. Should I be a little more forceful and keep it in the water or should I just let it be since it's obviously pretty stressed?

4. I've read that snakes won't eat during shedding, should I wait until it's done to even try to feed it? It does look thin. I've read about BP's going months without feeding but I can't imagine this being good for their health. It has been feeding on live white mice, should I continue with this for a while until it adjusts to it's new home? Would it be a waste of time to try frozen?

5. The climb branch is basically like a small tree that couldn't possibly hold the snakes weight without falling over. Would it be possible to use the half log or should I look for something else?

Sorry for the length of the post. I think I'm about as stressed as the snake is right now, I don't want to do something stupid and make things worse. Thanks for reading and I look forward to any replies.

If you can get yourself some caly pot plant bases check proexotics for a demo on how to make them as hides. These hides help tremendously with stress.
Temps sound gooe as for the shed wet a pillowcase put the bp in it and lay on warm side...shed should come off within couple hours.
Be prepared for a possible struggle on feeding for a while.
i would wait a little while let it get used to new home then slowly try feeding.
Sounds to me like your willing to do a good job. Good luck and listen to others on here they give good advice..even JY(just kidding JY)
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0.1 Leos
1.1 Corn snakes (1 Lav & 1 Ghost)
0.1 Banan California King
0.0.1 Childrens python
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow boa
1.0 Rat (as pet not food)
1.2 Ball pythons (1pastel 2 normals)
"whats with you and all those dang reptiles?"

>>1. I know the tank needs to be disenfected but I have no idea what to use. I did see something on the pro exotics website that I was thinking of buying. Any advice here would be appreciated.

You can use something like what PE offers or you can go to a Nolvasan (vets often carry it) or you can go as simple as a good 5% bleach soak and THOROUGH dry out.

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>>2. I put a UTH on the tank and replaced the repti-bark with lizard liner carpet. I added two digital temp/humidity gauges. I'm not sure where I should place the sensors though. At the moment they are under the carpet since I wanted to keep the snake off them. One is directly above the UTH and reading 90, the other is next to the water bowl and reading 81. Should they be somewhere else? Do the temps need to be lowered at night?

The temps need to be correct where the snake is, not under, over or around. So, I would put the sensor where the snake can bask....on the pad but above the substrate. and I would check inside the cool side hide as well. No, they don't need to go down at night. Personally I hate carpet. It will soon be very difficult to keep clean. I know it isn't pretty but newspaper is cheap and you can change it out thoroughly each time you need without wasting time or money. Some use cypress mulch with good success but I fine I am VERY allergic to it. And since I don't enjoy hives from handling my snakes, I go with newspaper.

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>>3. It is in the middle of a shed that doesn't appear to be going well. I don't know when it started but it is comeing off in small patches. I put a wet t-shirt on the screen but the humidity level won't go above 55%. Could the reading be wrong due to poor placement of the sensors (under the carpet)? I did try to soak it a little in warm water but it wasn't enjoying it and was making it difficult. Should I be a little more forceful and keep it in the water or should I just let it be since it's obviously pretty stressed?

I would put in a humid hide. A sweater box with a hole in the lid for entrance and fill it with soaked and squeezed out spaghnum moss. Keep it in the cage all the time or only sheds....I leave mine in all the time. I just remist the moss as needed.
To help finish his shed I would put him in a bucket (with lid) or container with lid (obviously with breathing holes) with a warm (not hot) wet cloth.....towel, whatever. It is less intimidating than soaking him in water, though that is an option. If he is freaking it may be too hot or cold. Let him sit with it for a couple hours. Then let him walk through your hands holding the towel to work off the old sheds.

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>>4. I've read that snakes won't eat during shedding, should I wait until it's done to even try to feed it? It does look thin. I've read about BP's going months without feeding but I can't imagine this being good for their health. It has been feeding on live white mice, should I continue with this for a while until it adjusts to it's new home? Would it be a waste of time to try frozen?

If it were me I wouldn't try live til I exhausted other possiblilitys. You could try small rats or mice. Rats would put weight back on faster, if it will take them. And I would try frozen thawed and just leave them in front of the hide, right before bed and see if he eats during the night. I wouldn't bother to try to feed him for a week or two though. He needs time to adjust and settle in.
I have adult wcs that eat four months of the year. Go figure. And they continue to grow, gain and be healthy.

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>>5. The climb branch is basically like a small tree that couldn't possibly hold the snakes weight without falling over. Would it be possible to use the half log or should I look for something else?

My BPs don't climb. I don't give them anything like I do for my Children's Pythons. Do take out the climb branch if it is going to fall. No sense the snake getting hurt for it.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

Thanks to both of you for the advice. I moved the sensor from under the mat to the top and the temp didn't change but the humidity went from 54 to 63%. There is bits of skin all over the tank and it's a pain picking it out of the carpet. Might have to really consider the newspaper. Evidently it wore itself out running (or slithering) all over the tank today because it hasn't come out of it's hide since I've been home.