New here... Rescue BP

[SashasMom]

Hi! I'm new to this site and a returning herp enthusiast to the world. A brief background. I was huge into the herp world about 20 years ago. Back when everyone was still feeding iguanas lettuce. Spent years trying to educate people of the right way to care for all kinds of lizards and snakes. Did reptile education at schools, was on local TV networks and newspapers, ran a herp newsletter, co-authored a book about Jackson's chameleons. I captured, froze and fed thawed mice to my snakes way before it was a norm (didn't even know anyone else who did it), and was a member of the Seattle herp society.

I finally got tired of the fight... Tired of the hundreds of rescues... Tired of watching them die in the hands of uneducated owners. I couldn't teach them all. But I had tried. I gave up and walked away with only a tattoo of a Burmese python on my arm to remember all those years with.

So, all these years later, a coworker asked if I wanted a snake. A rescue. I immediately said no because we don't have a local pet store for mice. Imagine my surprise when I looked online and found frozen mice galore! Lol I agreed to take the constrictor without knowing the species but was fairly certain from the description that she was a ball.

Sasha arrived late at night at the end of my shift. A two foot bp quite underweight and covered with chunks of unshed skin. To my amazement she ate a prekilled mouse only hours after her move! She is sweet and still hungry... waiting on 50 frozen mice to arrive to feed her again. Got her a house and larger water dish. Is in a room kept at 85 degrees until her heat lamp arrives. Shedding off the rest of her skin now. Good humidity.

My question is, how often should I offer food to get her weight back up? The level of knowledge out there is soooo much better than it used to be and I am never afraid to admit I still have a lot to learn.

Thank you all in advance and I look forward to poking my head back into a world I used to love so much and I have chosen this forum to do it in.

PS Would a photo of Sasha help?

[DVirginiana]

Glad you got her. Mine was a petstore rescue; up for adoption for being 'too aggressive' when she actually had a retained shed.
I don't have experience rehabbing bp's specifically, so no advice on that front, but kudos to you for taking her in!

[SashasMom]

Thanks for the reply! And kudos for your rescue as well. ☺

This is my Sasha.

[SashasMom]

Back in the day... Lol Me and my kingsnake Shiloh.

[albinos_rule]

To answer your question. I would feed smaller meals about every five days. You don't want to feed your snake anything too large, until it gets some weight back on. I would love to do an education type thing, but no one in this area seems interested at all, so if I did do something it would be more or less solo...anyway good luck with your snake

[bcr229]

Welcome back to the hobby! I guess I don't have to warn you that BP's are like potato chips - you never stop at one.

Is in a room kept at 85 degrees until her heat lamp arrives.

FYI, heat lamps are humidity killers. Look into an under-tank heater and thermostat instead, it's so much easier to maintain.

[Pyrate81]

Here's a few things to start helping you get back up to speed if necessary. He doesn't look too bad to me aside from the bad shed. He should get back up to speed relatively quick I would think.

I'd give him a soak in luke warm water to help him out. Some people do/recommend putting a really damp snake bag/pillow case in the enclosure with the snake; this works as well.


Care Sheet:
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

Two most recommended housing types for snakes(pvc and racks/tubs):
PVC cage:
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...-With-Pictures!

Tub:
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...he-Basics-*DUW*


Companies to get f/t rodents: rodentpro, big cheese factory(most used/recomended)

[SashasMom]

Thank you all so much!! I did order from big cheese factory. Glad I picked right! Lol

[SashasMom]

Got beautiful frozen mice yesterday. Realized they were too small for her, but problem averted... She ate 4! Happy snake.