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  1. #1
    Registered User lusciousdragon's Avatar
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    First week with my new girl, checking with you all to make sure she is doing well

    I got my 2 year old girl on Sunday. I held her at the breeder's house then brought her home and let her get comfortable in her house. I haven't held her since Sunday.
    Yesterday I offered her the first food, a frozen thawed rat pup. The local pet store in town only had frozen so I thought I'd try it. I'll go out and get live soon. She ate live at the breeder's house. She didn't want anything to do with the pup. I wiggled it in front of her and then dropped it and she ended up resting with it for hours. So I finally threw it out.
    Today I pet her inside of her tank. She kinda curled her head up and hid it. She didn't go into a ball. Still didn't pick her up yet. The tank is in my craft room away from the kids and is peaceful in there.
    Later on today she finally got into her hidey hole. It is a terra cotta pot turned upside down with a hole. She looks really comfy in there. Otherwise she would just sit in the corner and stare at me. I go in there every few hours and say hi to her to get her used to me. I'm a stay at home mom, so I'm here all day.
    So my questions are... since she finally went into the hidey then that is a good sign right? I am just trying to read her mind to see if she is happy and adjusting well.
    And how do I know if she is drinking her water? I haven't seen her drink it.
    I know I am probably putting too much thought into it. I should probably just pick her up and see if she bites me ha ha. Should I wait to hold her until I get some food in her and then wait the 48 hours after that?
    I had snakes like 10 years ago with my exhusband. He kept them all. We had lots of them. So I'm just trying to get back into this and am just not sure I'm doing it right. I was 20 years old then and didn't know much.
    -April
    1.2 het pied ball pythons, Hoyt, Suzanna & Rayne
    1.0 Hog Island boa, Dax
    1.0 albino ball python, Marty
    1.0 poodle, Vegas
    2.0 guinea pigs, Ralphie and Randy

  2. #2
    BPnet Veteran Nick_bp's Avatar
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    Re: First week with my new girl, checking with you all to make sure she is doing well

    just cuz you dont see her drinking her water doesnt mean she isnt drinking it. most of the time you wont see them drinking and if you do catch her drinking consider yourself lucky. let her be for about a week before feeding her or picking her up. then slowly you can start holding her more and letting her get used to you. try feeding her and if she doesnt take it then try again every couple days or so untill she is ready to eat and then after then put her on a 7- 10 day eating schedule. after she eats wait 48 hours before picking her up or you risk the chance of her regurgitating and thats not very good for the ball. if she does regurge wait two weeks before feeding her again so her stomach has time to go back in order. if she is in her hide then thats good she is getting used to her new home. a really lazy bp is a happy bp. these are just some of the question i have asked and ppl have answered me. everybody has different methods and different perspectives so someone could answer these better then i can. good luck with girl!

  3. #3
    BPnet Senior Member iCandiBallPythons's Avatar
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    Re: First week with my new girl, checking with you all to make sure she is doing well

    I would definitely offer her a larger prey like a small to med rat, its possible that you didnt have the f/t hot enough
    Malcolm S.
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  4. #4
    BPnet Lifer Vypyrz's Avatar
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    Re: First week with my new girl, checking with you all to make sure she is doing well

    Quote Originally Posted by iCandiBallPythons View Post
    I would definitely offer her a larger prey like a small to med rat, its possible that you didnt have the f/t hot enough
    I agree. Did you heat the prey up after you thawed it? Also sometimes it's the way you present it. Don't dangle over their head. They may percieve this as a predator. The best way is to use feeding tongs or feeding tweezers to wiggle the prey about 3-4 inches in front of them. My suggestion would be, if you can find live, feed them for the first 4-5 feedings to get it established, then try frozen/thawed. I would also suggest not handling the snake until you get it to eat. Did you offer the prey in the enclosure, or did you move it to a separate feeding enclosure?...
    "Cry, Havoc! And let slip the dogs of war..."

  5. #5
    Registered User lusciousdragon's Avatar
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    Re: First week with my new girl, checking with you all to make sure she is doing well

    Quote Originally Posted by Vypyrz View Post
    I agree. Did you heat the prey up after you thawed it? Also sometimes it's the way you present it. Don't dangle over their head. They may percieve this as a predator. The best way is to use feeding tongs or feeding tweezers to wiggle the prey about 3-4 inches in front of them. My suggestion would be, if you can find live, feed them for the first 4-5 feedings to get it established, then try frozen/thawed. I would also suggest not handling the snake until you get it to eat. Did you offer the prey in the enclosure, or did you move it to a separate feeding enclosure?...
    I might not have warmed it up enough. I had no idea how to do that. So I let it sick out for 3 hours. Then put it into hot water to further warm it. What is the best way to warm it?
    I did feed her in her enclosure. I'll try the tongs in the future too.
    1.2 het pied ball pythons, Hoyt, Suzanna & Rayne
    1.0 Hog Island boa, Dax
    1.0 albino ball python, Marty
    1.0 poodle, Vegas
    2.0 guinea pigs, Ralphie and Randy

  6. #6
    Registered User humpee316's Avatar
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    Re: First week with my new girl, checking with you all to make sure she is doing well

    Quote Originally Posted by lusciousdragon View Post
    I might not have warmed it up enough. I had no idea how to do that. So I let it sick out for 3 hours. Then put it into hot water to further warm it. What is the best way to warm it?
    I did feed her in her enclosure. I'll try the tongs in the future too.
    A trick i learned with frozen prey is to poke a hole in the skull of the mouse or rat.I know this sounds barbaric,but it has worked for me.my female seems to strike fast and is less fussy.I have tried this with the same mouse before hole..picky and fussy ,after hole BAMM...almost instantly she strikes,weird but true..Read this in a book.something about the scent of brainmatter that acts as a hyper stimulant

  7. #7
    BPnet Veteran catawhat75's Avatar
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    Re: First week with my new girl, checking with you all to make sure she is doing well

    I would let her settle in a bit more. The general rule of thumb is giving them a week before trying to offer food. A rat pup is too small for her- she is used to small or smaller medium sized rats. If you can't find live up there, let me know. I can always give you one or two live ones.

    As for picking her up, I would wait until she has had her first meal. Then pick her up a day or so later. Don't be nervous, she is a calm girl You will do fine!
    1.1 crazy dogs
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  8. #8
    BPnet Senior Member iCandiBallPythons's Avatar
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    Re: First week with my new girl, checking with you all to make sure she is doing well

    Quote Originally Posted by lusciousdragon View Post
    I might not have warmed it up enough. I had no idea how to do that. So I let it sick out for 3 hours. Then put it into hot water to further warm it. What is the best way to warm it?
    I did feed her in her enclosure. I'll try the tongs in the future too.
    Use something like a gladlock container and fill with water, place it in the microwave for around 2 mins depending on yours, place the prey item into the water and place near the enclosure, leave the prey until you feel no cold spots , grasp with tongs and present a few inches from your bp.
    Malcolm S.
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  9. #9
    Registered User lusciousdragon's Avatar
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    Re: First week with my new girl, checking with you all to make sure she is doing well

    Thanks everyone! I am a worry wart when it comes to my pets. I keep wanting them to just talk to me to tell me what is going on with them. I swear my dog is beaming thoughts to me when he is staring at me ha ha. I'll pick up a little rat this weekend to give her. The place in town just has frozen and the guy gave me a big speech about how the rats will eat the snakes from the inside out, so that is why they don't sell live feeders. But on my way out I noticed a whole tank of rats hiding from me. Doesn't look like they will sell them to me for that reason.
    1.2 het pied ball pythons, Hoyt, Suzanna & Rayne
    1.0 Hog Island boa, Dax
    1.0 albino ball python, Marty
    1.0 poodle, Vegas
    2.0 guinea pigs, Ralphie and Randy

  10. #10
    Registered User humpee316's Avatar
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    Smile Ball Pythons have personalities....Do they bond...I think so

    Boring ,Stupid ,yucky,nasty...Ive heard it all from all the misinformed,stereotypical,and uneducated people in my life who think im soft for owning a snake.I have had my BP Jazzmin since the first week of April of this year,as a baby.My wife gave me the 'are you crazy speech'but now 5 months later she is both amazed and quite fond of her. i offer an observation for commentary.at times i will talk to her through her cage cover and she will emerge from her hide and climb her log and press her head to the screen where my mouth is and will move when i move..i can here the' YEAH RIGHTS '.But im serious.Another thing she does is when i bring her outside to cruise in the lawn.i set her down and move 15 or so feet away.and almost every time no matter what direction i go she heads to me and stops when reaching me..I cant be the only one who believes these snakes are more than they are suposed to be .any similar experiences would be cool to her about

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