Hi everybody, I'm Doyle! I've been lurking forums and being shy for a while now, but I finally worked up some guts to make an introduction post!
I only recently became a ball python owner after falling madly in love with my boyfriend's 7yo normal, Marla. The boyfriend got me my first ball python, a 290g spider girl we named Wendy, roughly a month and a half ago, and a couple weeks ago we added Grayson, a baby axanthic boy, to our family.

Before I got either of them, I was watching ball python videos and absorbing information from care sheets and forums. Priming myself to be a paranoid snake momma. We got Wendy from a local owner around the end of September. Maybe a week and a half ago, I noticed she was elevating her head, yawning a bit, and heard I a bit of popping-- and so I took her to the vet immediately. They've been giving her an injection every two days. I've noticed she is no longer elevating her head or yawning, but I think there is still an occasional "pop" when she breathes-- I am not sure if this is still the case, as she's in the middle of shed and I've been leaving her alone the past couple of days. She's had five injections now.

I've been diligent in cleaning her setup and anything she might have come into contact with, as well as hands before/after handling, but I'm a little worried about the new baby. We just got him a few weeks ago from a breeder. He is 50g right now (I don't think my boyfriend expected him to be sooo tiny!), and I'm worried about him getting sick despite efforts. He's yawned a couple times (once he only kinda half-yawned?), which has turned me from paranoid to crazy paranoid. Just how contagious is an RI?
Also, is it typical for babies like him to be difficult to feed? Wendy has been a champion throughout everything, and he's been a little brat


I welcome any advice at all for a beginner, seriously anything at all. Anything a new owner should know or expect, things that people don't tell you, etc. I adore these guys.