Just a few questions from a new Ball Python Owner.

[Kyotan]

Today I thought it would be a good spontaneous idea to surprise the fiancè with a Ball Python (She's always wanted one) so I went to my local pet store and picked out the friendliest hatchling they had. After that, the woman who helped my find a 10 Gallon Glass cage for it, heating lamp, Aspen Bedding and a water bowl (in the form of a purple rock, I actually quite like it). So, after everything is set up, I started doing some heavy research on Ball Python care and actually learned quite a few new things from this site (Thank You!). So I find as of now, we're quite unprepared for taking long term care of this Python, which we will be correcting upon our next pay day. The only big issue we have right now is heating. From my research, this is quite a murky area, and by murky, I mean a lot of mixed opinions on whats best which left me a bit confused. I'm using a 60W heating lamp I'm keeping on one side of the tank, but I don't know if that's enough. I plan to correct this mistake with a heating pad and dimmer switches, but will my new Python be okay in the next week and a half before I can get this new heating pad? Also, when is a good time to turn on and off this lamp? I'm told their nocturnal and to keep it off at night, turn it on during the day but I work during the night and the Fiancè works during the day so this brings up quite the confusion on when to turn it off and on. It also gets quite cold in here at night. We live in Florida so it's basically hot all the time here and use a Central AC unit where we can't set up custom temp for a specific room and we're unsure if it's safe to turn it off at all without a heating pad. There's also the question of humidity, to which we're given no numbers of what's good or bad, only that humidity is good. I apologize for the long explanation and hope to be enlightened on this new adventure. Thank you in advanced!

[Phantomtip]

Is it a red or white bulb. Reds you can leave on as long as it doesn't fry your snake, whites only during the day because the bright light will stress your snake. UTHs are the way to go. Also you can insulate the 2 sides, back and half the front with blankets taped to the tank AWAY from the light. Don't put cloth over or around the light. You can use foil on 2/3rds of the top to help keep heat and humidity in some. If you can stand it try to keep the temps up in your apartment till you can get an appropriate heat source, or move the snake to the warmest room. You can adjust the vents also in your apartment so that one room is warmer.

[Fidget]

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

You should find just about everything you need here, including specific info on temp and humidity ranges. You may want to rethink the glass aquarium as your enclosure. Tubs are much easier for keeping up the humidity.

Can you close off the AC vent in the room your BP will be in?

Anyway, enjoy your new animal and don't forget to post pictures!

[BiggBaddWolf]

Good luck with your new bp, and phantomtip's suggestions are spot on

[Kyotan]

Thank you all so much for the helpful advice! So I went out and got a 10 Gallon Heating pad which I stupidly installed in the center bottom of the tank, so it will have to remain there until we can get a new one (This one didn't come with instructions, I only found out after I looked up the instructions online), and new hide wooden hide (We made the previous one out of a shoebox), it also has bark on the outside to assist with shedding (I've read that when they shed, they rub up on bark to help them out) and a 60W red bulb to keep on at night so I'm switching them every night. The last problem we have is the feeding, which will occur on the 27th of this month. I've read it's very difficult but I'm optimistic. If I knew how to post a picture, I certainly would! If anyone would explain how to do this, I'll gladly snap him/her in his/her enclosure and share it with you all (We find out the sex in two weeks! ). Also, thank you all for your helpful advice, I'm extremely delighted to have your input.

[Phantomtip]

Just give the little one time to settle in before you try to feed. Also that shoe box will be great if its a plastic one and not cardboard. You can make a humid hide out of the opaque plastic box by cutting a hole in the side or lid just big enough foor her to get in and keeping damp sphagnum moss or terrarium moxx in it. Its great for when they shed and need the extra humidity. Then if your humidity in the rest of the enclosure isn't great you have a safe guard. Also if the hide is a little big then you can jam wadded up paper towels in it to make it a snug comfy fit for her. I wish you all the luck with your new addition. What did you name her?

[Kyotan]

Oh my gosh. I hadn't considered moss, that's a great idea! Thank you! Well, he/she is too young to know just yet, but we find out in about a week and a half. If the snake is a Male, we'll name him Neptune. If the snake is a Female, we'll name her Namira (Totally an Elder Scrolls Reference). I'm actually hoping for a female. I don't really know why, it just adds a sense of comfort. Either way, we've already fell in love with him/her. I've read that Hatchlings require quite a bit of handling if their to turn out not so hostile, so we've been handling him as such. Letting him explore up and down our arms, around my neck, he especially loves curling up in the Fiances chest. We also have a fleese blanket that he seemingly adores. Are we going about this wrong? So far, he seems happy and excited, very calm in his cage and very curious and "lovey" outside the cage. He's only tried to tag me once, and that was when I tried to remove him from the box into his new enclosure (I completely understand that he was frightened. It was also the loudest it's ever been on that highway, of all the times for two ambulances and a Firetruck to drive RIGHT by, Sirens blasting ).

[Ashley-Rose]

I am also a new Ball Python owner and I had a lot to learn as well.
I have learned that over handling can become very stressful to the snake so make sure you don't over handle. I usually handle mine for about an hour 3 out of 7 days of the week and he is rather comfortable. If the snake is too stressed out it will not eat (as I had learned). I've also gotten advise from people on here that you should let a new snake settle to its new environment for at least a week and a half as in no handling.
Everything else you really need to know is in the link that Fidget gave you. I wish you luck with your new friend! They are very fun to have