please help me I found a snake

[AliceE]

Hi everyone

I was walking home from school the other day and I found a snake, a ball python. There was no houses nearby really so I didnt knock and see if it was theirs. I recognized it because my cousin used to have one. He is black and gold, the kind you see at the pet store. I am really afraid of snakes but its cold here only 55-60 degrees and I couldn't just leave him there because I think that is too cold. I thought he was dead but I poked him with a stick and he moved so I picked him up with my sweater and shoved it inside my jacket for warmth.

My mom doesnt want anything to do with it so I have it in a little rubbermaid tub thing not very big, maybe 2 feet by 1 foot. It is a big snake, maybe 2 or 3 feet long and a little bit bigger around than a quarter but I did not measure. I dont know what to do with it. I cant put him back outside because he will die. his rubbermaid tub has holes poked in it and some water and a paper towel on the bottom and I put it on my heating blanket but I dont know how to take care of him.

he is moving around now, slithering around the tub. What do I feed him? What else does he need? i have some allowance saved up so I can buy what he needs. I probably have 200 dollars. I am afraid of him a lot but he doesnt seem like he will bite and I want to make sure he gets taken care of amd I want to learn to not be so scared of snakes. can i keep it in a fish tank type thing? We have a 5 gallon one that isnt being used. should I get a heating lamp and a hidey hut for him?

Sorry i cant post pictures, I just have a flip phone with a broken camera. I will try to borrow my friends this week. I would really appreciate some help.

[python_addict]

Where are you located? But if it is 2-3 feet long is should be tons thicker than a quarter if it's a ball python.

[AliceE]

I have an update. I am in Idaho, first of all. I think he is smaller than I thought maybe closer to 2 feet. I found a water dish for him, one of the stainless steel wide based dishes we had for our cat. I cut holes into some cleaned deli containers for him to hide in. what kind of heater does he need? there are a lot of kinds of basking lamps. I can go to the pet store and get things. Can he use cedar bedding? how do I feed it?

[shaneswife828]

Yes a UTH is needed. Never use pine or cedar as substrate. I use ecoearth coconut fiber. Hot side at approx 92. Cool side at approx. 82. Humidity no lower than 50 bit I try to keep mine up around 65-75 percent.

[shaneswife828]

I have a bp that is approx 31" and she is approx 4 or 5 inches in diameter.

[python_addict]

I use aspen or the cypress mulch.

[shaneswife828]

I have a bp that is approx 31" and she is approx 4 or 5 inches in diameter. My guess is its likely a garter snake which is native to idaho. I would Google pics of ball pythons as well as native species of snake. Ball pythons are nocturnal so it's unlikely it would be laying put in the middle of the road. Garters are known to sun themselves.

[Boomerang]

Hard to imagine it surviving out there in winter. We have had a mild winter on the West coast here though because of El Nino so it is possible if the snake was recently released. Since ball pythons don't hibernate during winter months like other snakes that naturally live out here, it must have been a recent release, unless it's not a ball python. The only thing you have in Idaho is humidity these days.

You sure it's a ball?

[Lizardlicks]

Yeaaaah, are you sure that's a bp? If it's 2-3 feet long I'd imagine it should be a lot bigger around. My 5 month old hatchling is bigger around than that, and she's just under 2 feet nose tip to tail. I'm guessing the poor thing is super emaciated if that's an accurate estimate.

But $200 and a tupperware tub, we can make this work. A lot of people here actually keep their snakes in tubs on a permanent basis, myself included. You want a correct sized one, probably a 28 or 32 qt from Walmart or Homedepot or the like will work. Okay, first thing, run to your local pet shop and grab of of these zoomed thermostats and a heat pad.



This is gonna be the largest chunk of your change, but it is absolutely the most critical part of your setup as you can not run your heat unregulated, it will get too hot and burn or kill the snake. Walmart should have the right sized tubs (look for Sterilite or Rubbermaid brand storage containers) and while you're there grab an Accurite thermometer/hygrometer for your temps and humidity. Last things you can grab at Walmart too, or even go to a local dollar store type place. Find some plastic bowls that are opaque, and just sized enough that the snake would touch all the sides with it's body when it's coiled up, and one of those ceramic pet water dishes.

Once you get your loot home, you got a little DIY to do. Either cut access holes into the bowls, or get someone else to do it if you're not confident in doing it yourself. You'll need to put holes into the sides of the tub for ventilation too, but that can easily be done with a soldering iron, or even a hot glue gun if you have one. Once you get those prepared, proceed to set up your snake tub following this guide. Your target temps are gonna be a 78-80F ambient, 88-90 hotspot, and humidity at about 60%. You can use paper towels for substrate. Keep the snake and his setup some place warm and quiet, a bedroom with a closed door is best.

For reference, here's a pick of one of my girls' tubs sans thermometer/hygrometer. The black strip in the back is the heat tape (you only need a single pad for one tub) and the red glowing numbers you see down in the bottom right is my thermostat.

[AliceE]

I am sure he looks just like the pictures when I google ball python, but he is the black and gold one, not one of the other colors. he even has the little holes by where his nose is along his mouth. (what are those?) he is black with gold blotches on his sides and a bit of a gold stripe down his back near the tail. he has a gold stripe going through each eye too.