Please help

[Shadowadow]

I just took in a 9 year old ball python. I live in northwest Ohio and he came from South Carolina. I've been reading tons of info online about BP's. But I would feel better talking to snake experts here. He arrived Monday night and I handled him twice since he's been here. And yes I realize he's stressed out. The previous owner said he's never been aggressive. I left him alone yesterday and tried moving him today and he hissed/made nasally noises at me. I'm assuming he's stressed out and sad but what should I do from here on out to make him comfortable. In time I just want him to be completely happy and friendly. Please help. This isn't my first snake but he is my first BP!

[Shadowadow]

Ps I don't know how to start my own thread or conversation or however this works ahhhhhhhh please help

[bcr229]

Well, first describe the setup for your snake - is it in a tank, tub, or reptile enclosure? What are the low side/high side/belly temps and how are you regulating and measuring them? What is the humidity in the enclosure?

[JodanOrNoDan]

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

[redshepherd]

Taking pictures of your enclosure for him, what equipment you are using to regulate the heat and measure temperatures, and even pictures of the snake would help!

Ideally, you can avoid handling him at all until his enclosure/setup is how it should be and he takes a couple meals.

[Shadowadow]

He's in a 40 gallon breeder tank. I'm still trying to maintain temps which I find hard to do. I'm using a newspaper substrate. He has a heat pad and I have a cardboard box on top of it but he's decided to squeeze between the box and the back of the tank. I'm not sure if he's even getting any heat from his belly. The bell temp is 92-93. That side of the tank reads 80 and the other side is 77 and his humidity is about 56. Also the previous owner said he hasnt eaten since May.

[LittleTreeGuy]

Is your heat pad on a thermostat? That's rule number 1 and VERY important. ANY heat source needs to regulated by a thermostat.

If your belly heat is regulated and set to 92 degrees, that's good. The heat your seeing on a thermometer is the ambient air temperature. It will be lower than the surface of the tank. What are you using to measure your temperatures with?

That humidity is fine for now. When he sheds, you'll want to get it a little higher, but it will be okay for now.

Make sure he has two identical hides, one on the warm side and one on the cool side. They need to be big enough for him to get his whole body into, but not much bigger. Something with no bottom and just a hole/door big enough for him to get through is sufficient. The more closed in, the better he'll like it. The Large or xtra large hides from ReptileBasics are great.

The best thing you can do for him now, is leave him alone for a week or so. That will give him time to settle in and get used to his new surroundings. It's not too uncommon for adults to go off feed for a while. In addition, if their husbandry isn't in order, it may delay their feeding response as well. I'd get everything in check, leave him alone for 5-7 days (that's the hard part ) and then maybe try offering him a meal. If he doesn't eat, maybe offer again every 10 days until he eats.

[Shadowadow]

I purchased a Zilla heat pad medium 16 watt 8 x 12 and put it in the middle on one side of his tank. Is one okay or should I have 2 of them to cover that side only? Also I have one stick on thermometer and a stick on hygrometer and an acurite thermometer in his tank. I also have a thermometer gun.

[bcr229]

The stick-on gauges are useless. Not only are they inaccurate, they tend to unstick themselves from the side of the tank and stick on your snake.

You NEED a thermoSTAT (not thermometer) to regulate the under-tank heater or it will make the glass floor above it hot enough to burn your snake. The vet bill to treat a burn is many times the cost of a thermostat and then you still have to purchase the thermostat anyway.