Brand new BP owner, first shed(I think), and advice on some other topics.

**VereMyth** · 08-11-2018, 01:55 AM

So here it is, I am a first time ball python owner have not even had it(Don't know gender, so no name yet, going sometime next week for sexing and a wellness check up I do this for all the animals I own)

Now my first concern is I think they are shedding already...I haven't even fed their first meal yet. I read the shedding process thread. But could I also be mistaken?( I do think I am paranoid at this point)
Right now The only indicator I have is that there seems to be skin peeling like shedding off of the head the eyes were kind of cloudy for a about a day or two I can't exactly tell but at least day(I have been bouncing around trying to get temps right which I have finally got, I had to order a thermostat and heat-pad from amazon and it took a whole day and a half of being just a few degrees under ninety during the day to get here(Which also had me on edge). Gah off topic again...

Point being I do not have an accurate hygrometer(I have a fairly cheap analog one that supposed to stick to the tank but the adhesive sticker was no where to be found so it is lying in a corner. I have the combo meter(digital) I ordered should be here tomorrow) but until it does get here will over doing the humidity a bit, hurt the python? The other topics I would like to address. What is a good night time bulb for viewing? and a reputable timer for the lighting? I tend to work late afternoons and nights so a timer for the heat lamp above the cage(75 watt infrared heat bulb.) Would be helpful(Am using a relative to turn it off when I am absent at the moment)
One other thing right now though is what is a good spot for the thermal probes? I have my thermal probes buried a bit under the substrate but not touching the glass, around the area the ball python will use the heated sides hide and above the UTH pad.

Now for the help us help you part:

1. How long have you had your ball python?

3 days.

2. How old (or how big) is your snake?

The store stated they get them at juvenile( I have not handled the snake except to put it into the enclosure and look at the under side which I panicked a bit at because I saw dark spots but turned out to be part of their natural color lol...) A rough guess would be at least a foot.

3. Does it eat on a regular schedule?

Has not had first feeding yet(Monday is when I shall try)

4. How long since its last meal?

7 days

5. What type/size prey is being offered?

The store stated pinkie mice(Advice here would help)

6. How often do you offer food?

Will be weekly(Have not yet)

7. What type and size of enclosure does it live in?

Glass terrrarium 45g

8. What are you using as substrate? If it has depth, how deep is it?

Reptibark about 1.5"

9. What type of heating do you use?

75 watt infrared heat bulb
10. Do you use a thermostat to control temperatures?

For the UTH heatpad yes

11. What do you use to measure/monitor temperatures?

A couple instruments(THermostat, temp gun, and a digital thermo that came with a little reptile kit.)

12. What are the surface and ambient temperatures in the enclosure?

hot side is 91 on the basking area and about 82 ambient. and surface

13. What is the average humidity level?

I try to keep it at 60-70% based on that analog hygrometer.

14. How many and what type of hides does the snake have?

A homemade one with one in and out and a regular old piece of tree that you would get from pet-smart.

15. Is water readily available at all times?
YES!!!!

16. Does the snake live alone or does it share the enclosure with anything else?

Alone

17. How often and for how long is the snake typically handled?

Not often as of yet. I will try for 30 minutes a day after the transition period and first feeding.

18. Does the snake have any medical history (old injuries or illnesses)?

None, that I can see or was told of.

19. Do you have any other reptiles? Have you brought in any new reptiles recently?
No.

20. Is there anything specific or unique about your situation that we should be aware of?

Any methods of help will have to be able to be used after weds this coming week.(at least methods requiring financial stuff)

ANY TIPS ARE WELCOME EVEN SCOLDINGS IF I AM DOING SOMETHING WRONG I have come to love this lil one even though I can only look at the moment.

**Craiga 01453** · 08-11-2018, 08:05 AM

Hello and welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of snake keeping!!

There was a lot there, so I may miss a thing or two, but I'll cover the important things that stood out and do my best to address more.

It sounds like you got the snake right in the middle of the shed process. It typically goes as follows: pink belly and dulled skin colors, followed by cloudy eyes (known as "in blue"), then the eyes clear and the skin appears normal. A few days later the snake will shed, hopefully in one beautiful piece.
If your snake has skin peeling off, it is shedding. Since you've only had the snake a few days, all you can do at this point is assist if needed. That does NOT mean peel the skin off, never do that. What that means is a soak or a crawl through a damp towel. (If youre unsure of this process just ask and we'll help you out.)
Also, the humidity being too high for a few days until your equipment arrives isn't a big deal. Extended periods can cause illnesses such as RI.

To answer your bulb question, you'll get mixed answers here. Some will say switch to a CHE. I personally use dark purple bulbs, have for years, day and night. BPs do not require a light cycle. The light entering the room during the day is plenty since they're usually hidden anyway.
IMPORTANT: ALL HEAT SOURCES SHOULD BE REGULATED BY A THERMOSTAT,. This includes bulbs, CHEs, RHPs, etc...

I don't know what probes you're talking about because to my knowledge you only have a heat bulb at this point. So I'm confused and can't help there.
Nor do I know what you mean by "heated sides hide".

Moving on...

5- Pinkie mice are WAY too small for a BP. They eat hoppers right out of the egg for their first few meals, typically 3-5 meals and quickly move up to small adult mice.

7- that may be too big to start. 45 gallons in huge for a juvenile BP. It is recommended to start smaller so the snake feels more secure. You may get lucky though, but for this to work you will need multiple appropriately sized hides (BPs like their hides snug fitting), lots of clutter and to black out the sides, back and top of the enclosure. (Feel free to ask follow up questions on this if you need to). Security is SUPER important to BPs, and without a lot of modification a 45 gallon does not offer much security for a young BP.

10- I already mentioned this, but I'm repeating it due to the importance: ALL HEAT SOURCES SHOULD BE REGULATED BY A THERMOSTAT. Including heat bulbs.

12- Also very important: be sure to measure the actual glass surface, not the top of the substrate. BPs can and will burrow, push substrate around, etc...so it's important to measure the glass itself, since that's the hottest point and your snake WILL come in contact with the glass.

14- I mentioned having proper hides earlier, but I'll elaborate here. It's important to have identical hides, for a young BP especially, because they will often sacrifice proper temps to feel secure if they dont have proper hides. By proper, I mean single entry, cave style, low to the ground hides. Not half logs, not skulls, castles, etc...(Those are a nightmare and should NEVER be used). They should be somewhat tight fitting to the snake, but if they're a little too big you can add some crumpled newspaper or something similar inside until the snake grows into it. But don't go too big. It should still be snug.

17- daily handling of 30 minutes is too much, especially at first. Start short and sweet. Start with 2-3 sessions per week at about 10-15 minutes each handling session and work your way up. Over handling is a sure fire way to stress the snake. Build trust over time and work your way up to longer, more frequent handling sessions.
Keep in mind you'll have to give the snake 48 hours after a meal to digest with no handling, no handling before feeding, no handling while the snake is in shed.

Also, it's important to let the snake acclimate and get eating before handling starts. For new keepers I recommend no handling at all until the snake has eaten 3 consecutive meals without refusal. It's health is most important, and as a juvenile regular eating is paramount. You'll have 25+ years to handle your snake. Start slow and make health a priority.

I hope I helped you out. Feel free to ask follow up questions. I'm sure others will chime in too once they wake up and make their way to the forum.

Please read all you can. Study, learn and learn some more. The more you know about your pet the better you can care for it. This forum is a fantastic resource.

Also, remember to cross reference multiple sources before believing anything to be true. Unfortunately, the negative of forums like this and the internet in general, is anybody can throw any info they want out there, true or not. So, make sure to learn from the right people (unfortunately, that is usually not pet store employees). Just because one person tells you something doesn't make it true.

Good luck! And ask any questions you may have, we're happy to help!

P.S. there was no mention of whether you planned to feed in the enclosure or use a seperate feeding tub. Feed inside the enclosure. If you were planning to use a seperate tub I'll be happy to fill you in on why NOT to use a seperate feeding tub.

**VereMyth** · 08-11-2018, 11:07 AM

Thanks for the reply! I should clear up that I do have an Under-tank heating pad as well. What I meant about the hot side temperature was thee temperature above my heating pad(Though this was with the lamp off). Another thing about the hides, they should be identical in look? Or rather more in function like the same amount space inside and only one entrance only one of my hides are cave style and he/she seems to do rather well with both of them(Moving every now and then between the two). Should I leave them be if he/she does alright? Or try to make another "At-home hide."(I used a small box with a crescent shape cut into it for the makeshift hide.

I will be feeding inside the same enclosure.

I will also look around for a forum about making homemade hides, but I bump in the right direction would help. Lol

I am rather glad though, that most of my enclosure seems to be okay.

I looked back at my previous post again. and saw that I missed the under tank heating pad for the heat section of the questions... Must have been more tired than I thought.

**Craiga 01453** · 08-11-2018, 11:40 AM

Ok, for now, unplug the UTH. Until you get your thermostat you're risking burning your snake. Those things can spike to as high as 120 degrees when unregulated. Your ambient temps right now will be perfectly fine.

As for the hides being exactly identical, as long as they're pretty similar youll be fine. But I think most people just buy 2 of the same. I actually use plastic dog bowls I buy from Wal-Mart for a buck a piece. They make a great hide, plus double as a water dish.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/World-Pet-...-Blue/46165775
I personally get the black or tan, but that's obviously just my preference. The underneath is hollow and a snug fit for them. As they outgrow them I elevate them a bit with some flat rocks and put some plants around them for security.
Another good option for small BPs is plastic to-go or Tupperware type containers as long as they're dark. My local grocery stores sell pre-cooked rotisserie chickens and the bottom tray part works fantastic. You get a nice meal and a free hide! Just cut an entry hole. I've had those work for snakes up to about 500-600 grams.
Or, you can go with the conventional caves or something like the Reptile Basics hides which I also use.

**VereMyth** · 08-11-2018, 11:47 AM

Oh yeah, So I can't edit my last post now...So another question is, does taking my screen top off, stress the snake? Like to for say 1.change the water and 2. get a proper temp read with the temp gun(It seems to try and take the screen temp instead of thee substrate). While I am also on this topic I do think think after this reptibark is done I will end up switching over to a mulch(from somewhere like home depot or lowes.) The only things I have seen/read was to watch out for 1.NO cedar or pine and 2. make sure its not chemically treated? I would also like to inquire on how to close up my tank on the outside? It is in a closet space so it should not feel too terribly open but my closet is rather large(enough for me to stand on either side of the tank and have room to move around)

**VereMyth** · 08-11-2018, 12:01 PM