This is a lot but please help

[HisslersMommy]

I never wanted a snake, but my boyfriend just brought him home about three weeks ago because he was being mistreated (they were keeping him in the garage and the nights are FREEZING cold sometimes and they couldn't remember the last time they fed him and they had stopped even holding him... he was like stored away with the boxes or something) so of course I'm the one who has to take care of him. He's an adolescent I guess, and I just want to make sure that his behavior and looks are normal because I haven't found the time to take him to the vet yet. First, I made him a pretty house in one of those glass fish thingys, and half has that wood stuff and two hides and a heating rock and a heating pad on the side that turn on at night and some greenery. The other side has sand and a water dish and a tall ceramic palm tree (I thought I'd spoil him with a beach). I don't know if the sand is safe, i haven't heard anyone else say they have sand. But he only goes over there to climb the tree and try to escape at night which I think is cute. Over the tank, I have a light that simulates sunlight but doesn't emit much heat, and then a heat lamp over the side with the hides. They both turrn off at night when the rock and heating pad turn on. O and then I mist his tank twice a day and him about once a week with this humidity mist thats like moisturizing or something. I have a thermometer and these things pretty much keep the temps as they should be, but is that the right way? Second, even though I pick him up every day, sometimes twice a day, unless he ate then not for two days, every time Hissler will grab onto something so I can't take him out unless I get him quickly. Sometimes, he'll chill on my hand and let me talk to him and rub him, sometimes he even lets me rub his head and he'll lay with me on the bed and watch tv. But sometimes, he freaks out, chokes my hand, and makes these weird robot motions and tries to crawl up the tank to get back i and when I try to put him back he won't let me grab him; he'll wrap around something. It's like sometimes he's like 'oh ok its my mom' but others hes like 'who is this pyscho ***** she's gonna try and kill me'. Ok and then I have never seen him **** or shed, I have NO idea how often they're supposed to do that??? I tried to give him a bath in the sink but he FREAKED OUT and tried to go in the toaster. A good thing is that he is a great eater, I put him in a cardboard box and drop in a warm fuzzy poor little dead mouse thing and I don't even have to make it look alive he just eats it. The first time I fed him I didn't know it was supposed to be one a week and I fed him another one like ten minutes after he got the first one down and he ate that good too. He didn't even puke or anything. But what I'm really concerned about is that his eyes are pitch black and I keep reading that they should be clear... I wouldn't be surprised if he had sheds on him or something cuz the other people were neglectful but I moisturize him and even when I put him in the sink I didn't see any loose skin or anything so how can I tell??? And I can't imagine HOW I would touch his eyes with tape to see if he has sheds there cuz he'd get really pissed off and if he bit me so would I. Oh and people always talk about how their snakes like to explore their tanks and move around and do things, well Hissler NEVER does anything except either sleep in his logs or sleep on the rock or next to the heating pad or under his plant... I never see him take a bath or drink or look around or play or show any interest in anyone who looks into his tank. Pretty much even though I call him a 'he' I think he's a girl cuz he has PMS bad. Is sleeping a symptom of snake depression or something? Ok well I think that's about it... someone help cuz I want Hissler to be happy even though I didn't mean to get him.

[Shelby]

First off, welcome.

Get the sand out.. and more important get that heat rock OUT! Hot rocks are famous for burning snakes. The best way to heat a tank is with flexwatt plugged into a thermostat to control it. Matt at http://www.mgreptiles.com/ can get you everything you need.

Lamps often take too much humidity out of the air.. with flexwatt, you shouldn't need lamps.

Since he is still settling in, you shouldn't hold him much at all. Just a few minutes at a time. Ball pythons are very shy creatures.. this is why he spends most of his time in his hiding spots (completely normal)

Black/dark brown eyes are totally normal. If the eyes look to have a crinkly appearance, that would mean stuck shed, but if they look shiny and smooth, they are fine.

A mouse fuzzy is way too small for a juvenile ball python. Feed something the same size as the snakes' belly is at the widest point, and there is no need to put him in a separate container when you feed.. just feed in the tank.

The care sheet we have here will help a lot.. give it a read through: http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules....warticle&id=52

[Krynos]

With a few pointers from the knowledgable folks on this forum you will have a fine home for your new ball

Thank you for rescuing the snake!

[MedusasOwl]

Good for you rescuing the poor guy and looking into the best care for him! Not sure what to add to Shelby's post except that you can cut the cord on the heatrock and keep it as a decoration, but yeah that's about all it's good for. I got my heating supplies from Matt and highly recommend.

[Johar]

yep. many thanx on helping it

[HisslersMommy]

Thanks everybody, especially Shelby, you were very helpful.