A couple questions and an introduction from a newbie

[bc1774]

Hi everyone. I am new to the site so heres a little about me: graduate student so I don't have a ton of time to devote to a furry critter such as a dog, but more than enough to keep my serpent friend happy and healthy. I have always been fascinated by snakes but a bit skidish around them. I purchased a baby royal yesterday. After a lot of thought I came to the conclusion that it would be fun and a bit therapeutic to purchase a royal due to their docile, tolerant nature and ease of care compared to other snakes. I am by no means terrified of him, and have held royals a few times in pet stores and friends houses...just a bit nervous and skidish around him.

So I was wondering if anyone on here had a similar experience when they bought their first royal, and if so how did it work out for you? Any tips or advice?

I also noticed that he is a bit scared...although I can imagine that I would be terrified if I was suddenly uprooted from my home and found myself in a strange place with a strange creature peering in my home all the time. So what do you more experienced folks recommend? Should I leave him alone for a few days or should I handle him daily to get him accustom to me?

Thanks in advance for your advice!!!

[Chase13]

do not hold him for at least one week, and then you can handle him regularly, and welcome to the boards

[recycling goddess]

it's always a good idea to give them a settling in time for a week, then feed them and leave them alone for 48 hours after feeding so they can digest.

a wonderful member here gave me some of the best advice i ever got when i first brought dexter home. she told me to follow a routine when entering his enclosure... open the lid, lift his hide and gently stroke the side of his body to let him know i'm there and then (wearing a glove) swiftly pick him up and hold him so he feels safe and secure.

that means... let him coil in my hand(s) and allow him to come out of his coil and begin exploring my hands on his terms. to hold him... for not too long at first 10-15 and then increasing that handling time as time goes on.

i followed her advice and after the first time picking him up with a glove on... i was able to pick him up with no glove and he's a wonderful gentle snake now!

welcome to the forum and i hope you'll found lots of great information here... and make a few friends as well.

[recycling goddess]

and... here's our caresheet!

http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules....warticle&id=59

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Hi everyone. I am new to the site so heres a little about me: graduate student so I don't have a ton of time to devote to a furry critter such as a dog, but more than enough to keep my serpent friend happy and healthy. I have always been fascinated by snakes but a bit skidish around them. I purchased a baby royal yesterday. After a lot of thought I came to the conclusion that it would be fun and a bit therapeutic to purchase a royal due to their docile, tolerant nature and ease of care compared to other snakes. I am by no means terrified of him, and have held royals a few times in pet stores and friends houses...just a bit nervous and skidish around him.

So I was wondering if anyone on here had a similar experience when they bought their first royal, and if so how did it work out for you? Any tips or advice?

I also noticed that he is a bit scared...although I can imagine that I would be terrified if I was suddenly uprooted from my home and found myself in a strange place with a strange creature peering in my home all the time. So what do you more experienced folks recommend? Should I leave him alone for a few days or should I handle him daily to get him accustom to me?

Thanks in advance for your advice!!!

Right now keep in mind that of the 2, he is the most scared

Just leave him alone for a week give him the time to adjust to is new environment then after a week has pass try to feed him, if successful you can start handling him but will have to wait 48 hours after feeding to avoid regurgitation.

You will see they are very docile and very easy probably the best snake for beginner.

Keep your handling sessions short 10-15 minutes every other day so he can get used to be handled slowly, and not get stress by excessive handling.

[recycling goddess]

oh and i forgot to mention... of course go in and do water changes and poop scooping if needed in that first week

[snakedude56]

WELCOME to the forums! First and foremost you need to make sure he's got the right setup. He/she needs a heat gradient from 92-94 degrees on the hot side to 82-84 on the cool side. Ball pythons do best when their environment is kept at around 50-60 percent humidity. One of the best tools to measure these numbers is a digital thermometer. I recommend (along with most of the people here) an Accurite digital thermometer/hygrometer to measure the temps and humidity. An UTH(under tank heater) will be the device that would best provide the heat for you royal. Over tank lights work as well BUT they suck the moisture right out of the air. Whichever you go with you should get a thermostat to control them so they don't over heat the enclosure and cook your new little buddy. These can get a bit pricey and since you only have one animal you could go down to your local hardware store and purchase a dimmer switch. This is what I use for my small collection and it will suffice until I decide to expand.

As for handling you need to give your new snake at least one week to adjust to his new home before you pick him up. He is also going to need hiding places. These can be as simple and cheap as overturned plastic bowls with a small entrance hole cut into it. It's not necesary to go out and spend big bucks on a hide because your snakes not gonna care either way, as long as its dark and secure its good enough for the snake.
Sorry this was long but I wanted to make sure I covered all the necesities. If you've got any more Q's don't hesitate to ask!

[bc1774]

Thanks everyone! Some really good advice. Oh, and in reference to the cage setup...

He has a big water dish to drink/swim in (not deep enough the he could drown), some silk plants to hide behind, a branch to climb on and two hides (warm and cool). I use an under tank heater and a radiant heat source (outside the cage) for his basking area. Right now his cage is at 78/90 degrees and I do not have a thermostat yet, but I do check the temps frequently.

The person at the pet store said to feed him in a box or plastic container so that he does not associate my hand in his cage with food. Although the same person tried to talk me into buying a heating rock...which of course I didn't. What do you guys think on the feeding subject?

I am also noticing that the care sheets from various sites suggest different things, is there a good book that goes into detail about royals and their care.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

The person at the pet store said to feed him in a box or plastic container so that he does not associate my hand in his cage with food.

If you have a good feeding routine and don't only open the enclosure just for feeding you will not get mistaken for food, I only have ten and it never happened.

Plus feeding in their enclosure allow BP to ambush their prey from the security of their hide.

And keep in mind that when feeding in a separate tub your BP will be in feeding mode and can stay like that for a while which make him more susceptible to strike when you try to place him back in his enclosure.

I will add this bottom line feed your BP the way that makes you more comfortable.