Hello everyone!

[Theely]

Hello everyone I'm Michael (or Mike it doesn't matter) from St. Paul, MN. This is my Normal Female, Kali (Kah-lee : like cauliflower). She is my first BP (and herp for that matter) I just got her yesterday and probably should of gave her a little more time to get settled in before handling and snapping photos but I've been dieing to hold her and take a couple shots ever since I put her in!

Kali on my lap.


Kali close up!


I can't wait till we BOTH get a little more use to each other. I was a little nervous holding her. This was actually the third time I ever did. First was before the shop keeper put her in a container for me to bring home and the second was when I put her in her tank.
I just don't want to hurt her... which is my mainly way of saying I'm a little nervous of getting bit!

Anyways we just thought that we would say hi and we look forward to good times in the forums!

Thanks!
Mike & Kali

[bsd13]

Nice snake.

Some people tell you that you have to let them settle in for a week or so, but personally I think it depends on the snake. If they're getting stressed out then by all means let them settle. If not take it easy but don't stress too much over it.

As far as getting bit, not really a big deal. It'll happen so fast you won't even realize it until you see the blood. Besides you'd be lucky to get most ball pythons to bite you to begin with.

[Theely]

Well thats good to know about the bites!

I'll still take it very easy on her. Its was over 24 hours before I took her out for those photos so I'll most likely just leave her be until I try feeding her on Monday or Tuesday.

[BMorrison]

Welcome to the forum. You'll find this place to be really friendly and informative.. oh and ADDICTING!

Congrats on the little girl. Very nice.

[Wh00h0069]

Congrats!

[FL0OD]

, nice snake

[missi182]

Congrats! Good idea to leave her alone and feed her on tues, then make sure you do not handle her for at least 48 hours after feeding.

If you would like some positive feedback on your set-up and enclosure for your new girl, please feel free to share with us your husbandry such as temperatures, humidity, what you use to measure temps and humidity, enclosure size/what type of enclosure you use, and what you have inside her enclosure.

Also if you haven't already, check out our care sheets and other stickies on ball-python care.

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/f...splay.php?f=62

Hope to see you around here!

[SnakieMom]

She's a pretty girl! Love the name, btw, as I have a girl named Kali too! (she's in my av )

I def. agree with the 'settling period' where she's left alone around a week. I know it's hard to resist that cute little face,
but in the long run, with proper husbandry and the advice of the great people here, you'll have a very rewarding relationship with Kali.

[Theely]

Yeah, now that I've been reading more and more I'm starting to doubt my husbandry and I'm going to need make some changes

Here is what I have so far with reasonings.
* 55gal. Tank. w/ Mesh cover - its what I had.

* UTH that covers 1/3 of the tank.

* 1 - 100watt infrared bulb

* 1 - 60 watt infrared bulb - both close to the same area for basking and gradient heat.

* 2 - hides, warm and cold side unfortunately not identical since I just read that was important. I have seen her use both though. She is in the cooler side a lot more though (more on this soon)

* 1 - large rock looking water dish - to let it soak if it wants and to waist space. Half placed over UTH area half not.

*2 - large grape vine chunks to provide rub and take up area

* indoor/outdoor soft fine carpet for substrate, cut into three pieces for semi-quick swapping with a new clean piece when soiled. I plan on reusing soiled pieces have soaking and cleaning. I have no problem switching to aspen or whatever the other is called. I prefer a dark substrate though.

* I have learned that I have poor temp reading tools. I have a dial therm on the warm side an inch and a half above the floor and a sticky on the cool side half ways up the tank. The dial is reading 90 on the warm side and the worthless sticky is reading either 78 or 82 on the cool side. I'm heading up to wal-mart to get a digital shortly! I think she stays on the cool side because the warm side might be to warm!

* No humidity reading! Don't hurt me! Said tool from wal-mart will read that. The store owner side I wouldn't have to worry if I included a wet-hide. Which I haven't added yet When I do though, what do you guys suggest? I still plan on reading tank humidity, I just want to provide a wet-hide as well.

* 2 - long fake leafy vines that inside the tank along the side and front.

One last question, when should I go about making these changes (sticking my hands in to apply probes and whatnot) since she new here? I don't want her to get even more stressed then they probably is!

Thanks for the warm welcomes! Here is a pic of the tank.

[Venenito_X_Remedito]

Hello Mike! Welcome to the forums, everybody here is very friendly and helpful, as you'll come to find. Congrats on your first herp, I hope you two get really close to each other She's a very pretty girl.

Minnesota? Me too! Where'd you get Kali?