A few more newby questions

[elevenphoenix]

Thank you so much for all of your replies to my last thread regarding how secure the cage clips are.

I bought a female baby ball python last Tuesday and she is roughly about a month old. She is housed in a 10 gallon aquarium (it is secure) with aspen bedding, a cave for a hide, jacuzzi water dish and reptile rock for climbing.

I have tried taking her out a few times, just for a couple minutes at a time so she can get used to me. Her temperment is good so far, as she is very curious about her surroundings and doesn't seem scared when in her home.

However, when I take her out, she becomes terrified. What is the best way to get her acclimated to me? Should I continue to take her out every few days for a minute or two?

Also, the man I bought her from said she is normally fed pinkies on Wednesdays, so she has not eaten in over a week. I was trying to give her a few days to adjust before feeding. Should I go ahead and try to feed her?

Thanks

[psycho]

Well you really should leave it alone for a week...since you said you got it last tuesday...after she eats you can start handling her...try giving her fuzzies...pinkies are usually for very small ball pythons or twins...Once a week passes offer food and wait 48 hours so you can handle her if she ate...

[elevenphoenix]

Well she is very small, she's around a month old.

Also, what kind of thermometer/hygrometer should I purchase? I remember someone mentioning a good one at Wal-Mart...

Thank you!

[Kaorte]

The accurite indoor outdoor weather station is a great buy. It has a probe to measure the "outside" temperature, measures the ambient temp and the humidity.

I would let her adjust for at LEAST 5 days and then try feeding her. I know it is hard but try as best you can to not handle her. After the 5 days are up, try offering her a fuzzy or small mouse. They can eat a lot more than you think.

[psycho]

Well she is very small, she's around a month old.

Also, what kind of thermometer/hygrometer should I purchase? I remember someone mentioning a good one at Wal-Mart...

Thank you!

It doesnt matter i fed my baby born a fuzzy and he took it like a champ!!!
If you have a Petco or Petsmart around your home go there and there would be a digital thermometer with a probe which you should put in the hide of the hot side for precise temps...there is also digital hygrometers...very cheap...

I got my digital thermometer for $8 and the hygrometer for like $12

[kc261]

If you are talking about pinkie mice, that is definitely too small of a meal for your BP. Hatchling corns can eat pinkie mice, and they are about as big as a pencil. Most people who feed pinkie mice to BPs are either feeding them just enough to keep them alive until they sell them, or in some cases they just don't know better.

A more appropriate meal for your BP would probably be at least a hopper mouse, and it could probably take something a little bigger than that.

It is recommended to give your new snake a little more time to get acclimated to her new home before handling her. Since you have had her a week, you could go ahead and try to feed her. If she eats, great! Wait 48 hours for her to digest, then start handling her with brief sessions every few days. Most likely, she will start to calm down soon, but be patient with her. Remember her instincts are telling her that when something big picks her up, it is because she is about to become dinner. No wonder she is terrified!

If she does not eat, do not handle her other than the minimum required for tank maintenance until you've got her eating. Handling her is stressful to her, as I explained above, and snakes that get too stressed won't eat.

Also, you can get digital thermometers and hygrometers at pet stores, but you'll get the same functionality for less $$ at walmart.