First time BP owner has many questions!

I'm a first time ball python owner with a few questions that I have not been able to find any definite answers to. Any answers or advice would be very much appreciated!! Some background about my ball, her name is Rooples and I've had her for about a month and a half now. She's very sweet, loves to be handled has never hissed or struck at me. She's a great eater and very healthy, hides a majority of the time and but does come out every so often. Not sure how much she weighs (working on getting a scale) but she's definitely grown since I got her. I do feed her live and always watch her when she eats, I feed her in a separate tub.

1) I fed my Ball a rat fuzzy yesterday and I usually won't bother her until Monday but she's going into shed. Would it be a bad idea to handle her just to put her into her shed box or would it be ok?

2) I've read that for Ball's it's normal to poop only once a month, she pooped a few times back in July when I first got her but it's almost September and she has yet to poop, should I be concerned?

3) Like I said, I'm working on getting a scale to track her weight. Will any scale work or do I have to get a specific one? Any recommendations?

4) I currently use Aspen bedding for her substrate but have been thinking about switching to carpet or sand for aesthetic reasons. What are the pros and/or cons of sand or carpet?

Sorry for all the silly questions! Thank you in advance!

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Originally Posted by MixtSpice

I'm a first time ball python owner with a few questions that I have not been able to find any definite answers to. Any answers or advice would be very much appreciated!! Some background about my ball, her name is Rooples and I've had her for about a month and a half now. She's very sweet, loves to be handled has never hissed or struck at me. She's a great eater and very healthy, hides a majority of the time and but does come out every so often. Not sure how much she weighs (working on getting a scale) but she's definitely grown since I got her. I do feed her live and always watch her when she eats, I feed her in a separate tub.There is no reason to move your snake to feed. Not only does it add stress but is also a great way to get bit.

1) I fed my Ball a rat fuzzy yesterday and I usually won't bother her until Monday but she's going into shed. Would it be a bad idea to handle her just to put her into her shed box or would it be ok?What is your humidity at? The humid hide should be in the enclosure so what are you meaning by "shed box"?

2) I've read that for Ball's it's normal to poop only once a month, she pooped a few times back in July when I first got her but it's almost September and she has yet to poop, should I be concerned?They go when they need to depending on how much they are eating and using to grow.

3) Like I said, I'm working on getting a scale to track her weight. Will any scale work or do I have to get a specific one? Any recommendations?Walmart food scale goes to 5000g and is about $20

4) I currently use Aspen bedding for her substrate but have been thinking about switching to carpet or sand for aesthetic reasons. What are the pros and/or cons of sand or carpet?Carpet is unsanitary no matter what you try to do to it. Sand isn't great for ball pythons, gets stuck and irritates between scales.

Sorry for all the silly questions! Thank you in advance!

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Sand isn't a good idea for ball pythons at all, and potentially dangerous.

If by carpet you mean the fake green grass (or even just... carpet?), that'll be a mess to clean, won't clean thoroughly, and just not the best substrate.

Aspen is good, paper towel or newspaper is also easy and good. Eco earth and coco husk are messier but aesthetically pleasing, and also fine to use.

As Pit said, better to just have her enclosure humid or have a humid hide inside her enclosure. No need to move her into a separate place for shedding.

If your ball doesn't have a hard feeling impaction in front of her vent area, she will poo eventually.

Any gram scale will do.

I have a mesh screen top for her tank so keeping it humid is a bit difficult, I mist her a couple times throughout the day; I do my best to keep it at 60%-70%.

By shed box, I mean I have a tub that I put a damp, warm towel in and I put her in it and let her stay in there for about 15 minutes. I don't have a humid hide, I have one on the cool side and one on the warm side.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...-With-Pictures!

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...-With-Pictures!

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Oh wow, thanks for the link! Will definitely be doing this!