Can someone please help me with my new baby...

Hi. I recently bought my first Ball Python around 5 days ago, and I have so many questions!

He is a v pretty 5 month old banana pastel and I've been worrying myself sick about pandering to his every need to the point where I think my constant checking might be stressing him out more than anything else :oops:

He is housed in a small plastic tub which is covered with a towel and at the moment and a small cardboard box on top of that too (obviously with air holes and ventilation underneath) to keep his temperatures up as my bedroom is quite chilly as it comes up to winter in England. His hot side is hitting around 85-87 and his cooler side hitting around 78 or so. He is in the dark most of the time due to the box over him. His source of heat is two heat pads (one underneath on the hot side, one on top on the cool side, controlled by a thermostat). There is a temperature drop of a few degrees at night. He has 1 hide and 1 waterbowl.

My worry is that I've messed some stuff up and stressed him out :( He is quite active for a couple of hours a night in his tub, but hides most of the time, which I've heard is a good sign. However, I couldn't get his temperatures right for the first two days of him being here, with the ambient temperature falling to the low 70s which I know is bad but I righted it as soon as possible. I have handled him a couple of times since him coming home which the breeder said was ok and he has unballed and explored a little despite being a bit flinchy if my housemates made sudden movements around him. Unfortunatley when I attempted to feed him on a thawed mouse last night it was unsuccessful. I reckon this might be because he had an audience watching and all the lights on, he seemed to go into feeding/strike mode but missed when he tried to strike then wouldn't try again and went straight back into his hide. I sent everyone out of the room and tried for another 20 mins to get him to eat but to no avail. He appeared to be "yawning" when i tried feeding him too (showing interest in food?).

My questions are:
Have I over handled him and might the stress from the earlier low temperatures be the reason for him not eating?
Are his temperatures high enough now?
How long should I wait before attempting to feed him again?
Is keeping a snug fitting cardboard box (with ventilation) over the tub ok for the winter months to keep the heat up ok?


I'm so stressed trying to keep his needs met, had no idea that it would affect me so much mentally but honestly I just hate the thought of him getting ill or "upset" because of something i've done :disbelief Haven't been to uni for days because of checking on his temps and visiting the breeder to ask questions!!

CAn you guys help me? Thank you so so much!!:snake::snake::snake:

If you have only had him 5 days, he is still getting used to his new habitat. I wouldn't handle him at all for another week or so. I'd also put another hide on the cold side so he can feel safe and secure on the cool side as well as the hot. I'd try to feed again in 5 days or so. He will eat eventually. He is just getting used to his new home right now. It's really hard to leave them alone when they are new. I def get it. He will be happier and better adjusted in the long run if you leave him alone for the time being. Just let him chill and do his thing. I think the cardboard box is ok as long as the ventilation is fine. I keep a towel over my tub.

EDIT: And congrats on your new snake!

His hot spot could be a bit higher, 89~90, and from the sounds of it, I would add another hide. Feel free to post a couple pictures of your setup for better feedback!

As a general rule, don't handle him at all until he takes one meal for you, better two meals. So I would do this and try to offer again in a week. Did the breeder say that he was eating f/t before and not live?

Sounds like you're doing everything right ( but taking the towel off and on multiple times a day while he's getting adjusted isn't the best idea.). Just bump up the warm spot to 90 and don't let there be a crowd next time you feed him. Try feeding him at night time. And wait about 4 or 5 days before waiting again.

Also, pay attention to the "yawning"... make note if you see him doing it often, or increasingly.

Good luck and let us know how he's doing! :)


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Hi

The secret to feeding your Royal / Ball python ....is to make sure he's/she's hungry , so don't feed too often ....every 7 or 10 or 14 days whichever suits him/best best .

Always feed in the evening , ideally when dark ....

I feed all mine in their vivs and put piece of card in front of their hides . My Royals all strike from within their hides so I dangle the mouse in front of the hide entrance

Defrost the mouse / rat and then quickly offer the mouse using tongs .
Waggle the mouse in front of the hide entrance , if there is no response ....heat the mouse with a hairdryer for ten second and quickly offer again , repeat this procedure until it takes the mouse /rat .
This method rarely if ever works providing the snake isn't in shed and even then some of my Royals still take the meal .


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Thank you so much for all your replies I appreciate it that so many people seem to care on this site! :)

Hmmm, the hotspot temp could be cooler or hotter then it says to be honest because the temperature gage isnt digital :/ At the moment it's saying the hotspots around 82/83 (27/28 celcius)? :confusd: utter nightmare, don't know how to get the temps up apart from heating the room which I can't do constantly as its waaaay too hot for him with the radiator on!!! Arrrgh!! Honestly this is driving me mad, the room is so cold at the moment :( maybe I should get a heater.....does anyone know what minimum temp for the hotspot can be??

Also, as suggested I've added a temporary sort of hide out of a tube in the cool spot

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Hi

The secret to feeding your Royal / Ball python ....is to make sure he's/she's hungry , so don't feed too often ....every 7 or 10 or 14 days whichever suits him/best best .

Always feed in the evening , ideally when dark ....

I feed all mine in their vivs and put piece of card in front of their hides . My Royals all strike from within their hides so I dangle the mouse in front of the hide entrance

Defrost the mouse / rat and then quickly offer the mouse using tongs .
Waggle the mouse in front of the hide entrance , if there is no response ....heat the mouse with a hairdryer for ten second and quickly offer again , repeat this procedure until it takes the mouse /rat .
This method rarely if ever works providing the snake isn't in shed and even then some of my Royals still take the meal .











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Thank you!! I tried feeding him in front of his hide last night but he showed little interest and wouldn't strike.....occasionally i'd accidentally boop his nose when trying to dangle the mouse and he'd flinch and withdraw :( my poor baby haha

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mangiapane85

Sounds like you're doing everything right ( but taking the towel off and on multiple times a day while he's getting adjusted isn't the best idea.). Just bump up the warm spot to 90 and don't let there be a crowd next time you feed him. Try feeding him at night time. And wait about 4 or 5 days before waiting again.

Also, pay attention to the "yawning"... make note if you see him doing it often, or increasingly.

Good luck and let us know how he's doing! :)


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Thanks, what do you think yawning might mean...?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by redshepherd

His hot spot could be a bit higher, 89~90, and from the sounds of it, I would add another hide. Feel free to post a couple pictures of your setup for better feedback!

As a general rule, don't handle him at all until he takes one meal for you, better two meals. So I would do this and try to offer again in a week. Did the breeder say that he was eating f/t before and not live?

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Thank you for your reply! Breeder always fed f/t, and he provided the same mice he was eating before

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EGreenwood

Thanks, what do you think yawning might mean...?

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If they are doing it OFTEN, then it could mean an impaction in their airway or a Respiratory Infection, which can be brought on by improper temperatures, improper humidity as well as stress. Worsening stages of an RI would be mucus around the mouth, bubbles coming out of the nose, etc..

As far as the hot side temp, the analog gauges are really not known for being accurate at all.. invest in a digital thermometer, or a IR temp gun. They are the most accurate.

And wait to try feeding your snake again. Don't keep trying because it could stress him further and maybe even out him completely off feed... give him about a week before trying again. He won't starve to death I promise. As long as he's at a decent weight now. ;)


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