Hello! i just recently purchased a spider ball python from a exotic pet shop near my home. I started him off in a aquarium that was made for fish(20 gallon, horizontal) with a heat lamp, news paper, water bowl, and a hide that was made for a fish tank. I quickly did some more research and realized that the environment that i placed him in was not correct! i moved him to a 15 gallon vertical tank heated by a heat lamp (a purple bulb is used inside), changed his bedding to coconut fiber dirt, kept his hide and water bowl, and placed a block on wood over one side of his tank to keep his tank at a 90 degree temperature range. i have some trouble keeping his humidity up to a moderate to tropical range and would love advice. Please give feedback if you have any ideas to keep the humidity at a constant level!
I also made the mistake of handling him often when he first arrived to my home. for the first couple of days he was very active and loved to crawl around my arms.About two days after i brought him home is when i moved him to his appropriate tank. When i placed him inside of his new tank he became very active again! he moved all around his new tank exploring, buried himself in his new dirt and adjusted to the tank within a few hours (so i though). i noticed that he started to open his mouth often and seemed to be yawning. i did little research as to what this could mean and came to the conclusion that he was hungry and that i should fed him. so i pulled him from his new tank (that i placed him in just a couple of hours before) and put him in his old tank to feed him. i thawed out a pink mouse and placed it in his tank so that the food would be already in the tank waiting for him. i understand that this is not the correct way to feed him. I also placed his hide inside of his feeding tank because he refused to come out of it. he refused to eat and after an hour i removed him from his old tank and placed him back in his new tank.
I realize that i have made many mistakes that could have been prevented if i had done the correct research. i am scared that i have scarred my BP forever and i will never be able to handle him again! he has become inactive and very frightened with his surroundings. i am trying my best to give him his space and keep his temperate and humidity at the correct level so he will feel at his best! Is he acting this way because of stress? Any suggestions about humidity control? Should i change his hide so that it is easily removed when needed? I understand that i did not do the correct amount of research before buying my new friend and i want to make him as happy as possible! Please respond with feedback, advice, ANYTHING!!
PS i will be moving him across the country in a car making frequent stops (ETA a week) in about a month and a half/two months. i am very concerned about this move and will be posting more information about my plan of action for this in the near future.
-Anna:tears:
