Best practices/tips for a new keeper?

5 months in I am loving keeping my pet! But I'm always searching and keeping my eye out for things I can do better, tips, etc.

I've tried to incorporate just health checks when I move him briefly for a spot clean. Just a look over his scales, colouration, eyes, general movement and belly colour.

The only thing I've never done is look in his mouth. I look AT it, but I've seen videos on how to force it open and check and I'm just not sure it's something I need to do.

Do you recommend checking your BPs mouths every so often? Does this stress them out?

I'm trying to be proactive about his health (he seems perfectly healthy, shedding and eating consistent meals) but I don't want to stress him with my smothering need to know he's fine.

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Originally Posted by scallahan1

5 months in I am loving keeping my pet! But I'm always searching and keeping my eye out for things I can do better, tips, etc.

I've tried to incorporate just health checks when I move him briefly for a spot clean. Just a look over his scales, colouration, eyes, general movement and belly colour.

The only thing I've never done is look in his mouth. I look AT it, but I've seen videos on how to force it open and check and I'm just not sure it's something I need to do.

Do you recommend checking your BPs mouths every so often? Does this stress them out?

I'm trying to be proactive about his health (he seems perfectly healthy, shedding and eating consistent meals) but I don't want to stress him with my smothering need to know he's fine.

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Well I've never checked in any of my snakes mouths and certainly wouldn't suggest it .. I'm far from being an expert so will be interesting to see what's suggested.

Maybe if you suspect an RI or it's choking on something ...


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My best two tips for Royals / Balls and I wish I knew when I first started are :-

If it's not a little hatchling there's no need to feed every 5 days ..
My Royals get fed anywhere between 7 and 10 days ... My two Albino Royals will eat EVERY time but only every 14 days !


Second tip ..

As soon as you notice they're in shed mode ( they lose their colour and their eyes glaze over & disappear for days ) I start daily spraying and increase to three times daily as soon as their eyes clear and they 'look' normal again .

They actually shed the skin anywhere between 2 and 7 days after the eyes clear - in my experience.


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Checking the mouth regularly can be really stressful for your snake. They're already very headshy by nature and wanting to grab them and take a peek is not going to win any favors.

Do be alert about your snake tho. If you notice anything strange, then yes. A mouth check may needed.

Reasons to do a mouth check would include:
signs of swelling around the face
Scales that aren't lining up to make that even lip appearance
Strong odor from around the mouth
Excessive face rubbing
Bubbling from the mouth or nose
Signs of bleeding from around the mouth

A lot of times, the easiest and most non-invasive way to get a good idea of mouth health is to watch for your snake to 'yawn' and realign the jaws after a meal. That will give you a chance to take a quick peek unless you notice any concerning signs like I mentioned above.

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Originally Posted by Armiyana

Checking the mouth regularly can be really stressful for your snake. They're already very headshy by nature and wanting to grab them and take a peek is not going to win any favors.

Do be alert about your snake tho. If you notice anything strange, then yes. A mouth check may needed.

Reasons to do a mouth check would include:
signs of swelling around the face
Scales that aren't lining up to make that even lip appearance
Strong odor from around the mouth
Excessive face rubbing
Bubbling from the mouth or nose
Signs of bleeding from around the mouth

A lot of times, the easiest and most non-invasive way to get a good idea of mouth health is to watch for your snake to 'yawn' and realign the jaws after a meal. That will give you a chance to take a quick peek unless you notice any concerning signs like I mentioned above.

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I would have to say this is some pretty solid advice! If you do feel you have to look because of legitimate reason. I would get a helper to hold and help restrain the snake, get a good grip with you thumb and fingers around his neck and head. And then gently work a popsicle stick or a credit card in between their lips, and very gently open their mouth. Hope this helps shed a little light in the right direction, good luck.

As a fairly new keeper myself I don’t check the mouth and thankfully haven’t had reason to. I love the advice already given here great stuff.

My advice to you that hasn’t been said is check for poop and urates and then check again. I’m not sure your set up and all but check check check. Especially under and beneath hides.

A few times early on ive checked all around when the animal was in the hide and all seems fine then go to get the snake out and bam it’s laying on or around nastyness.

Also change that water and clean the bowl every few days or weekly. Another thing I started off being lax about and I would always fill the bowl but not take it out and rinse and clean. If you don’t you will see particles and crap in there or they may even poop in it and you miss it and that’s bad for the animal.

Other than the obvious temp and hunidity checks on the regular that’s what I would add.

These are all great!

Yeah the only mouth checking I've been doing is watching for yawns, and looking/listening when I lift him to clean/check his hides!

But I'm definitely writing some of these down - you always hear the basics (humidity, heat, food, etc), but I'm finding best practices wildly vary on some of the places I've joined.

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