red or blue light

I just got a baby blue eyed Lucy and am sure what kind of light she needs. I have both the red and the blue one. she is also not eating her pinkies and iv had her for two weeks. please help! TIA

Follow this guide:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ips-and-Tricks

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Originally Posted by Lord Sorril

Follow this guide:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ips-and-Tricks

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nowhere in this guide does it say anything about lighting nor which color light I should use

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Originally Posted by chodges100

nowhere in this guide does it say anything about lighting nor which color light I should use

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The light is for you--not the snake. They get nothing from it unless you are using it for heat.

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Originally Posted by chodges100

I just got a baby blue eyed Lucy and am sure what kind of light she needs. I have both the red and the blue one. she is also not eating her pinkies and iv had her for two weeks. please help! TIA

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As above post says, see the guide linked to.

Baby BPs are not started on "pinkies" (mouse or rat) because pinks of either species is too small. You want to offer at least a fuzzy, & if she was only fed live (not already switched to f/t?) then you'll have to be patient (& hopefully transition her to f/t in time...for now feed live if need be). Hope she came with a feeding record? Also important: offering food too often (more than every 5-7 days) just stresses a snake more, so don't do that, ok? Be patient...

Have you been handling her? You've only had her for 2 weeks & all snakes need time to settle into new homes...that means no handling at all until they have fed at least 3 times (establishing that they are settled in), & it's best not to feed (offer food to) a new snake for at least the first week anyway...it's often a waste, as they just aren't ready.

Snakes are basically wild animals...they rely on their instincts to survive, & guess what? the only thing that picks them up in the wild is a predator about to eat them. :O So handling is best postponed while baby snakes learn to be snakes first...handling (& their resulting fear) tends to turn off their appetite. You'll have better luck if you're patient with all snakes...they do learn, but gradually. Eating is job #1.

Feeling secure is a big issue for a snake to accept food. How you set up their cage matters...their snug hiding places @ the right temperatures matter...and NOT being under bright lights matter. Ambient room light is fine...usually lights are used only to add warmth in winter...best if not the only source of heat, since heat rises and most heat from a light doesn't not reach the cage floor where the snake is needing warmth to digest. Be sure that all heat sources (including light if used) is regulated for safety.

And of course, :welcome:

Pinkies are too small. Ball pythons eat hopper mice for their first meals and move up to weaned/small mice very shortly after. Either the snake is too stressed from a recent move (don't handle until the snake has eaten 3 times in a row!), husbandry is off and causing stress and food refusals, or she may not recognize such small prey as being food.

Most folks I know suggest using no colored lights for ball pythons. Red is visible to them and inappropriate for 24/7 heating since visible light will disrupt their day/night cycle and the blue would be the same issue for night time use.

Out of the bulb-type heating, most prefer ceramic heat emitters (no light heat source) for heating and using a separate low watt household light bulb or LED light on a timer for day/night cycle (no heat).

Be sure you're using a good quality thermostat for any and all heat sources. Not just a thermometer to measure the heat, but a device the heat source plugs into with it's own probe to measure and CONTROL how hot the device is allowed to get.

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WWND?

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Originally Posted by chodges100

nowhere in this guide does it say anything about lighting nor which color light I should use

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The link was shared because it is a valuable learning tool.

I'm not trying to be rude here, but if you're offering pinkies and wondering why the snake isn't eating you've clearly got a lot to learn.
Learning about a proper diet for a ball python requires very little research and should have been a part of your research before bringing an animal home.

Now that you've got the animal, do yourself and the animal a favor and read, read, read and read some more. The more we know about our pets the better we can care for them.