New Here. My Daughter's Ball Python.

My daughter had been pesting me for a pet snake for the past few months. I finally gave in and got her a ball python for her birthday. She just turned 10 years old and she was so excited to bring him home. I took her to the Reptile Expo up in Hamburg, PA a few weeks ago and she picked out this dude.

Everybody say hi to Alexander and his new environment! He is approx 7 months old male.

It stays about 70 degrees with 65-75% humidity on the left side, and it is about 90 degrees under his hide on the right side with with 55-65% humidity. Hopefully this keeps him happy.

I also tried feeding him frozen/thawed and he wanted nothing to do with it. Any advice on how to switch him from live to frozen?

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/191H63i.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/qk1TC07.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/c8xygge.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/SLjAzWA.jpg

I'm new here still learning a lot but my advice is don't switch from live. At least not so early. They take time to get adjusted to new home then trying to switch them at this time in my opinion asking for trouble. Wait until he is fully adjusted eating well on regular schedule then try to switch when he has already consistency.

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Nice looking Mojave.
You might up the ambient temp on the cool side a little more.
What are you using for heat and how are you regulating it?
What are you using to measure temperatures.

Another newbie to the forum but not to ball pythons. I've purchased many young snakes that have been fed live their entire lives.

People do it differently and some say to feed them live at least 2-3 times in their new homes before trying FT. I personally usually try F/T first and if they take it (which most do for me), great, I keep it going but if they refuse, i go back to live for a while.

One trick I use is to feed 2 smaller sized rodents instead of one during a "transition" feeding. Feed a live first and then offer a FT right after its finished but while it's still in "hunt" mode. And then try starting off with FT the next week/feeding. There are lots of tricks but that has worked for me.

Welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of snake keeping!!

A few things I noticed...

A) that cool side needs to come up. 75 should be an absolute low, but you should be aiming closer to 80.

B) those stick-on analog thermometer/hygrometers are unfortunately junk. They're wildly inaccurate (up to 15% or 15°). I suggest grabbing a few digitals.

C) VERY IMPORTANT - are your heat sources regulated by a thermostat????

D) Unfortunately, you shouldn't be handling the snake at all until it is eating consistently. I highly advise new keepers hold off on handling entirely until the snake has eaten 3 consecutive meals without refusal. You'll have 25+ years to handle the snake, but it's important to get the animal eating asap.

E) Many people suggest using identical hides on both sides of an enclosure. This way the snake won't choose security over thermoregulation if it prefers one hide over the other.

F) lastly, you may need to feed live a few times before transitioning to F/T, depending on whether the animal was eating live or F/T for the breeder.

Good luck, ask any questions you may have, we're happy to help.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

Nice looking Mojave.
You might up the ambient temp on the cool side a little more.
What are you using for heat and how are you regulating it?
What are you using to measure temperatures.

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I have a Repti Zoo 12x8 heat mat on the warm side with a 100 watt basking bulb on during the day.

I have the 2 thermometers, but I check temps frequently with an IR thermometer. I do have trouble getting the temps up on the cool side, but he does move around the enclosure frequently and uses all 3 of the hides at different times.

He seems to prefer the warm hide on the right at night, and the large cool hide on the left during the day.

Oh, and I have fed him twice now with live mice after failing with frozen. The live mouse lasts about 3 seconds.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rxer311

I have a Repti Zoo 12x8 heat mat on the warm side.

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Is it regulated by a thermostat?
Entertain me and use your temp gun on the surface of the glass under the substrate...

No? Okay....