Newbie on board

Hello all. I just picked up my first baby ball, I've had a adult in the past but a young one is new for me. SO far he is doing well, already ate and is happily checking out his new cage.
He is a bit dry, the store kept him under a hot heat lamp with a tiny water bowl but a quick bath helped alot.

More pictures in a few days after he get his hamster digested.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/DSC00987.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/DSC00990.jpg

I also have corns :carrot:

Welcome to BP.net. Looks like you got him just in time...he appears really dehydrated.


Also, that hamster is really too big for such a small snake. Most of us feed what our good friend Adam calls "small small rats" which are maybe half to a 1/3rd the size of that hamster. If you feed too big a meal to a ball they have a tendency to go off feed (which can turn into months). Small and steady is the name of the feeding game.

Looking forward to more pictures.

What is your setup like?

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Originally Posted by lord jackel

Also, that hamster is really too big for such a small snake. Most of us feed what our good friend Adam calls "small small rats" which are maybe half to a 1/3rd the size of that hamster.

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Gotta disagree, thats a dwarf hamster, and a rat 1/3 the side of that would be like a pink.

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Originally Posted by jamesw

Gotta disagree, thats a dwarf hamster, and a rat 1/3 the side of that would be like a pink.

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Oh...sorry don't know my hamsters I was just trying to gauge by the picture - hamster vs. snake. That is why I said half to 1/3rd smaller :)

First off, :welcome: to BP.net!

Lord Jackel pretty much covered it. It's not really necessary for most BPs to feed in separate containers, unless you only open the tank to feed and never to handle. You should also wait 2 days before handling after feeding.

He does look kind of dried up, good thing you got him! I think a few more baths might be good for him. Just make sure that the water feels barely warm to your wrist and is only half way up the side of your snake.

I thought they could take prey the same diameter as them? The hamster really wasn't that big, only a little bigger then a weanling mouse. I plan on switching him to F/T mice, I only bought the hamster because thats what he was eating at the store.

I tried feeding him in the cage but he got a bunch of aspen in his mouth, I'll stick to feeding in a tub.

He is fairly dehydrated, thats why I soaked him as soon as he came home. I've been watching him at the store for a couple months now. It took him 2-3 weeks to get his last shed off it was so dry in his tank. I tried telling the store people he needed more humidity and a bigger water dish but they didn't listen.

He's in a 20 gallon long, 2" of aspen, a hide on the warm side and a water dish on the cool side. I'm using a small UTH, temp on hot side is around 91*. I am going to give him some drift wood to climb on and a small humid hide during sheds. The screen lid is half covered with plastics and securely clamped down.

Wow fine dining with hamsters. Sounds expensive :D Wellcome to BPnet!

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Originally Posted by waldo

I thought they could take prey the same diameter as them?

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Can they? Yes. Should they? Most people here will tell you no, that feeding a smaller meal is better for the snake, causes the snake to feed more consistently and limits the likelihood the snake will go off feed.

Quote:

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He's in a 20 gallon long, 2" of aspen, a hide on the warm side and a water dish on the cool side. I'm using a small UTH, temp on hot side is around 91*. I am going to give him some drift wood to climb on and a small humid hide during sheds. The screen lid is half covered with plastics and securely clamped down.

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A couple comments - a 20 long is really big for a young snake...You need to add a cool side hide (so he can hide while thermoregulating) for him and then take up some of the excess space (limbs, crumpled news paper are all good) you want him to feel secure.

Since you know he is dehydrated what is your humidity in the tank? You will pry want to keep it 60-65% till he shows signs of improvement.

Ok, smaller meals. I guess I'm used to feeding corns.

I'll fix his tank up ASAP. I'm not to sure what the humidity is, I don't have a gauge. I'll put the humidifier in the snake room for a few days. I'm sure every one else will appreciate it.

Here is his cage all fixed up.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/DSC00995.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/DSC00994.jpg