New Ball Python Owner

Also, something that hasn't been mentioned (I forgot to):

After you fix up his setup, leave him alone for a week. Just refill his water and spot clean if you have to.

He'll need that week to settle in fully into his new home, since any changes in a snake's world naturally stress it out.

After that, you can start handling him for short periods of time a couple times a week, and slowly work up from there.

Get him on a regular feeding schedule. For a young snake like that, once a week with appropriately sized prey should have him growing well. It's not as important to get him up to size quickly, since he probably won't be breeding.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OokamiReyuu

Well right now I have a tissue box in there looking for another box to work until i get to the pet store or order online for the hides and when i get a chance to get to Walmart I'm planning on buying that and a rheostat for the UTH, but it keeps falling off under the tank. She bought a snake kit for it.

Thanks for the welcome :)

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welcome
If you plan on using a natural looking hide make sure it there is no plastic smell, I made my little Russian sick using one of those. Plus your bp will be out growing them constantly, so one that's small and secure for now will be too small in a couple months and not worth the $$ of one of the expensive rock hides.

Welcome to BP.net :salute: Any more questions you may have please feel free to ask!! The ones you have asked were pretty well covered here already :gj:

Wow so many replies while i was at work :).

So i should be feeding him rat pups? how big are they? We went to Walmart and bought the Accurite but i couldn't find the things under the plants to make the hides. The temp on the warm side increases and decreases but the cool side is about 78 degrees F

If you are looking for the drip trays, they'll be at the section that deals with potted plants and such. They are cool because they're quite low and since BP's naturally live in termite mounds and rodent holes, they like small spaces. They should be really easy to find, a nursery will have them too for sure! They're also very cheap, so it won't hurt much when he out grows it!

alright i'll look next time i go to walmart

Well everyone else covered the care aspects of it, so I'm going to offer some advice on a different matter.

From the sound of it, you weren't planning for your mom to come home with this guy. For future reference, do as much research as possible and get your set up finished and running before you get the animal.

Other than that, congrats and good luck!

Your right i wasn't really expecting to come home to him, but i'm happy with him and i'm gonna do my best to make him feel at home here. Heres an update on his temps, the warm fluctuates between 88-89 some times 90, and the cool side stays at 77

Hi,

You really want to bump those temps by three degrees or so.

I have quite a cold house and I ended up insulating the bottom, sides and back of the tank with cork sheeting.

Not everyone needs to go to those lengths however. :)


dr del

I think if you order the thermostat and get it ASAP youll have an easier time keeping The hotside from fluctuating. Thats the purpose of it. The coolside needs a little bump too but I have a feeling that if your hotside can maintain 92.f your coolside will be perfect.


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