Greetings, New to snakes and to this site.

Gee Ray didn't you know you get a free dose of raging OCD with every ball python purchased! LOL


I swear we worry more about this dang snake then we did with our babies (nah actually I checked them constantly too until I realized I was being a total idiot and babies had been surviving new mothers for eons LOL).

As far as the cruising around the cage thing I'd think (and I'm a newbie pls do remember) that if youf snake is moving about going from hide to hide and maybe having a quick drink (lovely to watch btw) or just checking out the area that probably is just what it wants to be doing or needs to be doing. Our snake who is about 5 months old often lurks when she's hungry (peeking out of her hide rather than tucked up fully inside) or cruises her tub checking out the corners for any possibility of a meal hiding somewhere.

The feed in the enclosure vs feed in a seperate bin is as highly contested as the live vs not live prey issue. We have always fed Baby in her regular sterlite tub and have no trouble with that as she's handled a bit daily or we are in there changing water or removing waste all the time so she doesn't seem to equate the tub opening with it always being dinner time. We also use hemostats to feed her with and wash our hands before and after any handling (we have pet rats that we also handle daily). Our thoughts on that was why upset her by removing her from her home and then have to move her back when she's just eaten but like anything.....do what you feel works for you and your snake and if it's not working...adjust it.


~~Joanna~~

I am loosing my mind! Or is it I have lost my mind. Felix is making me crazy with his I ain't eatin putz attitude. he just looks at me and gives me the kind of "and what are you going to do about it" look. I suspect more time is needed. As far as the in the tank out of the tank question. I can see both sides of that, For now I was going to try it just to allow him to be a bit less stressed so maby he will eat. After that, he will go into a separate tub for feeding. I will be using tongs for both. I also plan on handeling him regularly, at least once a day except for shedding and feeding days that is. I want him to become very used to me. ANother interesting thing right now is watching the cats check him out through the tank. My older Female cat don't care much. I have a younger male that is not sure weather to Watch, Run, of freak out.. It is funny to watch. I guess that is a good example of irony, this week I have to make sure the snake don't become cat food. In a year, I have to make sure the cat don't become snake food. Hopefully they will come up with the if you don't eat me now I won't eat you later agreement...lol...

Oh well got to go. Thanks all for listening.

Later
Ray

Hey! Glad you're here. I know I am jumpin on the thread a bit late, but it's hereditary; my dad was late to both of his weddings (yukyuk yuk..)
You have found the best forum evah heah. :) It's a great group of ppl who are reliably here daily to help (except me, I pop in a few times a week hehe.)

Oh you only had Felix just over a week so really don't worry about him refusing to eat yet. Most will tell you here to give any new snake at least a week to 2 weeks of absolute quiet and no handling before even offering a meal. We put ours in our quiet, low light bedroom for the first weeks, then moved it's tub only after we'd had 3 successful feedings and a shed. Our house is pretty busy and loud so we wanted the snake well settled in.

You might want to discourage the cats from hanging out around the snake's enclosure. Other than the fact that any self-respecting cat is a natural predator and I'm pretty sure a snake can sense that, as soon as your back is turned or you are asleep those cats will either try to get that snake out or swat the tank everytime the poor thing moves. We had a cat (very recently passed away) that we had to remind about harrassement of other pets (we also have the rats).


~~Jo~~

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by doobysnack

well the previous thread is a lil off feeding in the cage does have soem falts first of all i have expirenced snakes getting more aggressive after feeding in there encloser it has happend with two of my snakes.cause snakes dont have that great of vision the sense heat and unless your dead your body will have heat i also believe if your gonna feed in your cage then invest in a hook that is the only positive way of feeding that (i) know of. but once again (I) just feel it is safer to feed in tubs.

---

If your ball pythons are aggressive when you stick your hand into their enclosure it's because you are not handling them enough and your cleaning & feeding routines are not consistent enough for them to understand the difference. Ball pythons can be "taught" the difference between feeding time and handling/cleaning time ... it's not hard at all.

Feeding ball pythons inside of their enclosures doesn't make them aggressive, their keepers do! (although, sometimes it's just the snake :P)

-adam

I have worked out the "cat problem" as far as I know. The older Female just is too lazy to worry about felix. And as far as the younger Male,,,,well lets just say that a water pistol does wonders as far as feline training,,,,he he he,,, plus it is good fun...