Weighing my snake

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

i use a tub or their hides to place them in to weigh. you need something with walls to stop the snake from shifting on top of the scale.

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+1 for a hide turn it upside reset the scale to zero and place the snake in the hide. By the time she gets out which is quick I get the weight.

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Originally Posted by B.P.'s 4me

Thank you all for your help and suggestions. My scale is a good one, maybe too good as it tries to adjust the weight whenever he moves. I think the problem is that the platform isn't that big.
The reason I wanted to weight him in the first place is because he seems thin to me. I've only had him since Wed. and was told to wait a week before attempting to feed him but I truly think he's hungry. He's fairly active, very curious and not acting the least bit stressed. He does spend some time in his hides, but does a fair amount of roaming about as well.
As per your suggestions, he's about 2 ft. long, and very curious so it's hard to find a container that I can put him in and get the lid on before he's over the sides. Eventually, I solved the problem by simply placing him on the floor. The difference in texture and temperature prompted him to curl into a ball and I quickly scooped him up and popped him onto the scale. Luckily he didn't budge, and I got an reading of 360 gms., which again, seems light for his size.
Would there be any harm in offering him food tonight even though it's less than a week? I was told he's used to live, but will eat f.t. if I'm patient. I don't have live, but do have a few frozen fuzzies (rats) ranging from 12 - 16 gms. and one frozen weanling rat that weighs 20 gms. Would I be right in assuming the weanling would be the way to go at the moment and what would be the best size to buy for him from this point forward.

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The sooner you learn to read your snakes actions and ignore the famous rule"wait one week before attempting to feed a new snake", the better off you and your snake will be. If a snake in the wild had to follow the "rules for ball pythons" that are nearly scripture in some peoples eyes they would have been extinct long ago.

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Originally Posted by Momokahn

The sooner you learn to read your snakes actions and ignore the famous rule"wait one week before attempting to feed a new snake", the better off you and your snake will be. If a snake in the wild had to follow the "rules for ball pythons" that are nearly scripture in some peoples eyes they would have been extinct long ago.

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There are hundreds of posts here and other places of people who have no idea how to care for a new ball python that have gotten their stressed out snake to eat following these types of "famous rule[s]" so I would not be so quick to discredit years and thousands of experienced keepers advice.

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Originally Posted by SDA

There are hundreds of posts here and other places of people who have no idea how to care for a new ball python that have gotten their stressed out snake to eat following these types of "famous rule[s]" so I would not be so quick to discredit years and thousands of experienced keepers advice.

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There is no doubt plenty around that are just learning the nuiances of keeping snakes. As far as years of experience, I was catching, and successfully keeping snakes in the mid '70s. Does it make me an expert? No. Do I have experience? Yes. My exerience has proven a snake doesn't look at a calendar and wait 7 days to eat if it wasn't hungry just 2 days ago. Stress is always the reason a snake won't eat?
I would like to meet the maker of that rule. Thousands of experienced keepers....oh the ones that say I'm brand new in keeping snakes but this is what I think you should do. And those same experienced keepers of snakes that just love to pounce on a newb for using an analog thermometer instead of a digital thermometer made in China. SMH. And what will be the next new rule? I'm not sure, but I'm just glad my snakes don't have internet access to read the rules that have been written for them. Would hate for mine to know they can't eat if there humidity drops to 49% or if it is a mouse instead of a rat. And heaven forbid it has only been 6 days instead of 7 since its last meal.

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Originally Posted by Momokahn

There is no doubt plenty around that are just learning the nuiances of keeping snakes. As far as years of experience, I was catching, and successfully keeping snakes in the mid '70s. Does it make me an expert? No. Do I have experience? Yes. My exerience has proven a snake doesn't look at a calendar and wait 7 days to eat if it wasn't hungry just 2 days ago. Stress is always the reason a snake won't eat?
I would like to meet the maker of that rule. Thousands of experienced keepers....oh the ones that say I'm brand new in keeping snakes but this is what I think you should do. And those same experienced keepers of snakes that just love to pounce on a newb for using an analog thermometer instead of a digital thermometer made in China. SMH. And what will be the next new rule? I'm not sure, but I'm just glad my snakes don't have internet access to read the rules that have been written for them. Would hate for mine to know they can't eat if there humidity drops to 49% or if it is a mouse instead of a rat. And heaven forbid it has only been 6 days instead of 7 since its last meal.

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I look at these as general guidelines. Especially for newbs who want to get the snake, take it home, and immediately want to hold it. As for those analog therms which are not accurate at all and can harm your snake ( I know cause it happened to mine and other snakes at work) newbs should absolutely get digital ones. I do agree with you that snakes don't eat because of stress but what I don't agree with is your condescending, you're right with your righteous attitude. Do you have a different opinion, yes. However, change your tone please.