Im a new ball python owner

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Caspian163

Thank you yes he is nice you saw the pics of mine right? How old is your ball? Mine will be four weeks 8/2/14

---

I'm guessing between 2 & 3 months based on length, but have no real way of knowing actual age bc she's from petsmart. (I was told female, not really sure of that either lol)
So you got yours when it was only three days old?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by megan8706

I'm guessing between 2 & 3 months based on length, but have no real way of knowing actual age bc she's from petsmart. (I was told female, not really sure of that either lol)
So you got yours when it was only three days old?

---

Nah mine I got from a breeder and he was a week old

<thread hijack>

Does anyone else find it disconcerting that breeders are sending one week old hatchlings home with newbie owners? I thought it was fairly standard to not sell until the baby had taken at least three meals, which is unlikely when it's just a week old.

</thread hijack>

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bcr229

Does anyone else find it disconcerting that breeders are sending one week old hatchlings home with newbie owners? I thought it was fairly standard to not sell until the baby had taken at least three meals, which is unlikely when it's just a week old.

---

I've been speaking with a friend of mine which happens to bread BPs in CA and he says he doesn't sell them until they have eaten and shed atleast once.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bcr229

<thread hijack>

Does anyone else find it disconcerting that breeders are sending one week old hatchlings home with newbie owners? I thought it was fairly standard to not sell until the baby had taken at least three meals, which is unlikely when it's just a week old.

</thread hijack>

---

Well the person I got him from helped me with all that the shedding and feeding but I want to learn more on my own

Caspain just stick around here and since hes so young just hold of on too much handlimg untill he eats a few more times.

Basic rules of thumb:

Keep good humidity

Keep him warm (heating pad or something similar that is regulated with a thermostat)

Young balls will usially eat 5-7 days untill theyre older. Then 1 to 2 weeks between feeding is fine.

Ball pythons can go a while if they choose to without food but usually they will stop eating if they are unsatisfied with theyre conditions (humidy, temp, security) or for breeding season

Keep the enclosure cluttered for security

Feed an appropriate sized rat (as wide as the snakes biggest part of its body)

These snakes are pretty hardy. Just keep the guidelines and advice of people on here and your snake will be jist fine

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Caspian163

Well the person I got him from helped me with all that the shedding and feeding but I want to learn more on my own

---

Ah, that's a bit different then. With many breeders/sellers once you buy the animal, it's good luck and you're on your own.

If you want to learn, perhaps doing an apprenticeship with the breeder, where you help out for a while in exchange for gaining knowledge and experience, would have been a better option.

thank you guys

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Izzys Keeper

Caspain just stick around here and since hes so young just hold of on too much handlimg untill he eats a few more times.

Basic rules of thumb:

Keep good humidity

Keep him warm (heating pad or something similar that is regulated with a thermostat)

Young balls will usially eat 5-7 days untill theyre older. Then 1 to 2 weeks between feeding is fine.

Ball pythons can go a while if they choose to without food but usually they will stop eating if they are unsatisfied with theyre conditions (humidy, temp, security) or for breeding season

Keep the enclosure cluttered for security

Feed an appropriate sized rat (as wide as the snakes biggest part of its body)

These snakes are pretty hardy. Just keep the guidelines and advice of people on here and your snake will be jist fine

---

How long should I wait before I start handling him he gonna be 4 weeks aug 2, 2014?

I'm a lil confused on when to feed him some places I looked after the search results they say either 7-10 days, three weeks, four weeks, etc I'm lost?