our first day together

well last night we had our second successful live feeding. as soon as i put the mouse into his viv... he immediately took it down. (i chose not to remove any hides and he attacked under his bark hide so i lifted it up to make sure everything was going well - and it did)

so, i would like to change things a bit. i'm considering feeding dexter outside his viv in a feeding box (not sure what to call it... sorry if i'm using the wrong term here). so here's my questions:

first, the breeder told me that i can remove dexter to feed him if i want to but he doesn't feel it's really necc. - he said some types of snakes you absolutely need to remove but in his experience, balls don't strike when he goes into their viv so giving them a feeding box isn't an absolute. (i'd love to hear everyone's feelings on this one)

second, how do you use a feeding box? do i put the snake in and then the mouse and if that's the case, then isn't it the same as feeding inside his viv?

(see i really am confused about this)

i did a search on this forum but didn't find anything to answer my questions... so i hope you all don't mind discussing it here.

Great to hear another feeding went so well! Sounds like Dexter is a happy snake!

As far as handling and how much a ball python moves about...some of our royals are off and exploring quite a bit when out of their tubs, others are content to just laze about with us and rarely do more than a bit of a stretch out. Dex could just be still adjusting as well to handling so isn't exploring as much since he's not sure if a predator might be lurking under your arm LOL. We usually have each of our ball pythons out twice a week give or take but then we have more of them and since we only handle in the evening hours there's only so much time for hang out on the couch with the family thing. We don't handle for 48 hours after feeding or on the day of feeding so that cuts 3 out of 7 days anyway. Just our routine, not the only routine of course.

We've always fed in their enclosures. If you look at my avatar that's actually Malachi our small male bp that we bought recently from Adam at 8BallPythons. You can see how Malachi is ready to eat and in a nice strike position but he feels safe as his butt end is still tucked safe in his hide so obviously we don't remove hides when we feed. With the really big females, we do take out one of their hides (the one they aren't currently in or near) just to give us a bit more room to work and monitor their live feeds, but replace it quietly afterwards.

If you are in and out of his enclosure regularily for handling, water changes, feces and urate removal, whatever he not as likely to equate the opening of his home with an automatic offering of prey. We also always make sure the prey is handled with hemostats (live, p/k, f/t, whatever) and wash really well, so none of our snakes ever smell rat or mouse on our hands.

Lots of folks prefer to use a seperate feeding tub and that's just fine too. What works, works.

Doesn't mean he's never going to tag you though LOL. Sometimes they just have bad days, bad moments or you startle them. Sometimes it's not even a bite, just a "leave me alone" sort of jab that doesn't even connect. Mike and I call it the "HISS OFF!" attitude LOL.


~~Jo~~

well hopefully it won't be my little one who gets tagged... although i never allow her to reach into any enclosures so i doubt she will.

i just added two items to dexter's viv... a hydrometer (they finally got them in at the petstore!) which is reading 68 and a new hide. he really loves the little exo terra hide we have in there for him, so i got him a larger one... (they are tan and look like a cave) - i cover them with aspen to give them that, "i'm under the ground look" even more!

i had to remove his piece of driftwood though, as it's too large and i'm going to get him another piece soon... he does have the bark in there though to assist with a shed if needed...

so i think we are happening now :D:D:D:D

oh and when i finished messing with his viv... dexter came out, (i could see the buldge from his supper yesterday) and he slithered into his new hide... so i think it was definitely a good purchase.

but, i don't know if it's possible... he sure seems bigger than when we got him 10 days ago... *sniff* my baby is growing up...

Amazing how fast they grow. Little Malachi looks so much bigger already too.

Just a little suggestion to try and not disturb Dex or his home too much right after he's eaten. It may not seem to bother him much but it's always best to play it safe and try to leave them alone as much as possible for 48 hours after they eat. (I'm such a worry wort LOL)

We use big black rubber dog dishes for hides for the bigger snakes but I pile aspen on top too in a rather pointless attempt to make them look less like...well....a flipped over big black rubber dog dish!


~~Jo~~

oooooooh, i thought i just couldn't hold him... bothering him, :petting: annoying him :omfg: and pestering :hump: him is out too?

all joking aside... thanks for telling me that jo cause i honestly didn't realize i should just leave him alone... :sleep:

thanks!!! :thumbsup:

It's not a huge deal and if you need to get in there to remove feces/urates or freshen water don't hesitate of course. Remember this is only the way Mike and I do it, not the only way to do it. We just tend to err on the side of caution when it comes to disturbing the snakes at all for 48 hours after a good feeding. I'm one of those folks that live in fear of accidentally triggering a regurge LOL *knock wood*


~~Jo~~

well i don't want a regurge either... but if it happens, what do i do? just remove it and wait another week to feed?

If you ever get a regurge only the really experienced keepers/breeders here could advise you on what's best to do. I wouldn't dream of even trying as one, I've never had a regurge occur and two, I'm in no way experienced enough yet so I'd be risking your snake to do so.

There are so many great folks here that would offer advice far better than I could in that situation. Hopefully though you won't have to deal with it. I hope I didn't make you worry with my post. From what I've seen on this forum, regurges aren't a very common occurrence but they seem to be a serious indicator something is going on that needs addressed properly. Basically, not something akin to the pet cat gakking up the occasional small hairball.


~~Jo~~

oh okay, perhaps someone will respond to this post and fill me in. (and no you didn't make me worry, just gave me another question to ask LOL)

i homeschool my kids so i'm used to asking a lot of questions so i can answer their questions when they ask ;)

ive found in my corns that regurege isnt life an death if there is a clear reason for it. my anery corn regurged twice while eating happily inbetween.

once when the power cut out for a couple of hours and she couldnt digest it (im kinda glad she chukked that time, better than it goin bad inside her) and once when i lifted her back into the tank after her first feed with me. now i let her digest for a bit in a warm spot before i try an put her back into her cage and i let her slither in herself instead of picking her up. she hasnt chukked since and is eating happily.
id worry if any of them regurged for no clear reason as it can be a sign of internal parasites, least thats what ive read.