My Snake Scares the Hell Out Of ME!

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Originally Posted by jwk811

to tell you the truth it seems like your always trying to make me sound like an idiot..................

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Is that what's going on here? .... I've been trying to put my finger on it ... hmmmm .... I'll have to either reflect some more or go eat a piece of toast ... I'll get back to you on that one.

As far as your question about ball python bites hurting? .... Yes, horribly so.

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

As far as your question about ball python bites hurting? .... Yes, horribly so.

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I think the thing that hurts the worst is the rubbing alchohol and all the disenfectant, combined with the iodine and then comes the stitches... that curved needle hurts like a... well, it hurts... Then, when the venom gets into your blood stream, and your whole left side starts to throb....

Eww..... HATE it when that happens!

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Originally Posted by ddbjdealer

I think the thing that hurts the worst is the rubbing alchohol and all the disenfectant, combined with the iodine and then comes the stitches... that curved needle hurts like a... well, it hurts... Then, when the venom gets into your blood stream, and your whole left side starts to throb....

Eww..... HATE it when that happens!

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I wish I had some venomous BPs. I keep looking everywhere but I can't find any!! You know what relieves the pain? Leeches....

I just hate the itching that I get all over my private parts whenever I get bit.

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

I just hate the itching that I get all over my private parts whenever I get bit.

-adam

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Didn't we talk about you not doing that with your snakes anymore?

Introduction -

Ball Pythons are the one of the most popular pet snakes. They are known and loved for their beautiful patterns and make great pets because they rarely bite and handle captivity well. Ball Pythons and generally smaller snakes. They on average grow from 4-5 feet long. Sometimes they may be as small as 3 feet or get as big as 6 feet long. Wild caught snakes can definently be a problem, they can have mites or carry parasites and may not adapt to capity well. I sell only capitve breed ball pythons, which means they were breed in capivity, which is the best way to buy ball pythons anywhere. I would NOT recommend any other way.


Proper Caging -

Before you buy your snake you should have your cage all set up and ready for your snake. The best kind of cage you can get for your snake are commercial, store bought cages. Aquariums work just as good. The size of the cage should be around 36" x 12". It can be bigger than that, but it can't be too much smaller. Although snakes like to feel safe and secure in smaller cages they also need to be able to stretch out. You need to be sure that the cage is escape proof.

It is very easy for ball pythons to find a way to escape and believe me when I say this, they are experts when it comes to escaping. Most store bought cages have sliding lids with pin locks which are the most secure and won't allow a way for the snake to escape. Always make sure for any cage you are using that there is good ventilation. If you are using an aquarium to cage your snake you can either buy or build your own screen cover. If you are building your own cover make sure there are no holes or spaces that the snake can get out of, as ball pythons can squeeze through small spaces easily. The cover will need to be heavy enough so the snake can't push up on it and should be able to lock into place over the top of the aquarium.

For the floor of the cage most types of substrate will do. You can find many different types of substrate at your local pet store but remember to stay away from cedar. Cedar is very poisonous to snakes and is something you should definently stay away from. Other types of cage floor you can use are wood shaving, special cage carpeting or even newspaper. I wouldn't recommend using newspaper, it's not very natural and the ink could irritate the snake. If you don't have anything better to use newspaper is alright.

One or more hide boxes are definently required. If your snake has no hide box it will get very stressed and wouldn't be happy. Hide boxes give the snake a place to get away and feel safe and secure. This is where they will rest peacfully and where they will go to digest there food properly. The snake will probably be in there hide box most of the time sleeping. They will be more active at night as they are nocturnal. You can add a branch to your cage for the snake to crawl on. Make sure the branch is in sterdy. A branch is not required but could be something to add.

Heating Requirments -

You will have to keep the cage within different temperatures. As snakes are cold blooded they will need to have different temperatures that they can go to. During the day the temperature of the cage should be within 80F and 85F, with a warm spot of 90F. During the night the temperature should drop down to around 75F with a warm spot of 80F. To keep these temperatures at these specifics you should use a heating lamp and a heating pad. Do NOT you any hot rocks they can severely burn your snake. This is what I use and it works perfectly. You should get a heating pad that will cover about 1/3 of the bottom of the cage. This will be the cages warm spot.

Most heating pads just stick under the bottom of the cage and will plug in to keep warm. You can buy these heating pads at your local pet store, prices vary by which size you get. A heating lamp is a lamp that can handle high watts and has mirrors and reflects to give off more heat. I was told to use about a 150 watt bulb but 100 watts or even less seems to keep the temperatures in the right range. I use a 55 gallon aquarum for my snakes. The best way to keep your snakes from getting burned by the lamp is to get a clip on and hang it above the cage so there is no way the snake can get burned. The lamp can be put right in the middle of the cage.

Ball Pythons will need about 12 hours of light and about 12 hours of dark so make sure the light goes off at night. Since the temperature is supposed to drop to about 75F at night shutting off the light at night will make that happen. Keep the heating pad on for the warm spot and if the snake gets too cool it will go there to warm up. If the temperature drops too low, below 75F, you should use either a ceramic bulb which only gives off heat and no light or a red light which the snakes can barely see, you will probably need to do this during the cold seasons as well. Always make sure the temperature stays where it's supposed to so you may need to use different watts. You will need to use at least two thermometers one at the warm spot and the other somewhere else in the cage to make sure you have the right temperature. You do not want your snake to over-heat or freeze.

Feeding -

Ball Pythons will eat rodents. You should feed your snake pre-killed mice. Buy them frozen and thaw them out and they're ready to be eaten. You can buy frozen mice at your local pet store or you can buy them online. Depending on how old your snake is, or it's size you should be accordingly....

Young (14"-24") should feed on: (small-medium) Fuzzy Mice once a week........ Sub Adult ("24-48"): should feed on: Lg. Mice-Fuzzy Rats once every two weeks.
Adult (48"+): should feed on: (small-medium) Rats once every two weeks.

If you were thinking about feeding live mice you may want to re-think that. Live mice may injure your snake as they will use self-defense before they go down. Feeding pre-killed mice is safe and easy. Just stick them in the back of the freezer until it's time for them to feed and thaw one out. The best way to thaw out a frozen mouse is to put it under a heating lamp for a while. Do NOT put it in the microwave, you do not want it to cook. You can tell if it's ready for the snake to eat by feeling it and making sure it's not cold. It might take while for the inside of the mouse to warm up so you will have to be patient. It can't be cold nor hot. You should have a separate cage specially for your snake for feeding. A separate cage will decrease the chance of your snake thinking your fingers are food and will know that he needs to be in it's feeding cage to eat. When it's in it's feeding cage after a while it will know that when it goes in there that it's going to eat. To get the snake to eat you should dangle the mouse above him to get him interested. Be careful that you don't get bit, it could accidently get you hand. It will strike the mouse and will start to swallow it . A safe way would be to use a glove and dangle the mouse by the tail. What I do is clip the very end of the mouses tail with a wire and let him grab the mouse. That way i won't get bit. Before the snake eats it will scent the mouse to make sure it's food. You can see your snake doing this with it's tounge. You should feed your snake during the evening, that is when they are normally out looking for food.

If your snake refuses the food that you offer it is often not a problem. Just keep offering the food and keep trying to see if he'll take it regularly. If this happens for an extended period you can try offering other types of food or offer the prey in different ways. You can try feeding gerbils or hamsters or even try feeding life food. I don't think this would happen with the snakes that I am selling because they are used to feeding on pre-killed mice and have been in captivity all their lives. If this in fact does happen it could mean that it is not happy with it's home, it might not be getting all the requirments that it needs. You may want to re-arrange it's habitat and let him settle in a little while more. If this still exceeds it still may not be a problem with your snake. But, if you see that it is losing weight you may want to consider seeing a vet that handles reptiles because there could be a problem.

Water and Humidity -

Your snake will need a water dish large enough to soak in and heavy enough that it can't be knocked over. This will be important during sheds. You may see your snake drink once and a while as well. Water should be changed regularly.

If the cage is too dry it can result in bad sheds. The humidity should be around 60%. Which will keep your snake healthy and would give a better chance to good sheds. What some people do to raise the humidity level is to use damp sphagnum moss along with a covered container with holes to provide the moisture. Or for an easier way would be to just spray water into the air of the cage, that could help too.

I don't think it would be possible to find more inaccuracies in any other document available today in all the libraries in our land. I am floored...Mel Gibson made more valid points during his arrest :eek::D

You really may want to check out this caresheet!!!


As for anyone here making to "look like an idiot", that is not true. Everyone here is just trying to give you the best care info possible for your animal.

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Originally Posted by jwk811

make great pets because they rarely bite

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LMAO ... priceless!

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Originally Posted by jwk811

I sell only capitve breed ball pythons

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You don't know how to probe or pop, but now you're selling snakes?

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Originally Posted by jwk811

and believe me when I say this, they are experts when it comes to escaping.

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How would you know?

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Originally Posted by jwk811

I wouldn't recommend using newspaper, it's not very natural and the ink could irritate the snake.

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Wrong.

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Originally Posted by jwk811

During the night the temperature should drop down to around 75F with a warm spot of 80F.

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Wrong.

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Originally Posted by jwk811

I use a 55 gallon aquarum for my snakes.

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SnakeS? I thought you had one ... and I thought that it was in a 30 gallon?

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Originally Posted by jwk811

Since the temperature is supposed to drop to about 75F at night shutting off the light at night will make that happen.

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Still wrong.

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Originally Posted by jwk811

Young (14"-24") should feed on: (small-medium) Fuzzy Mice once a week........ Sub Adult ("24-48"): should feed on: Lg. Mice-Fuzzy Rats once every two weeks.
Adult (48"+): should feed on: (small-medium) Rats once every two weeks.

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Wrong.

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Originally Posted by jwk811

A separate cage will decrease the chance of your snake thinking your fingers are food and will know that he needs to be in it's feeding cage to eat.

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Wrong.

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Originally Posted by jwk811

What I do is clip the very end of the mouses tail with a wire and let him grab the mouse.

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WOW.

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Originally Posted by jwk811

Your snake will need a water dish large enough to soak in

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Wrong.

That's just my first pass .... I'll go over it again when I have some more time. ;) :sweeet:

-adam

:eek: ........