NEW HERE.. WITH QUESTIONS.. sorry if its long im concerned

Hi, my name is brandi and of course im new here and I have a few questions.. I am the first time owner of a ball python .. well i had one as a kid but my father cared for it, so that dont really count.
my husband has begged for a snake for months now (he's always wanted one never had one) so today we went and purchased one...(this is of course after weeks of looking for a healthy snake) "she" ( dont know ) is BEAUTIFULLY marked.. and young too.. which is my first question

how do i determine age? "she/he" is approx 16 " long

my second question is about her habitat .. here is what my hubby bought today for her

10 gal tank
screen lid with clamps
a small heat pad for under the cage
heat light for top
big bark bedding (the dark with big pieces)
water bowl
huge piece of drift wood and
background

so my next question is about the heat pad.. the take is 10 gal but the pad says for a 5 gal tank.. the pet owner said i didnt need a bigger one since i was using a heat light as well (my light has a 45 watt bulb)
IS THIS ENOUGH????
it is 7 pm here and she has been laying right where the pad is at (under tank of course) for an hour now. before hand she explored her cage crawled under and over her wood checked everything out.. now shes staying on the padded spot.

i know i need a temp checker (sorry cant spell what its really called lol)
ill get that in the morning

sorry this is long thank you if your still reading.. but here is a small list i made for things to pick up tomorrow

red heat light for night time
ceramic bowl to replace plastic small one i have now
some fake trees
a cave to hide in
spray bottle for water
and a large plastic tub to feed her in
also food (been 6 days since she ate) i was told she eats once a week

ANYTHING else you all recommend????

I would first say read the Ball Python care sheet as this will answer most of your questions.

The temps should be 82-83 on the cool side, 92-93 on the warm..your humidity should be 60%. The hides should be enclosed and small and tight...that is how they like it. You can just get plastic bowls or etc. cut a hole and burn the edges so they are not sharp. You will need 2 one on the cool side and one on the warm side. The screen top is going to be difficult to keep in the humidity. You can get a piece of plexi-glass to cover it up or you can use aluminum foil. Otherwise you are going to loose all of your humidity. The heating pad....please be sure it is an under the tank heater...needs to be on a thermostat to control it otherwise it could get too hot. You should also have 2 thermometers...with probes...one for each side. (you can get these at wally world) also you need a hygrometer to measure your humidity. If your under the tank heater works enough then you should not need your light. BP's do not really need a light cycle....and the light will further hurt the humidity. If the UTH is not working to capacity I would get a bigger one....but again it will need to be controlled with a thermostat.

Also I don't think I read what you are using for susbstrate (stuff on the bottom of the cage)....please see the care sheet as it will list what you can and cannot use.

Once all is set up make sure that you leave your snake in there for about one week....with no touching. (trust me this is the hardest thing to do) but it will help her adjust and to get acustom to her new digs.

Congrats and enjoy your new snake.....care it becomes an addiction so quickly. By the way welcome to the forum....you will find that everyone is awesome on here and really really help so much!! :D

:welcome: !!!

Might I suggest a few things to add and subtract from your shopping list.

1. Thermostat: You probably won't be able to find this in stores so you will have to order it online. If you intend to use an under tank heater then you MUST use it with a thermostat controlling the heat output. If you don't have a thermostat, there is a high chance your snake will get burned by the heat pad. The reptitemp 500r is a very inexpensive thermostat and is great for single setups.

2. Digital thermometers: These are just as important as a thermostat. The accurite weather station from the home depot isn't intended for reptile use but it works perfectly for what you need. It reads outdoor temp, indoor temp, and ambient humidity. So you can measure your hot side, cool side, and humidity with one unit.

3. Two IDENTICAL tight fitting "cave" hides. You don't necessarily have to get the pet store kind. I am very cheap and get plastic bowls from the dollar store and cut holes in the hides. They work great and they are super cheap.




If you can get away with it, ditch the lamps. They suck humidity out of the air and make it almost impossible to keep up. If your house temperatures are above 75* you won't need the light.

There is absolutely no reason to feed your snake in a separate container, save your money and feed in her home enclosure. It is just easier for everyone.

I hope this helps!

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

:welcome: !!!



2. Digital thermometers: These are just as important as a thermostat. The accurite weather station from the home depot isn't intended for reptile use but it works perfectly for what you need. It reads outdoor temp, indoor temp, and ambient humidity. So you can measure your hot side, cool side, and humidity with one unit.

If you can get away with it, ditch the lamps. They suck humidity out of the air and make it almost impossible to keep up. If your house temperatures are above 75* you won't need the light.

There is absolutely no reason to feed your snake in a separate container, save your money and feed in her home enclosure. It is just easier for everyone.

I hope this helps!

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okay a few Q's again.. one what kind of digital thermometer??? and where do i find one???

two my house is COOOOLD.. it stays about 68 at night and 69-70 during the day.

i do have the under tank pad but its meant for a 1-5 gal tank and i have a 10.. i was worried that this wouldnt be enough heat for her... right now i KNOW that she is cold and i have the pad and the light going I felt of her when i put water in there a few min ago and she was like ice

The UTH should cover about 1/3 of the floor of the tank.

The accurite weather station can be found at the home depot for about $11. You might have to ask around to find it.

If your house is cold then get a low wattage red bulb and run it 24/7.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

The UTH should cover about 1/3 of the floor of the tank.



If your house is cold then get a low wattage red bulb and run it 24/7.

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yes i have a red bulb on my list.. im making it as we type.. lol
as for the pad it is very close if not dead on covering that much. i live in a very old farm house we are remodeling and its pretty drafty in here at times. i have an amazon parrot and she needs it 70 and i still keep a light on her all the time because she gets cold.

i dont have a home depot where i live but i searched on walmart.com and they have that thermostat.. once i get it how do i use it.. where do i put it????

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Originally Posted by toddsbabygirl

yes i have a red bulb on my list.. im making it as we type.. lol
as for the pad it is very close if not dead on covering that much. i live in a very old farm house we are remodeling and its pretty drafty in here at times. i have an amazon parrot and she needs it 70 and i still keep a light on her all the time because she gets cold.

i dont have a home depot where i live but i searched on walmart.com and they have that thermostat.. once i get it how do i use it.. where do i put it????

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You mean that thermometer?

When you get it, you will notice it comes with an external probe. You will stick this right on the glass inside the tank where the UTH is. You want to measure the hottest point the snake can get too. Then put the rest of the unit of the opposite side of the tank or the "cool side".

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

You mean that thermometer?

When you get it, you will notice it comes with an external probe. You will stick this right on the glass inside the tank where the UTH is. You want to measure the hottest point the snake can get too. Then put the rest of the unit of the opposite side of the tank or the "cool side".

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i think im looking at something different.. sorry im having to hit quote my quick reply dont work

here are the two im seeing
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...ct_id=10661061

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

Those a both thermometers but you probably don't want the wireless version.

This is the version I have used but I know they have a newer version of this model now.

http://www.wildbirdsandbeyond.com/im...tail/00891.jpg

You might not be able to see it on walmarts website, but most of them carry it in stores.

GREAT
the pic really helps me out.. so as of now
my list consists of

thermostat
digital thermometer
caves(bowls)
red heat light
and i want some fake trees just for me.. lol

Sounds good! Good luck :) Post pictures when your setup looks all nice and pretty.

of course i will..

im still very curious as to how old he/she is.. i know she/he is 16" long and been fed once a week.. maybe my vet can guess

someone told me approx 4-6 weeks old

I can vouch for the great advice I've gotten from Kaorte and others here. People here are so knowledgeable.;)

You are asking the right questions and most importantly, you are listening.... Definitely post photos when done. :gj:

Whats your new pet's name?

Welcome to the obsession!

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Originally Posted by Chocolate Muffin's

I can vouch for the great advice I've gotten from Kaorte and others here. People here are so knowledgeable.;)

You are asking the right questions and most importantly, you are listening.... Definitely post photos when done. :gj:

Whats your new pet's name?

Welcome to the obsession!

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dont really have a name as of now, we just got her/him home today.. is it true about telling sex by length of tail.. if so then my she is a HE... lol

however my boys are calling it ziggy and my girls are calling it gaberielle.. so maybe ziggy gab :rofl:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by toddsbabygirl

dont really have a name as of now, we just got her/him home today.. is it true about telling sex by length of tail.. if so then my she is a HE... lol

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You can tell the gender of a BP on looks alone, at least not with 100% accuracy... only way to know for sure is by popping or probing, which I'd leave to an expert. As for his/her age, it would help to see a picture, but I would guess 2-3 months based on your description. Congrats on the new addition, and beware of the addiction - LOL. :D

I think what Lolo76 means is that you cannot determine the animal's gender accurately without probing or popping the snake. I learned to pop from YouTube and have done it a zillion times for younger snakes. A vet can do a proper probe, but they may charge for this service. As you become more experienced, you can decide the best way to determine the gender of your new friend : )

Oops - typo! :oops: Yes, I meant that you cannot tell the gender on looks alone... and I'm learning the popping technique myself (with videos), but haven't been brave enough to try yet.

Btw, did you (chocolate muffins) find that YouTube videos were enough to learn? I was hoping to get an in-person demonstration before trying, but it seems many have learned through videos alone.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lolo76

Btw, did you (chocolate muffins) find that YouTube videos were enough to learn? I was hoping to get an in-person demonstration before trying, but it seems many have learned through videos alone.

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Yeah, I watched several of them. Ralph Davies has one that I thought was especially good. He really keys in on how to move you fingers slowly up the tail, and then over the vent (it's done with 2 hands). If I had the link I would post it but I don't.:(

Ralph Davies was as good as anyone I thought to teach how to do it. I think it is very easy once the technique is established.:D I know that one has to be careful though, they say if not done right it can be dangerous for the animal, but you already know that :gj:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by toddsbabygirl

okay a few Q's again.. one what kind of digital thermometer??? and where do i find one???

two my house is COOOOLD.. it stays about 68 at night and 69-70 during the day.

i do have the under tank pad but its meant for a 1-5 gal tank and i have a 10.. i was worried that this wouldnt be enough heat for her... right now i KNOW that she is cold and i have the pad and the light going I felt of her when i put water in there a few min ago and she was like ice

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Hello and :welcome: to the forum. You may also be able to find the AccuRite thermometer at Lowes in the Outdoor or Lawn and Garden section. Since your house temps are cooler, you may want to insulate your tank to help keep some of the heat in. You can cover 3 sides with something like foam board, cardboard, or polystyrene insulation. I like using the foam board because it's easy to work with and is available at Wal-Mart in the school supplies section. You can also get it in different colors. Whatever you decide to use, you can use stuff like aquarium scenery, paper or fabric to help decorate it up a bit. This all serves the purposes of insulating to keep in the heat. It helps the tank seem not so open to the snake which may help reduce stress.
Next, since you are using a screen top and a heat lamp, you may have problems keeping the humidity up. You can fix this by covering most of the top with something like aluminun foil, cardboard, foam board or polystyrene insulation wrapped in foil or a piece of plexiglass. What I did was cut pieces of card board into panels and wrap them in foil, that way I can add or remove individual panels as needed depending on how much I need to raise or lower the humidity. If you decide to use something wrapped in foil, make sure you leave about a 3 inch gap of exposed screen between the covering and the heat lamp, which will allow for ventilation and reduce potential fire hazard, and if you need to cover that gap then use only foil for it.
When your snake gets ready to start the shedding process you will need to get the humidity up to about 70% for a few days. there are a few ways you can do this. 1) mist more frequently. When you mist, make sure that you aren't saturating everything. 2) make a humid hide 3) add another water bowl with wet sphagnum moss or 4) fold up a wet towel (not dripping) and lay it on the screen, and just keep re-wetting it as needed.
Since it has already been a week or so since it ate it may be hungry, however, it is good to wait for about 5-7 days for it to acclimatize to it's new surroundings. It may eat now or it may not. It is also a good idea not to handle the snake for 24-48 hours after feeding, unless it is necessary for spot cleaning, and should be kept to a minimum.
If it is going to be a while before you get a thermostat for the UTH, you can always pick up a lamp dimmer switch or rheostat from Lowes, Wal-Mart, etc. for about $10 or so, which will give you a way to control the UTH.
That's about all I can think of for now. Hope it helps...

thanks, i didnt think about putting the foam around it, we put the scene around it on 3 sides. but i may put the foam on there as well, last night he coved off the area he was in checked out his tank and this morning is balled under his driftwood.
it has been a week since he last ate, i was planning on trying to feed him today because yesterday while watching before i bought him he appeared to be hunting, and he seems to be doing that here as well.. so i may at least attempt to feed him. if he dont eat it ill just put it in something til he does.
THANKS EVERYONE YOUR SUCH A BIG HELP
and ill get a pic this afternoon after everything is finished
IM GONNA LOVE THIS SITE

the site alone is an addiction

Quote:

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Originally Posted by toddsbabygirl

thanks, i didnt think about putting the foam around it, we put the scene around it on 3 sides. but i may put the foam on there as well, last night he coved off the area he was in checked out his tank and this morning is balled under his driftwood.
it has been a week since he last ate, i was planning on trying to feed him today because yesterday while watching before i bought him he appeared to be hunting, and he seems to be doing that here as well.. so i may at least attempt to feed him. if he dont eat it ill just put it in something til he does.
THANKS EVERYONE YOUR SUCH A BIG HELP
and ill get a pic this afternoon after everything is finished
IM GONNA LOVE THIS SITE

the site alone is an addiction

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Patience. The behavior your are witnessing is most likely your snake looking for a way out of this strange new environment. Wait one week from the day you got the snake before attempting to feed it. You will have much more success if you wait a week.

well i didnt buy him food today i decided against it anyway. lol
but i did post pic's of his habitat on my other post