My beautiful little Bentley

So I recently had a corn snake that I took a chance on. He had a previous owner so I wasn't quite sure what I was getting. I had him for 9 weeks and I loved him a ton, unfortunatly a couple weeks ago he died. One good thing about the experience was that I found i love snakes! So after missing little Radley I broke down today and got a new baby. I beautiful Ball python I names Bentley. I've never had a ball python and I know I'm doing at least one thing wrong already so I'd like to ask now so that I can correct it as fast as possible. 1st off I did half and half for his substrate. Half forest floor stuff, and half sand (smooth sand). I figured it would be gentle enough to act as a natural exfoliant while shedding and also be soft enough. He seems to be doing perfect in it but I thought I'd ask anyways if it is acceptable. 2nd, as long as the cage is the right temp it is ok to spray bentley directly with water right? I really want him to stay hydrated so whenever the humidity is alittle off I spray the cage, it always sprays him too. I think he's about to shed but no blue eyes yet, just a lot of rubbing on the rocks. Something funny: I just brought him home today and I love him a ton but he hisses soo much! All I want to do is hold him cause he's so cute but he's being a meanie. I understand his attitude though, i'd be mad if someone took me from my home and put me in another one two. Do you guys think i should at least wait a few days before holding him? I'm going to have to handle him soon...he has mites. poor baby.

I would use aspen or news paper not sand. (I think sand is bad for em?)

And hes hissing cuz hes stressed prolly. Not supposed to hold em for 1-2 weeks after u get them and they eat for you for the first time. All your doing is adding stress on top of more stress

Also how are u measuring ur temps? I would go with the acu rite weather station for $12 at walmart

How are u heating the tank? UTH? Heat lamp?

What size is the snake/tank?

Also take a look at the care sheet. Should help out alot

http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules/...warticle&id=59

Signs of an upcoming shed are a pink belly and cloudy skin and eyes.

Spraying the cage down from time to time is fine. Just make sure it can dry out over a few days so mold doesn't grow. You should be measuring your humidity with a digital hygrometer so you don't have to guess when the humidity is low.

Spraying him with water won't keep him hydrated, providing freshwater and food once a week will.

Try to refrain from handling him for the next 7 days. I know he is cute but he needs to get comfortable with his new home and he can't do that if a huge monster is grabbing him all the time. After 7 days have pasted, try offering him a meal. Then wait 24-48 hours before handling him to allow for a digestion period.

Also, I agree with f4n70m. Get the accurite weather station to measure your temps. Its cheap and its the only thermometers/hygrometer you will need.

yeah I have both gages for heat and humidity. I live in the desert though so it gets dry fast. However, he will always have fresh water, and be offered food when he's scheduled to eat. I have a heat lamp and a heating pad for when he needs it but because i live in hot climates it's not necassary to have both. I promise I'm not handleing him and he will have time to relax into his cage. Thanks guys I needed to hear that :)
I'll change out the sand...but he's seems to like it better, I'll take it out anyways because you guys know better than me. Also the care sheet said to feed him every three weeks, i'm going to feed him in a week, but is it ok to feed him more if he's hungry?
He already seems a little happier in his cage, no more hissing whenever he see's something on the outside move. that makes me happy. I wont hold him for a couple weeks, I want him to be comfy.

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Originally Posted by desertrose1800

yeah I have both gages for heat and humidity. I live in the desert though so it gets dry fast. However, he will always have fresh water, and be offered food when he's scheduled to eat. I have a heat lamp and a heating pad for when he needs it but because i live in hot climates it's not necassary to have both. I promise I'm not handleing him and he will have time to relax into his cage. Thanks guys I needed to hear that :)
I'll change out the sand...but he's seems to like it better, I'll take it out anyways because you guys know better than me. Also the care sheet said to feed him every three weeks, i'm going to feed him in a week, but is it ok to feed him more if he's hungry?
He already seems a little happier in his cage, no more hissing whenever he see's something on the outside move. that makes me happy. I wont hold him for a couple weeks, I want him to be comfy.

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feed him every 5-7 days

And ur thermometer and hygrometer arnt accurate. The dials and strips lie. They can be off by (10* right?)

Get the digital acu rite weather station at walmart, home depot for $12 it will measure ur temp, humidity and put the probe on uth and will measure that

sorry for misspellings almost late for work :S

f4n70m is right, those "gauges" are not accurate. You need to get digital thermometers with probes and a digital hygrometer. The gauges can be off by 10* in either direction. The accurite weather station measures your hot spot temp, ambient air temp, and humidity. It can be found at walmart, home depot, or lowes for about $12. I highly recommend you purchase one.

If you live in a hot climate then ditch the heat lamp. The heat lamp will lower your humidity significantly. Just use the UTH regulated with a reptile thermostat to prevent burns.

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How often to feed really depends on what size prey is being offered. If one chooses to offer the smaller size, a feeding schedule of every seven days works well. Slightly larger prey items can be fed every ten days. Excessively large prey items will cause the ball python to refuse food on its own for an extended and unpredictable length of time.

Ball pythons seem to do well on a regular feeding schedule. Feeding every seven days on the same day of the week is a good way for the keeper to track the feeding schedule as well as being a routine the snake can become accustomed to. However, there is no one right way to go about it.

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Where does this say to feed every 3 weeks? You should be feeding your snake every 5-7 days. If you only feed it once every 3 weeks as a baby, you will starve it.

You will know when he is comfortable when he sleeps in his hides all day and comes out for an hour or two at night to look around. If he is wandering around excessively and climbing the sides of the tank then he is still stressed.

"How often to feed really depends on what size prey is being offered. If one chooses to offer the smaller size, a feeding schedule of every seven days works well. Slightly larger prey items can be fed every ten days. Excessively large prey items will cause the ball python to refuse food on its own for an extended and unpredictable length of time.

Ball pythons seem to do well on a regular feeding schedule. Feeding every seven days on the same day of the week is a good way for the keeper to track the feeding schedule as well as being a routine the snake can become accustomed to. However, there is no one right way to go about it. "

Not sure where you got three weeks at. But 5-7 days.

I just fed him and he ate right away, I'm a little mad because the care sheet petco printed out for me said that they eat every three weeks, and the lady said thats how often they feed him, I did't want to wait for an answer so I called petco back and another lady said she feeds him every week. I just gave him food and he ate no problem. Good sign? I think so. Ansyways I'll go to wal mart and get that gage. Last night he was active and alert, and come morning he was back in his hide box. I dangled food outside his hide box and he ate it no problem. It said not to feed him in his cage but i was afraid if I handled him right away he wouldn't eat so I'll switch to a seperate box in a couple weeks.

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Originally Posted by desertrose1800

I just fed him and he ate right away, I'm a little mad because the care sheet petco printed out for me said that they eat every three weeks, and the lady said thats how often they feed him, I did't want to wait for an answer so I called petco back and another lady said she feeds him every week. I just gave him food and he ate no problem. Good sign? I think so. Ansyways I'll go to wal mart and get that gage. Last night he was active and alert, and come morning he was back in his hide box. I dangled food outside his hide box and he ate it no problem. It said not to feed him in his cage but i was afraid if I handled him right away he wouldn't eat so I'll switch to a seperate box in a couple weeks.

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Sounds like you are on the right track.

There is nothing wrong with feeding him in his home enclosure. Cage aggression isn't a problem with ball pythons since they are so shy. Moving him to a separate enclosure for feeding will only increase your chances of getting bit. More contact on feeding day = more opportunities for a hungry snake to get excited about an upcoming meal and snap at the wrong thing.

Most pet store care sheets stink. It's more like a maintenance way, rather than the best way. Don't worry about feeding him in his cage, they won't associate you with food unless you have really been rolling in rat feces. I feed all 8 of min in their tubs, and have never had a problem. They have a really good sense of smell, and can tell the difference between you and a meal. :)

Most people recommend feeding in their cages. They shouldn't be handled 48 hrs after eating. It takes that long to digest their prey, and are really easy to stress out with a full belly.

Congratulation on your new baby, but be warned he won't be the first. :)

Forget the stuff they tell you in the pet shops, they don't know anything.

The caresheets you find here are what you need to study. They have helped me go from one snake to eight with no problems.

The important thing is that you are trying to do right by him now, so it will be easy to make adjustments to keep him happy and healthy.

Gale

Thanks, I really don't care if he eats in his cage or not, I had no problem with my corn snake eating in his cage. I know they're different snakes but I figured that would be near the same. I just don't want him taking any of his bedding in with the meal. Thats the only reason I was going to put him in a seperate container for feeding. I use forest floor for the his bedding and a doubt thats good for him to have in his belly along with the mouse.

Thank you. And I can already tell he wont be my only. I really didn't want any snakes but after I rescued my corn snake Radley I found out that I really loved keeping him. After he died I knew I needed a new baby and there was no question, he had to be a snake! So now I have Bentley and I love him already. I'm asking a lot of questions because I don't want to start him off on the wrong foot in my house. I really appreciate you guys helping and I know i'll have many more questions while I have Bentley. Thanks guys!!!

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Originally Posted by desertrose1800

Thanks, I really don't care if he eats in his cage or not, I had no problem with my corn snake eating in his cage. I know they're different snakes but I figured that would be near the same. I just don't want him taking any of his bedding in with the meal. Thats the only reason I was going to put him in a seperate container for feeding. I use forest floor for the his bedding and a doubt thats good for him to have in his belly along with the mouse.

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Ingesting a bit of substrate here and there will cause no harm. Impaction is very very rare with these species. I have had snakes swallow mouth fulls of wood chips and be just fine.

Best of luck to you and your ball.:D

Thankyou :)

Well thats a relief. The one thing about me is that when I get a new animal, especially one I have never had before, I freak out about every little detail! I worry about everything for the first month usually before I get better. Oh and another thing....my snake loved his hide box yesterday...but now he's purposley pushing it over....lol he doesn't want it in his cage anymore, he seems more content in the open. Is it normal for them not to want a hide box? I checked it and it's perfect for him, it's small enough for him, but not too small so that he's crouded. And he didnt go to the bathroom in it...I'm having a hard time understanding but I wont protest, if he doesn't want one they I guess he doesn't need one.

They can be pretty picky with their hides. Mine will move his all over his tub. They seem to think they're interior designers sometimes. :rolleyes:

Edit: And be warned, the first few weeks are the worst! No handling, don't know what to expect, etc... But after that, it's SO worth it.