simple question

i have a setup w/ a 75w lamp on left, with his hide/hut under heat, and his water bowl on cool end, and a buncha twisting branches he climbs on.... is this ok? do i need some kinda night bulb..

also, do i keep the light on 24/7?

i just got him tonight... had a snow corn snake but was too skiddish and boring for my personality...

http://www.neur0.net/asddd.jpg

Actually for mine I only use a 15 watt bulb, mainly just to light the cages a bit, for heat I use UTH's. And I do not leave my bulbs on 24/7!!

whats a UTH?

oh the heating pads...... i used those for my corn snake but the people told me that they arent good for b.p's

Belly heat is what BP's need to digest their food, that is what the UTH's give. Actually they really dont NEED light from a lamp on top of their cages, but as I stated I use them with a really low wattage bulb just to light the cages up a bit..

do u leave ur heat pad on 24/7?

Yes, and best to use a thermostat to regulate the heat so they dont get too hot and burn your snake!!!!

Well, if you are using a fish tank, or critter cage with a screen top, you might need alow watt heat lamp to keep you ambient air temperatures up. However, if you are using a sealed cage, tub, or a rack system you should not need one. But, yes, under the tank heat mats are what you are supposed to use for ball pythons, but you do need to use a thermostat with them. You could also use a regular heat pad you would use for yourself, just make sure it does not have an automatic safety to shut off.

Good luck with your new ball python, and hope you enjoy it.

my heatpad doesnt have a setting control.. its only one temperature

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Originally Posted by neur0tix

my heatpad doesnt have a setting control.. its only one temperature

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The under the tank heat mat or an actual heat pad you would use for yourself? Under the tank heat mats for reptiles do not have temperature controls, that is why you need to use a thermostat with them.

ok well at the reptile store i was holding him for like a hour before i bought him, he was really chill.. i just lifted up his hide and he was in a ball and like didnt seem like he wanted to be held..

i reached to get him and he flinched intensely....

when their in their hide should i not mess with them?

yeah but even having a thermostat wouldnt control the heat... if its too hot i can only unplug it and i cant sit there 24/7 monitring the heat

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Originally Posted by neur0tix

ok well at the reptile store i was holding him for like a hour before i bought him, he was really chill.. i just lifted up his hide and he was in a ball and like didnt seem like he wanted to be held..

i reached to get him and he flinched intensely....

when their in their hide should i not mess with them?

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You really shouldn't pull them from their hides unless need be. When they are stressed, they will breath heavily and quickly, some will ball up, others will not. Also, you shouldn't handle them for a week or two after you get them, just to let them get used to their surroundings, just moving into a new cage is stressful for them. Also, what size cage/ tank do you have it in? What are your ambient air temperatures? What are your ground temperatures, hot and cool side? Do you have two hides one on the cool side one on the hot side so it can regulate its body temperature?

im not sure the size, its like 1.75-2 feet long, standard size... perhaps 10 gal. heat lamp over his hide, water bowl on cool side.... carpetting on bottom... i dont have temperature gauging equipment...............

i have friends that have ball pythons and never mentioned anything about ambient air temperatures, or any kinda temperatures............

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Originally Posted by neur0tix

yeah but even having a thermostat wouldnt control the heat... if its too hot i can only unplug it and i cant sit there 24/7 monitring the heat

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Thermostats do control the heat of a reptile under the tank heat mat. You would set it to not go over 93 degrees, so once it hit 93 degrees, it would turn off the under the tank heat mat, and then turn it back on when it got lower, say 87 degrees for example it would turn back on.

Trust me, none of us sit there 24 hours unplugging under the tank heat mats all day, or at least none that I know of, ha ha. Most of us use thermostats, that way the chances of your snake getting burned is slim to none.

UAV under his hide... not turned on yet because i dont know if i should til i get thermostat i guess..... funny how at the reptile (snake only) store, they only have the light above, and a water bowl and the snakes do fine...

no thermostats, most of what u just said about temperatures is gabble to me, meaning makes no sense O_o

Well, unless your ball python is angry and hissing and taking strikes at you for what ever reason, which would be a bad thing, Ball pythons dont make an "Exciting" pet to say either... they hide all day and come out late at night.

I know you probably didn't want to hear this, but no one has said it, so there ya go. Maybe a Boa or a Carpet? Don't know much about carpets though...

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Originally Posted by neur0tix

im not sure the size, its like 1.75-2 feet long, standard size... perhaps 10 gal. heat lamp over his hide, water bowl on cool side.... carpetting on bottom... i dont have temperature gauging equipment...............

i have friends that have ball pythons and never mentioned anything about ambient air temperatures, or any kinda temperatures............

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Well, maybe you could pass some information on to them to help, if you like. I'll help you out, and tell you the basics.

Ambient air temps (The temperature of the air in the cage):
Ambient air temperature should never drop below 75 degrees as it could lead to a upper respiratory infection. Try to keep your ambient air temperature at about 80 degrees.

Ground hot side:
Between 89- 93 degrees

Ground cool side:
Between 80- 85 degrees

Humidity (Moisture in the air):
50- 60% normally and 60- 70% when in shed

Feeding:
I feed hatchling ball pythons every five days. I feed rat pinks or fuzzies to start, they should be the same width as the widest part of your snakes body. You may also feed mice if you prefer, I feed rats because they are cheaper than mice in the long run as the snake grows. For example, with mice you will end up feeding multiple mice at a time in order to keep the correct body weight, as with rats, you will only ever need to feed one as they are larger than mice.

For now keep feeding what ever the pet store was feeding it until you get it to eat a couple of times for you. You can than switch to what you prefer once you know it will eat for you. Some will switch first try, some will not.

he came out his hide since i turned the light off... so i picked him up and randomly he bit me..

y did he come out was hecold?

i was holding him like 8 minutes before he nipped me

Im afraid im doing something wrong.... til i get a thermostat what should I have the headlight on? its 75w... so like should i turn it off at night or what, turn it down to a low setting? and leave the pad on? :< :<

i dont know what to do..

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Originally Posted by neur0tix

UAV under his hide... not turned on yet because i dont know if i should til i get thermostat i guess..... funny how at the reptile (snake only) store, they only have the light above, and a water bowl and the snakes do fine...

no thermostats, most of what u just said about temperatures is gabble to me, meaning makes no sense O_o

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Most pet stores do not take adequate care of their animals... not saying all do not take good care of them, but most do not. A lot of the animals will appear fine but are skinny (Look like a triangle if you look at them from the top), have internal parasites (such as worms), mites (they are like fleas for reptiles), or have a respiratory infection (you will notice they constantly hold their head up, or even bubble out the nose/ mouth if mild, or in the worst case, they will drool).

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Originally Posted by neur0tix

he came out his hide since i turned the light off... so i picked him up and randomly he bit me..

y did he come out was hecold?

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Ball pythons are nocturnal, meaning they only come out at night. If you are using a white heat lamp and then shut it off, it will come out because it is dark and it feels safe enough to come out.

if hes big enough to eat regular sized mouses, shoudl he be eating once a week?

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Originally Posted by neur0tix

i was holding him like 8 minutes before he nipped me

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Some times hatchlings are very nervous and will bite in defense. Let it crawl around for a bit before you pick it up, and try to be slow and not move too fast or you may scare it into biting.

Also, you should leave it alone for a week to let it get used to its surroundings before you begin handling, or you could be adding to its stress level.

so for now is it ok to turn the light off for the nig ht and leave the heat pad on?? ill try and get thermostat as soon as i can find one..

its not a hatchling its a big boy... atleast a year old... ok i will leave it alone... but i dont feed in the terranium so i have to pick it up to take it out...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by neur0tix

Im afraid im doing something wrong.... til i get a thermostat what should I have the headlight on? its 75w... so like should i turn it off at night or what, turn it down to a low setting? and leave the pad on? :< :<

i dont know what to do..

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If you have a heat pad that you would use for yourself that has a low setting and no safety shut off, you could use that temporarily until you get a thermostat. If not you will have to leave the light on to keep some heat in the cage.

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Originally Posted by neur0tix

if hes big enough to eat regular sized mouses, shoudl he be eating once a week?

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If he will eat once a week then yes, if he will not eat every week, then you could feed it a mouse or two every other week.

Try to get a red or blue light reptile bulb first time tomorrow untill you decide what UTH and thermostat to get. Any of those 2 bulb type are "ok" to leave on during night time.

It's just a temporary fix though. Lamps really suck up all the humidity and your snake will start having humidity related problems. Like a stuck shed.

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Originally Posted by neur0tix

its not a hatchling its a big boy... atleast a year old... ok i will leave it alone... but i dont feed in the terranium so i have to pick it up to take it out...

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You do not have to feed in a separate enclosure, you can feed in their own cage, most people do. It really is a personal choice, but usually moving them just to feed them only adds to their stress level, or leading you to get bit while trying to move them back to their regular enclosure.

I have one of the ones that u stick to bottom of the tank... its not to hot that it would burn me........ and has no safety shutoff

im so confused... whats the point of the light then? should i leave the light on during day and heating pad off, then at night put the pad on and light off???

How long is the snake? If you can not fit two tight fitting hides and a water bowl into the ten gallon, you would need to upgrade to a 20 long gallon. You need to have two hides, one on the hot side and one on the cool side so it can regulate its body temperature by moving between them both.

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Originally Posted by neur0tix

I have one of the ones that u stick to bottom of the tank... its not to hot that it would burn me........ and has no safety shutoff

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Okay so it is one for reptiles. The reason you need a thermostat is because the longer it is left on, the hotter it will get, which will lead to a burn. They can spike up to about 120 degrees when left on for long periods of time.

well i have a really weird shaped hide... kinda really long .. i could fit both and it would be kinda cramped... but he can easily go on top of it the way its shaped... it would be a snug fit.....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by neur0tix

im so confused... whats the point of the light then? should i leave the light on during day and heating pad off, then at night put the pad on and light off???

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You do not need a light as long as your ambient air temperature stays at about 80 degrees. I was saying until you get a thermostat to leave to light on and not shut it off. Once you get a thermostat for the under the tank heat mat, see if your ambient air temperatures will stay at 80 degrees with out the light and only the heat mat, if not you will need a low watt light.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by neur0tix

well i have a really weird shaped hide... kinda really long .. i could fit both and it would be kinda cramped... but he can easily go on top of it the way its shaped... it would be a snug fit.....

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Well, as long as if fits it should be okay, they love cramped spaces. The smallest hide they can fit in, is the one they will like the best. It doesn't matter what shape the hide is, as long as it only has a small opening, and the rest of the sides are enclosed.

light on, uav off... all hes done reg ardless the past hour was explore the tank top to bottom... poking his head near the top...

You can get an incandescent night black light that you can leave on 24/7 as long as your temps are correct.

Alright I don't think you quite understand what you are doing, even after the page of advice.

Have you read the care sheet on this site? If not, please read it IN FULL. http://ball-pythons.net/modules/Sect...warticle&id=59

It honestly sounds like you have no idea what you are doing so I will try to break it down for you as best as possible.

Forget what you heard at the pet store. Forget how your friends take care of their snakes. Just because someone can keep a snake alive in those conditions doesn't mean it is healthy and comfortable and it sure doesn't make it "right".

If you did just get the snake, try to leave it completely alone for 1-2 weeks. No handling, no feeding. You can clean the tank if you need to or make adjustments as needed, but don't handle or feed it until you have everything figured out. It won't starve.

Ball pythons do better with belly heat (Under tank heater: UTH). Lamps make the air really dry and that makes it hard for the snake to shed. When using a UTH you must control it with a reptile thermostat or rheostat. You can buy a thermostat online, the reptitemp 500r is a good beginner single setup thermostat. In the meantime, you can pick up a piggy back light dimmer from the home depot to control your heat source. If your average room temperature is lower then 75*F, you will probably need the lamp. Just use a low wattage red bulb heat lamp. The lower the wattage the better. All of your heating should stay on 24/7. Ball pythons do not need night drops.

You will also need something to measure temps with. Those round dial thermometers are not accurate and are a waste of money. Digital thermometers and hygrometers are best. The best unit that you can get is the accurite weather station from home depot, lowes, or walmart. It costs about $12 and measures temp with a probe (put this probe right on the glass where the UTH is) and temp and humidity with the unit (put the rest of the unit on the side opposite the UTH).

The nest most important things are hides. You will need two identical tight fitting hides. Those "rock cave" hides are best, but ther are cheaper alternatives. I use plastic cereal bowls from the dollar store and I cut a small hole for the entrance.

Just place the water bowl in the center. You don't need any branches as ball pythons do not climb. They are actually quite clumsy and a fall could injure them.

In regards to handling, you should not handle your snake at all for the first week to two weeks after getting it. Also, do not handle your snake for a 48 hour period after feeding. If you would like to pick up your snake, you can remove them from their hides. Ball pythons are shy animals and will rarely leave their hides so you might have a hard time handling your snake only when it leaves its hides as it may never leave. They are very shy and secretive, so it will probably be a little scared right when you go to pick it up.

As for feeding your snake. If it is full grown, it could eat far more then an adult mouse. Full grown ball pythons take small rats weekly. You do NOT need to feed your snake in a separate enclosure. That is more reserved for the bigger snakes where cage aggression can become a problem. It is not a problem for ball pythons and will most often lead to a stressed snake that will not eat.


FOR NOW: I would just leave the lamp on. He does need some heat and the light is less likely to burn him. By the way, an Under tank heater is a UTH not a "UAV".

Hope this helps!

Please do take Kaortes advice. Many of the thousands of members here have many many snakes. I have over 30. Some people have more some have less. We all keep our snakes the same basic ways and your set up is just not right for a BP. Dont think anyone here is getting on you or is trying to be mean. On the contrary, we are here to help and make you and your animals part of our community. Happy and healthy. Pet stores do not know what these guys really need. They go on basic care info that they believe works for anything they sell. It doesnt make them bad people, you just need to learn whats best.

Your snake would most likely get sick from an RI at some point in your setup. Those are very expensive to treat. It will suffer from bad sheds. It will be stressed and will not thermoregulate by moving from cool end to warm end. It will stay where it feels safest even if this means being unhealthy for it. They can also have their food rot in the stomach if they do not have the proper belly heat. Please remember that a UTH should be 1/3 the size of the bottom of the enclosure and must be controlled by a thermostat. If you do not use a thermostat the UTH can overheat and burn your snake.

The biting was most likely because you spooked it. Always touch the BP on its body somewhere away from its head before picking it up. This will let a new and possibly nervous snake know what you are doing. Never reach in toward any snakes head. Always come from behind and touch first. Do it like this and you should never be bitten.

You will get more advice if you post your questions during the day. Then you will have many more veteran members, moderators and admins here to help you more.

Read that care sheet and then let us know if you have anymore questions. Please consider that a BP is not going to be more active than a corn. They are nocturnal. They prefer to stay in a hide all day.

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Originally Posted by Foschi Exotic Serpents

Please consider that a BP is not going to be more active than a corn. They are nocturnal. They prefer to stay in a hide all day.

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x2.

Guess how much i see my snake during the day? Never! How much at night? Hardly ever. Every now and then he comes out maybe drinks some water then back into his hide. Only time he comes out is to get water, eat a mouse, or go across the tub to his other tight fitting hide thats cooler :gj:

Other then that he sits there all day and night :salute: