New baby ball Python, did I handle him too much?

I just purchased my first baby ball python today. He is only 2 months old and I probobly handled him for over an hour today. He was pretty active earlier this evening and now hes just hiding in his hide and its 1 in the morning. Why isnt he out looking around the cage like he was earlier?

P.S. I dont have a heater yet and the temperature is about 75 degrees farenheit, I got worried that he was too cold so I put a desk lamp under his cage and it got really hot, I dont know if it burned him or not. What do I do?

Don't handle him at all for 5-7 days. 75 is WAY to cold for the warmest part of the tank you NEED a heater in there or he will get sick. Answer these questions for me.

What is the Humidity?
How big is his Enclosure?
Is his Enclosure Plastic or Glass?
Do you have any heat source at all?
What type of bedding are you using?
What kind of hide are you using?
How are you taking the temperature and humidity of his cage?

1. Welcome to BP.net

2. Don't ever put a lamp to heat your snake EVER!

3. The snake will be fine until you get the proper heat pad NOT a heat rock

4. If he is in his hide he's comfy, now leave him be for at least 1 week, so he can
settle in, you don't want to stress him out & have him go off feed for 3 months
at such a young age.

5. Please take the time to read the many care sheets in the BP forums.

6. Any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask :)

you should never attempt to heat a snake like that without someway of measuring the temps, overheating can cause burns, neurological problems and death. Your temp is way low, a temporary fix would be to use a human heating pad if you have one around. Place the pad under one end of the enclosure and turn it on low, and try to pick up a stick on heat pad and a basic thermostat asap along with an accurite digital thermometer with probe. If he's hiding its a good thing, bp's spend most of their life in hiding. Leave him alone for a few days to settle in. Here's a link to a care sheet. http://ball-pythons.net/modules/Sect...warticle&id=59

I apreciate the quick replys, right now hes in a 15 Quart Sterilte container with a box for a hide that is just big enough for him to fit. Newspaper for substraight and a large waterbowl with distilled water in it. I did alot of research of the last month and though I had everything down. The Oportunity presented itself to buy a baby from a breeder for a good price and I took it partially prepared. But over the last month I didnt read anything about letting it settle of leaving it alone till after I got home. I purchased it 180 miles away because I had to go there for a doctors appt. anyway. When I got home a close frend wanted to see it and we heald it for about 20-30 min then he looked around his cage and was fine, but now he almost seems scared.

No he's probably tired out, a BP in his hide is a happy BP, if he were out roaming around alot is a sign of stress

He'll be fine, he's just in a new place it'll take a bit of time to adjust, just get the proper heating equipment and he'll do fine. The rest of your setup is fine. Here's a link to a basic tstat- http://beanfarm.com/product_info.php...oducts_id=5685 most chain pet stores will carry a zoo med 500 stat also, here is a link to a heat pad-
http://beanfarm.com/product_info.php...oducts_id=5578 most pet stores also carry one made by zoo med

Oh good, Ive been waiting for this for almost ten years and I couldnt contain myself. I used to always hold baby BP's in pet stores when I was little but my parents would never allow it or spend the money. Now due to a motocross injury I am unable to work and have the time to enjoy his company. My 15 Year old dog died about a month ago and my dad refuses to get another dog because it hurt too much. So I decided to get a ball python and bring him to college and hopefully help me get past my dogs death. Anyway, now that you know my life story. lol My dad still doesnt know I got him, and Im just worried that I stressed out my baby BP too much and that he might be cold.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RideRed12

I apreciate the quick replys, right now hes in a 15 Quart Sterilte container with a box for a hide that is just big enough for him to fit. Newspaper for substraight and a large waterbowl with distilled water in it. I did alot of research of the last month and though I had everything down. The Oportunity presented itself to buy a baby from a breeder for a good price and I took it partially prepared. But over the last month I didnt read anything about letting it settle of leaving it alone till after I got home. I purchased it 180 miles away because I had to go there for a doctors appt. anyway. When I got home a close frend wanted to see it and we heald it for about 20-30 min then he looked around his cage and was fine, but now he almost seems scared.

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Every thing is good but the heating. The hiding is perfectly normal 90% of the time you will not see them out of there hide. If you need advice on heating, Under Tank Heating is the best way to go because they need a belly heat of 93 F to be able to digest their food properly make sure if you have a Heating Pad that it is hooked up to a Thermostat, some Heating Pads will exceed temperatures above 100 F which can get dangerous at times.

These are what the Temps and Humidity should be.

Under Tank Heater: 93 F
Cool Side: 78 F to 82 F
Ambient: 80 F
Humidity: 50% to 60%
Humidity While Shedding: 70% to 75%

Also I would like to Welcome you to BP.net I'm glad you have joined and are asking questions, the more research you do the easier it is to take care of the BP. Also I would suggest reading this if you already haven't.

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

Sorry for the loss of your dog, are you going to be in a dorm for college? Dorms don't allow pets

Lol yes, Ive known those temps and humidity levels by heart for a few weeks its just a matter of getting them there. I read over those care sheets over and over for the last few weeks and yet I have so many questions. These are the records the breeder gave me and I have no idea what they tell me except my baby ball should be getting hungry in a few days.

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uplo...d6c6b1bb2a.jpg

IMG_0003.jpg (513 KB)

Lol yes, Ive known those temps and humidity levels by heart for a few weeks its just a matter of getting them there. I read over those care sheets over and over for the last few weeks and yet I have so many questions. These are the records the breeder gave me and I have no idea what they tell me except my baby ball should be getting hungry in a few days.

http://h.imagehost.org/t/0338/IMG_0004.jpg

http://h.imagehost.org/t/0953/IMG_0003.jpg

To llovelace I plan on staying at home or moving into an apartment, the college I am going to is 40 miles away and Ill be taking the bus for the first semester. Im still new to this forum thing, sorry about the double post.

That sheet is just telling you the basics of your BP. He should actually be fed today if you want him on an every 5 Day feeding schedule its ideal for the Baby's but every 7 days is okay to.

So there isnt anywhere within 140 miles that sells live rat fuzzies or mice? How well would frozen thawed work? I couldnt bring home live rodents so I dont know what to do. Also does everything on those sheets look healthy?

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Originally Posted by RideRed12

So there isnt anywhere within 140 miles that sells live rat fuzzies or mice? How well would frozen thawed work? I couldnt bring home live rodents so I dont know what to do. Also does everything on those sheets look healthy?

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Yea, everything looks healthy on the sheet. Frozen/Thawed will work fine if your BP will take it. Just dangle the thawed Hopper Mouse or Rat Pup in front of your snake tell he strikes, if he doesn't take it you can leave it at the entrance of his hide over night.

I appreciate all the help everyone, I dont have a local pet shop nor a reptile vet within a hundred miles so i'm kinda on my own. Im going to order some hoppers right now and hopefully I can get my BP to eat. I just got him today, how long should I wait?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RideRed12

I appreciate all the help everyone, I dont have a local pet shop nor a reptile vet within a hundred miles so i'm kinda on my own. Im going to order some hoppers right now and hopefully I can get my BP to eat. I just got him today, how long should I wait?

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The general rule-of-thumb is to wait a week, so they have time to get settled in their new home... some will eat sooner, but it doesn't hurt to wait that week (or at least 5 days). It'll take a few days to get your mouse order anyway!

Btw, you don't have ANY pet shops nearby? Even Petco/Petsmart sells live mice, although it's at a rather high "pet mouse" price. But with only one snake to feed, it wouldn't make a huge difference - maybe $5-7 extra per month. If you can get the snake to eat frozen/thawed, that's great, otherwise you will have to find a local shop for live prey. Have you checked craigslist?

Sympathies for the loss of your dog...and congratulations on your new python! :D

Balls love their hides...all of mine sure do anyways. :) Only my Boa hates his...he'd rather bury himself in his bedding, lol.

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Even Petco/Petsmart sells live mice, although it's at a rather high "pet mouse" price. But with only one snake to feed, it wouldn't make a huge difference - maybe $5-7 extra per month.

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Not PetSMART. I mean yeah they sell live mice but if you go in and get one every week the associates will begin to recognise you and begin to suspect you are using them as feeders, and they will likely begin to deny the sale. PetSMART does not intentionally sell live feeder mice.

Have you considered ordering in bulk online? Some places like Rodentpro and Mouse Factory sell frozen feeders at really reasonable prices. :) That way you can stock up!

Unfortunately I live smack in the middle of nowhere in Iowa and I have to drive 100 miles in order to find a petco or any other pet store. I plan on ordering 100 hoppers, but will he be too big to eat hoppers by the time use them up?

feed him multiple hoppers to equal 10-15% of his weight

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RideRed12

Unfortunately I live smack in the middle of nowhere in Iowa and I have to drive 100 miles in order to find a petco or any other pet store. I plan on ordering 100 hoppers, but will he be too big to eat hoppers by the time use them up?

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Yes, he will be to big for hoppers if you order 100. But you can just start feeding multiple Hoppers at 1 feeding to equal 1 Adult Mouse. Also what is your zip code or address I can try and find a Pet Store or somewhere that sells Mice and stuff near you.

Storm Lake, Iowa
50588
I really do appreciate the help everyone, take a look at my other thread about how to hook up fexwatt and a thermostat because I am clueless.