I'm a newbie to this site AND ball pythons!

Hello there fellow reptile lovers! My daughters bought a Ball Python for me that I named Vigo. He's my birthday present. Always wanted one!!! I'm so happy...and he's soooo cool.
Anyone care to volunteer any words of wisdom for me?? I want to be sure he is properly taken care of. Someone suggested a heat rock, but I just read here that they are dangerous for my little guy! He's 6 months old and about 20 inches. We've used the heat rocks for our Iguanas, but obvioulsy, Vigo's a whole different animal..lol. Anyone old enough out there to get that?? I've currently got a good size water dish he can curl up in and the tank is heated with a dome light that sits on the screen. He's in a 10 gallon tank and that seems right for his size.
Anyway, I'm glad I found this site...and look forward to your help!!!
Thank you,
Diana

I can give you alot of info but just exactly do u wanna know?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by VigosPal

Someone suggested a heat rock....

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People still use those?!? LOL... Anyway, hi Diana, welcome to the site (and to the fascinating world of ball pythons). :)

I hope we can help, but what are some specific questions you have?

Jennifer

Also, I can you give you info that goes by the book or some from my own experience combined with info from the book.

Hey there, congrats on the new bp!
Yeah, definitely ditch the hot rock plan; they can develop hot spots and bp's have poor heat sense in the belly=burned bp.
A heat pad under the glass on the warm end is the way to go. Get a dimmer switch for the pad so you can do fine adjusting. Wall mart has nice digital indoor/outdoor thermometers with a wire probe(usually 10') Above the pad on the inside of tank is where you'll want to put the probe. Stick it to the glass just under substrate and now you'll know what the bp's belly temp is. If too hot, adjust with dimmer. Aim for 90. 95 is almost too warm.
The ambient air of the tank should also be known. Place a thermometer an inch or so off the floor in the hot and cool zones to spot check. You can see already why many of us like temp guns that we can point anywhere and get instant readings.
Your hot zone should be about 90, cool should be around 80 to 85. These temps will fluctuate during night and day and that's groovy.
For the hot zone, I recommend an infrared light. It's said bp's can't see that type of light. It can be left on 24/7 and won't be a "constant sun" inside the bp's world since the lack of night time will stress it out.
For the cool zone, you can just leave it alone or if it's too cool, get another UTH (under tank heater) with dimmer and set it on low (78-82ish). Too cool and you risk resp. infections.............
Probably most important, get a hygrometer and welcome to the Battle of Humidity! The humidity of the tank needs to be 50 to 60 all the time, and up to 70 or so for shed. 75 just makes me nervous.
While you're picking up supplies, get some duct tape. You'll need it for the screen top. Look in my album to see what I had to do to my screen to hold heat and humidity.
Tricks for upping humidity: water dish partly over UTH, misting with water bottle (not on floor), just read any post on humidity, it's a common concern!
Well, there's more, but I'll let some other people throw in a nickel.
Enjoy your new python! They are great pets. :wink:

Oh, and if I may suggest you go out and buy (or even buy online) the "Ball Python Manual" by Phillippe de Vosjoli. It's a great book, and tells you just about everything you need to do from a professional point of view- for under $15! lol... Just thought I'd mention that anyone with a ball python should own this book. :)

Jennifer

Oh, and about the UTH. If water gets on directly on the glass above the UTH, it could cause a stress crack (this is with attached UTH's). Just another thing to worry about :? :lol: I would go for a human heating pad (with NO auto shut off) that you buy from a drug store or a place like Walmart.

Jennifer

Man, I have searched and searched and I STILL can't find a pad without auto shut off! I am starting to think some little old lady burned her house down, won a settlement, and now you have to go out of the country to obtain a "no safety device" item.
Whatever happened to Social Darwinism?

LOL Chris... I found some just fine..from Osco drug store. They were $15 each. I don't remember the brand though....

I got mine from walmart for 20 bucks (canadian) with no shut off
in fact I couldn't find one with a shut off
i looked just for fun

welcome to the site and ask any questions you may have
just remember there are no stupid Q's when it comes to the well being of your snake and we will awnser your Q's to the best of our knowlege

Hi Diana,

This site rocks and the community is great. You can get any questions answered quickly and thoroughly, and there's always a good laugh to be had.

My wife is infatuated with Vigo Mortensen. Who picked the name, you or your daughters? : )

Happy herping,

Ken

Thanks for all the replies! I have been doing a lot of reading so right now I don't have any specific questions. But it looks like I've found the place to have them answered!!! Hmm..about the name Vigo...did my daughters or I name him? Let's just say it was mutually agreed upon!!! Vigo.....sigh.
Diana

I have a new ball python, too (named Smeagel)...

I've had him since last weekend, and he still hasn't eaten. I have tried feeding him in a small rubbermaid box (with holes) and in a pillowcase. So far, no luck.

Do I have to worry yet? I have an appt. this Sat. with a herp vet to get him checked for worms, parasties, weighed, etc.

He's about 24" long, but not girthy. He's in a 20g tank with the basking side pretty consistent at 85 degrees and the cool side at around 78.

He's very curious, active, and not snappy. My boyfriend, who has experience with burmese and retics tells me to chill out and quit worrying...but I, like Vigo's Pal, want to make sure my snake has a long, happy, healthy life:)

Hi Polarpooch! And welcome to the forums :)

I would say you don't need to worry about it yet; and just to be on the safe side, I would leave your new guy completely alone for about a week to let him get settled in properly. I know it will probably be the longest week of your life, lol, but it will sure be worth it when he takes that rat from you! :) And the warm side of your enclosure sounds a little chilly; I would try to up the temperature to about 87-92, no hotter than 95. Do you know what the humidity is in your enclosure?

That's good that you are taking him to the vet. :) Good luck with him.
Jennifer

If your boyfriend has significant experience with Burms and Retics, I would trust him to give you advice on a BP. I agree with him. Kick back and let your snakie settle in for a week or two. Even if it goes for a month or more without eating, no biggie. Good to see you taking it to a vet for a checkup!!!!!
(Trust your boyfriend's advice only if he is not a moron. If he is a moron, you would be the one to know!) :D J/K!
Keep up the good work!

Oh, yeah, I agree w/ Jennifer about your temps. (She's not usually a moron!)

OK, I'll chill.

Thanks for the advice on the heat: I had it up to 90 during the day, but thought that was too hot--so I'll get it back up there (I have to put a towell over the top to keep the heat inside...it's sooooo cold here this week and the drafts are keeping my room temp lower than normal).

I don't know the humidity. I'm guessing it's "normal" for the midwest, because I haven't experienced any dry skin this year (which I typically do)...and I moved my snake into the same room as my reef tank, which throws off about 3 gallons of water evaporation a day....sort of like a natural humidifier.

THANKS for the advice all!

...oh and my boyfriend isn't a moron. At least I don't think so :lol:

Vigo's Pal---didn't mean to hijack your thread....sorry!

get a humidity gauge polar. proper humidity is very important.

Humidity guage. OK, I'll do this. Haven't seen these in the stores. Any online sites that sell them?

What's good humidity for a ball python?

55%-70%.... you can get a cheap stick-on from any pet shop for about 12 dollars. They seem to do just fine for me.

Good news from the vet...my snake was pronouned healthy--of good weight--is mite free, tick free and has now been given a preventative dewormer. Oh, he's a male, too.

Got a humidity guage last night...humidity at around 60%.

BTW, anyone ever try to feed a python a goldfish? Just an idea...I have a tank full of them to feed my eels...and was wondering if balls ever took to fish....

lol, nah man. don't feed your bp goldfish.

You can buy a garter snake to feed all your goldfish off. :) But no, don't feed your bp any goldfish. :)

I worked in a pet store once and our red tails would come in super tiny. The owner used to put tiny goldfish in thier water dish as food. I don't know if it's correct to do or not, but he had been doing it for years and was, to give the guy due credit, quite knowledgable about all his animals. Actually was kinda cool to watch these pencil thin baby boas chase them down underwater!
The place was called Tropical World in Missoula, MT. It was huge, and had lots and lots of animals. Resident retics, boas, pretty much name it. Don't know if it's still there, but I'm assuming so. If any of you ever get around that city, take a minute and browse.