First Time Snake Owner

I purchased an about nine month old ball python from a local breeder about six weeks ago. I have since then upgraded his tank from a 10g to a 20g so that there is room for two hides and a water dish.

He was being fed live small rats and I wanted to switch to f/t but after a month of refusal I gave up and went with live. A day or two before I fed him, he tried to strike me while I was holding him. This was about a week after the conclusion of a bad shed. I now have the tank temps and humidity levels monitored and corrected, but they seem to fluctuate still, and am hoping that the next shed goes more smoothly (cold side: 80-83, hot side: 88-93, humidity: 45-55%). I am using a UTH with thermostat and an Acu-rite thermometer with aspen bedding.

The point of this post was to:

• introduce myself to the community as a middle school science teacher that is a first time snake owner planning to keep him at school (thoughts on classroom with kids daily vs lab with kids weekly?)
• tell you that my BP's name is Fibonacci (after the mathematician)
• ask for some pointers on getting past being timid to hold him now that he struck at me a few times

Don't worry about it. You will get bit at some point. It doesn't hurt.

If hes that nervous just around you thats probably not the snake i would pick to be a classroom pet lol. It could be just from the bad shed and him being timid but it also may be something he never grows out of. I would keep him away from interaction with kids until you get to know him. Once you get to know your snake youll be able to judge whether or not he'd be a good ambassador to use in the classsroom.

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

If hes that nervous just around you thats probably not the snake i would pick to be a classroom pet lol. It could be just from the bad shed and him being timid but it also may be something he never grows out of. I would keep him away from interaction with kids until you get to know him. Once you get to know your snake youll be able to judge whether or not he'd be a good ambassador to use in the classsroom.

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Same.
Don't let anybody else hold him until he calms down and is used to being handled, once they're used to being handled they're usually fine. My buddy has a 13' albino burmese python that is a complete SWEETHEART with kids, now imagine having that as a classroom pet :P

I think that he might have struck because of an impending shed. His eyes were not that noticeably milky then, but were definitely so later that evening. I am not intending on students holding him any time soon (and not many of them at that. It would be an after school kind of thing with select students). Any suggestions on time of day to hold him, how long to hold him in one sitting or how soon before/after feeding?

I had a teacher that used to keep corn snakes in the classroom. It was awesome, maybe that is what sparked
my hidden reptile obsession! Ha, I think it's a great idea and I wish you the best of luck!

P.S. Welcome to bp.net and a great hobby :)


-M

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I am looking forward to fostering an interest in snakes with my students. This thread make me want to try and take him out to hold him now...

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Originally Posted by chet1028

Don't worry about it. You will get bit at some point. It doesn't hurt.

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^^^ This. Bound to happen at some time for most. Just posted about this part elsewhere and copying and pasting: Mine struck at me the first time I handled it during pick up at the breeder's. It was a good learning experience though; the breeder showed me that when they are being outwardly defensive like that, bumping the area most people call the "nose" very lightly (a slight brush is enough) will cause them to ball up or retreat. This definitely works like a charm (for myself anyway). I've also read (on here) about stroking the scales lightly as kind of a "Hey, I'm here don't bite me" statement helps. Bring your hand in under them for pick up at a part of their body where their head is not facing. I use a combo of all of this depending up his position as situation and haven't had another strike, hiss, etc. I'm sure my time will come eventually though lol. Slow movement during handling helps and when redirecting movement (trying to snug down between the sofa cushions), I find hand under the snake or coming from behind the head works well. You'll get over the timidness... it's par for the course at first. :) This is a great info source, especially for 1st hand experience type of stuff that you can't find in online caresheets and such. I would (personally) keep the snake as a weekly "treat" for the kiddos. Reasoning behind that is that a) BPs are fairly shy and like their solitude. Not usually recommended to keep their habitat in a high traffic area... b) getting to see the snake once a week will keep the children's fascination longer. I know my kiddo gets bored with most things quickly unless it's a rarer treat than an every day thing. JMO. After feeding, it's good to wait 2-3 days before handling. I can only bare 2 days (I'm impatient lol) but haven't had any regurge or anything due to that time frame. Works for me. :cool:

Epic Name for a BP at School! :cool:

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I thought that somebody would enjoy the name. Thanks.

As for the rest, I think that I just need to start holding him and stop over thinking it. I will try tomorrow a few hours before attempting to feed him. Maybe I can even get a few pics if he is in a photogenic mood.

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I took a couple of pictures. The lighting in this room isn't great so I had to use the flash.

The temps/humidity are pretty consistent now:
http://www.worldworksgames.com/forum...ile.php?id=314

You can see in this one that the thermometer was knocked over and he uncovered some of the probes wiring:
http://www.worldworksgames.com/forum...ile.php?id=315

On the hunt:
http://www.worldworksgames.com/forum...ile.php?id=316

What is a normal fluctuation in temps? My cool side only changes by a degree or so, but the hot side goes from about 88-96.

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Originally Posted by Talae

What is a normal fluctuation in temps? My cool side only changes by a degree or so, but the hot side goes from about 88-96.

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How are you controlling your temps on the hot side? What is your heat source. You really shouldn't be going over 92 for a hot spot. 94 at the max!

You'll want to up your humidity during shedding. Your snake has quite a bit of stuck shed on it and you might need to help him off with the rest of it. Your snake should shed in one whole piece and this can be achieved by simply bumping your humidity up to 70-80% during the shedding process.

I have a UTH on the hot side that is regulated by a thermostat. I currently have the thermostat taped under the tank right next to the UTH, but would love a good explanation of how that probe should be affixed (an image would be even better). The thermostat is set at 87 degrees and is currently reading 87.2 degrees. The thermometer is reading 93.2 degrees. That makes me think that my problem is in the location of the thermostat probe.

From what I have seen, you should place the probe directly in the middle of the heat mat. (using tape on the cord, not the metal probe area) and then secure the UTH to the bottom of your tank (foil tape works great here). So that it's layered from the bottom up UTH->Probe->outside bottom of tank.

Should I remove the UTH and reapply it in order to put it the way you suggest? I thought that once they were stuck on they should not be removed.

Alrighty, well let me start by saying I'm a newbie too, and this is entirely based off of forum stalking and reading other's replies etc.

There are some people who put the thermostat probe inside the tank, on the glass bottom, under the substrate. My personal issue with this is the fact you should NEVER use tape inside of the enclosure, and as such this system lends itself to having a probe knocked around and not doing much good. I've heard some people reference using hot glue to keep probes in place, but I will not give advice to or not to do that as I have no idea what the pros and cons are etc.

There is a thread about removing a UTH
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...-Remove-a-UTH!
And also in that thread it shows you how to cover the sticky part with foil tape for re-using it.

I'm sorry I'm not more experienced / helpful, basically just mimicking replies I've read. I hope someone with more knowledge on this subject can interject for you.

Thanks for the info. I haven't done anything yet, but haven't seen the temps go over that 93.2 that I posted before. I will foil/tape the screen in hopes of increasing the humidity.

I am going to move his tank on Monday to the school and will move the probe in that process.

I gave him his first bath. He didn't like the idea of being picked up (he hissed at me), so I gave him a few minutes and then used the cloth to grab him. I covered him inside of one cloth while using a second to rub him and slowly remove the skin. He seemed content with hiding inside the cloth and only came out once to see what I was doing. I haven't been struck at again (yet), but to be honest, I am probably being overly cautious. The previous owner said he was VERY tame.

I took some pics:

Fibonacci trying to escape his bath
http://www.worldworksgames.com/forum...ile.php?id=343


Some of the stuck shed
http://www.worldworksgames.com/forum...ile.php?id=342

After
http://www.worldworksgames.com/forum...ile.php?id=341

How often do you suggest holding him to get him to be used to me? Daily for a minimal amount of time (5-10 minutes) and build up from there, or is that too often?

In regards to probe placement: Keep the thermostat probe on the outside of the enclosure. Tape it to the middle of the heatmat. You can leave the heat mat adhered to the tank, it's really hard to get them off once you've stuck them on.

Make sure your thermometer probe is under the substrate right in the middle of the heat mat. You can use hot glue to secure it.

As for handling, I would keep it to a mimimum at first, then slowly build upon that. Maybe start with short 10 minutes every few days, then increase to every other day after a week or two. Always remember to stop handling on feeding day and for at least 24-36 hours after he has eaten.

He looks great now that he doesn't have that pesky stuck shed on him!

I'd love to see some pictures of him in action in the classroom (once you get them). I always wished my teachers had more animals in the classroom.

As for the stuck shed make sure you got every bit off the tip of the tail or he'll lose it & make sure eyecaps are gone as well, excessive amount of leftover eyecaps can & will cause problems. As for the probe, make sure it's on the outside of the tank, in the middle of the mat, with no tape on the metal piece, but the tape on the plastic cord or no tap at all!

Thanks for the advice. I will try and get some pics of him at school. I am still really torn as to keeping him in the lab or the class. I am in my class all the time and only in the lab about weekly. I would be doing a better job monitoring things in the classroom (as opposed to once a day or so in the lab). I might start in the class and then move him if he seems stressed.

To clarify, I have the probe for the thermostat outside his tank and taped next to the UTH. Do you mean I should place it in the center on the outside of the UTH? I am moving him Monday to the school, so I will wait until then to modify his tank. Also, I fed him Monday, so tomorrow is five days since he ate and also two days before planning to move him. Seems like it matched up perfectly for what day to feed him.

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His head and tail were already fine. Although, he honestly seems a little on the dull side compared to last time he shed. I wonder if he is actually in the early stages on his next shed.

The thermostat probe should be in the center of the UTH, not next to it.

I worked on the lid today and thought I would share. My classroom is pirate-themed, so this is fitting for that.

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...92498009_n.jpg

I took him to the school today in hopes of him getting acclimated in the next week. I also covered the sides of the tank with laminated construction paper. Here are a couple of pictures of him near my family board:

http://www.worldworksgames.com/forum...ile.php?id=353

http://www.worldworksgames.com/forum...ile.php?id=354

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Also, I VERY SLOWLY AND GENTLY put the thermostat probe in the correct place. The readings are now much, much more stable (at least for the four hours or so that I was there after setting things up). Due to the classroom temps, his cold side is a little colder than he was here at home (77-78 instead of 82-83). I may insulate the underside of the tank too in order to help with that.

77-78 isn't a bad ambient temperature. Insulating a bit might help, but I don't think its a huge deal. He will be perfectly fine at that temp.

Looks good!!

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

77-78 isn't a bad ambient temperature. Insulating a bit might help, but I don't think its a huge deal. He will be perfectly fine at that temp.

Looks good!!

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What temp should I be thinking about insulating at then? I am asking because the temp in my class is likely to get cooler once the school year actually starts (I don't have much control of temps in my room...maybe a few degrees).

And thanks!

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Originally Posted by Talae

What temp should I be thinking about insulating at then? I am asking because the temp in my class is likely to get cooler once the school year actually starts (I don't have much control of temps in my room...maybe a few degrees).

And thanks!

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As long as you can keep the ambient temperature above 75* you should be fine. I would shoot for 80* if you can. Are you only using a UTH?

Yes. The only heating source is the UTH. I put three layers of aluminum foil and then one layer of duct tape on the screen topper. My intention was mainly to help with humidity (which it did wonderfully).

Make sure there is some ventilation though! You don't want any nastiness growing in there due to lack of air flow.

Do you think the hole that I left in the lid is not big enough? Also, I currently have the opening above the cool side. I wonder if I put the opening above the worm side how it would affect the temps.

I would maybe add another opening on the other side of the cage to promote some air flow. You could position it a little closer to the middle to keep it directly off the hot side. This will help keep the temps up.

I will try and do that tomorrow while I am there then. Thanks for the advice.

I was following this guide, which has a similar opening (although maybe slightly smaller) combined with a center viewing screen created the same way, but with clear vinyl to keep in humidity.

I added two openings to the tank and made a makeshift duct-tape flap for the one opening I currently had. Current temps are 76.5 cool side, 91.8 hot side and Hi humidity (but he was in blue yesterday and is not today).

Looks good. I'd be sure to be careful that the snake is used to handling and a bit less agressive before you let the kids handle her. The last thing you need is for your students to be afraid of the snake, as that wouldn't serve anybody's interests. A snake sure is a good classroom pet. When I was in school we had a guinea pig that was absolutely evil. Someone let it out once and it was running around the school for an hour and a half. Hey, you could spend worse days in first grade :P.

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Originally Posted by apple2

Looks good. I'd be sure to be careful that the snake is used to handling and a bit less agressive before you let the kids handle her. The last thing you need is for your students to be afraid of the snake, as that wouldn't serve anybody's interests. A snake sure is a good classroom pet. When I was in school we had a guinea pig that was absolutely evil. Someone let it out once and it was running around the school for an hour and a half. Hey, you could spend worse days in first grade :P.

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I definitely will not be allowing students to handle him for some time. He is currently way too jumpy. I hope we get used to each other soon.