Hey new BP owner!

hi im Trevor. i just bought my first ball python! ive been obsessed with snakes my whole life and im so happy i finnaly have one. but i have a few questions because i want to do everything right. first of all, i have a baby ball python, i havent measured him because i want him to get used to his new home before i bug him bye handeling him, but do you think a 24L X 22W X 15H tank will be a sufficient size tank when my snake grows up? or will i need to upgrade. i was also wondering about heat because my mom is NOT the biggest snake fan and is making me house my snake in my garage. i have an under substate heater and an infrared light and the temperature is good right now, but i live in north carolina and the temperatures can vary so do you think i will have problems keeping the heat consistant? im hoping that i can show my mom how not scary a baby ball python is but she is REALLY REALLY scared lol. il send pics in a few days bye

Welcome to the site, Trevor! :) This is the best forum for ball python fans, hands down (no pun intended). Your cage is fine for a baby, but he will need something bigger as he grows, whether an aquarium or a Rubbermaid type container or a custom cage.

I understand about your mom, and it means that you should definitely monitor your temps and humidity with something reliable (digital, not those stick-on thermometers), and should probably insulate the tank as well (cardboard, styrofoam, old blanket, pretty much anything will work). Inside the house is definitely a better place for your baby, but you can probably make it work in the garage if you work at it.

Tell us more about what you have set up so far. Is he in an aquarium? Does it have a screen top? If so, is the screen covered? How are you measuring temps and humidity? What are the temps and humidity? How many hides, and what are they? How do you plan to cool him off during the summer?

One thing I'd like to say, in addition to Marla's excellent husbandry advice:

Be VERY patient with your Mom. Don't try to force the snake on her. Don't insist that she touch or hold it. Don't surprise her with it in her face. Don't walk into the house with it wrapped around your neck. Don't sneak it into your room. You probably know all this anyhow...but just in case you don't...or in case there are other young snake lovers out there trying to convince their moms. Any of these things will only set her back and/or cause her to lose trust.

Just let her come around in her own time. It'll most likely be a VERY slow process...but a very rewarding one if you are patient and mature about it. Her trust in YOU will be magnified...and that is priceless. :)

And welcome to the site!!! This is THE BEST place to come to get your questions answered!

lol yea my mom agreed to some "snake therapy" lol. were going to start with small things like being in the same room as it and when shes comfortable we move closer lol. my cage is a vision 211. i too was confused on what to do during the summer monthes. i was thinking fans and cool water in his soak dish. he/she is the most beautiful thing i have ever seen lol. i have a picture im going to try and see if i can upload it. i felt bad taking it because i had to move his hide. after this im just going to let him get used to his new home in peace

Hey Trevor!
You've come to the right place!!! I'm pretty new to the world of BPs myself and I find so much advice and answers here that I returned all my books to the library...lol
Diana

trying to figure out this camera thing lol [img]buddy[/img]

http://buddy

Welcome aboard - indeed a very good complete and helpful community here!

Trevor...at the top-left side of the screen is a list of links. Click on the one that says "Photo Gallery." Then click on the button that says "Create/order my albums" and create an album for yourself. Near the top of the page is a link that says "upload picture." Click on that and follow the directions. Voila...you've got an album with a picture uploaded. You can just tell us to go look at it and we will!

If you want to try posting a picture here on the board...go to your picture in the album and right-click on it. A menu will pop up. Find "Properties" and click on that. That will reveal the exact URL for your picture. Highlight and copy that URL. Then come here and use the [img] tags like you just did...but paste the full URL for your picture between them. If you're not sure if it'll work, you can click the "Preview" button instead of the "Submit" button and see for yourself.

If this is still confusing, don't be afraid to ask for clarification! Looking forward to seeing your pics!

Good for your mom for agreeing to "snake therapy." Definitely let her go at her own pace, though, or she could end up more scared than she was before. Maybe by summer she'll let the little guy in the house so you don't end up cooking him. I know my garage gets really hot in the summer.

i think i figured it out. here he or she is lol. https://ball-pythons.net/modules/cop...rmal_buddy.JPG

Very nice! Looks like a good stocky build.

thanks! i like him/her very much its SOOO tempting to pick him/her up. when i go to work and school it will make time go faster so thats good. how did you guys resist picking them up lol.

It is hard to resist. I can resist easier because I can pick up another snake instead, tho. :) There are benefits to having more than one.

yea i think il play with my sisters kitty :) lol i bet it would be a bad idea to introduce my hamster to my snake lol. i have another question when should i take my snake to a vet. i want to make sure its healthy. i also want to know if its a boy or a girl so i can pick a good name. my little brother wants me to name it "buddy" hehe. i like the name buddy kindove

Verrry pretty snake! And since your Mom is open-minded about "therapy," I'm sure she'll come around in time!

If it were me, I'd make a vet appt after you've had a successful feeding. That way, hopefully, you can also get a fecal sample to take in and have examined for internal parasites.

good idea. are internal parisites life threataning for the snake? so far he looks healthy. very active and curios about his new surroundings. yea my mom says she doesn't want to be afraid, but she can't help it. thats a good sign because you can only get better if you want to get better. that rule applies to most anything, so im sure it applies to "snake therapy". i told my mom i need to keep it in my closet for a few hours to make sure the temperature is right and she wasn't TOO upset about that. i don't want to push her though. thanks for saying my snake is pretty lol. oh and BTW you people are very friendly and thanks for the advice

There's no doubt this is the friendliest forum having to do with reptiles that I've ever been to. :) Yes, internal parasites can become life-threatening for your snake and in some cases can be transmitted to other animals (tapeworms, for example). Generally it's not very expensive to get a fecal check done and treat for the parasites if present. You don't even have to take the snake to the vet if all you want is a fecal exam. Just carry in the feces in a baggie, preferably within 24 hours of finding it.

Cutie!!! Looks just like mine. He/She is going into shed. Will have pics as soon as he looks good again.

cool how long does it take a ball python to get his skin off. must be very interesting to watch your pet get rid of his skin lol.

Mine shed every 2-3 weeks normally.

Welcome to the site, glad to have you.

It only takes as long to shed as it takes a human to take off pantyhose, as a rule, so you'll be lucky if you get to see it. If it's not a whole shed, it can take days or weeks without human intervention, but you don't want to see that.

can anyone please tell me how to put a logo underneath my name?

Trevor...I did, but it's in another thread where you asked. I think it's under the Picture forum. I'll find it and post a link.

It's on this page:

http://ball-pythons.net/index.php?na...er=asc&start=0

About in the middle...

alright i did it but my picture was HUGE lol. how do i fix that?

You have to use an editing program to resize the image. Someone (Marla I think, but I'm not sure) sometimes posts a link to a free image editor you can download, but I don't know where it is, myself. If you want, you can e-mail me the image and I'll resize it for you and send it back to you.

Send it to jlc@ball-pythons.net (If ya want)

(Although I may have to jump offline any minute...so I may not get to it until tomorrow.)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JLC

You have to use an editing program to resize the image. Someone (Marla I think, but I'm not sure) sometimes posts a link to a free image editor you can download, but I don't know where it is, myself.

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Guilty as charged. This free software, xnview, is good for resizing pics and coverting between formats.

Thanks Marla!

No sweat. I should just put that in my sig, shouldn't I? :lol:

That's cool! Now I'll never lose it! LOL

I was joking, but then I realized it was actually a good idea. :lol: