newbie to board and snakes (found snake in trash)

so i was walking my dog a couple of nights ago and saw a guy carrying something out to his trash (looked like it was moving) and throw it in. he then threw a cinder block on top of the lid and went back inside. My instincts told me that he threw a animal in the trash can so i looked, and sure enough i got one hell of a surprise. 3 1/2-4 foot snake. I kind of reached in to see if it would bite me and picked it up, tucked it in my coat and ran home. I had a old 60 gallon acrylic fish tank/stand that has been sitting out in the shed for a few years. cleaned it up, and now he is doing great. I googled everything i could and now i have a heat lamp, with a daytime lamp, couple hides and he is doing great. this morning i was holding him and noticed a mite on him so i googled it. sure enough he had mites. first thing i did was run to the pet store and got mite spray for snakes, and then bleached out his entire enclosure, let him soak in a warm bath, and then sprayed him down with the mite spray. what else should i do? i also fed him last night (live medium rat) and he did great. I finally talked my wife into letting me keep him lol so he now has a PERMANENT home. (i went back to the house the next day and talked to the guys wife. they are in the middle of a divorce, and i found out he is a male snake)
http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/...line/jpg-1.jpg

Wow what a story. Glad you looked in the trash. Glad he has a permenant home. Best of luck and :welcome: to the addiction.

He is lucky you happened to see that. That is a bad person for throwing the snake in the trash, in a divorce or not. The two essential things are hides and proper temperatures. You should read a FEW different care sheets to get a good idea for what your new snake needs. Good luck and he is a great looking python too.

Poor thing!
Remember to let him rest for a couple of days after eating so he won't freak out and regurgitate...

Well that was a sad way to start. Glad you were there & you decided to give him a chance. Its too bad that the owner just threw him away. Im sure it happens all the time though unfortunately. He looks like hes in good condition just keep on those mites & get those taken care of. Im kinda surprised he ate for you already but thats a good thing. Just make sure your temps & humidity are where they should be & he should do good.

Here is a couple good threads to look over

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...t-Thermometers
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

That snake was lucky you saw him! Good on you for giving him a home :gj: I hope he does well for you!

How did you not go back an kill the guy?
I'm glad you saw it.

Thank you for saving him.

Kudos to you for pulling that poor baby out of the trash!! :D I'm glad he has a good home now. :gj:

ANIMAL RESCUE FOR THE WIN! Way to go man. Welcome to the world of ball pythons. Even if it was accidental.

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Originally Posted by TheSnakeGuy

ANIMAL RESCUE FOR THE WIN! Way to go man. Welcome to the world of ball pythons. Even if it was accidental.

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x2!! :taz::banana::taz:

Welcome to the addiction - this probably won't be your only snake......

Incidentally, you're going to get LOTS of advice and help on this forum - nearly all good! If I may, I'll just suggest that you wait at least a week before trying to feed him for the first time. He's got good weight on him so he can wait a bit longer even if he hasn't eaten in a while. But he's going to be stressed from his ordeal, adjusting to a new home, getting sprayed with mite spray, etc. Waiting a week will be beneficial. :gj:

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

x2!! :taz::banana::taz:

Welcome to the addiction - this probably won't be your only snake......

Incidentally, you're going to get LOTS of advice and help on this forum - nearly all good! If I may, I'll just suggest that you wait at least a week before trying to feed him for the first time. He's got good weight on him so he can wait a bit longer even if he hasn't eaten in a while. But he's going to be stressed from his ordeal, adjusting to a new home, getting sprayed with mite spray, etc. Waiting a week will be beneficial. :gj:

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I think he said he already ate!

Good job on the rescue! We're you a reptile person before? Was it hard for you to grab up a snake like that?

Great question. Were you scared? intrigued? anxious? Or all 3 upon seeing a snake in a can? Most people at my store when they see 16" baby ball pythons they say, "oh my god look how big it is!" If only they knew . . . . LOL

Right On! Good of you to scoop him up like that.

Somewhere out there is a garbage collector who unknowingly owes you one.

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Originally Posted by arialmt

Somewhere out there is a garbage collector who unknowingly owes you one.

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LOL! So true. That's wonderful that you stepped up and gave him a new home, OP. It sounds like he'll get excellent care from you, and his trashcan days are over.

thanks everyone. I dont know why someone would do that but he is in a good home now. surprisingly he seems to be in good health. took him to the vet this afternoon and he said he is in great condition. i have been googling and reading everything i can on ball pythons now. Once concern that i have is heating. I have a heat lamp with the red bulb but im not sure if that is enough. i was looking at getting a under the tank heater too? another concern that i have is humidity. i have to idea how to keep it humid and what the humidity levels are. he was a very active snake up until i fed him. now he has been in his hide ever since. i just checked on him to make sure he is still alive and he is. i felt his body and it is pretty warm. i have the hide directly under the heat lamp. any suggestions would be great! now for a name lol

also, when getting rats for him to eat, do i have to worry about them bringing in any mites or anything that can harm him? i was actually really surprised he ate. i read not to feed him in his habitat so i put him in a plastic tote and then dropped the rat in....he struck instantly

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Originally Posted by arialmt

Right On! Good of you to scoop him up like that.

Somewhere out there is a garbage collector who unknowingly owes you one.

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LOL if he would have made it until morning. it was 25 degrees that night and i found him about 11:30 pm. trash usually dont come until about noon the next day. i am VERY happy that i found him.

and damn i am glad he is a ball python and not something that gets huge! My wife is from burma and actually has a scar on her leg from where a burmese python attacked her in the jungle when she was a child. it wasnt easy to convince her on keeping this guy

Keep everything how it is till tommorow, then go out and buy a heat pad and a thermostat, or last resort a lamp dimmer set to about 90º, and an accurite or something that is digital and measures heat and humidity.. put a damp towel over the top to keep humidity in overnight. Don't mess with him for a couple days, then you can weigh him and check him over carefully..
If the rats look healthy don't bother with worrying about mites from them.
Also don't bother moving him to feed but it doesn't really matter either way. it's not nessecary.

this is what i am keeping him in. I built the hide box out of wood and have it directly under the heat lamp. the wood i thought he might like so i bought it at a pet shop, and i have the water bowl in the cool side. the lid is made out of wood with mesh fencing in the middle. i drilled holes in the top of the tank and put bolts through it. they are long enough to go through the wood and then wing nuts on the bolt to keep the lid secure.
http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/...line/jpg-2.jpg

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Originally Posted by Capray

Keep everything how it is till tommorow, then go out and buy a heat pad and a thermostat, or last resort a lamp dimmer set to about 90º, and an accurite or something that is digital and measures heat and humidity.. put a damp towel over the top to keep humidity in overnight. Don't mess with him for a couple days, then you can weigh him and check him over carefully..
If the rats look healthy don't bother with worrying about mites from them.
Also don't bother moving him to feed but it doesn't really matter either way. it's not nessecary.

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thank you very much. is there any special place that i need to go to or any special brands?

That's fine till you can get proper stuff. A bigger water bowl would be good for the humidity too

You should also get a matching cold side hide. So he doesn't have to sacrifice his body to the heat for security of the hide. Maybe also find some plants or something to crowd up the tank.

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Originally Posted by Midwestgottyline

thank you very much. is there any special place that i need to go to or any special brands?

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Accurite or similar is generally reccomended, is found at your average drugstore. If there's a petsmart around, a heat pad can be found there too. Good luck!:)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000NZ...7579253&sr=8-1

This is a good temporary thermostat. I use it and it is mostly effective.

I agree to give him a 2nd hide on the cool side. And a bigger water bowl.

Heres a good thermometer:
http://mobile.walmart.com/m/phoenix;...mometer/896347

Good luck with him! Im glad you saved him!

Sent from my LS670 using Tapatalk 2

I applaud you for running to that animals rescue! If you could PM me that guys address, I'll go over there and beat the living daylights out of him. :mad:

It's people like you who restore my faith in humanity.

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Originally Posted by Midwestgottyline

this is what i am keeping him in. I built the hide box out of wood and have it directly under the heat lamp. the wood i thought he might like so i bought it at a pet shop, and i have the water bowl in the cool side. the lid is made out of wood with mesh fencing in the middle. i drilled holes in the top of the tank and put bolts through it. they are long enough to go through the wood and then wing nuts on the bolt to keep the lid secure.
http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/...line/jpg-2.jpg

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Once you do get your UTH (under the tank heater) make sure to keep the substrate about 1/2 inch think, too much substrate may make it difficult for the snake to benefit from the heat source.

Man, that is INSANE! You have to assume stuff like this happens, but to catch it in the act and save the snake... that is just awesome!

I think your good deed is done after saving the snake, but I think if it were me I would find out what kind of legal action could be taken RE: animal abuse.

Not many posts here address the mite issue. It is not likely that a soak and mite spray will completely eradicate them. They are very resilient from what I read. You can order a can of Provent-a-Mite here: http://www.pro-products.com/index.ph...d=53&Itemid=59 and follow the directions when you get it OR you can go to the store and get lice spray for bedding by NIX or the store brand. It has a baby blue cap always I think. Take the snake out, spray the cage in a light sweeping motion, put the bedding in, spray that down in a light sweeping motion, wait until all of that is 100% air dried, and put the snake back in. The provent a mite is the same active ingredient (permethrin) but it's 'tested safe for reptiles' which may or may not be a sham. Nobody has payed money to test the NIX, but that doesn't mean it's harmful. I have witnessed one of the biggest breeders on the east coast and pioneers in the ball python industry using this product to treat the cages of animals worth upwards of 10,000 dollars. I have to assume they have done plenty of their own testing.

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Originally Posted by PorcelainxDoll

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000NZ...7579253&sr=8-1

This is a good temporary thermostat. I use it and it is mostly effective.

I agree to give him a 2nd hide on the cool side. And a bigger water bowl.

Heres a good thermometer:
http://mobile.walmart.com/m/phoenix;...mometer/896347

Good luck with him! Im glad you saved him!

Sent from my LS670 using Tapatalk 2

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Are the newer Acu-Rites available now? I went to buy one, but all they had were the older style. :confusd:

That snake is so lucky that you were there!! Poor guy. :( So happy that he has found a good home now!! :)

I agree with the other posts that he should have a hide on the cool side as well as the warm side of the tank. They regulate their body temperatures by moving back and forth between both sides of their enclosure, and having a hide on both sides will make them feel secure whether they choose to warm up or cool down. The warm side of the tank should measure between 85 and 92 degrees Fahrenheit and the cool side should be in the high 70s to low 80s. I use a temperature gun to check the temps on both sides of my ball python's enclosure to make sure they are where they should be. Humidity in the tank should range anywhere from 55% to 65%. I have a hygrometer inside my ball's enclosure so I always know what the humidity is.

Getting an under the tank heater (UTH) for the warm side of the tank is definitely a good idea. Ball pythons like to have belly heat. I use flexwatt heat tape on my ball's enclosure and it works great! You will need to hook it up to a thermostat so that the temperature stays where it should and the tape doesn't keep heating up. Also if you are having a bit of trouble getting the humidity in your ball's container to where it should be, one trick is to place their water bowl on top of where the UTH is located under the enclosure. This can help bring up the humidity.

Hope this helps a bit!! Have fun with your new ball python :)

Wow...I cannot believe you actaully saw it happen. Thank goodness you did! He doesn't look in horrible shape, other than the mites. Definitley keep an eye out for a RI just in case. He will leave his mouth open and/or wheeze and drool/bubble if he does.

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Originally Posted by JeRMz

Are the newer Acu-Rites available now? I went to buy one, but all they had were the older style. :confusd:

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I dont know. I found that one online, since they dont carry either style at my walmart.

Sent from my LS670 using Tapatalk 2

Solid work!! :gj:

What a horrible person, to throw a living animal away like it's garbage. If they are capable of that, I wonder what else they're capable of. Disgusting.

Thank you for being such a kind person and rescuing the snake! We need more people like you in this world. :(

Just curious, did you name it Oscar?

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Originally Posted by arialmt

Just curious, did you name it Oscar?

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lmfao no but thats a good idea!

i would like to thank everyone for your help on this post. I have went out and bought the best things that i could find for my BP, and gotten everything that everyone recommended. He is now living the good life, and now i have BP FEVER!! I am getting a female pastel tomorrow =)

Haha. I guess your wife took a liking to him?

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Originally Posted by spitzu

Haha. I guess your wife took a liking to him?

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LOL kind of. she doesnt mind but she still wont touch him. she watched him eat for the first time today

What a great story; I'm glad you saw him and are giving him a forever home! I don't know how you stopped yourself from clocking the dude in the jaw when you went back there; no matter what the circumstances, it's a living creature and to throw it out like TRASH is unspeakably awful. :(

If you're planning to get a few BP's (or even other snakes), I would seriously look into getting a rack system. Yeah, the good kind are gonna put you back a few hundred dineros, but they are a LOT easier to clean and maintain proper humidity and heat. The downside is that they aren't as pretty-looking as a decorated tank, but seeing as a happy Ball Python is a hidden Ball Python, they won't be making constant appearances anyway. And it's a LOT easier to clean a rack tub than a tank. :P Always something to consider!

As soon as I got my rack it was a HUGE relief! Definitely recommend getting one if possible.. I had to struggle all the time to keep humidity up! No more worries about my husbandry anymore :D

Man glad you found him

Big props on taking him in man, and even more props on making such a big effort to properly care for the animal. You've definitely came to the right place for quality feedback on how to keep it, and seeing how you handled the situation and are gaining appreciation I think you will be a great addition to the community we have.

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Originally Posted by xFenrir

What a great story; I'm glad you saw him and are giving him a forever home! I don't know how you stopped yourself from clocking the dude in the jaw when you went back there; no matter what the circumstances, it's a living creature and to throw it out like TRASH is unspeakably awful. :(

If you're planning to get a few BP's (or even other snakes), I would seriously look into getting a rack system. Yeah, the good kind are gonna put you back a few hundred dineros, but they are a LOT easier to clean and maintain proper humidity and heat. The downside is that they aren't as pretty-looking as a decorated tank, but seeing as a happy Ball Python is a hidden Ball Python, they won't be making constant appearances anyway. And it's a LOT easier to clean a rack tub than a tank. :P Always something to consider!

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where is a good place to buy a rack system? I dont care about money lol i just want to give them the best care possible!! any suggestions would be great

Animal Plastics
Vision
Boaphile

Just got back from "fishing" and saw your thread. I am so glad you saved him, and looking at your signature, welcome to your new addiction!

On a side note, have you spoken with animal control or the police? That guy (admitted by his wife) left an animal out to die with clear unquestionable intent (didn't even try to release him in a park or rehome him) which to me is clearly abuse. If he'd done that to a dog he'd be in jail. Just because reptiles can't bark or cry doesn't mean they deserve less care and respect than other animals. Ok, rant over.

I think something special for the wife might be in order though! ;)

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Originally Posted by Badgemash

Just got back from "fishing" and saw your thread. I am so glad you saved him, and looking at your signature, welcome to your new addiction!

On a side note, have you spoken with animal control or the police? That guy (admitted by his wife) left an animal out to die with clear unquestionable intent (didn't even try to release him in a park or rehome him) which to me is clearly abuse. If he'd done that to a dog he'd be in jail. Just because reptiles can't bark or cry doesn't mean they deserve less care and respect than other animals. Ok, rant over.

I think something special for the wife might be in order though! ;)

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i actually went to animal control as soon as they opened and showed them the BP, and told them the story, and the guys address. I told them i was keeping the snake and they had no objections. I dont know if they did anything to the guy or not. it was horrible but he did but at least i was there to see it and rescue my guy. And yes, I AM ADDICTED!!!

I took my wife out to red lobster last night lol that was special for her and my wallet =)

Don't know how I missed this when it was posted but congrats on being a REAL human!!!!
My hat is off to you.
He found a good home and you found a great place.:cool:

http://www.reptilebasics.com/reptile-rack-systems