New to site and BP.. have some questions..

Hi everyone, I'm a new owner of a beautiful Ball Python. I've had her for just over 8 months and still have a ton of questions... I'm not sure how old she is, her previous owner had her for less than 6 months, she is 2'11" and 600grams, and I feed her 1 large adult mouse a week but she seems hungry still. Do I up her food intake or see if I can get a larger mouse? also I have her in a 30 gal tank (formally a fish tank) How do I keep the temp up? It usually stays between 80-82deg... I currently don't have the funds to go buy a new setup for her so I need tips on how I can improve what I already have.

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Originally Posted by twinklestar

Hi everyone, I'm a new owner of a beautiful Ball Python. I've had her for just over 8 months and still have a ton of questions... I'm not sure how old she is, her previous owner had her for less than 6 months, she is 2'11" and 600grams, and I feed her 1 large adult mouse a week but she seems hungry still. Do I up her food intake or see if I can get a larger mouse? also I have her in a 30 gal tank (formally a fish tank) How do I keep the temp up? It usually stays between 80-82deg... I currently don't have the funds to go buy a new setup for her so I need tips on how I can improve what I already have.

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1 mouse a week is much too small a meal for her. Can you get a hold of rats? A weaned or small rat would be the prefect size for her. You would only need to feed one rat a week to her. If you can't get a hold of rats, trying feeding multiple mice in one feeding session (at least two...three if she'll eat it).

As far as the temps, what are you currently using to heat the cage? UTH are great for creating a 88-90* hot spot (but it must be hooked up to a thermostat). If you are more concerned about ambient temps, then you can use a lamp on a dimmer (you can get these from places like Home Depot) to make sure that the lamp isn't getting too hot. Another thing you can try is covering most of the lid with foil. Not only will this help to trap in heat but it will help with humidity levels too. Even though you didn't mention humidity levels, there are ALWAYS humidity issues when tanks are involved.

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Originally Posted by BHReptiles

1 mouse a week is much too small a meal for her. Can you get a hold of rats? A weaned or small rat would be the prefect size for her. You would only need to feed one rat a week to her. If you can't get a hold of rats, trying feeding multiple mice in one feeding session (at least two...three if she'll eat it).

As far as the temps, what are you currently using to heat the cage? UTH are great for creating a 88-90* hot spot (but it must be hooked up to a thermostat). If you are more concerned about ambient temps, then you can use a lamp on a dimmer (you can get these from places like Home Depot) to make sure that the lamp isn't getting too hot. Another thing you can try is covering most of the lid with foil. Not only will this help to trap in heat but it will help with humidity levels too. Even though you didn't mention humidity levels, there are ALWAYS humidity issues when tanks are involved.

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I have a day/night lamp with a blue and red bulb and also a UTH (came with her when we got her) but it doesn't have any form of heat control.

How are you measuring temps?

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Originally Posted by FireStorm

How are you measuring temps?

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The tank has a thermometer sticker on the outside

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Originally Posted by twinklestar

The tank has a thermometer sticker on the outside

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Ok. You need to get a better thermometer and a thermostat ASAP. I would bet lots of money that your temps are much higher than you think given that you have an unregulated UTH and a lamp. Quite possibly even dangerously high. Here are some links to get you started.

http://firestormreptiles.com/weblog/...hermostat.html
http://firestormreptiles.com/weblog/...rmometers.html

I also want to get another BP after I get the tank under control. How do I go about introducing them? Is a 30gal big enough for two or would I need to look into getting something bigger? I eventually would like to start breeding so I want to get a male... any advice I could get would be much appreciated :)

House them separately. There have been reports on cannibalism with balls. Plus if you have 2 in one enclosure you would have to have 2 of everything to ensure they're both getting their needs met.

If I was you, I'd do a LOT more reading and research on the topic before getting another BP. Focus on the girl you have now and get her enclosure set up the way she needs it to be. Make her happy. If you don't have the funds to get proper equipment for the snake you already have, you shouldn't be thinking of adding to your collection until 1) the husbandry is how it should be and 2) you're a bit more educated on their needs. Snake care isn't a cheap hobby in the least. Just like having children, you should be properly prepared before taking the plunge in owning a BP or any new pet for that matter. You wouldn't want to have a baby without getting proper diapers or clothing, right? I know it's exciting to get new pets, but they're living beings. They can't voice their needs like babies can with crying so you have to be educated on picking up on their habits & mannerisms to be able to adjust their enclosures accordingly. Not being fully educated & prepared is just doing your pet a disservice. Read, read read and read some more. Get the equipment you need (temp/humidity equipment ASAP) and enjoy her. Good luck.

What kind of substrate are you using? Have her sheds been complete? Does she have proper bowel movements?

I also say don't get another until you do a ton more research. Buy a few books (I myself have several books on husbandry for ball pythons, corn snakes, and even crested geckos) and read them. Then, take some time fine tuning your set up and get it perfect for your ball python. Once it's perfect and stays perfect, do a little more research! Even I am constantly doing more research and learning knew things. Also, you need to think about the cost involved in getting another ball python. That's twice the food bills, twice the vet costs, twice everything! If you can't afford to upgrade the tank for the snake you have, I can bet you can't afford to care for two ball pythons. Just take things slow and enjoy the one you have. Save up some money and then consider getting another cage for your new ball python.

Ball pythons should not be housed together. While cannibalism is possible, what will more than likely happen is that you will stress out both ball pythons. You could have them both off feed, accidental clutches (or clutches if your female isn't well enough to breed which can be a strain on her body), and you have no way of knowing which ball python left what in the cage. if someone poops, who pooped? If someone regurgitated, who did? If one is sick, they will probably both be sick. Now, cohabbing IS possible but it will take a lot more knowledge and expertise in order to do so correctly. I would not suggest it for beginners. I consider myself a novice and even I would not cohab.

In addition, your new addition will need to be quarantined. That means you need to keep that new addition as possible for a minimum of 3 months (the longer, the better). That way you can look for any signs of illness and fix it before it spreads to your new addition.

As for your heating issues, Firestorm has provided some great links. I would definitely get at least a hydrofarm thermostat (this will help to keep your UTH at a proper temp) and get some acuright thermometers from Walmart (you would need 2 - one for the hot side, one for the cold). That will cost you about $50 or so but it will be one of the best investments you can make for your animals!

I second the question about what substrate you are using and also want to know how thick it is? If your substrate is more than about an inch thick, then your UTH is useless. You need to trim down your substrate so the heat from the UTH can rise to the surface to create your hotspot.

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Originally Posted by timely.grace

What kind of substrate are you using? Have her sheds been complete? Does she have proper bowel movements?

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Her sheds are complete and everything goes in and comes out properly.. I actually just fed her today with the proper sized rat and for the first time in the last couple months she seems completely content :) As soon as I get paid I will be getting thermometers and anything else I can that I need... and stupid question what is substrate? As for getting another BP that wont happen for at least a year if not 2.. I don't want to rush into it and have to sell them cause I couldn't take care of them.. She is like one of my children ( I have 3) and I want to make sure she has a long healthy life..

So some more questions.. What is the best way to control and monitor the humidity? Also as far as the lighting I have the top lamps and the UTH on opposite sides of the tank, I have a pic of it in my profile, is there anything else I need to do?

You should definitely know the term substrate if you've done enough research. Substrate is what you have covering the bottom of her tank. Wood chips? Shavings? Newspaper? Paper towel? And how thick/how many layers?

You definitely should NOT wait until you get paid to buy a thermometer/thermostat. You should have had it set up in her enclosure before even purchasing her. Heat mats are well known for overheating WAY too much & burning snake bellies. Look up pictures, it's awful & quite costly if they get an infection or secondary issue because of it.

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Originally Posted by timely.grace

You definitely should NOT wait until you get paid to buy a thermometer/thermostat. You should have had it set up in her enclosure before even purchasing her. Heat mats are well known for overheating WAY too much & burning snake bellies. Look up pictures, it's awful & quite costly if they get an infection or secondary issue because of it.

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Easy to say, but I'm gonna defend the OP here. She was ignorant of a few of the necessities to snake keeping, as I'm sure many of us were at first. But seriously, if you don't have the money RIGHT NOW you don't have the money. Same reason I have to wait till I get paid to get my new beardie her UVB. I have to limp along with what I have in the meantime.

OP, I recommend putting something over the heating pad temporarily, while you can't get a thermostat. A large, flat rock or a piece of wood, or even a few pieces of thick cardboard. That is NOT a permanent fix, and I don't recommend it for more than a few days, but it is something. Vet bills for a burnt snake are much higher than the cost of a thermostat, but I understand not being able to do it right this minute. Just do what you can. :)

Substrate is what covers the tank floor. Most people use aspen bedding (do not use pine or cedar), cypress bedding, newspaper, paper towel, repticarpet, or Eco earth. Whatever you use, it shouldn't be more than an inch thick.

unplug your heat mat until you can buy a thermostat. However, you really need a lamp dimmer ($10 at Home Depot) and a thermometer to measure the hot spot ($10 at Walmart). The dimmer can control the power to the lamp and thus helping to raise the temp or lower it.

once you get paid, invest in a second thermometer, a thermostat, and a ball python care book (Petsmart has one for $8 I think). You should also read the care sheet on this forum.it will help you a lot!

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Originally Posted by BHReptiles

unplug your heat mat until you can buy a thermostat.

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Or that. :P

Make sure the room he stays in is kept as warm as possible (76-80) until you can get it up and running. :)

Thank you for all your input :) I kinda figured substrate was the bedding in the bottom but I wanted to make sure.. Right now I have wood chips in the bottom, about an inch thick.. She was given to me by one of my husbands co-workers (she bought it for her son and he stopped taking care of her) and everything I have came with the "starter" tank that was purchased with her.. I need to do A LOT more reading on BP and I know that, but I figured I would ask experienced owners their opinion and see what works for you and what doesn't...Like are wood chips the best type of substrate?

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Originally Posted by twinklestar

Thank you for all your input :) I kinda figured substrate was the bedding in the bottom but I wanted to make sure.. Right now I have wood chips in the bottom, about an inch thick.. She was given to me by one of my husbands co-workers (she bought it for her son and he stopped taking care of her) and everything I have came with the "starter" tank that was purchased with her.. I need to do A LOT more reading on BP and I know that, but I figured I would ask experienced owners their opinion and see what works for you and what doesn't...Like are wood chips the best type of substrate?

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Depends on the woodchips. :) Ceder? no no. But Aspen is a perfectly good bedding, and many on here also agree than kiln dried pine is suitable as well. If you aren't sure what you've got, I recommend emptying the tank and using paper towels. They aren't pretty, but they're pretty much the best substrate for ball pythons, imo. And cheap! And easy to clean.

Here are a couple of links to get you going:

Caresheet

And anything labeled as a "Sticky Thread" in the BP Husbandry section.

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Originally Posted by Annarose15

Here are a couple of links to get you going:

Caresheet

And anything labeled as a "Sticky Thread" in the BP Husbandry section.

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That's the care sheet I was talking about.

wood chips are fine as long as it's not pine (I don't like any kind of pine) or cedar. Aspen or cypress chips are perfectly fine and well used. Cypress chips will help with humidity (if you haven't had this problem yet, I bet you will!).

http://www.amazon.com/R-Zilla-11403-...1471608&sr=1-4 - $22 for a thermostat
http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiT...1471878&sr=1-1 - $17 for a digital IR thermometer so you can measure temperatures on the top of the substrate, which is where your BP lives.

Total is less than $40 shipped to your door, which is much less than a regular visit to the vet, never mind one to treat a burn.

As a newbie bp momma, I can tell ya... Listen to these guys... They know their stuff.

I've run across one thing with substrate however, I feel you should weigh in the humidity while picking an appropriate one. Aspen will suck the moisture out of the environment and make humidity control quite difficult. I live in the desert where of course, it's dry as heck and recently did a complete tank changeover in order to combat this problem. Seems to be helping but we shall see.

Quick ? Guys <and i wouldn't do this here but i think it will help the OP as well as he learns> I switched to reptibark, along with doing the foil/tape thing on the top and also covered the sides and back with that black squishy cloth like shelf liner. This morning, ambient humidity is showing 44%, but that is measured about 3 inches off the floor. At floor lvl it is at 73 <and dropping over time since the bark is brand new>. Which reading is more important? And how long can she take that high humidity without scale rot becoming even a remote possibility? My instinct tells me floor lvl as that is where my bouncing baby ball lives but am unsure enough to ask. Oh and that is on the cool side, I'm picking up another acurite with a probe this morning as my dumb arse accidentally grabbed one without the probe and that one will be hot side only. Safe to assume its actually higher on that side.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

http://www.amazon.com/R-Zilla-11403-...1471608&sr=1-4 - $22 for a thermostat
http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiT...1471878&sr=1-1 - $17 for a digital IR thermometer so you can measure temperatures on the top of the substrate, which is where your BP lives.

Total is less than $40 shipped to your door, which is much less than a regular visit to the vet, never mind one to treat a burn.

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For $7 more dollars, I would get this thermostat instead of a dial rheostat. With the dial ones, you always have to adjust the dial in order to keep proper temps with a fluctuating ambient temp. With this thermostat ( http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR...arm+thermostat ), you just have to set the temp (I usually set mine to 89) and it will keep a much better temperature.

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Originally Posted by MsMissy

As a newbie bp momma, I can tell ya... Listen to these guys... They know their stuff.

I've run across one thing with substrate however, I feel you should weigh in the humidity while picking an appropriate one. Aspen will suck the moisture out of the environment and make humidity control quite difficult. I live in the desert where of course, it's dry as heck and recently did a complete tank changeover in order to combat this problem. Seems to be helping but we shall see.

Quick ? Guys <and i wouldn't do this here but i think it will help the OP as well as he learns> I switched to reptibark, along with doing the foil/tape thing on the top and also covered the sides and back with that black squishy cloth like shelf liner. This morning, ambient humidity is showing 44%, but that is measured about 3 inches off the floor. At floor lvl it is at 73 <and dropping over time since the bark is brand new>. Which reading is more important? And how long can she take that high humidity without scale rot becoming even a remote possibility? My instinct tells me floor lvl as that is where my bouncing baby ball lives but am unsure enough to ask. Oh and that is on the cool side, I'm picking up another acurite with a probe this morning as my dumb arse accidentally grabbed one without the probe and that one will be hot side only. Safe to assume its actually higher on that side.

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Take the bottom reading because that's where you're ball python is living. 73 is a little too high for everyday humidity. You just need it to be around 50% unless your ball python is in shed. The humidity will gradually fall so it shouldn't be a problem. Just realize that scale rot can be caused by too much dampness of your substrate. So if you're constantly misting and your substrate remains damp, then you can still get scale rot even if your humidity is on par.

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Originally Posted by BHReptiles

For $7 more dollars, I would get this thermostat instead of a dial rheostat. With the dial ones, you always have to adjust the dial in order to keep proper temps with a fluctuating ambient temp. With this thermostat ( http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR...arm+thermostat ), you just have to set the temp (I usually set mine to 89) and it will keep a much better temperature.

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Good point. My house temp is pretty constant (A/C is set to 78 and most likely will be used thru September, sigh...) so that's not a concern. FWIW I really like the VT100's but the OP is concerned about cost...

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Good point. My house temp is pretty constant (A/C is set to 78 and most likely will be used thru September, sigh...) so that's not a concern. FWIW I really like the VT100's but the OP is concerned about cost...

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Its not so much the cost, its more that I have to wait til I get paid wed.. I want to get what I need that is the best quality... I did read the care sheet and it really helped, I will have to read it a few more times to retain ALL the info in it along with getting books, and to answer a question, I have ReptiBark in the bottom..One thing I did read is that I should do a FULL tank clean every 6months or so, got it off the internet, is this true or will it just stress Twinkle out? I also wouldn't mind getting something to cover the back and one or both sides on the tank.. What would be the best thing to use and would I put it on the inside or outside of the tank? I'm thinking the outside just so it wont mess with the atmosphere of the tank.. I really do appreciate all the feedback I'm getting, I really do just want to have the best environment for Twinkle that she can have...

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Originally Posted by twinklestar

Its not so much the cost, its more that I have to wait til I get paid wed.. I want to get what I need that is the best quality... I did read the care sheet and it really helped, I will have to read it a few more times to retain ALL the info in it along with getting books, and to answer a question, I have ReptiBark in the bottom..One thing I did read is that I should do a FULL tank clean every 6months or so, got it off the internet, is this true or will it just stress Twinkle out? I also wouldn't mind getting something to cover the back and one or both sides on the tank.. What would be the best thing to use and would I put it on the inside or outside of the tank? I'm thinking the outside just so it wont mess with the atmosphere of the tank.. I really do appreciate all the feedback I'm getting, I really do just want to have the best environment for Twinkle that she can have...

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I would change out all the substrate and wash the entire enclosure and cage furniture a little more often than twice a year... Maybe every other month at the least.

I use foam core board to cover the back and sides of my tanks. you can find it at most craft stores and even at many drug stores.

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Originally Posted by twinklestar

Its not so much the cost, its more that I have to wait til I get paid wed.. I want to get what I need that is the best quality... I did read the care sheet and it really helped, I will have to read it a few more times to retain ALL the info in it along with getting books, and to answer a question, I have ReptiBark in the bottom..One thing I did read is that I should do a FULL tank clean every 6months or so, got it off the internet, is this true or will it just stress Twinkle out? I also wouldn't mind getting something to cover the back and one or both sides on the tank.. What would be the best thing to use and would I put it on the inside or outside of the tank? I'm thinking the outside just so it wont mess with the atmosphere of the tank.. I really do appreciate all the feedback I'm getting, I really do just want to have the best environment for Twinkle that she can have...

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I agree with what Kaorte said. I have one display tank (most of my animals are in racks) and I usually do a full clean out every 6-8 weeks. However, I spot clean when I see that there's been a mess made (it houses a corn snake so that's usually once a week).

As for what to cover, black construction paper, cardbaoard, or even a fancy backdrop work well. They can go on the outside of the tank. For my display tank, I have a forest scene that "blacks out" my corn's cage (not that she needs it...but it's for decoration). I have a BP in quarantine that's REALLY skittish so I have all 4 sides covered in cardboard to give him a little extra security. It seems to be doing the trick.

As for thermostats, if you can afford it, a Herpstat (even the cheapest Herpstat at $100) is well worth it! There's another model called Vivarium Electronics that's also pretty good. Those you can get from Reptile Basics and the cheapest one is $85. However, both those are considered some of the best thermostats you can buy. Although they are pricey, they are awesome! I have a Herpstat 2 and I love mine.

Let me interject here and simply say, WELCOME! As far as I am concerned, the only silly question is the one you don't ask. We ALL started somewhere so ask as many questions as you need to...you're BP will love you for it ;-)

I can't add much more than what was already offered. I am a little more OCD when it comes to cleaning. I spot clean daily and I tear down/sanitize once a month. Easier with only 7 rather than 20+ animals, but for me it works. Plus the substrate absorbs waste and I really don't like it fermenting for months at a time.

You'll find your niche...

Ok so I took some temps of Twinkles tank and on the side with the UTH it ranged from 88-90deg, and on the cool side of the tank it ranged from 82-86deg. overall tank temp is 80.6deg... Humidity has been a steady 55-56%.. All the readings I took were from ground level.. I looked a all the substrate I have, and I have mulched cypress (which is in the tank), dry aspen, and dry coconut fiber (last two came with her)

86 is a bit hot for the cool side. 80 is fine.

Here's the new set up. I have a light dimmer for the basking light... one question how do I get the humidity down? It has been set up for about an hour and its holding at 82% :confusd:.. The tank temp is 80deg and the cool side has evened out to 77deg and the hot side was 89deg when I last checked, still waiting for my temp controller. Is there anything I can do different? also the substrate is dry aspen/fine coconut. :)

[img]http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/...ps571bc3e9.jpg[/img]

and a good pic of Twinkle

[img]http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8b9477f7.jpg[/img]

Your humidity will come down, I bet. Check it again in the morning.