Newby here with first ball python!

Hello all! My name is Matthew and I recelty got back into keeping reptiles. Many years ago I had to give up my green igauna and a few other lizards because I went into the military. For years I have wanted to get a snake and I finally did my research for several weeks and decided to get a ball python. I have lurked around on this site for a bit and I can see that there are a lot of people here that really know what they are talking about. I found the cutest 10 month old normal ball from my local pet store (that deal mainly with reptiles) and went home and set my tank up. I got an under tank heater and ceramic heater above for basking and of coarse a water dish and hide.

I brougt him/her home and she opened right up and was a blast to hold, she was very interestred in everything. Then later that night she decided to poop and pee all over me and the bed, I think she was just saying she loved me. On day 2 (today) she was a little different, she had a bit of an attitude and even tried to strike at me. Now I hope that is just her still trying to settle in so I pretty much just left her alone. Anyway I hope to meet some really cool people here and I hope to learn a lot from everyone and eventually one day return the favor to another newbie. I do have a few questions though:

How long on average is a settle in time? I hope this bit of aggression won't last because she was so sweet on the first day.

It has been 6 days now since she last fed, should I wait another week for her to settle in, or should I try and feed her tomorrow? She is eating adult mice already.

Thank you everyone in advance for yuour help!!
When I do feed her for the first time should take her out of the tank, or feed her in the tank? There seems to be a big debate on that here.

Thank you everyone in advance for your help!!

Welcome to the site!

I would let her settle in for at least a week before you handle her again. You can try feeding her tomorrow, but don't be too surprised if she doesn't take it. You should feed her right in her cage. Feeding in a separate container will only reduce your chances of a successful feeding, and increase the chances of you getting tagged.

If you haven't already check out these 2 threads:

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

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

Do you have a thermostat for your under tank heater? What type of thermometers are you using?



More info on why you should feed your BP in her cage:

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Here is the reason why feeding a snake in a separate container increases your chances of getting bit...

You have to handle/move a hungry/just fed snake into/from said separate container. This is just asking to get bit, plus chances are you have been handling rodents so your hands probably smell like a rodent to the snake.

Moving a snake to a separate container also has the potential to stress the snake which can lead to the snake refusing to eat (not that BP's really need an excuse not to eat lol)

There are only 2 reasons to feed a snake in a separate container and both can be dismissed.

1. People think that feeding a snake in its cage will make it aggressive. Simply put this is a myth with no merit what so ever most if not all big breeders feed their snake in their cages as do most of the vets here on this site. If there was an issue with doing so all of these people would stop.

A BP isn't going to associate your hand with food, especially if you use tongs to feed your snake(s). A BP uses multiple sense to determine what is and isn't food. Your hand on their own aren't going to trigger a feeding response. Most of the time when people are bit by a BP it is a defensive strike, and not a feeding strike. The difference is a defensive strike is just a bite without any coiling (constriction) where as a feeding strike involves constriction as the snake is trying to eat what it just struck at.

2. People are afraid of substrate ingestion. While this point does have some merit it too can be dismissed. A Bp can ingest some substrate without having any issues. Impaction due to substrate ingestion is extremely rare. Simply keeping an eye on the snake during feeding will keep this from becoming an issue.

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she strike at u when u went to grab her in the tank??

Sounds like a stressed BP to me. Give her a week to settle in. Don't handle any more. I wouldn't bother with feeding, myself, but you can try if you want. Offer in-cage, make sure if you're offering F/T it's plenty warm (not hot, but warm, it should be warm to the touch and not cold or hard when you press your thumb up under the rib cage). If that UTH isn't regulated, I would make that your first priority. She'll be okay for another week without food, especially if she's already got some decent weight on her. A properly fed 10 month old BP (Assuming she's been eating) should be on much more than just adult mice, unless they're very large adult mice. I would probably guess she could be on small (40-60 gram) rats once a week.

Thank you for the replies. Yes she tried to strike at me but I think I startled her when I lifted her hide. I will leave her alone for another week and then try to feed her next Monday or Tuesday.

What type of thermostat would youpguys recommend? I don't have one right now.

Any Herpstat from Spyder Robotics is going to be your number 1 answer here... I have two more family events to get through before ordering mine but it's coming. In the meantime while money is a little tight, I use a hydrofarm, purchased from Amazon for about $32 with free shipping.

x2. I use a Herpstat 1 and it is perfect. They will run you about $115 though, but it'll be the only one you'll ever need (IMO) for your one snake. It's a very worthwhile investment and if you ever decide you want to get a rack and more snakes, your Herpstat can run a rack perfectly easily.

Does anyone use or recommend this?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...pf_rd_i=507846

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Originally Posted by Ronin

Does anyone use or recommend this?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...pf_rd_i=507846

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Some people really like those, while other people hate them. I would say that they are unnecessary for a ball python unless you live in an extremely dry area. There are much easier/cheaper ways to increase the humidity in your cage.

[QUOTE=The Serpent Merchant;210Some people really like those, while other people hate them. I would say that they are unnecessary for a ball python unless you live in an extremely dry area. There are much easier/cheaper ways to increase the humidity in your cage.[/QUOTE]

Thanks! I might actually give this a try, I for some reason having a hard time keeping the humidity above 40%. What are some easier or other ways to keep the humidity up, other than using a spray bottle?

Do you have the top covered? I read a sticky on here about how to modify a tank for a BP and it has worked like a charm for me. I cover most of the top up with foil and then put a dish towel over that, per instructions from the sticky.

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Originally Posted by Ronin

Thanks! I might actually give this a try, I for some reason having a hard time keeping the humidity above 40%. What are some easier or other ways to keep the humidity up, other than using a spray bottle?

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The simplest ways are to:

1. Use a different substrate, Cypress Mulch and Eco-Earth will boost your humidity more than just about anything else

2. cover part of the screen top of your cage. By covering 60% - 80% of the screen top you will hold in more the the humidity already in the cage

3. Get a bigger water dish/more than one water dish. The more surface area of water you have in the cage the more humidity will be released.

4. Mist the cage with warm water. There is a difference between a wet cage and a humid cage. By misting with warm water you will get more humidity per spray.

I will try the foil with a dish towel over that and see how that goes. I am using that repi bark right now and I thought that was suppose to help keep the humidity in. Is this not the case?

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Originally Posted by Ronin

I will try the foil with a dish towel over that and see how that goes. I am using that repi bark right now and I thought that was suppose to help keep the humidity in. Is this not the case?

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repti-bark is a high humidity substrate. But with any substrate you have to keep it damp otherwise it's useless (just don't keep it too wet as that can cause issues as well)

It's not bad but Eco earth and cypress mulch are better. I use a combo of reptibark and Eco because I like the looks better. I also live in a very dry location and utilize every tip Aaron listed. You must be pretty Far East in Washington to not have natural humidity helping you above 50 % ?

Thanks I'll check that Eco earth and cypress mulch. I actually live on the west side of the mountaojns just above Seattle. I don't know why the humidity drops so much. I just covered half of the top of the tank with foil and cloth. I'll see how that hold up after a while.