Finally joined the forum! (+questions/pics attached)

:banana:I have been looking at this website over a month or so to get information and whatnot; and finally today I decided to join!
I do own a baby ball python that's been almost 3 months now ( it's been 9 weeks since I bought him). Louie did have bad shedding experience (He shed into 3 pieces) and I saw him with blue eyes about 3-4 days ago so I've been checking humidity level and temperature. It is somewhere 65~70% humidity in the cold side and 45% humidity in the middle and 20~30-ish in the basking/hot area. I spent alot of money setting up his enclosure (somewhere around 450~480). I do keep log every time I do something such as cleaning, when he poops, when he doesnt eat, his feeding schedule, and random temperature/humidity level checks. This is first time getting a python thus I am almost going ocd on him. I did have alot of experience with lizards and tons of green iguanas. I assume that he is a male by "popping" yet not 100% sure. I also cleaned my enclosure by diluted bleach (1 gallon + 2 teaspoon of 'gentle bleach') and all the items that I bought from the petco plus baked the coconut husk and cypress mulch on 250F for 30~40mins. I know that coconut husk is almost risk-free but I like to go extra miles for this kid.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/08/29/mare9y9e.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/08/29/6ytyta3a.jpg
so here is some questions for people..


1. What is the best way to sex the python? ( would it be purchasing the tool from ebay and do it by myself? without going professional like reptile vets or something)

2. Louie is going through shedding at this moment and when I noticed his eyes were almost going blue/white and some of his scales are becoming blue-ish (spots), I tried to feed him so it will help him shed (because he has to use all his energy shedding and whatnot) and he grabbed the fuzzy as soon as I hold it up on the seperate feeding cage. But he almost swallowed halfway but he stayed like that for exactly 2.5hrs then he spit it out and I put him back in the enclosure. He "yawn"-ed to adjust his jaw like 3 times after but is that normal?

3. My room is generally hot. Like avg.80~85 degrees (fahrenheit). But I did install UTH because ceramic lamp did more harm than help. And I do not use thermometer that controls the UTH when it gets to hot, so time to time I check and I check by its coconut husk color. Do you think it's necessary?

4. This is some long-term question but where could I get morphed python here in Maryland?


Thank you for reading!:O

if ur room is that hot u dont need a crematic and i wouldnt feed him in a different enclosure... during shedding get the humidity up in that enclosure id go close to 80 just move ur water bowl over the uth ... learn how to pop just keep practicing u will get it eventually .. theres many places to get different morphs just depends on what u like theres great breeders on this forum and many expos .. maybe he dont eat during shed only way to find that out is keep trying during shed and if he keeps refusing then u know not to feed .. on the glass tank id get something to regulate the uth .. u can buy something like a rehostat that zilla sells there like 20 bucks on ebay . and u r feeding fuzzy rats im assuming ?

and welcome to the site theres is so much useful info here u will be pleased

x2^^^ I wouldn't feed and a seperate enclosure it causes more harm than helps. but sounds like you are doing good for the most part

Thank you for responding. Well, I only put him in the Rubbermaid (feeding cage) whenever I feed him because I heard that if you feed in enclosure he will eventually assume your finger is a food? And guts might caught bacteria or somewhat

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Originally Posted by Louie

Thank you for responding. Well, I only put him in the Rubbermaid (feeding cage) whenever I feed him because I heard that if you feed in enclosure he will eventually assume your finger is a food? And guts might caught bacteria or somewhat

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You're only gonna cause your snake undue stress by feeding in a seperate tub. I feed in the enclosure.
As long as feeding is not the only time you open his cage it's not a problem.

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Originally Posted by Louie

Thank you for responding. Well, I only put him in the Rubbermaid (feeding cage) whenever I feed him because I heard that if you feed in enclosure he will eventually assume your finger is a food? And guts might caught bacteria or somewhat

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by using that same logic, if you take him out of his enclosure to feed every time, he may think every time you get him out it's feeding time. i feed all mine in their enclosures and they do just fine. as long as your hands dont smell like rats. if you've been playin with rats just wash your hands.

and i've had very few feedings where guts are left on the floor of the enclosure. lol but i feed live. i know this problem is a little more prevalent with frozen/thawed. but as long as you clean out their enclosure regularly they'll be fine.

Welcome! And nicely decorated tank! I'll try to address all of your points :)
1. Popping is best, you can severely damage the snake's organs with a probe if you go to deep (of course, the same can happen with popping). If there's a good reptile shop near you, they're usually more than happy to help sex your python.

2. Some will, some won't feed during shed. Just keep offering, or if you feed f/t, you can wait until after the shed so you don't waste a rat. Skipping a week won't hurt him, and he'll probably feed very well after a skipped meal ;)

3. You absolutely MUST control your UTH with a thermostat. Checking temps by substrate color is not reliable. I personally wouldn't go with a rheostat, if the temp in your room fluctuates, it won't alter the amout of heat the UTH puts out. If you can afford it, go with a proportional tstat. A cheaper option would be a hydrofarm on/off tstat, only around $32 and safer than a dimmer or rheostat.

4. Of course!! With the wonders of modern shipping, you can get any morph shipped to you :)

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Originally Posted by Louie

Thank you for responding. Well, I only put him in the Rubbermaid (feeding cage) whenever I feed him because I heard that if you feed in enclosure he will eventually assume your finger is a food? And guts might caught bacteria or somewhat

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That is a myth. Nearly all of the big BP breeders and members on this site feed their BP's in the snakes cage. A BP isn't going to get aggressive or think your hand is food because of this.

You need to clean/disinfect your cage at least monthly anyway (as well as change your substrate). A good way to do this is with vetrinary grade disinfectants like F10 and Chlorhexidine:

http://www.reptilebasics.com/cleaning-products

Hahahaha good point. Well I just hope he sheds in one piece.. and some said move water bowl to UTH side?

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Originally Posted by Louie

Hahahaha good point. Well I just hope he sheds in one piece.. and some said move water bowl to UTH side?

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The heat from the UTH will increase the water temperature in the water dish so it will release more moisture into the air. You will have to change the water in the dish more frequently if you do so.

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

That is a myth. Nearly all of the big BP breeders and members on this site feed their BP's in the snakes cage. A BP isn't going to get aggressive or think your hand is food because of this.

You need to clean/disinfect your cage at least monthly anyway (as well as change your substrate). A good way to do this is with vetrinary grade disinfectants like F10 and Chlorhexidine:

http://www.reptilebasics.com/cleaning-products

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Oh I dont mine changing water more frequently if that will help him shed better and keep the humidity up. So far, I used bunch of moss and wet them and put it under the half-log so when he need to get wet he will do so.

Thanks for the tip and what does vetrinary grade disinfectants like F10 and Chlorhexidine do? I see word vet and disinfectant. Is that mean it's "reptile-friendly"? No need to rince and all? And when you said changing substrate monthly do you change the whole tank or top soil? So far ive changed the whole tank once likr couple weeks ago and ive been spot-cleaning

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Originally Posted by Louie

Oh I dont mine changing water more frequently if that will help him shed better and keep the humidity up. So far, I used bunch of moss and wet them and put it under the half-log so when he need to get wet he will do so.

Thanks for the tip and what does vetrinary grade disinfectants like F10 and Chlorhexidine do? I see word vet and disinfectant. Is that mean it's "reptile-friendly"? No need to rince and all? And when you said changing substrate monthly do you change the whole tank or top soil? So far ive changed the whole tank once likr couple weeks ago and ive been spot-cleaning

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Vet Disinfectants when diluted properly with water (according to the label on the bottle) are safe to use around animals. Chlorhexidine can be used as an antiseptic (clean cuts) as well as moush-wash for dogs (once again when diluted properly)

Here is the monthly cleaning process:

1. Remove snake and out into a holding container
2. Remove all cage decorations (including any water dishes), rinse with tap water then spray down with disinfectant. Let sit for 20 minutes. Then rinse again, and dry off.
3. While the cage decorations are sitting Remove all substrate from the cage, and spray the cage down with disinfectant. As with the cage decorations let the disinfectant work for 20 minutes, then wipe up with paper towels until dry.
4. Put new substrate into the cage, and put the cage decorations back in, and finally put the snake back in.

I guess that could be better than gentle bleach I use. Also I bake coconut husk and cypress mulch that I bought from petco (which they say their product is treated) at 250F for 30mins. As for you, do you think thats worth of doing it?

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Originally Posted by Louie

I guess that could be better than gentle bleach I use. Also I bake coconut husk and cypress mulch that I bought from petco (which they say their product is treated) at 250F for 30mins. As for you, do you think thats worth of doing it?

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There really isn't any reason to bake the substrate.

bleach solutions require a lot of work. You don't want to put a snake back in the cage until you can't smell bleach any longer. Vet grade disinfectants are designed for use with animals and are much safer.

Some say it might contain pests such as mites so ive been doing that

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Originally Posted by Louie

Some say it might contain pests such as mites so ive been doing that

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The chances are pretty low unless your pet store has issues with mites.

Mhmm okay, when I bought my ball python they had huge problem with the mites and i had to ask manager sperately and they had to bring pythons out drom the backroom. Mhm I probably still do it though hahahah im like ocd when it comes to his health :D:D

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