First Time BP Owner

I just brought home my baby ball python two days ago. She is very active so far. The breeder told me to leave her alone for the first week so she can get acclimated. I have gotten her everything she needs with the exception of food which I'll need next week. I have done some basic research on BPs but just looking for important tips I might have missed. Also wanted to mention some things about her behavior I want to make sure are normal. She likes to lift the top half of her body way up in the air.. Does this just mean she is checking out her surroundings? Also she likes to put herself in her water dish. As far as feeding goes I've read conflicting things about live or frozen. She was eating live with the breeder but I'm thinking of trying frozen because it is safer. Also I have read on here that getting bit is to be expected.. I hope that's not the case. But anyway I have enjoyed her so far and can't wait to see how big she will be one day. Also I read that I should establish a relationship with a reptile vet in case anything comes up in the future.. Do I need to take her for a checkup? If anyone has a general tip they want to share it would be appreciated. I have attached a pic from when I first brought her home. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/20/turave9e.jpg


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The hard truth is, if it has a mouth then it will eventually bite you! In my opinion, snakes are no more or no less inclined to bite than any other animal but if you push them too much, they will defend themselves. Take it slow and learn to realize that if its hissing then it's not the best time to play.

As for the lifting bit, that's called "periscoping" and it's exactly what you think it is.

On live vs. F/T, I would suggest you try F/T first and maybe pre-killed if you get no dice on that, then go to live rat fuzzies/pups/weanlings (depending on the size of your BP) because they're much less intimidating than an adult mouse and typically can't do much harm when you're supervising the feeding.

Good luck!

I suggest that you try feeding her what she was eating with the breeder for the first few times then switch. Also an active BP might mean that there is something not ideal in the husbandry. Check temps and humidity. And feeding live vs frozen is more of a personal preference. Feeding live is safe if its done correctly and feeding frozen can be deadly if done incorrectly. And yes when she "stands up" she is just checking things out. Its called periscoping.

Welcome, and congrats on the new ball!! I agree with feeding her what she's been accustomed to for the first few times, then make the switch to your preferred feeding method. As for the soaking, it could be an indicator of mites. I'd do a thorough once over once she's settled in, look for tiny black specks on her body. I'm not sure what type of substrate you're using, but I like paper towels for the first few weeks so you can see if there are any hitch hikers. I don't think a vet visit is necessary unless she's having any type abnormal behaviors or symptoms. This just causes undue stress. I do think you should locate a good exotics vet and keep their information on hand just in case you have an emergency pop up. That way you won't have to scramble in addition to dealing with some unknown illness. Makes everything much easier IMO. Not trying to freak you out, I've never had to take my balls to the vet, but it's just an added reassurance :)

Thanks for the responses, I really appreciate the advice. Can anyone tell me what they use to clean the inside of the tank? I want to spot-clean because there are some smudges on the inside. Also when I do a complete clean out what should I use?


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What kind of smudges? If it's just water marks on the glass, I use a damp paper towel. When you do a full clean, f10 vet disinfectant works wonders, or you can use a diluted bleach solution. You just have to make sure all the fumes have dissipated before putting any live animals in :)

I am happy to report that I was successful in feeding my little girl (Karma) a f/t mouse yesterday. I put her in a separate tank, thawed the mouse then put it under the heat lamp for a minute. The second I placed it in with her she tackled it. I was a little worried because after I put her back in her home she curled up in the corner and stayed there. But now she is back out exploring so I guess she just needed time to digest. She's so fun to watch. I attached a pic of her from the other day. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/25/ra6uva3u.jpg


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Gorgeous normal you've got there. Nice white on her sides, and a pretty golden color. You know, sometimes the beauty of a simple normal gets lost among the wide array of morphs out there. Again, beautiful gal. :3

Thank you! I think she's awesome. I got her from Bill Stegall at Phoenix Reptiles. I hope to get a BEL from him one day.


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Just a rule of thumb which is used here which may help you a little bit.

"A happy BP is a hiding BP" They're nocturnal creatures and it's a good sign if they stay in their hides. If you don't see her, don't worry! (Not sure if this has already been said but it's helpful for any new BP owner :) (Quite new to this myself))

pretty, love the strip of gold on the back of the neck.

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Originally Posted by Sarahintx

I am happy to report that I was successful in feeding my little girl (Karma) a f/t mouse yesterday. I put her in a separate tank, thawed the mouse then put it under the heat lamp for a minute. The second I placed it in with her she tackled it. I was a little worried because after I put her back in her home she curled up in the corner and stayed there. But now she is back out exploring so I guess she just needed time to digest. She's so fun to watch. I attached a pic of her from the other day.

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You can make your own decision about how you want to feed, but a separate enclosure really isn't necessary. It's generally accepted that moving a snake right after feeding it will increase your chances of catching an accidental bite more than anything (she could still be in feed mode when your warm hand reaches in to take her home). Tank aggression due to feeding in the home enclosure is a complete myth in ball pythons.

Congrats on your beautiful girl! :gj:

Thanks for the responses. Can anyone tell me when I should expect Karma to shed? I got her on Oct 17. I didn't ask the breeder when her last shed was (she was born 6/25). I see a few small flakes towards the end of her tail but no other signs. Also how often do I need to mist her tank so that she does shed properly? Thank you


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Every snake is different. Watch for blueing of the eyes, also duller color, some get pink bellies.
What do you mean by flakes?

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I vas just about to say that..there new to there surroundings so ofcourse they will explore,but adventually, you probably barely see them... I see mine only when I go to pick him up which is two times a week,when he comes out cause he's a pig and loves to eat anything or when he is thirsty. Other words he is always forever in his warm hide.

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Originally Posted by Naom9Anne

Just a rule of thumb which is used here which may help you a little bit.

"A happy BP is a hiding BP" They're nocturnal creatures and it's a good sign if they stay in their hides. If you don't see her, don't worry! (Not sure if this has already been said but it's helpful for any new BP owner :) (Quite new to this myself))

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I feed my ball in his enclosure,all the time Only in his enclosure..every time I go to pick him up I never sense any aggression what so ever...I jus always rinse my hands with anti bacterial alcohol from the squirt bottle,before and after handling. Sometimes I forget but 75% I do

I think I'm just gonna continue feeding her in a separate tank because I read a thread on here where someone said their BP got aspen stuck in its mouth while feeding. Also as far as her hiding/not hiding... She has been out quite a lot lately. Someone told me this could be because the humidity's not high enough. But I keep reading conflicting things... Some people say not to mist the tank if you are using aspen because it will get moldy... Some people say aspen works great. Could she also be out a lot because she's ready to eat? I fed her last Wednesday and planning to feed her tomorrow. Also do I need to have a scale to monitor her weight? Or is it just mainly breeders who need scales? I don't want to seem like such a noob but I guess it's normal to have questions when you have a new pet...


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Originally Posted by Sarahintx

I think I'm just gonna continue feeding her in a separate tank because I read a thread on here where someone said their BP got aspen stuck in its mouth while feeding. Also as far as her hiding/not hiding... She has been out quite a lot lately. Someone told me this could be because the humidity's not high enough. But I keep reading conflicting things... Some people say not to mist the tank if you are using aspen because it will get moldy... Some people say aspen works great. Could she also be out a lot because she's ready to eat? I fed her last Wednesday and planning to feed her tomorrow. Also do I need to have a scale to monitor her weight? Or is it just mainly breeders who need scales? I don't want to seem like such a noob but I guess it's normal to have questions when you have a new pet...


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my enclosure is all aspen as well,I still feed in the enclosure,never once swallowed or ate aspen..but def a good idea to feed out of his enclosure cause BPs stress out an easily,so why stress out an animal more than it should be...hopefully he doc regurgitate cause he gets to nervous.

You ou seem to have no idea what you are doing. But your worried your snake may eat a piece of aspen,that should be the last of your worries,lol..

she he can also be out cause she is looking for a good spot to chill,maybe she is too hot or too cold..my dudes always I'm his hides.. Check your temps and humidity,your snake shouldn't be out as much as he is.

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Originally Posted by NYHC4LIFE8899

You ou seem to have no idea what you are doing. But your worried your snake may eat a piece of aspen,that should be the last of your worries,lol..

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Well I really appreciate the insult now how do I delete this thread? Geez




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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sarahintx

Well I really appreciate the insult now how do I delete this thread? Geez




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Don't go anywhere plz. This guy rarely has anything important to say.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sarahintx

I think I'm just gonna continue feeding her in a separate tank because I read a thread on here where someone said their BP got aspen stuck in its mouth while feeding. Also as far as her hiding/not hiding... She has been out quite a lot lately. Someone told me this could be because the humidity's not high enough. But I keep reading conflicting things... Some people say not to mist the tank if you are using aspen because it will get moldy... Some people say aspen works great. Could she also be out a lot because she's ready to eat? I fed her last Wednesday and planning to feed her tomorrow. Also do I need to have a scale to monitor her weight? Or is it just mainly breeders who need scales? I don't want to seem like such a noob but I guess it's normal to have questions when you have a new pet...


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Honestly 9/10 of us feed in the enclosure. A snake eats dirt and twigs in the wild all the time. A lil is not hurt if he ingests it. Snakes are not as fragile as people think.
Feeding in a separate container can cause undue stress and possibly through off feed or regurgitate a meal. Also you are more likely to get bit while moving them around in feed mode..

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Thank you :/


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