BP kind of sluggish

Hey guys, I got my first bp last week. He hasn't used his hide, he roams every once in a while, but other than that he sits on top of a plant in his tank. Hes about to shed so humidity 60-70% hot side 90, cool side varies highest I've seen it was 83º lowest 74º. Any thing wrong with him?
He's 120 grams, I can't find rat pups, are weanlings ok? Sorry foe the cluster of questions:/ Lol.

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Here is a chart of frozen rodents and their equivalents, I'm sure you have heard the 10-15% rule :)

http://www.frozenfeeder.com/sizing.html

If your boy is 120g the rule would suggest him being fed something in the range of 12-18g. Some people don't weigh the food and go by width. You could try a weanling if it is at the lower weight or a large mouse which is the equivalent to a rat pup? Will you be able to obtain rat pups at any time? He may refuse food that is too big for him or regurge?

New BP's will roam until they settle. Once he has settles he will likely go into his hide and it is likely you will rarely see him. My pastel spent her first two nights curled behind her hot hide instead of inside it! Some BP's may just take longer to settle than others :)

I'm sure there is something that can be added to my post from more experienced owners :) grats on the new BP!

Thank you so much for the chart, I couldn't find one anywhere!

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What kind of hides are you using?

What is the heat source your using?

Not using the hide can be caused by a few things. Some common reasons 1.) Strange snake 2.) Unliked/to big/to small hide 3.) Hotspot is to warm or to cold.

Using 100watt heat lamp in a 10 gallon tank (temporary) wedge style log hide, I baked it to prevent mites. I also have a heat mat if the lamp doesn't work


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Wow a 100w for a 10 gal. What are your temp readings? Those log hides are no good... they need something snug, a Tupperware container with an entrance cut in would be better

Edited: what are you using to measure temps? What is the temp of the room he is in?
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A wedge log is not a hide, that is why it is not being used.

A 100w bulb without a dimmer is probably giving you a surface temp over 100 on the surface below the bulb. It is also going to dry out the tank.

A heat mat (uth) I hope it is an actual pet product and not a human style heat pad. It needs to be on a thermostat other wise its creating a hotspot that is to warm which is probably why the snake is hanging out in the plant. Your surface temps are to hot.

Air temp and surface temp is very different. A wall mount thermometer that reads 90 does not mean anything for the surface temps. Plenty of people lose animals thinking their temps were good when in fact the surface temps are fatally high.

You need to check the surface temps ASAP! The best way to do that is with a IR temp gun.

I provide a cage air temp of 77-80 with a surface hotspot of 88-90. There is no reason to have an air temp above 82 anywhere in the cage. One hotspot in a hide will do just fine.

I had a 50w in my 10gal and needed a dimmer. Definitely get something to double check your temps. I don't see how a 100w is leaving your humidity at 60-70 something sounds very off

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I have a hoggy in a 10 gallon tank in a room that stays at 68. I heat this with a 60 watt on a light hanger. The distance from the bulb to the surface is aprox 14 inches and gives me a surface temp in the low 80. There is a log that the distance from the bulb to the log is about 10 inches at the highest point and the temp is around 90.

I bet you have your fixture sitting on the screen and its 40 Watts more than mine and closer to the surface. This is putting your snake in harms way big time.

My hoggy is my 10 gal as well
:).
Mines a 50w right on the screen with a dimmer. And yeh without the dimmer WAY to hot. My room is 78 cuz he's in the same room with my balls.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Naom9Anne

Here is a chart of frozen rodents and their equivalents, I'm sure you have heard the 10-15% rule :)

http://www.frozenfeeder.com/sizing.html

If your boy is 120g the rule would suggest him being fed something in the range of 12-18g. Some people don't weigh the food and go by width. You could try a weanling if it is at the lower weight or a large mouse which is the equivalent to a rat pup? Will you be able to obtain rat pups at any time? He may refuse food that is too big for him or regurge?

New BP's will roam until they settle. Once he has settles he will likely go into his hide and it is likely you will rarely see him. My pastel spent her first two nights curled behind her hot hide instead of inside it! Some BP's may just take longer to settle than others :)

I'm sure there is something that can be added to my post from more experienced owners :) grats on the new BP!

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ya, she's right. but bps aren't very active creatures, the name is BALL python, cause they stay in balls:snake:

btw if this was helpful plz thank me;):P:)

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Originally Posted by dgring

ya, she's right. but bps aren't very active creatures, the name is BALL python, cause they stay in balls:snake:

btw if this was helpful plz thank me;):P:)

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Negative. They are referred to "ball" because they ball up as a defensive measure. Its a form of protection. If your balls stay in balls there is something wrong.

Yeah its a uth, the bulb is a 60 watt and the lamp is rated for 100watt.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Retroz

Yeah its a uth, the bulb is a 60 watt and the lamp is rated for 100watt.

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Are either heat source controlled? I would honestly get an ir temp gun asap. I believe whatever thermometer you're using is incorrect. I don't see how the cool side gets down 74???

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Dude,don't worry about weighing,it's a pain in the backside...just go by the snakes thickest part of his body to measure prey size,it's way easier that way,,my buddy does it with his 5 year old 6' boa for 5 years since he got it,I do it with my 2 ball pythons..

I'd keep humidity up 70-80% as much as possible while in shed. When I first got my guy ,my ghost he never used his hide. He also did a lot of wandering when's first got him and never used his hide,but my tank was not set the way it should have been. As soon as I got everything set properly,he is forever in his hide..I actually caught him roaming about 4 am in his tank this morning ,I turned on the light in my living room and he went back in his hide. In general,I rarely see him come out.unless I put a rat in then he's out within a minute or two

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Originally Posted by NYHC4LIFE8899

Dude,don't worry about weighing,it's a pain in the backside...just go by the snakes thickest part of his body to measure prey size,it's way easier that way,,my buddy does it with his 5 year old boa,I do it with my 2 ball pythons..

I'd keep humidity up 70-80% as much as possible while in shed

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Its good to track weight gains. I track feedings, refusals, movements, sheds, and weights. I don't weigh for feeding just because I can do that by eye. I do not find it hard to weigh a snake. I have a kitchen scale with a bowl and my ball and bloods will lay in the bowl without protest to let me weigh them. Now the six foot BRB is alittle harder but still not bad. I just place him in a snake bag and then in a tub that is sitting on my scale, all done. My big blood out grew the range of that scale so it gets weighed in a snake bag with a digital fish scale. Just hook the bag and lift. Easy!!!

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Originally Posted by Crazymonkee

Are either heat source controlled? I would honestly get an ir temp gun asap. I believe whatever thermometer you're using is incorrect. I don't see how the cool side gets down 74???

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In the morning, it gets pretty cold in my room.


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Are you using an analog temp and humid gauge if so thats why your temps are reading low. They are notorious for being inaccurate. Get a temp humid gauge that digital with probe. Then you can get a good reading. I use a 60 watt with uth on a 20 gal with a dimmer and am going to switch that out soon for a thermostat. What substrate are you using and how are you keeping your humidity in a god range? On my 20 gal I have a blanket around 3 sides, and a towel over half the top and front. Far enough from the light to prevent fires. My humidity normally is 50 to 55 percent and temps are about 90 to 93 hot side and 79 to 83 cool side. If you can't weigh your bp then go by the largest part of him. Also ball pythons DO NOT stay in a ball all the time. They do it as a protective measure. Its how they protect their sensitive heads. This is the reason they are called ball pythons. Get the digital temp humid gauge with a probe and see whats what. Also does he have fresh water all the time? Yes these are a lot of questions but it helps us get an idea of whats going on. I'm not trying to bombard you but we need to understand why your little guy is hanging out on a plant constantly, and not wanting to eat.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KMG

Its good to track weight gains. I track feedings, refusals, movements, sheds, and weights. I don't weigh for feeding just because I can do that by eye. I do not find it hard to weigh a snake. I have a kitchen scale with a bowl and my ball and bloods will lay in the bowl without protest to let me weigh them. Now the six foot BRB is alittle harder but still not bad. I just place him in a snake bag and then in a tub that is sitting on my scale, all done. My big blood out grew the range of that scale so it gets weighed in a snake bag with a digital fish scale. Just hook the bag and lift. Easy!!!

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I weigh my snake,that's all I weigh. Weighing prey is pointless . When u can just go by girth,it's just easier by eye,it's easy to look and judge. I don't keep track like that. I can remember when my snake last shed,lol, isn't need to track it. Sounds like me when I was new to weight lifting,I'd monitor everything,which was pointless cause I can remember especially if it's something I care for....now if he was on meds or sick then keeping track is necessary..everything else IMO is not worth it,to me atleast

I keep track of weight, shed, whether they ate or refused. I also eyeball it, not too easy to weigh live prey ;)
But seriously OP I do believe your thermometers are off

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It just gets really cold in the mornings and I use digital thermometers humidity gauge are analog. Aspen because my lps was out of coconut husk. When I get money ill get a new humidity gauge. Which do you guys recommended, being effective and cheap?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by NYHC4LIFE8899

I weigh my snake,that's all I weigh. Weighing prey is pointless . When u can just go by girth,it's just easier by eye,it's easy to look and judge. I don't keep track like that. I can remember when my snake last shed,lol, isn't need to track it. Sounds like me when I was new to weight lifting,I'd monitor everything,which was pointless cause I can remember especially if it's something I care for....now if he was on meds or sick then keeping track is necessary..everything else IMO is not worth it,to me atleast

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Now its clear. I missed what you were trying to say.

I cant remember all that for 8. I track so in case I have a issue or something happens to me the person stepping in my place has a record to help out. It is also good in case one gets sick, it gives you detailed records for the vet. Plus it allows you to see with numbers what you may be missing with your eye. Say one of your snakes is slowly losing weight but seeing it everyday you don't notice but you will notice when you see it in numbers on the scale. You may miss a problem and not realize it.

I don't track my weight lifting either. That I do see as pointless. I know my workouts and weights.

Many use the Accurite from wally world, they are about 12 bucks. Cypress mulch is a much better choice to help humidity.

http://www.amazon.com/Chaney-Instrum...d_sim_sbs_lg_9

You really need to get better hides. These are great. Cheap and easy to clean.

http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes

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Originally Posted by Retroz

It just gets really cold in the mornings and I use digital thermometers humidity gauge are analog. Aspen because my lps was out of coconut husk. When I get money ill get a new humidity gauge. Which do you guys recommended, being effective and cheap?

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I would go with an acurite indoor/outdoor thermometer at Walmart they are $12. Measure 2 temps and humidity.

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Originally Posted by Crazymonkee

I would go with an acurite indoor/outdoor thermometer at Walmart they are $12. Measure 2 temps and humidity.

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Alright, ill buy one next week. I bought him kind of on impulse. A pastel for $50 I couldn't leave it.



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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Retroz

Alright, ill buy one next week. I bought him kind of on impulse. A pastel for $50 I couldn't leave it.



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I gotcha, just please get that thermometer so you know the exact temps the probe of it goes on the hot side above his uth, and the body goes on the cool side. It will also give you the humidity.
I'm pretty positive it will show you they are not what you think you are

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I also picked up a non-transparent plastic bowl and cut an entrance with a solder iron. I'm gonna pick up a 20 gallon w/lid in a couple of weeks.

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Originally Posted by KMG

Negative. They are referred to "ball" because they ball up as a defensive measure. Its a form of protection. If your balls stay in balls there is something wrong.

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wow I didn't know that but it makes sense

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Originally Posted by retroz

i also picked up a non-transparent plastic bowl and cut an entrance with a solder iron. I'm gonna pick up a 20 gallon w/lid in a couple of weeks.

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Great!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Retroz

I also picked up a non-transparent plastic bowl and cut an entrance with a solder iron. I'm gonna pick up a 20 gallon w/lid in a couple of weeks.

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Awesome on the hide. Depending on the size of your snake, don't go immediately to a bigger enclosure, smaller is better in the ball python world, especially for babies and juvies :)

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Thanks for all the help everyone. :)

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by KMG

Many use the Accurite from wally world, they are about 12 bucks. Cypress mulch is a much better choice to help humidity.

http://www.amazon.com/Chaney-Instrum...d_sim_sbs_lg_9

You really need to get better hides. These are great. Cheap and easy to clean.

http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes

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I use the reptile basics for three of mine, my first one loves her homemade one out of a black circular take out container that fit her perfectly when I got her, but now where's it like a hat lol

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When my girl was a tiny baby I got coconut halves. I'm using terra cotta pots with a hole knocked in one side of the lip and moss jammed into the drain holes. I also put moss inside and sanded the parts I broke out. She loves it. Her water bowl is a plastic dog water bowl that has a space between the bowl and side that she uses as a hide also so I have 3 hides lol. With the water bowl she goes under it and coils around the water part. That way shes between the hot and cool sides of her enclosure. I know you won't find a water bowl like that for his size. I do have moss all over the tank to keep humidity where it needs to be cause I live in a dry climate.