Plop: The unexpected rescue... (lots of pics)

And completely unprepared for Ball python... *sigh*

So here is the story of how i came to own Plop two and a half weeks ago...


My friend works at a local big chain store as the reptiles and fish manager, she also operates a reptile rescue in the area. I go and pester her at work and stuff because it is fun to talk to her and she lets me play with the animals when it isnt too busy. One day she shows me this skinny little ball python, says he came from the supplier a little underweight, but they were working on fattening him up, i felt bad, but he was way too expensive for me, so i kept an eye on him...

Fast forward a couple months, three people have quit at the pet store, and they cannot hire more people, so the employees that are left are SWAMPED, and the reptiles are not getting the extra attention they need... The ball python has been getting worse and worse... He hasnt been shedding properly, nor has he been eating, and he seems dehydrated despite the constant access to fresh water.

He is now so bad looking that they have reduced his price to get a quick sale, but i still cant afford him, so i have a talk with my friend, and since he has been there for months now and she knows me, she agrees to drop the price further, into a range i can afford. They cannot just 'adopt' him to me, since he is one of their more expensive snakes, but i got a discount of 50%, which was enough that i could get him out of there. So i buy him, and bring him home.

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...212_124502.jpg


After i got this poor baby home, i let him warm up before setting him up in some warm water to soak, it took an hour to get him fully saturated, so that i could work on getting the dead skin off...

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...212_190458.jpg

When i first started working on his shed, i thought it wouldnt be that hard... Little did i know that he had retained three sheds, and that i would have to work on him for hours... By the time i got all three layers off his head and neck, his body had tried out too much to work on comfortably.

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...212_213849.jpg
(You can see where i stopped right by my thumb.)

There were so many layers of skin stuck on his head that his nostrils and heat pits were plugged... When i pulled out the skin he immediately perked up and started acting like a totally different snake! I soaked him another hour and worked the shed off the rest of his body carefully...

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...213_004304.jpg

It took over three hours total to get all of the dead skin and crap off... And he thanked me by using my laptop as a toilet. lol!! Im not upset at him, he obviously felt so much better after i was through that he was comfortable enough to relieve himself, so i am proud.

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...212_213909.jpg

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...213_013728.jpg

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...213_013810.jpg

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...213_013833.jpg

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...213_013852.jpg

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...213_013945.jpg

After all of the excitement i tucked him away in a temporary KK for the night, and in the morning when i checked on him, he looked great!

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...25b9ae0aec.jpg

He even pretended to be a tree boa for a while! lol

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...213_095436.jpg

Now i have moved him to a bigger container that i can keep warmer.

(v) This picture was taken two days ago, btw. (v)
http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...222_193238.jpg


Now i hesitate to post this, simply because i have seen newbies get jumped on here... And i know i dont have EVERYTHING PERFECT. i know that... But this guy was totally unexpected, and i am moving in two weeks... This is the biggest container i can get for him for now, when i get where i am going, he is getting a 40 gallon with all the proper heating and whatnot. This is functional and warm for now, and that is what matters.

He has eaten twice for me, very heartily, thank goodness. But he has not pooped... He has urinated several times, which is good. Once he urinated so much that it soaked the paper towels. lol i cleaned it immediately and let him move through some warm water to clean off his belly as well.

I dont handle him but once or twice a week, simply because i want him to digest and relax as much as possible and get all comfortable.


Again, i am a newbie at this, but i dont think i am doing a HORRIBLE job... It may not be perfect, but he is obviously in more capable hands with me than the pet store... Where he was being kept in the same pull out as firebelly toads (divided of course), so his bedding was always soaked and cold.

Also, the store had him labeled as a pastel, but a friend of mine, not the employee, says he doesnt quite look like any pastel she has ever seen...

I say he, but he hasnt actually been sexed. lol

Oh hey, and this is my first post on the forum! Wooo!
Please go easy on me. ^-^;;

Well I hope no one on here does jump on you because I think you've done a great job with him/her! He looks fantastic! A million times better than his previous state, Great Job!! He/she looks like he is really thriving with you, and I'm so glad that you've clearly rescued this poor guy and nursed him back to health :D you've done an amazing job, you should be super proud :) he's also a really nice looking snake especially with all the stuck shed gone. Welcome to the forum by the way!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you so much! I am doing the best i can for him right now, and honestly, for just two and a half weeks or improvement, i think he looks great... he is still way underweight visually, but i dont have a scale, and i dont know how old he is, so i cant say for sure how much he needs to gain.

He looks like a different snake! You can take pleasure in the knowledge that you were charged more fairly for him than other folks would have been, and gave him a better home besides! I just can't believe all that shed, just unbelievable. These pet store need to see what a little proper husbandry and TLC can do, maybe they would sell more snakes if they didn't look like dried up worms!

He's a gorgeous snake, Gizmo, congrats and great job on giving him a fresh start.

A half joking word of caution,however... once he decides to camp out in one of those tubes, it'll be near impossible to get him out ;)
Sent from my warm hide using Tapatalk

i have to agree he looks like a completely different snake. its amazing, and im sure even if snakes cant 'feel emotions' that he was extremely grateful.
and for a makeshift enclosure, thats pretty spot on, as far as stuff goes, dont know about heat, etc!

and that he even ate, after all that, is amazing! hes a trooper, that snake definitely wants to live and im so glad you rescued him!

Well done! The attention you gave to him clearly made all the difference and I doubt he'd have survived based on the state he was in. You're a hero!

Keep in mind that if budget is an issue, craigslist could be your best friend. You might be able to find a cracked fish tank for cheap or totally free or something similar that'd be a better size for him.

There are also many DIY options.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Archimedes

He looks like a different snake! You can take pleasure in the knowledge that you were charged more fairly for him than other folks would have been, and gave him a better home besides! I just can't believe all that shed, just unbelievable. These pet store need to see what a little proper husbandry and TLC can do, maybe they would sell more snakes if they didn't look like dried up worms!

He's a gorgeous snake, Gizmo, congrats and great job on giving him a fresh start.

A half joking word of caution,however... once he decides to camp out in one of those tubes, it'll be near impossible to get him out ;)
Sent from my warm hide using Tapatalk

---

Thank you, i couldnt believe how much skin i pulled off the poor dear... It was horrifying... And then once it was all off he was acting like a completely different snake.
The tubes... lol i read that they liked them, but so far he hasnt shown any interest that i have seen, and if i desperately need him out, i will just tear the tube. XD

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kilopular

i have to agree he looks like a completely different snake. its amazing, and im sure even if snakes cant 'feel emotions' that he was extremely grateful.
and for a makeshift enclosure, thats pretty spot on, as far as stuff goes, dont know about heat, etc!

and that he even ate, after all that, is amazing! hes a trooper, that snake definitely wants to live and im so glad you rescued him!

---

I know he felt better, he perked up amazingly after i was done, and began to explore my bed, where before he just... sat there and didnt want to move, even after he had soaked and the skin was soft. he was still like 'nope'.
There is a heat pad under the red hide (red for warm side, blue for cool lol) but i dont have a way to measure how hot it is... If it helps it is a zoomed reptitherm uth mini for 1-5 gallon enclosures. a little on the small side, i know, but it is what i have room for and the tub *feels* warm to me when i stick my hand inside, and its about the size of a five gallon i suppose. i am not sure exactly.
He ate TWICE. the first time was two days after i got him, the second exactly one week later. I have him eating every friday, the only thing i can get here are rat pinks, so he is eating three of them in a go, and he eats them no problem.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dkspftw

Well done! The attention you gave to him clearly made all the difference and I doubt he'd have survived based on the state he was in. You're a hero!

Keep in mind that if budget is an issue, craigslist could be your best friend. You might be able to find a cracked fish tank for cheap or totally free or something similar that'd be a better size for him.

There are also many DIY options.

---

Oh yeah, CL is my friend. lol, but like i said i am actually moving in two weeks, so if i can get by with this and have to lug LESS stuff, i am going to do it. I fully intend my first big purchase once i am settled to be a proper tank and accessories for him. ^.^

First let me say I LOVE his name. Plop is just too cute lol. Second you did a great job with him. He looks 1000 times better then he did when you brought him home. His setup looks fine for now. Most baby ball pythons feel more secure in a smaller enclosure to start with anyway. He should be ok in there until you move :) He's adorable and thank you for helping him!

P.S. Love the "tree boa" pic!

Welcome to the site! :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CrystalRose

First let me say I LOVE his name. Plop is just too cute lol. Second you did a great job with him. He looks 1000 times better then he did when you brought him home. His setup looks fine for now. Most baby ball pythons feel more secure in a smaller enclosure to start with anyway. He should be ok in there until you move :) He's adorable and thank you for helping him!

P.S. Love the "tree boa" pic!

Welcome to the site! :D

---

lol, well the name came around as a nickname, i was calling him, 'the poor little plop' this, and 'i bet the little plop feels better now' that, and my friend was like 'You should just name him Plop.' I said that it wasnt dignified enough, so i came up with Sir Ploppicus Scalybottom... And its Plop for short. But i call him Plopper, Ploppy, Plopums... You name it. XD

Thank you so much, i am trying my best with the space i have, and i know he is happier for it. :)

That pic is one of my favorites too. XD

thanks for what you did for that snake! it probably would have died if he stayed where he was. no one else would have bought him, looking like he did. the snake looks soooo much better now, excellent job!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Craigaria

thanks for what you did for that snake! it probably would have died if he stayed where he was. no one else would have bought him, looking like he did. the snake looks soooo much better now, excellent job!

---

everybody probably thought he was super sick or starving to death or something... The poor baby. I am happy that i saved him as well, he has turned out to be such a sweet boy/girl... Not even headshy... And for being as abused as he was, thats amazing.

First off let me say kudos to you for even taking on this little guy. As bad as he looked in that first photo, even many experienced keepers might not have given him much of a chance. You have done a fantastic job with him!!! Don't worry about him having a larger enclosure just yet. That can come a little later down the road. As long as he's eating, shedding, and doing all the other things Ball Pythons should do, I say his situation has improved about 100% over where he was, and he as a real quality of life now that he would have never had at the store.

Welcome to BP.net!!! If anyone jumps on you for anything husbandry related while you transition him to a more permanent enclosure, shoot me a PM. ;)

Great job!

His enclosure looks fine. No hurries getting something bigger. They tend to prefer smaller spaces. And don't worry about the poop. They can go weeks between poops, especially when they are young and growing, and doubly so for one who looks so underfed. He's using up so much of each prey item he eats that there's very little waste left over. It takes a while to build up enough to eliminate.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gizmo

There is a heat pad under the red hide (red for warm side, blue for cool lol) but i dont have a way to measure how hot it is... If it helps it is a zoomed reptitherm uth mini for 1-5 gallon enclosures. a little on the small side, i know, but it is what i have room for and the tub *feels* warm to me when i stick my hand inside, and its about the size of a five gallon i suppose. i am not sure exactly.

---

I think the enclosure looks great considering the circumstamces! You may want to consider getting a thermostat to regulate the UTH as your top priority, because they can do a lot of damage unregulated (and even start fires). They can be expensive, but they're worth every penny and they're more critical than the tank material (as long as it's safe and secure). If CL doesn't pan out, you could get away with drilling air holes into a Rubbermaid-type container - it won't be pretty but it will be cheap! :)

Thanks for rescuing the little guy, He's a very cute pastel and he has the greenest eyes I've ever seen on a BP! Best of luck!


Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk

The effective way to measure temps and regulate your heat pad on a budget:

Thermometer:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Acu-Rite-I...mometer/896347

Thermostat:
http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-Digi...arm+thermostat


Great job with that snake and :welcome: to the forums. :gj:

This put a lump in my throat. I'm so glad you came into this little guy's life; he looks so much better and happier!

Nice looking pastel, I also commend you on taking this guy in and I see you have invested a great deal in nursing him back to health.

Congrats!!!

I don't have anything to add other than good on you. Well done.

Wow you've done a great job saving that baby!

congrats on the rescue and I agree the t-stat is more important. I had a uth that failed and burnt the wood the tank was on it took me 2 days to trace the burning smell down ( cause I had forgotten about the uth on the tank and plus the cage was heavy I never though to check under it until I looked every were and was trying t0 trace all my cords.

Oh gosh! Thank you all so much for your kind words and advice!! <3<3<3<3

I will get the thermometer and thermostat asap, when i get settled ill have to get a bigger heat mat anyway, so ill just buy them both at the same time.

I do have a question, and i will just go ahead and ask it here... When traveling, i am going to be driving cross country with him, will the heat packs for warming your hands in winter be enough heat for him? It could take several days to get where i am going, and if i just change those out as they wear out, will it be okay?

And then some pictures from this morning for you guys, just to compare on how big he has gotten in this short time.

His tub from the side... And a nice gift front and center that he left me overnight... lol
http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...226_094759.jpg

And here im going to compare, the night i got him vs today in almost the same pose, compared to my hand as a guide.

Before:
http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...213_013810.jpg

After:
http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...226_094514.jpg


And the rest are just pretty, taken in the natural light... I have never seen a BP with green eyes, and his are amazing...

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...226_094529.jpg

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...226_094544.jpg

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...226_094556.jpg

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/...226_094613.jpg

He is such a sweet baby, i hope he stays this nice once he is fully back up to health... And he looks like he may be starting to get ready to shed again... poor thing, i hope this one goes better for him, if not, i am pretty practiced at soaking and helping at this point. ^.^;;

Oh gosh! Sorry for the double post1 But i just looked back at the time stamps on the first pictures, and i have my days wrong that i have had him...
:)
I got him feb 12th 2014, so today is actually two weeks exactly that i have had him! Time sure flies!!

:fest: Happy two week anniversary Plop! X3

Omg that before and after pic is amazing! He's plumping up so nicely :D Plop is going to be a little fatty Plop before you know it haha :p


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gizmo

I got him feb 12th 2014, so today is actually two weeks exactly that i have had him! Time sure flies!!

:fest: Happy two week anniversary Plop! X3

---

Soon a year will pass and you'll be wondering where the time went. And you won't be able to tell he ever had such a hard start! You've done wonders on the poor boy!

he looks so great! what a cutie... i know you will be moving and stuff so youre in transition and money may be tight at first so until you figure something out with his humidity may i suggest a product called shed-ease (found at petco etc etc) stuff works great to aid with shedding and just for the occasional soak. might help ya out for a little while.

Plop looks great, good job. I love his name...:) He is fine in a smaller enclosure too. More secure for babies. I agree, a thermostat should be your first new investment, when you get settled. Make sure you keep us posted with Plop updates.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AlexisFitzy

Omg that before and after pic is amazing! He's plumping up so nicely :D Plop is going to be a little fatty Plop before you know it haha :p

---

It is crazy, how much just two weeks of actual care and attention will help a poor baby. I mean, i didnt even do all that much. I helped get his shed off, and then fed him. Thats it... Kept him warm and dry. whoa, what a concept.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Himitsu

Soon a year will pass and you'll be wondering where the time went. And you won't be able to tell he ever had such a hard start! You've done wonders on the poor boy!

---

I knoooooow! Im gunna miss him being little enough to fit in my hand. XD

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by slipknot711

he looks so great! what a cutie... i know you will be moving and stuff so youre in transition and money may be tight at first so until you figure something out with his humidity may i suggest a product called shed-ease (found at petco etc etc) stuff works great to aid with shedding and just for the occasional soak. might help ya out for a little while.

---

I would really like to avoid chemicals wherever possible. I prefer longer soaks vs getting a 'shedding aid'. lol But thank you so much for the tip!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DooLittle

Plop looks great, good job. I love his name...:) He is fine in a smaller enclosure too. More secure for babies. I agree, a thermostat should be your first new investment, when you get settled. Make sure you keep us posted with Plop updates.

---

Thank you! Yeah, ill see if i can get the thermostat from a store, ill probably end up getting it sooner, rather than later, if i can.

And of course i will keep everyone updated! :)

Look, Plop made The Reptile Report! :)

http://thereptilereport.com/sad-rescue-turns-happy/

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DooLittle

Look, Plop made The Reptile Report! :)

http://thereptilereport.com/sad-rescue-turns-happy/

---

OMG... Omg im crying! Yay! :3 Im glad so many people will see his story now. ^.^

Great job with everything. Karma will come your way! It's crazy how in two weeks a snake close to death made such a comeback.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by piedpython

Great job with everything. Karma will come your way! It's crazy how in two weeks a snake close to death made such a comeback.

---

He is a real trooper, this one... I swear, if i had offered food that same night he would have eaten it. But just to be safe, i did give him two days to rest before feeding. lol Thanks so much for the comment. ^-^

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gizmo

I do have a question, and i will just go ahead and ask it here... When traveling, i am going to be driving cross country with him, will the heat packs for warming your hands in winter be enough heat for him? It could take several days to get where i am going, and if i just change those out as they wear out, will it be okay?

---

See if this helps answer those questions:
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...aulin-Reptiles
:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JLC

See if this helps answer those questions:
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...aulin-Reptiles
:)

---

Goodness! Yes, thank you, very helpful! :)

Wow he looks like a new snake its so cool to see the transformation thanks for pictures really made my day !

What an amazing story! I'm so happy you found eachother and that you were able to save that little guy. I would say he definitely looked appreciative and happy in many of your pictures. You've done a fantastic job with Sir Plop. He looks like a totally different animal. Kudos to you!! I wish you many happy years together. :)

You've done an amazing job!!!! He looks like an entirely different snake!...

I havent read through all the pages on this post but the one suggestion I have is DO NOT put him into a 40 gallon tank right away...40 gallon tank would be way too big for him especially with what he has been through so far...let him gain some size and weight first.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ZacharyPoller

Wow he looks like a new snake its so cool to see the transformation thanks for pictures really made my day !

---

Yay! Glad i could make you smile. :) He is such a neat little guy.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WarriorPrincess90

What an amazing story! I'm so happy you found eachother and that you were able to save that little guy. I would say he definitely looked appreciative and happy in many of your pictures. You've done a fantastic job with Sir Plop. He looks like a totally different animal. Kudos to you!! I wish you many happy years together. :)

---

Thank you so much! :) I hope so too.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OsirisRa32

You've done an amazing job!!!! He looks like an entirely different snake!...

I havent read through all the pages on this post but the one suggestion I have is DO NOT put him into a 40 gallon tank right away...40 gallon tank would be way too big for him especially with what he has been through so far...let him gain some size and weight first.

---

I have an 18x18x18 exoterra... Should i move him to that and THEN the 40? or.... ?

Also thanks so much! X3

Awesome job! I also rescued my baby ball and it's awesome to see another one get such an amazing home! :) keep us posted!!

Wow what an amazing transition! That snake was very fortunate to have you come along and nurse it back to health, great job :)
Let me forewarn you however, some may not agree with your decision and give you flak for it. I recently posted a thread a few weeks ago telling of a California king snake in a somewhat similar predicament. I'm still working on getting the price reduced just like you have succeeded in doing. A lot of people here told me I shouldn't call it a rescue and that I would be doing more harm than good in buying the snake for any price.

At the risk of sounding melodramatic, all I'm saying is, don't let anyone doubt the good you have done here. All of us here know that snake would have been dead if you wouldn't have taken it upon yourself to take care of it.

Keep us all updated, he looks like a completely different animal!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CrazySnakeLady0

Awesome job! I also rescued my baby ball and it's awesome to see another one get such an amazing home! :) keep us posted!!

---

Its great that you saved a baby too, what is horrible though is that there are so many that need to be saved... *sigh*

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BJK1995

Wow what an amazing transition! That snake was very fortunate to have you come along and nurse it back to health, great job :)
Let me forewarn you however, some may not agree with your decision and give you flak for it. I recently posted a thread a few weeks ago telling of a California king snake in a somewhat similar predicament. I'm still working on getting the price reduced just like you have succeeded in doing. A lot of people here told me I shouldn't call it a rescue and that I would be doing more harm than good in buying the snake for any price.

At the risk of sounding melodramatic, all I'm saying is, don't let anyone doubt the good you have done here. All of us here know that snake would have been dead if you wouldn't have taken it upon yourself to take care of it.

Keep us all updated, he looks like a completely different animal!

---

If anyone tells me that this isnt a rescue, paid for or not, i will tell them to look back at the first picture again, and then ask why they think it isnt a rescue. This snake needed to be saved, the store made no money on this snake, as i got it for %50 off, which ate all their profit margin. So, yes, i rescued this snake, and no one can tell me any different.

Good luck with your rescue, i hope you can get the price down!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gizmo

Yay! Glad i could make you smile. :) He is such a neat little guy.



Thank you so much! :) I hope so too.



I have an 18x18x18 exoterra... Should i move him to that and THEN the 40? or.... ?

Also thanks so much! X3

---

I'd move him to the exoterra first then the 40...just make sure the 40 is nice and cluttered up...Ball pythons prefer tighter more enclosed spaces- as they typically inhabit abandoned burrows and holes in their native ranges.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OsirisRa32

I'd move him to the exoterra first then the 40...just make sure the 40 is nice and cluttered up...Ball pythons prefer tighter more enclosed spaces- as they typically inhabit abandoned burrows and holes in their native ranges.

---

Okay! Thats great anyway, gives me time to set up the 40 just how i want it anyway. Im going to go all out and make it beautiful, a real show stopping piece for display in my livingroom. And while i am working on it, he can have plenty of room in the exoterra lol. :)

What you did was amazing and your doing a great job.

Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide using Tapatalk 2

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nick_bp

What you did was amazing and your doing a great job.

Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide using Tapatalk 2

---

Thank you, i really appreciate the comment. :)

This is the most amazing and heartwarming rescue story I've read. He looks fantastic and so happy! Thanks for sharing and I hope to read updates in the future. :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by _Victoria

This is the most amazing and heartwarming rescue story I've read. He looks fantastic and so happy! Thanks for sharing and I hope to read updates in the future. :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Well im doing what i can for him. :) He is going to be soooooo spoiled.




Im moving Plop from 3 pinkies to a single (rat) hopper at feeding now that he has some girth, i dont want to support my local chain stores, but no one seems to have the right size, what is a good web option for buying rats where it is not required to buy in bulk?

I've lurked on these forums for a while but finally had to join up when I saw this post! Great Job!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gizmo

Well im doing what i can for him. :) He is going to be soooooo spoiled.




Im moving Plop from 3 pinkies to a single (rat) hopper at feeding now that he has some girth, i dont want to support my local chain stores, but no one seems to have the right size, what is a good web option for buying rats where it is not required to buy in bulk?

---

Depending on your location, you may have local feeder breeders that can do custom order sizes. Join local reptile groups on Facebook, and check your local Craigslist for feeder advertisements. :gj:

Sent from my warm hide using Tapatalk

What a heartwarming story. Would you believe I once rescued a baby ball that was almost as bad as him? 8 months old, and it weighed a mere 70 grams. Which is what a lot of newborn balls weigh. His lovely owners fed him a single pinky mouse a month.

It really is amazing just how resilient these guys can be, although not every one we see in this condition survives.

Take your time about a bigger enclosure. A 40 gallon tank is big even for an adult female, that poor little lamb would be lost in something that huge. What he is in right now will be fine for a while, and I prefer to increase enclosure size gradually so I don't stress one out.

One word of caution about the show tank. Keep in mind they are a beast to keep clean. I learned that the hard way. Nothing like trying for 3 hours to get the poo your snake was kind enough to leave over half the tank bottom and then thoughtfully crawl though and smear over most of the decorations clean. :D

I wish you and your lovely pastel baby all the best. I think you two will have a long and fulfilling life together.

Gale

Wow! What a stunning change! Good job!
To answer some of your questions:

-Don't use human hand warmers or heat packs. They get too hot and can cook him. Look up the company Ship Your Reptiles. They sell reptile-specific heat packs that last 48+ hours and are safe.

-40 gallons is WAYYYYY too big for a baby BP. Even my 1500g breeder girl isn't in a 40 gallon because she stresses in anything bigger than a 20 gallon (I use tubs for most of mine, so the equivalent for her). 10 will last you a good while and then a 20 after that will work for a long time and possibly permanently if it's a male and stays fairly small. My 4' 1300g male is in a 20 gal and doesn't need anything bigger. 40 gals are typically only used with large females. Also, you need to keep the humidity around 60% normally and 70% when he's in shed and that's going to be virtually impossible in a large tank. Humidity is hard to keep right in even a 10 gallon tank, which is why most experienced keepers recommend tubs or snake-specific cages. I live in a really humid area and still have to mist my tanks several times per day. My tubs don't have that problem. :)

-If you're on Facebook, I recommend the Ball Python Owners group. A lot of people from here are on there and it's geared toward educating new owners. It's a good place to start in addition to this forum.

-Definitely get a thermostat. Your hot spot should be about 90* give or take a few degrees. I've tested unregulated heat mats and had them get over 130* which can kill your snake. You can find cheap ones on Amazon that will work in the short term. Your cool spot should be between 80 and 85*. Also, I recommend an Accurite indoor-outdoor thermometer-hygrometer. It has a probe you can use for the hot spot and the main unit monitors ambient/cool side temps and humidity. And they're cheap and work really well. Analog ones are horrendously inaccurate. I had an analog and it read 10% humidity when it was actually 70%. I was over-misting and could have made him sick.

Plop is adorable. :) You're doing great!