Our first snake!!

Just picked up this cute lesser boy today at an expo. Of course in the car ride home he decided to start to shed soo we will see what his colors look like after his shed.... We just loved the full dorsal stripe down his back and the little alien heads along his sides! http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/04/u4edezyb.jpg


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I just got my first Lesser too! That guy is a beauty, maybe my favourite morph :)

Congrats on your first snake! He's adorable :)

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Originally Posted by j4mbo

I just got my first Lesser too! That guy is a beauty, maybe my favourite morph :)

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Sweet! We named our JuJu after the snake from disneys The Princess Frog... Our 7yr olds idea haha


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Lesser s are great, please post pictures after he shed's.

He's gorgeous! Can't wait to see a pic after he sheds :) keep us updated!


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http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/04/uhybe4ub.jpg

Caught mid-shed when i went to turn off his light before we went to bed!!!


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Nice! Very pretty!

Very nice complete shed last night and here is the results: I took it when I had to move him to clean his his "mess" from his meal a few days ago.... http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/04/mybuze2u.jpg


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What a pretty boy, I like his color a lot and the name suits him well :D

Just curious, how much did you get him for at the expo?

Great looking snake there!!!! Enjoy!!! I have a lesser too!!!

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/06/vyzaqehe.jpg

Here is my girl after her last shed!

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Originally Posted by supamyk

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/06/vyzaqehe.jpg

Here is my girl after her last shed!

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So pretty! My daughter keeps wanting to hold him... Her lack of patience is worse than mine!


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how old is your daughter? my daughters are 8 and they hold her all the time. I sat with them in the beginning and stressed the following…
1. make her fell supported
2. dont squeeze her
3. don't approach her head first

now, they hold her like nothing. it is also really calming my snake down too. she is getting used to many different people handling her!!

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Originally Posted by supamyk

how old is your daughter? my daughters are 8 and they hold her all the time. I sat with them in the beginning and stressed the following…
1. make her fell supported
2. dont squeeze her
3. don't approach her head first

now, they hold her like nothing. it is also really calming my snake down too. she is getting used to many different people handling her!!

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My daughter is 6 (she will be 7 in June). She's held snakes before, that I'm not worried about, we just got him Saturday and everyone says to give them a week before handling so that's what we've been doing. Did you not wait? Did it make a difference?


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I bought mine at lunch time. Brought her to my class. I teach 6th grade. Held her all afternoon. Even the 1 hour drive home. Got home made her tank up and put her in. She was held that night and every day since! She is a mush!

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Thanks for the info... I will definitely let my daughter hold him tonight then. We've pretty much left him alone (although I had to move him Sunday when I cleaned his tank from his shed the night before) and he didn't flinch away or ball up


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Great idea! The sooner the better. Get him to being held as soon as possible

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http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/07/ny7aqy5e.jpg

Cute little headshot when I took him out for my daughter to handle. He was EXTREMELY friendly for his first time out since we got him Saturday!


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It's recommended to leave them alone for the first week so that they have time to settle in. Especially when they're young, if they're too stressed, they're less likely to eat. While it's really difficult, I personally would keep handling to a minimum until he's eaten for you at least once. Either way, I'm glad that he seemed to enjoy being out, and great picture!

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Originally Posted by bumblebee1028

It's recommended to leave them alone for the first week so that they have time to settle in. Especially when they're young, if they're too stressed, they're less likely to eat. While it's really difficult, I personally would keep handling to a minimum until he's eaten for you at least once. Either way, I'm glad that he seemed to enjoy being out, and great picture!

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I'm going to try feeding tonight. Today is the 6th day since being fed... The guy gave me f/t with my snake so hopefully he takes it...


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So cute! I'm glad the handling went well. Good luck feeding. Keep us posted

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They look like brother and sister!http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/07/u6u9ypuq.jpg

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Tried the f/t and let it sit on top of his cage to let him sent it... He was DEFINITELY interested, kept poking his head out and scenting but when i dangled the mouse in front of his hide, he took one look at it and went back in...?? Should I try a live?


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I changed my girl to live! I hated the whole frozen deal! She wasnt a huge fan either! Many will say frozen because it is safer but I never leave her unattended while eating. She eats like a champ now.

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Also... consider feeding in a seperate tank. I use a little Rubbermaid bin. Here are my reasons. 1 and most importantly, I dont want her to associate eating with her tank. I am thinking about my girls reaching into the tank to get her.
2. When she goes into the seperate tank, she goes into hunting mode. All she does in that tank is eat. Just my thoughts. Others may disagree. Also, them eating live mice is more natural I feel. Also stops them from associating your hand with food.

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I would leave the frozen/thawed mouse in his tank overnight. Just put it in front of the hide he's in, and leave it. As it's dead, it won't harm him, and he may just want to eat without an audience. Ideally you don't want to handle him on feeding day, and then 24-48 hours after feeding, so that he isn't stressed before feeding, and then has time to digest his meal. Honestly, we occasionally handle our boys the day of feeding now (for short periods of time). We've had them long enough, and they've been eating regularly, so we don't worry. But with a new baby, I would definitely leave him alone as much as possible until he's eaten for you a few times.

Feeding in a separate tank will cause additional stress from moving him there and then back again. Most recommend feeding in their tank for this reason. They won't associate your hand with feeding unless you only handle them for feeding (you are more likely to get bitten when you handle them right after they've eaten to take them out of the feeding bin and place them back in their enclosure). As long as you don't smell like food, you should be okay. I feed frozen/thawed on tongs, so they don't associate my hand with food. I chose to do frozen/thawed because it's easiest and most convenient for me. You can safely feed live, but if you want him on frozen/thawed, don't give up after one failed attempt (especially because he was handled today). If you leave the frozen/thawed mouse in overnight, and he doesn't eat it, wait 5-7 days and try again. Offering food too often will cause stress.

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Originally Posted by bumblebee1028

I would leave the frozen/thawed mouse in his tank overnight. Just put it in front of the hide he's in, and leave it. As it's dead, it won't harm him, and he may just want to eat without an audience. Ideally you don't want to handle him on feeding day, and then 24-48 hours after feeding, so that he isn't stressed before feeding, and then has time to digest his meal. Honestly, we occasionally handle our boys the day of feeding now (for short periods of time). We've had them long enough, and they've been eating regularly, so we don't worry. But with a new baby, I would definitely leave him alone as much as possible until he's eaten for you a few times.

Feeding in a separate tank will cause additional stress from moving him there and then back again. Most recommend feeding in their tank for this reason. They won't associate your hand with feeding unless you only handle them for feeding (you are more likely to get bitten when you handle them right after they've eaten to take them out of the feeding bin and place them back in their enclosure). As long as you don't smell like food, you should be okay. I feed frozen/thawed on tongs, so they don't associate my hand with food. I chose to do frozen/thawed because it's easiest and most convenient for me. You can safely feed live, but if you want him on frozen/thawed, don't give up after one failed attempt (especially because he was handled today). If you leave the frozen/thawed mouse in overnight, and he doesn't eat it, wait 5-7 days and try again. Offering food too often will cause stress.

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Thanks! I will leave it overnight although when I went to secure the lid (this cage is temporary until my ap t8 comes in) he was out and about and had totally slithered over the dead mouse haha... We will see what happens http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/07/ynubu2u9.jpg

This was how he was when i secured the lid... He went from his hot spot hide to on top of his cool hide


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Did you try warming up the mouse/rat with a hair dryer? My ball Slytherin likes his meals warmed up and hanging just in his reach. Sometimes its just a matter of finding his preference. Milky my milksnake also likes his mice warmed up with the hair dryer. I hold the dryer just above the fur for 10 seconds and move it down the body, flip it over and do the same and then rush them to their noses. It works for me really well. It makes for hungry happy snakes.

or… go get a live mouse.

I did warm it up with a blow dryer and i let it sit on top of his cage for him to scent it first. He was interested, he kept poking his head out looking for it, then when I dangled it with tongs he just looked at it hah. I will wait until Monday and try again... F/t would be easier for us so hopefully he'll take it next time. The guy we got him from said he'd fed f/t a few times but that he was mostly on live. He said to give it 4 feedings before giving up and going back to live but that just seems like a REALLY long time for a 7mo old snake to go w/ out food.


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Well the holding and waiting a week can differ per snake, you did take good caution to not hold, BUT if he is eating well, and showing no signs of stress (relentless moving always on the go) then you can freely hold him, But with mine i wait till 1-2 feedings till i 100% will take them out for "play time" with 34 snakes its nice new 1 every day! with letting them have there time on there own aswell.. Gorgeous snake aswell his dorsal strip is very nice!

Aswell, Dont do live, there is NO benefit to it unless its last resort to his feeding, for multiple reasons, even with 1 snake when i started

1. One he doesn't eat live. now what give your daughter a interchangeable pet mouse every week?

2. You expand your collection, now you need MULTIPLE life, and if you feed 5+ snakes, and keep an eye it could take hours

3. You cannot store Live as easily as frozen.. (i buy 100 at a time, from pups to med, all go in freezer)

4. Live generally cost more (since you can bulk buy frozen)

5. Lastly, Supervision or not, YOU will not likely stop the defensive reflex of a rat biting snake, either scaring or worse maiming your snake. And im sure you dont want to 1 bash the rat off wall/floor in a bag, or pre kill to putting in, its just not worth the time, and with your first snake, trying to retrain to FT sometimes will takes weeks-months and this will stress you which will end up stressing snake.

Also thought you may be worried 1-3 weeks without feed is us not snaking between meals for a snake, With him being young they can absorb MOST of there meals, so they will be able to eat every 5 days, and deficate very little this should not worry you. Aswell dont break the RAT's and go to mice, once hes pushing 600+ thats 2 mice per 1 small rat, when hes 1500 grams thats 5 mice to 1 small-medium rat.


Good luck with JuJu hes def a good first pick up. and another suggestion until your T8 comes in possibly "black paper" the side's/back wall of his tank it should help with him feeling secure!

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Originally Posted by CORBIN911

Well the holding and waiting a week can differ per snake, you did take good caution to not hold, BUT if he is eating well, and showing no signs of stress (relentless moving always on the go) then you can freely hold him, But with mine i wait till 1-2 feedings till i 100% will take them out for "play time" with 34 snakes its nice new 1 every day! with letting them have there time on there own aswell.. Gorgeous snake aswell his dorsal strip is very nice!

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He refused his f/t last night but did show interest in it... Other than that, he's showing now signs of stress. Mostly hangs out in his warm hide and once nightfall hits he comes out for maybe 10min to climb on his hides, then goes back in his warm hide. I'm planning to try another feed on Monday. Hopefully he will take that one.


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Yea thats good. Just dont stress to much or break and give life/mice in the logn run youll regret it. Biggest thing with the BP hobby/pets is patience, nothing else, If he declines that continue to wait the 5-7 day period as feeding to much will cause stress. You could also try braining the rat, that sometimes help. OR as others said warm up a lil more (I often put mine close to a light bulb for 15-20 seconds for my picky eaters)

Something also which may be weird, do you know what substrate the breeder had him on, My pied girl WILL NOT eat on anything but paper or CoCo chips (1/2 cubes)

on husk she declines on aspen declines on sani chips declines, Bps are very habitual creatures, so if he was on paper that may be why he declines. And if you ever do break and feed live, be careful with that bedding its a bag of tooth pics. And harbors bacteria, if i were you id switch to coco subtrate (any type) its a much nice bedding (my IMO) well besides paper which is a godsend!

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Originally Posted by CORBIN911

Something also which may be weird, do you know what substrate the breeder had him on, My pied girl WILL NOT eat on anything but paper or CoCo chips (1/2 cubes)

on husk she declines on aspen declines on sani chips declines, Bps are very habitual creatures, so if he was on paper that may be why he declines. And if you ever do break and feed live, be careful with that bedding its a bag of tooth pics. And harbors bacteria, if i were you id switch to coco subtrate (any type) its a much nice bedding (my IMO) well besides paper which is a godsend!

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I currently have him on Cyprus mulch. It's great for my humidity levels and he seems to like burrowing into it under his warm hide (he makes this nest-like area under there). The breeder had him on AstroTurf.


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Ok, first of all, I would stop handling/holding him until he has eaten at least 5 times in a row for you. You want him to get established eating first. I would also get tighter/smaller/dark hides. That will help him feel more secure.

Next, DO NOT move him to a separate enclosure to feed. All that is going to do is reduce your chances of him actually eating and stress him out. It is unnecessary. Balls do not develop tank aggression.

Lastly, there is nothing wrong with live feeding. All of mine eat live and are fine. It doesnt take hours to feed as someone else mentioned. Ball pythons havs been eating live rodents for quite some time... youll actually find the majority of us here feed live. However, if he was eating f/t before, I wouldn't give up on that yet. But you need to leave him be and try again. If he still isn't eating them after you've left him alone and offered a few times, then I'd try live.

Good luck with your baby.

Not planning on switching enclosures for feedings. The hides are a nice tight fit for him, when curled up he touches both sides. We aren't really handling him. I let my daughter hold him yesterday when I was changing his water but that's really the only interaction we've had with him since getting him. He's not acting stressed and he's supposedly only had f/t a few times, he was predominately on live but the breeder didn't think id have any problems transitioning him. I'm just playing the waiting game for the moment and will try again Monday.


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That half log hide is way to big. You could fit 2 of him in there. Think a hide that he barely fits in, then that's perfect. And both ends of a half log being open, is a lot of exposure. If he continues to not feed, you might think about swapping them out. And I wouldn't even hold him during water changes. Think the least disruptive to him as you can be.

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Originally Posted by DooLittle

Ok, first of all, I would stop handling/holding him until he has eaten at least 5 times in a row for you. You want him to get established eating first. I would also get tighter/smaller/dark hides. That will help him feel more secure.

Next, DO NOT move him to a separate enclosure to feed. All that is going to do is reduce your chances of him actually eating and stress him out. It is unnecessary. Balls do not develop tank aggression.

Lastly, there is nothing wrong with live feeding. All of mine eat live and are fine. It doesnt take hours to feed as someone else mentioned. Ball pythons havs been eating live rodents for quite some time.... However, if he was eating f/t before, I wouldn't give up on that yet. But you need to leave him be and try again. If he still isn't eating them after you've left him alone and offered a few times, then I'd try live.

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Originally Posted by DooLittle

... Think a hide that he barely fits in, then that's perfect. .... If he continues to not feed, you might think about swapping them out. And I wouldn't even hold him during water changes. Think the least disruptive to him as you can be.

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x2 on these quotes

Got the little guy a live one today and gave it a shot.. He struck seconds after the mouse headed towards his hide without even blinking. Yay for first feed!

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/11/date8ete.jpg


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Nice! I knew it!

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Originally Posted by supamyk

Nice! I knew it!

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Ya it was pretty cool to watch... He didn't even care that we watched


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Yeah neither does my girl!

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