Few questions about my first BP.

Hey guys! This is my first post. I saw some of the threads that are stickied about feeding had to do with a snake that won't feed but I didn't feel like this fit that.


I just got my first Ball Python. I was actually planning on buying my first at a reptile show this weekend but when I saw this one at a local pets store my heart just broke. I'd never seen a ball python this skinny. She for sure has that triangular shape. I'm hoping I can get her up to size but I'm not sure what size food I should start her on. I for sure want to get her feeding. The woman at the store said she was currently on fuzzy mice but it was time to step her up to small adult mice. However after purchasing some small adult mice today from a local pet store they were WAY too big so I didn't want to offer them to her for fear of her reguritating them or getting hurt. Lucky for me she has been raised on frozen thawed up to this point. Anyway. Please give me a better idea of what size food she should be eating.


Also this next question is a bit of a sily one, but with so many morphs I just want to be sure. I assumed she is just a Pastel, but her coloration seems a little darker on the top compared to other Pastels I've seen. Can anyone confirm that she id indeed a pastel, and if she isn't help me identify what morph she actually is? THANK YOU!

I've included pictures of both the snake and the food they sold me as 'small adult mice.' Maybe this pet store just has a very different description of small adult mice but these same way too big for her. If needed I can get a picture of her next to the mice. Also if anyone has general tips for me that would be appreciated, mainly with tips that come to feeding sizes,

https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0...b1&oe=57EDC671
https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0...8c&oe=582C2077

https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0...f6&oe=582F7DDE
https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0...4a&oe=57E918D0

She looks like a normal to me. A pic of the eyes would clear it up - are they black or green?

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They're black. The pictures make her seem a little darker than she is in person. I thought she might just be a darker pastel. Honestly idc what she is I just wanna get her healthy.

Normal

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The general rule is 10%-15% of their body weight or a bit bigger than the widest part of the body at that age. With the right set up it should get up to size fairly soon. Make sure temps and humidity are on point and you'll be fine. Nice normal BTW. Pastels have green eyes so that's something to look for in the future. If it was sold to you as a Pastel I'd talk to the store where you got it. Likely you were over charged, even at store prices.

Dave

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Originally Posted by AKA Dave

The general rule is 10%-15% of their body weight or a bit bigger than the widest part of the body at that age. With the right set up it should get up to size fairly soon. Make sure temps and humidity are on point and you'll be fine. Nice normal BTW. Pastels have green eyes so that's something to look for in the future. If it was sold to you as a Pastel I'd talk to the store where you got it. Likely you were over charged, even at store prices.

Dave

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I waw viciously overcharged and I will be there today to talk about that. 120 dollars for a normal is highway murder lol. That being said, even if they refuse to give me any money back, I will be keeping her. I still already have some kind of attatchment to her and believe she is still pretty. Clearly I was willing to pay what I did for her albeit ignorantly.

Over charged is right. That is ridiculous especially if you know what they buy them for. There are a few breeders from GA on here that I bet would be more then willing to supply you with something for a much more reasonable price.

Oh I don't doubt it. Like I said. This wasnt the plan. I just felt really bad for it when I walked past its cage and just couldn't walk out of there without her. I got got but I can live with that. At least its only 120 dollars and not like 1200 dollars.

The problem with that is that now they have $120 to use to buy 5 more ball pythons and then neglect them. :( I've fallen victim to the pity-buy at petsmart/petco too but I try not to

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Originally Posted by Dezoruba

The problem with that is that now they have $120 to use to buy 5 more ball pythons and then neglect them. :( I've fallen victim to the pity-buy at petsmart/petco too but I try not to

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I thought about that too, and I realize that by 'saving' her I've actually supported their business.

First I want to apologize for the double post, but for some reason the edit button isn't showing up on my phone. That being said, WE HAVE FOOD IN THE BABY. We offered her her first meal today after going and buying something she could actually get down and she took like a champ. Before anyone asks, that is NOT what she is being kept in, but me and my girlfriend both like the idea of seperate feeding areas. In much larger collections obviously that's unrealistic but since we just have 2 right now we like doing it this way and she's been feeding in a seperate bin for several years without issue.

Anyway I've attached an instagram link to the video of her first meal. She took it down no problem and is now resting in her tank on her warm spot to rest and digest for the next few days before I'll attempt to handle her again. All and all a succesful first feeding!

https://instagram.com/p/BIDx5crgobF/

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Originally Posted by cheosamad

I thought about that too, and I realize that by 'saving' her I've actually supported their business.

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Yep, you can buy normal BP's from local private breeders for $20 or even less, especially if they know the snake is going to a good home.

Yeah. Lucky for me, this is just my first snake, not my only. I'm still eying up a few after I get this one started and accostom to the responsibility. It's already been astronomically easier to care for then my 2 bearded dragons.

Just a suggestion, but if you aren't already, you may want to quarantine her, incase she has any unnoticed issues that could affect your other snake.

They currently stay on opposite sides of the house, with hand washings between each snake, however, I realize taking that picture might not have been my best idea. We wanted a size comparison.

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Originally Posted by Dezoruba

now they have $120 to use to buy 5 more ball pythons

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Closer to 20 more.;)

To cheosamad, if it doesn't take those f/t mice I would say a correct size is a hopper.

We've actually got her eating(: went and got better sized food for her the other day. First post of page 2 has a video!

yeah missed that one.

Just an update, she has now used the bathroom and seems to be doing well. Can't wait for next tuesday for meal number 2! If she stays on track like this I expect her to get back up to weight and round out well! :)

My humidity levels in my tank weren't consistent so Jake had a bad shed. I soaked him in a plastic container with some holes in them, and filled it with lukewarm water, not enough to drown him. It was just right so he wouldn't be constantly swimming. The second I put him in there he started DOING EVERYTHING TO ESCAPE for at least 15 minutes so I took him out. I couldn't see him that stressed. I was wondering if I was doing something wrong? Or if my snake just doesn't like being soaked. He's 1 and a half.
Also: the thermometer said it was 94 in there, but it WAS LUKEWARM not hot at all.
I made this account specifically for this reason, just being cautious.

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Originally Posted by Peaches

My humidity levels in my tank weren't consistent so Jake had a bad shed. I soaked him in a plastic container with some holes in them, and filled it with lukewarm water, not enough to drown him. It was just right so he wouldn't be constantly swimming. The second I put him in there he started DOING EVERYTHING TO ESCAPE for at least 15 minutes so I took him out. I couldn't see him that stressed. I was wondering if I was doing something wrong? Or if my snake just doesn't like being soaked. He's 1 and a half.
Also: the thermometer said it was 94 in there, but it WAS LUKEWARM not hot at all.
I made this account specifically for this reason, just being cautious.

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I'm not sure what to tell you about stuck shed, but you'd be much better off starting a thread specifically for that question than in this one.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Peaches

My humidity levels in my tank weren't consistent so Jake had a bad shed. I soaked him in a plastic container with some holes in them, and filled it with lukewarm water, not enough to drown him. It was just right so he wouldn't be constantly swimming. The second I put him in there he started DOING EVERYTHING TO ESCAPE for at least 15 minutes so I took him out. I couldn't see him that stressed. I was wondering if I was doing something wrong? Or if my snake just doesn't like being soaked. He's 1 and a half.
Also: the thermometer said it was 94 in there, but it WAS LUKEWARM not hot at all.
I made this account specifically for this reason, just being cautious.

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94 is too high. 89 max. Remember that a snake is cold blooded. If is seems warm to the touch it is probably too hot for a ball python.

I have some very big problems with petsmart and petco I almost always buy from local stores I was buying coconut mulch for my BP and an employee tried to sell me cedar shavings I wonder how many pets have died because of that

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Originally Posted by bashatheballpython

I have some very big problems with petsmart and petco I almost always buy from local stores I was buying coconut mulch for my BP and an employee tried to sell me cedar shavings I wonder how many pets have died because of that

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A lot of times the people who work at them no next to nothing about what they're selling (not that I'm some expert by any stretch of the imagination) I really just couldn't help but feel sympathy for the little girl when I saw her in that tank.

Also we have named her Ramen.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Peaches

My humidity levels in my tank weren't consistent so Jake had a bad shed. I soaked him in a plastic container with some holes in them, and filled it with lukewarm water, not enough to drown him. It was just right so he wouldn't be constantly swimming. The second I put him in there he started DOING EVERYTHING TO ESCAPE for at least 15 minutes so I took him out. I couldn't see him that stressed. I was wondering if I was doing something wrong? Or if my snake just doesn't like being soaked. He's 1 and a half.
Also: the thermometer said it was 94 in there, but it WAS LUKEWARM not hot at all.
I made this account specifically for this reason, just being cautious.

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The water should be cooler than 94 degrees... like 89 max. To be safe I'd do 85.

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Having trouble getting the image to upload. But she is improving. 3 meals so far and up to 85 grams as of last week.

Just a short update on Ramen. She is doing very well! She eats like a champ and is rounding out nicely already. Glad she has some meat on those bones. She actually has the best feeding response of any of our 4 snakes.

Hopefully she stays on this track and continues to grow! Maybe she'll even be a breeder for me some day. Who knows?

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...c1a166a752.jpg

Looking healthy

Firstly, great looking snake. Also, I noticed your tubs in the background and was wondering if you are having difficulty keeping the temperatures up. I have mine in the same tub and I can't seem to get a consistent temperature for the warm side. I'm using a zoo med UTH, through a t-stat and measuring the temps with a instant read gun thermometer. It'll read 95 on one spot and 85 an inch in another direction. I'm assuming it's because the bottom of the tub is not flat, but it's driving me nuts.



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[QUOTE=kdraw;2463786]Firstly, great looking snake. Also, I noticed your tubs in the background and was wondering if you are having difficulty keeping the temperatures up. I have mine in the same tub and I can't seem to get a consistent temperature for the warm side. I'm using a zoo med UTH, through a t-stat and measuring the temps with a instant read gun thermometer. It'll read 95 on one spot and 85 an inch in another direction. I'm assuming it's because the bottom of the tub is not flat, but it's driving me nuts.



The temp is definately spot on right in the middle, but it will vary by about 5 degrees to the outside of the pad. Also using zoomed UTH for now. If you can get them taped down real tight it helps. Thats what I did.