new to snakes

I have recently bought my very first ball python so I am hear looking for any and all advice I have done hours of research but still I wanna know more in my opinion a person can never have enough knowledge. ok, "he" is roughly 4 months old I bought him from my local petsmart on aug 23. they got the snake in aug 11. the feeding chart shows he ate f/t the first day he arrived and hasent ate since. I wanna switch him to live if I can. I had my terrarium which is a self made wooden terr. with plaxiglass sliding doors and a screen top most all the top is covered with tin foil (humidity purposes) I had it set up for two weeks before I got him. Temps: hot spot ~90, warm side ambient ~80-85, cool side ambient ~75 humidity is staying around 55%. temp sources: I have a termo/hygro on the warm side back wall, a thermo on cool side back wall, I have a acu-rite indoor/outdoor with humidity and probe the box is located directly in the center of the cool side with the probe directly in the basking spot. Substrate: is zoo-meds repti-bark for humidity purposes. their is currently 3 hides one on warn side one in middle and one on cool side. when I got him I handled him for awhile before I bought him their was no sign of fowl play, he was active and alert tounge flickering a lot while he was roaming about. when I got him home I put him in his new home he roamed for about 20 minutes till he found his hide located in the middle he crawled up in their and hasent came out yet I do not know if that is normal or not but unless he shows signs of hunger sooner I am going to try to feed him Tuesday. if their is something you want to know that I missed feel free to ask and once again I am looking for any and all advice, thank you.

All I have to say to you is don't switch him to live. Avoid it unless he refuses to eat F/T and begins to lose weight. Hooked on live is the last thing you want, it makes switching to F/T in the future more difficult. Plus, when you feed live you risk an injury to your snake. There's just no need to feed live.

What are you using as a heat source? If you're using a heat pad make sure you've got a thermostat, too. Oh, and you might want to bump up the humidity when he sheds, he may have issues shedding at that percentage.

Sounds like you're in the right direction. I'd also be curious about the heat mat and thermostat. If you don't see him and he spends 99% of his time in his hide congrats you've got yourself a ball python lol

I doubt petsmart actually got him to eat and nonetheless the first day he got to their store if you want to feed live and not ft I'd get him a small live hopper mouse the next time you intend to feed. Be aware there's a small risk when he gets to eating rats that he could get tagged on a bad strike and if you want to switch back to ft in the future you may be playing a test of wills.


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Originally Posted by Fraido

All I have to say to you is don't switch him to live. Avoid it unless he refuses to eat F/T and begins to lose weight. Hooked on live is the last thing you want, it makes switching to F/T in the future more difficult. Plus, when you feed live you risk an injury to your snake. There's just no need to feed live.

What are you using as a heat source? If you're using a heat pad make sure you've got a thermostat, too. Oh, and you might want to bump up the humidity when he sheds, he may have issues shedding at that percentage.

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Well the reason I want to feed live is cuz its in their nature to hunt id imagine they like to feel a pulse slowly disappear from a meal. I know they are captive breed and stuff but a part of them might still feel the need to hunt (just my opinion) for a heat source im using a light hooked to a timer for day/night cycle, I do not have heat mats (mainly because the cage is wood)

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Originally Posted by BMorrison

Sounds like you're in the right direction. I'd also be curious about the heat mat and thermostat. If you don't see him and he spends 99% of his time in his hide congrats you've got yourself a ball python lol

I doubt petsmart actually got him to eat and nonetheless the first day he got to their store if you want to feed live and not ft I'd get him a small live hopper mouse the next time you intend to feed. Be aware there's a small risk when he gets to eating rats that he could get tagged on a bad strike and if you want to switch back to ft in the future you may be playing a test of wills.


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thank you, I am trying my best to make him feel comfy and at home (happy and healthy). and I was just going by the feeding chart they had. the girl that helped me seemed like she didn't know anything about snakes at all (good thing I did a lot of research haha) and same thing I replied to him about I feel as tho its in their blood to want to hunt (just my opinion).

It is your snake and all I can do is strongly advise against it, good luck with your new little guy!

Ps. I'm a her;)

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I personally wouldn't risk the health of my snake to feed live. I know that it's their natural prey in the wild, but if it can be avoided at all costs, then no harm done, right? Plus, the bigger your snake gets, the bigger prey item you'll have to feed, and the bigger the teeth and claw marks that are going to try to escape. I'd say just to keep it on the safe side. I'd only ever go to live if it was the absolute last resort. It will save you from accidents and injuries(and money from vet visits) in the future. :)

what is the best way to tell if he is ready to eat or should I go ahead and try?

I would wait a week with no handling and then give it a go.

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Originally Posted by jbzapanda

I personally wouldn't risk the health of my snake to feed live. I know that it's their natural prey in the wild, but if it can be avoided at all costs, then no harm done, right? Plus, the bigger your snake gets, the bigger prey item you'll have to feed, and the bigger the teeth and claw marks that are going to try to escape. I'd say just to keep it on the safe side. I'd only ever go to live if it was the absolute last resort. It will save you from accidents and injuries(and money from vet visits) in the future. :)

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The risk feeding live is small with well taken care of feeders. I fed live exclusively for years and my big girl took 1 scratch to the neck that healed in 1 shed. I switched to ft for my convenience as I don't breed or keep rats, the myth of feeding live isn't correct. Especially if a snake hasn't eaten in a long time I'll typically always recommend a small hipper to kick start the feed response.


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Originally Posted by Fraido

It is your snake and all I can do is strongly advise against it, good luck with your new little guy!

Ps. I'm a her;)

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im sorry about that I was in a hurry typing and didn look at picture or name. thank you for advice.

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Originally Posted by Fraido

I would wait a week with no handling and then give it a go.

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yes not getting getting him out sucks but I haven't done it yet lol

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Originally Posted by erebus45

yes not getting getting him out sucks but I haven't done it yet lol

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It is a struggle.😛 I just got a new snake and it's killing me not to take her out and enjoy her.

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thank you everyone for the advice. Oh and the snakes name is erebus, erebus is the greek god for darkness on earth I figured it fit cuz ball pythons in their natural habitat love to borrow in the ground plus I love greek mythology lol.

Sounds like you're set up is pretty good, although as someone mentioned you might want to mist the little when he goes into shed to get the humidity up temporarily. I also advise against feeding live. Whether the risk is small or great that your snake could be injured by the feeder, there is also the possibility that he won't want to eat (as Ball-Pythons are famous for) and then you'll end up with a pet mouse. And, not for nothing, being constricted to death is a pretty nasty way to go; most reputable producers of frozen feeder rodents euthanize the animals with carbon dioxide in a process where they slowly lose consciousness and then gently expire, much more humane in my opinion. Anyway, just my two cents – much more important is that you post some pictures of your little beauty for all of us to admire.

For what it's worth, your snake will still strike and constrict the thawed prey, and most likely stay wrapped around it for way longer than you'd think would be necessary given that it's obviously not moving. If you want to give him they thrill of the hunt, you can lead him around the enclosure with it a bit before letting him have it, or wiggle it a bit once he's wrapped it so he feels like he has to work at subduing it.

But I'd make sure he's well established and eating for you consistently before playing any dinner games.

Every snake is different, but many BP's are rather secretive when they're eating. That makes sense, because if a predator were to attack when they have their mouth full, they wouldn't be able to bite or hide or flee very effectively at all; they're sitting ducks while they're eating. If I am too obvious about trying to watch my snake eat, he drags his rat into his hide with him before swallowing it (I guess he doesn't realize that I can still see the hide bumping around and moving while he wrangles his food around inside it). It might be helpful to cover the front of the tank with something on feeding day so he can't see you.

One last thing to keep in mind about feeding live vs f/t is that even if it's perfectly convenient for you to stop by the store and pick up a live mouse or rat once a week now, you're going to have your snake for a very long time and that might not always be the case. You might move, the nearest store might close, etc. You can keep months' worth of feeders on hand in the freezer, so a snake that eats f/t will always be fairly undemanding to care for. Caring for a snake that only eats live could become a real pain if circumstances change and make live feeders harder to get.

Ok guys y'all have convinced me I will feed f/t I realize that yes it is in their nature to hunt... But the covenince is way better with f/t....and it will give me a reason to use my deep freezer again..... I heard you do not out then in microwave and stuff like that so my question is do i put them under hear lamp or just let sit out till they get to room temp?..... Another question do I have to wait till he feeds for the first time to handle him and if so when I do get him to feed for me for the first time how long do I have to wait till he I can handle him (anticipation is killing me) plus a little flaw is that I work third shift 10pm till 8am yes I work ten hr shift 6 days a week lol....so I don't get to really see him roam around at night....so what is a good sign that he will eat for me....sorry if I'm double asking questions....and is it ok that he sticks to kinda the middle/cool side of the cage 100% of the time that I am hear during the day (if that makes sence).... Thank you everybody for the advice and thank you for not getting nit picky at me

What is the (safe) but hottest the basking spot can get?
Thank you

I usually put the rodent in a ziploc bag and just let it thaw out in tap water for about 30 min, then dump the water out, let the sink get to the hottest temp water it can reach and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. I usually blow dry it in my room (which is where his enclosure is) and when I'm about halfway done he's already surfing the glass because the smell entices him. That's just how I personally do it.

Oh, and making sure the head is warmer than the rest of the body really helps with them striking and getting it head first. I learned that the hard away after he took it bottom first the first couple of times. :oops:

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Originally Posted by erebus45

What is the (safe) but hottest the basking spot can get?
Thank you

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I think 92 is the max that anyone would recommend. If they are very young still I would hang closer to 88/89.

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Originally Posted by erebus45

Ok guys y'all have convinced me I will feed f/t I realize that yes it is in their nature to hunt... But the covenince is way better with f/t....and it will give me a reason to use my deep freezer again..... I heard you do not out then in microwave and stuff like that so my question is do i put them under hear lamp or just let sit out till they get to room temp?..... Another question do I have to wait till he feeds for the first time to handle him and if so when I do get him to feed for me for the first time how long do I have to wait till he I can handle him (anticipation is killing me) plus a little flaw is that I work third shift 10pm till 8am yes I work ten hr shift 6 days a week lol....so I don't get to really see him roam around at night....so what is a good sign that he will eat for me....sorry if I'm double asking questions....and is it ok that he sticks to kinda the middle/cool side of the cage 100% of the time that I am hear during the day (if that makes sence).... Thank you everybody for the advice and thank you for not getting nit picky at me

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I think that is an excellent decision, feeding F/T! Another bonus to feeding F/T is that if he doesn't strike the rar right away you can try leaving it in the enclosure over night.

Definitely never put a frozen rat in the microwave, you don't want blown up rat all over in there.;) I personally just take the rats and put them in as hot water as I can from the tap and let it sit for 10 minutes or so, my snakes all have excellent feeding responses and don't mind if it is cool, but if one of them is finding the rat too cool I will refill the jug with hot water again. Some people have issues with their rats bursting open when their snakes constrict the rat with the method I use. I never have.

I would definitely wait until he's had a meal before handling him.

My snakes sometimes will spend days and days on the cool side and then go back to the hot side for a few days. If your temps are accurate and where they should be, he will go where he feels the need to be.

Never go past 95/96, likely your snake would find this too warm, but if temps fluctuate then I would not allow it to go above that.

Good choice on feeding f/t. I put my prey items in a ziploc bag and thaw them in warm water for a couple of hours then I superheat them with a hairdryer to about 100F. Works like a charm.

Well guys and girls really good news I noticed he was roaming around so I went and got a couple f/t pinkies I put them under the head light to warm them.... He ate two.... So happy about that I'm glad to know that I'm at least doi g something right that will want him to feed for me the k you everybody for all you input and advice