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  • 06-29-2005, 10:51 PM
    pumba
    Greetings, New to snakes and to this site.
    Howdie from the sunshine state. My name is Ray, and I am from Trenton Florida. I am a police officer since 93. I have recently delved into the world of snake ownership and will be probably bothering all of you with miss spelled words and useless questions in no time at all. As for my little critter, I have a Ball Python hatchling about 14 or so inches long. I had named him/her Kah after the snake in the jungle book, but the wife (a.k.a. "The Boss") didn't approve of the name. So from here on out the little guy will be known a Felix.

    Well there is a bit about me, By the way another hoby of mine is A.T.V.ing so if any of you in here are riders as well and near North Central Florida, Check out our web site www.floridaatv.com Come on and go on a ride with us.
  • 06-29-2005, 10:59 PM
    Python-77
    Re: Greetings, New to snakes and to this site.
    Welcome to the site
  • 06-29-2005, 11:11 PM
    tigerlily
    Re: Greetings, New to snakes and to this site.
    Yes, definitely welcome!!! :D This is a great community and are very willing to help. Congrats on your new addition and welcome to the world of obsessive compulsive. You'll feel the need to check on them constantly. Are the temps right? Do they seem stressed? Do they need a bigger prey item? Don't worry, they're hardy and as long as your environment is good you'll have a happy snake!
  • 06-30-2005, 01:43 AM
    Shelby
    Re: Greetings, New to snakes and to this site.
    Welcome! You have stumbled upon a wealth of information here.

    :)
  • 06-30-2005, 01:48 AM
    Simplest_Mistake
    Re: Greetings, New to snakes and to this site.
    Welcome to the site! My name is Juliya, feel free to ask questions...were all here to help!
  • 06-30-2005, 08:28 AM
    frankykeno
    Re: Greetings, New to snakes and to this site.
    Hey Ray, welcome to you and your wife. This forum is fantastic and it's been a huge help to my husband and I with taking care of our first ball python (acquired in May for me for Mother's Day).

    Ask anything, I can attest that these folks here are infinitely patient and there's a wealth of experience here from the newest of the new to very experienced owners/breeders.

    How long have you had your snake? How's it doing?

    ~~Jo~~
  • 06-30-2005, 08:36 AM
    doobysnack
    Re: Greetings, New to snakes and to this site.
    well when it coems to spellign i am right here with ya lol i can spell worth a crap lol. but this site is a good site and welcoem to you and your wife and have you fed your snake yet? and is it a normal ball python?
  • 06-30-2005, 11:54 PM
    pumba
    Re: Greetings, New to snakes and to this site.
    Wow what a warm responce. To answer some of your questions, I just got "Felix" on the 24th June. I have had him long enough to become a wreck worrying about him eating, if the tank is warm enough or too warm, how the humidity is doing, Do I have enough hides, ect. But I am starting to calm down a bit (not really, but it looks good on this screen.lol.). The more that I hear how hardie thees guys are the better I feel. I sit and watch him at times and wonder what is going wrong when he does something new. Perfect example, Tonight, I come out and he ls stretched out under the light. Not curled up in the corner or hiding in one of his 4 hides. I had to sit and stare at him a bit to make sure he was breathing. He lifted his little head and then chilled back out. I suppose this means that Maby he is getting used to things, either that or I am in big trouble and something is terrably wrong. I don't know.

    As far as the feeding thing, No luck yet. I am sure it is just a bit too soon yet, although, as soon as the little fuzzy thaws out, I am going to give it another try. I guess I will try the ever recomended Fuzzy Zomby dance, or the quivering Zomby mouse. I think this time I will just try it in his tank and not moving him this time. I realize this is not the best thing to do as far as taming, but hopefully it won't cause any permonate damage. At least I will be using hemostats. SO wish me luck..

    Oh yes, Felix is just the regular run of the mill Ball Python, nothing too flashy but he is a q-t.

    Cheers
    Ray
  • 07-01-2005, 12:08 AM
    tigerlily
    Re: Greetings, New to snakes and to this site.
    Don't worry about the feeding in the tank scare. It will not make him more prone to biting. I started out with feeding in a separate enclosure but the feeding response wasn't very strong, so after reading many threads on this site I decided to try feeding in the tank. Bam! She takes her mice very well now and has never confused my hand with a meal, but I handle her often - so the cage opening doesn't always mean feeding time. Just make sure you haven't handle any rodents prior to handling. Wash well before and after. Better to be safe than sorry. Good luck with your feed!
  • 07-01-2005, 01:14 AM
    doobysnack
    Re: Greetings, New to snakes and to this site.
    well the previous thread is a lil off feeding in the cage does have soem falts first of all i have expirenced snakes getting more aggressive after feeding in there encloser it has happend with two of my snakes.cause snakes dont have that great of vision the sense heat and unless your dead your body will have heat i also believe if your gonna feed in your cage then invest in a hook that is the only positive way of feeding that (i) know of. but once again (I) just feel it is safer to feed in tubs.
  • 07-01-2005, 09:09 AM
    frankykeno
    Re: Greetings, New to snakes and to this site.
    Gee Ray didn't you know you get a free dose of raging OCD with every ball python purchased! LOL


    I swear we worry more about this dang snake then we did with our babies (nah actually I checked them constantly too until I realized I was being a total idiot and babies had been surviving new mothers for eons LOL).

    As far as the cruising around the cage thing I'd think (and I'm a newbie pls do remember) that if youf snake is moving about going from hide to hide and maybe having a quick drink (lovely to watch btw) or just checking out the area that probably is just what it wants to be doing or needs to be doing. Our snake who is about 5 months old often lurks when she's hungry (peeking out of her hide rather than tucked up fully inside) or cruises her tub checking out the corners for any possibility of a meal hiding somewhere.

    The feed in the enclosure vs feed in a seperate bin is as highly contested as the live vs not live prey issue. We have always fed Baby in her regular sterlite tub and have no trouble with that as she's handled a bit daily or we are in there changing water or removing waste all the time so she doesn't seem to equate the tub opening with it always being dinner time. We also use hemostats to feed her with and wash our hands before and after any handling (we have pet rats that we also handle daily). Our thoughts on that was why upset her by removing her from her home and then have to move her back when she's just eaten but like anything.....do what you feel works for you and your snake and if it's not working...adjust it.


    ~~Joanna~~
  • 07-01-2005, 10:31 AM
    pumba
    Re: Greetings, New to snakes and to this site.
    I am loosing my mind! Or is it I have lost my mind. Felix is making me crazy with his I ain't eatin putz attitude. he just looks at me and gives me the kind of "and what are you going to do about it" look. I suspect more time is needed. As far as the in the tank out of the tank question. I can see both sides of that, For now I was going to try it just to allow him to be a bit less stressed so maby he will eat. After that, he will go into a separate tub for feeding. I will be using tongs for both. I also plan on handeling him regularly, at least once a day except for shedding and feeding days that is. I want him to become very used to me. ANother interesting thing right now is watching the cats check him out through the tank. My older Female cat don't care much. I have a younger male that is not sure weather to Watch, Run, of freak out.. It is funny to watch. I guess that is a good example of irony, this week I have to make sure the snake don't become cat food. In a year, I have to make sure the cat don't become snake food. Hopefully they will come up with the if you don't eat me now I won't eat you later agreement...lol...

    Oh well got to go. Thanks all for listening.

    Later
    Ray
  • 07-01-2005, 05:53 PM
    Ginevive
    Re: Greetings, New to snakes and to this site.
    Hey! Glad you're here. I know I am jumpin on the thread a bit late, but it's hereditary; my dad was late to both of his weddings (yukyuk yuk..)
    You have found the best forum evah heah. :) It's a great group of ppl who are reliably here daily to help (except me, I pop in a few times a week hehe.)
  • 07-01-2005, 07:32 PM
    frankykeno
    Re: Greetings, New to snakes and to this site.
    Oh you only had Felix just over a week so really don't worry about him refusing to eat yet. Most will tell you here to give any new snake at least a week to 2 weeks of absolute quiet and no handling before even offering a meal. We put ours in our quiet, low light bedroom for the first weeks, then moved it's tub only after we'd had 3 successful feedings and a shed. Our house is pretty busy and loud so we wanted the snake well settled in.

    You might want to discourage the cats from hanging out around the snake's enclosure. Other than the fact that any self-respecting cat is a natural predator and I'm pretty sure a snake can sense that, as soon as your back is turned or you are asleep those cats will either try to get that snake out or swat the tank everytime the poor thing moves. We had a cat (very recently passed away) that we had to remind about harrassement of other pets (we also have the rats).


    ~~Jo~~
  • 07-01-2005, 07:38 PM
    Adam_Wysocki
    Re: Greetings, New to snakes and to this site.
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by doobysnack
    well the previous thread is a lil off feeding in the cage does have soem falts first of all i have expirenced snakes getting more aggressive after feeding in there encloser it has happend with two of my snakes.cause snakes dont have that great of vision the sense heat and unless your dead your body will have heat i also believe if your gonna feed in your cage then invest in a hook that is the only positive way of feeding that (i) know of. but once again (I) just feel it is safer to feed in tubs.

    If your ball pythons are aggressive when you stick your hand into their enclosure it's because you are not handling them enough and your cleaning & feeding routines are not consistent enough for them to understand the difference. Ball pythons can be "taught" the difference between feeding time and handling/cleaning time ... it's not hard at all.

    Feeding ball pythons inside of their enclosures doesn't make them aggressive, their keepers do! (although, sometimes it's just the snake :P)

    -adam
  • 07-03-2005, 02:55 AM
    pumba
    Re: Greetings, New to snakes and to this site.
    I have worked out the "cat problem" as far as I know. The older Female just is too lazy to worry about felix. And as far as the younger Male,,,,well lets just say that a water pistol does wonders as far as feline training,,,,he he he,,, plus it is good fun...
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