Not sure what I should do...

We are new to the Ball Python world, and my mother-in-law got me and my husband one each for Christmas. We already have a female and now have acquired 2 males. We transported them home, not knowing we would be doing so, and all we have is a 75 gallon tank atm. We got 2 rats for the male's and already had one for the female. She did not eat hers, and though it may not have been smart on our end (like I said we are new to this world) we just put them all in together in the same tank. Female is used to being fed in her cage, but we were not sure on how the male's were used to eating. Yes we do feed live rats. That's what they are all used to. Our female did not eat, which she is close to shed for her eyes are fogged over, both males ate their rat. We did not remove the 3rd rat for we got distracted by Christmas wrapping (our fault) and one of the males (which already ate 1) ate the other rat. Now do we need to be concerned with the fact he ate 2 rats within a 5 hour window and now looks as though he ate a small squirrel instead of rats?! No we are not sure of weight at this time for we don't have scales yet, and as previously stated...We did not know we would be returning with 2 males of about 1-1/2 years old.

He'll be fine or he will regurgitate it back up. However you need separate those snakes and particularly feeding them all together is asking for disaster. You are very lucky that two snakes didn't get a hold of the same rat as they may have killed one another in the process.

Also this is a quarantine nightmare. I hope those two other snakes are healthy or else now all three are infected.

As per my post...We did not have anywhere else to put them for we only had 1 snake when we left...And came home with 2 more. So it was either say no we can not accept your gift for Christmas...Or put all 3 together. We were not prepared for this in anyway possible. But that k you for saying he will be fine.

A make shift divider of cardboard giving each snake personal area when feeding would suffice. I ran into an issue like this when I was coerced into taking two hatchlings home rather than just one like I had planned. I make a cardboard divider and put them both in a 20 gal long until I had an individual setup for both. I did the same while feeding...worked out great and neither was able to interact while feeding safely

Make sure the fat one has ample access to belly heat and make sure he is not disturbed at all. It would be good if he had a roomy hide to himself. Take special care of him because if he barfs, you are in for a long, terrible road... I've gotten stuck in that loop before with a cornsnake and it was awful.

I'd go pick up a couple 28 or 32 qt tubs from Walmart or Target. Get some cheap water bowls. You could use paper towel for substrate. At least you could separate them for the time being. You would need to warm them, but that would be a great start just to split them up.

How were you able to get rats to feed them and not able to get something to put them in? Talk about the cart before the horse. I'd be concerned about a lot of things, disease, cannibalism, mating/fighting, on top of the stress of digesting with a newly acquired overfed improperly housed animal. I'm sure you have totes or plastic containers of some sort, separate the snakes asap.

They are doing fine all together. We just had one pass away due what we can only assume was due to moving away from the heat to drink and not being able to get back fast enough to warm up when we had very cold weather. She was very young but our older female seemed to have been depressed since her passing. Since we have had to put all 3 in one tank, she has been slightly more active, but has also been by one of our males sides constantly. The fatso has been left alone. We actually found him in the water dish soaking a little while ago. Should that spark concern in my case of him regurgitating? And per us getting paid again we will be getting a tank to atleast separate them for feeding. But I am not sure if my female would be happy if we separated them completely.

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Originally Posted by MrsLove

They are doing fine all together. We just had one pass away due what we can only assume was due to moving away from the heat to drink and not being able to get back fast enough to warm up when we had very cold weather. She was very young but our older female seemed to have been depressed since her passing. Since we have had to put all 3 in one tank, she has been slightly more active, but has also been by one of our males sides constantly. The fatso has been left alone. We actually found him in the water dish soaking a little while ago. Should that spark concern in my case of him regurgitating? And per us getting paid again we will be getting a tank to atleast separate them for feeding. But I am not sure if my female would be happy if we separated them completely.

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There are a lot of mistaken assumptions going on in this post.
You need some accurate info ASAP!
The best of luck to you.
Folks here, are here to help.

Basic care sheets are a good start.

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Originally Posted by MrsLove

she has been slightly more active

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This right here is a great showing of stress.....
Quarantine is also a key, the unknown loss of one animal would also be a great reason to keep the apart also.

Snakes are not social. Your female will be happier on her own. Two males will fight and mate themselves to death if never given a break from the female

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Snakes are not social. Your female will be happier on her own. Two males will fight and mate themselves to death if never given a break from the female

Yes, I am well aware of all the assumptions in my previous post...But hence the title of "Not sure what to do..." I'm asking for advice. We "assume" she died from getting to cold when drinking since we found her by the water dish, and we didn't have good enough heat in there that night. Since then we have gotten better heat lamps and such. We know our other is about to shed since she is showing all the signs of such. So that may be the reason for her not eating nor moving. I had picked her up and looked her over, when I placed her back she just curled up and didn't move. Not normal for her before the passing of the other one. After placing the others in, them eating last night, I once again got her out to look her over for any changes. Once she was placed back in she moved around and since has been where ever one specific male we brought home has been. Hence my "assumption" of her being depressed. Now if I'm wrong please do say so...But please give me more than go read basic charts and that I need accurate information. For you did not give any. I am trying to get this right for the good and safety of all 3 snakes here.

I have read that they are not social, and per my asking the person I received my first one from before getting another she said it would be fine for them to be in the same space. And I am not aware of breeding specifics, but had been told there are several things that have to be done before they will breed to begin with. But we do not wish to breed at this time, nor in near future, so we do plan on getting them space. But for now the 75 gallon tank we have is all we have.

Well, last I checked, a rat does not cost near what a tank, bedding, heating and lighting does. As per all my posts...We did not expect to be getting these animals. So when we received them as gifts and told it had been 2 weeks since the last feed, we stopped and got food for them. Which was roughly 20.00. Now if you can get all the necessary things for even a temporary housing set up for them for that price, since we are short on funds atm...then please inform me of where and how. I did not come here to be criticized for trying to get information on how I should handle a possible overfeeding, which I take full blame for.

Female is definitely stressed. I can guarantee it. If the males aren't already crowding the hell out of her, they will be soon, and they may fight as well... This is really not the kind of situation you should wait with... They are ALL going to be stressed out if they aren't already... And with the one that had a second helping, that stress may kill him...

https://smile.amazon.com/Sterilite-1...N8SWE9Z72EVD4A

Here this one is under $25, and the second one is a 4 pack.

https://smile.amazon.com/Sterilite-1...26HZGJCNR4XKNJ

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Originally Posted by MrsLove

Well, last I checked, a rat does not cost near what a tank, bedding, heating and lighting does. As per all my posts...We did not expect to be getting these animals. So when we received them as gifts and told it had been 2 weeks since the last feed, we stopped and got food for them. Which was roughly 20.00. Now if you can get all the necessary things for even a temporary housing set up for them for that price, since we are short on funds atm...then please inform me of where and how. I did not come here to be criticized for trying to get information on how I should handle a possible overfeeding, which I take full blame for.

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Nobody is criticizing you. You asked and the answer is to separate them. You don't need to buy more tanks and lighting. Just get some Steralite tubs. I just bought a 28 qt tub for less than 7 bucks from Home Depot. Put some sort of water bowl in there. Paper towel or something like that for substrate. You would need to provide belly heat and regulate it with a thermostat. If you cant swing the heat and thermostat right now just having them separated is a good step in the right direction. Especially since one just died and you don't know why. Nobody is busting your balls here. You said you weren't sure what to do. They were telling you what you should do.

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Originally Posted by GoingPostal

How were you able to get rats to feed them and not able to get something to put them in? Talk about the cart before the horse. I'd be concerned about a lot of things, disease, cannibalism, mating/fighting, on top of the stress of digesting with a newly acquired overfed improperly housed animal. I'm sure you have totes or plastic containers of some sort, separate the snakes asap.

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I found this to be critical. I have already admitted to being new, so letting me know to separate them ASAP would probably need to be at the top. I have already said I didn't have any place else to put them so saying I did wrong by feeding them first and how could I afford that but not something to put them in is very rude and disrespectful. In my mind...I was thinking, OK these 2 and another one was in a home together already, they haven't ate recently, the stress from the drive and new place, they may attack my female or each other. So if I can get them fed we may reduce that a little bit. But as I was visiting family almost 4 hours away funds were short. So instead of the snide comment about putting the cart before the horse...Was not needed, nor was the newly acquired overfed improperly housed animal needed. A simple yes you did wrong, I suggest separating asap, and to watch for signs of these things would have helped way more than pointing out very obvious things that I have already stated in a rude way.

As also I would like to add, I can not aquire anything more right now until the morning at least. All stores are closed until at least 6 am here due to Christmas.

Sell the 75 gallon tank as it is WAY too much space needed.
Use that to buy either smaller tanks or the easy route of 28qt tubs for the males and a 41qt for the female.

And totes may be able to get, but no way to heat them, water bowls and paper towels I have. But I'm not sure I can get totes until Friday.

Even if I did sell the tank, it probably won't sell before payday either. Most don't have money due to Christmas, or because most everyone get paid around same time. So from everything Everyone wrote here...I understand I need to separate them. But the only one who seems to have understood what "short on funds means" is the one who suggested cardboard dividers until such time as I can get adequate housing!

Temporary housing:

3 tubs with latching lids, either Sterilite latchbox or Hefty, widely available at WalMart, Target, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. Something like this:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hefty-34-Qu...ng-Lid/3341162

1 lamp dimmer until you can have a thermostat shipped:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Lutron-Cred...Dimmer/4462373

3 heating pads (1 per tub, the 16W is a good size):
http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/supp...ml?cgid=500011

1 thermostat, it can run all 3 heat pads if they are the same brand and wattage:
https://www.amazon.com/Zilla-Reptile...2719491&sr=1-2

You may think that 3 heat pads + a thermostat is pricey but heat lamp bulbs don't last very long and in a year you will spend more than that on replacements. In addition those lamp bulbs pull a lot more electricity - usually 100W - versus 16W for a heat mat. Since they run constantly it adds up fast.

Then sell the 75-gal tank, you will way overspend trying to turn it into an appropriate ball python environment.

You can also use 3 seperate cardboard boxes in the 75 gal tank and turn each into a seperate environment. The most important is temps and humidity for each. I refer you to a ball python care sheet for these correct #s...also, I have seen some use dog or cat water bowls, plastic, as hides cutting a small hole in the side for entry and exit. The hole should be no smaller than the girth of the snake at its fattest point.
Your female could be most likely looking for a mate rather than companion. This could attribute to her behavior. Paper towel can be an adequate substrate but if they soil the box, replace asap to ensure sanitation. I once kept a cpl hatchlings in empty clean plastic coffee containers until I had their setups correct. Not ideal but worked perfectly. People tend to be brash on forums for several reasons but most are just passionate about snake keeping. Try not to take offense to the small minds of others. Temps and humidity are the most important providing adequate hides, placement of temp probes, etc are all examples of "correct husbandry"...
Most people tend to forget that these snakes are not native and they have no clue of their original environments, droughts, rainy seasons, etc...nature is definitely not a robot but the care sheets are developed by those with great experience and knowledge of "snake-keeping"

Absolutely no tape or sticky stuff inside the enclosure or anywhere a snake may come in contact...thats very important to the safety of the snake...if the 75 gal has a screen lid, wrap an adequate piece of cardboard in aluminum foil and cover the exposed screen opposite of the heat lamp to trap heat. To boost humidity, use a damp towel microwave for a min or two and place on top of screen also. Use in any combination to get your temp humidity #s correct as advised on the caresheet...hope this helps and good luck

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Originally Posted by MrsLove

Well, last I checked, a rat does not cost near what a tank, bedding, heating and lighting does. As per all my posts...We did not expect to be getting these animals. So when we received them as gifts and told it had been 2 weeks since the last feed, we stopped and got food for them. Which was roughly 20.00. Now if you can get all the necessary things for even a temporary housing set up for them for that price, since we are short on funds atm...then please inform me of where and how. I did not come here to be criticized for trying to get information on how I should handle a possible overfeeding, which I take full blame for.

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Walmart has plastic tubs with locking lids you can use as temporary housing, and Chinese restaurants or a grocery store with a salad bar has plastic bowls you can use for water. Paper towel is cheap enough to use as substrate until you can upgrade. Total rough cost $20, and that includes your sweet and sour chicken for dinner.

Heating will be the most costly after you do those things, but most important as you've learned with the death of the other snake you had.

Get your husbandry in order or you'll be losing at least 2 other snakes.

Good Luck.

I am really amazed at how many of you assume that where I live is just like where you live, without even questions as to the extent of my short on funds, you aromatically give me answers that would be awesome...If I lived where you did...Or in a place like you. I was really trying to get advice without having to go I to detail of my living arrangements for the time, but alas people have made it difficult. Temporarily my husband and I are living in a camper out side of my parents house. Yes we plan to actually get a home next month I'm case you're wondering or want to bash me for not trying to. So, as to what I was trying to say earlier, when we got 1 snake, she came in the 75 gallon tank, and had lived in said tank for nearly 3 years. At least that's what was told when we got her. Now, if some can understand, the tank does don't sit on any shelf, or anything of the sort, because it will not fit on any in the camper. Therefore it does sit on the floor. So just after losing the other one due to -7 wind chill that particular night, which we tried to keep them as warm as we possibly could but with little to no insulation in, or under, this camper we failed her. And as we got paid the following few days we got said heating mat for tank, as well as new bulbs for the lamps, and a digital thermometer. Now all this being obtained before the other 2 snakes, I can not simply pay for 2 more totes and heating sources for them. And can not just put them into something else for they will freeze as well. Our children and my animals come before us, but literally, with no money you can not purchase anything at all. Now if people will be so kind and to give me some really good, hard core signs of stress from having all 3 together in one tank that I may watch for while waiting on ways to get them separate, that would be really helpful, as opposed to telling me to spend money on totes and things, which never mention that it's has to be at least 2 of Everything you tell me i need to buy. I am not saying my female is not looking for a mate, but as her and the other female I had were continuously wrapped up together, smaller one almost always laying in the middle of her coils to on top of her, and she did not move around UNTIL I picked her up. Then she was the one following my male around. He went into the hide, and she followed him in directly. Had to move them to clean and change bedding, she did not go into hide until he did. So either way, seeking mate, or whatever is it, I have just noticed her following 1 specific male. As per this morning, both males are in hide and she is out under lamp. So please, signs to watch out for while I am waiting on funds to get more space.

Sorry for the loss and also for your predicament. The real truth of the matter is these animals cost money and there is absolutely no disputing that. However if you are having financial struggles ( and who doesn't) maybe you should consider rehoming one of the two? Even though they were gifts it's just not doable for you now. Maybe consider asking your mother in law to pay and house one until such time you and the family are in a better position to care for them? :) This way the animal is not that far away and you can still interact and make provisions for it at a later time.

I appreciate that, and have thought of doing so, but she is 4 hours away and me nor my husband can take a day off work for that trip.

But, it should not be more than a week, 2 at the most where we will have to keep them all together.

Put the 75-qt tank up on wooden blocks or books so it's not sitting directly on the floor.

If your camper gets cold again - likely in January - put each of the snakes into their own pillow case and put them down your shirt. At night you can put the pillowcases into a plastic tub and put the tub under your bed covers to keep it warm. The tub is in case one pees it won't wet your bed.

Can you borrow a space heater to get the ambient temp in the camper higher? If you can keep it around 84*F you won't need supplemental heat or lights.

Well, we have 2 small space heaters pointed at their tank now, where as we only had one before, also now with the lights and heating mat. We did cut back one heater though last night, but still had night lamp on. It's right around 85 in there now. But thank you on the advice about setting it on blocks. Not sure why it didn't occur to me before, but it did not. We also found some piece of foam we could cover one end of screen lid to up the humidity Saturday night so that has improved as well...Though I still am not sure of where the ideal humidity level is...I get too many answers that vary too widely. And once our temps outside drop again, for Im sure they will, before we either get into a home, or more housing, we shall use the pillow cases and keep them warm. Thank you for that advice.

Ideal humidity is 50-60%... You can use damp heated towels over the top of the area your heat lamp isn't, soak the substrate if using cypress mulch, sphagnum moss, etc. Or a larger water bowl near the heat source also helps. Excited that y'all are making progress. We are here to help so no question is a stupid question when it comes to health and safety.

We have successfully reached ideal humidity then! We have some type of mulch I think as well as moss, which we just switched to I may add.

Make sure there is no pine or cedar in that mulch.

I do not believe there is, we bought it from Petco. It's called forest floor bedding, 100% Cypress mulch.

Yikes. This is why pets make terrible gifts. Could you ask your family where they got the snakes and see about returning the remaining one? I feel like that would be best for the snake and your sake.

I'm not sure what you mean by "returning the remaining one." We have 3 of them now...And all are still alive. And I'm not sure as to how returning it would be best for my sake...I need to learn to take care of them...Which, from my understanding, is what this site is for...

as I'm new to this particular forum I'll keep my comments mostly to myself other than you take WAY too much offense to people...on the internet...on an open forum. There was plenty of advice to help your keep your 3 bps in way less than optimal conditions.
The point a lot of these people are making is its not about learning if you don't have the means to provide completely proper husbandry to your herps or any animal for that matter. I'm just being factual, not trying to beat you down, but if the issue persists or other issues arise then it is absolutely in your best interests to rehome those animals until youre ready to take care of them again. That's just my .02

Thanks for your.02 lol. We are getting all the things we need to properly house them. And minimize stress, as well as new home for us. The whole purpose to this was to make sure the one that over ate would be OK, and signs I should watch for that he was in fact not OK. We never had any intentions on leaving all 3 in one tank, just until we could get housing for all. And if things arose that we couldn't take care of them we in fact would, and will rehome them. But we just want to make sure we are doing things as properly as we can. But we just have to know all things we can, that's all. But I thank you for your concern and everyone else's concern for these beautiful creatures.

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Originally Posted by MrsLove

I am really amazed at how many of you assume that where I live is just like where you live, without even questions as to the extent of my short on funds, you aromatically give me answers that would be awesome...If I lived where you did...Or in a place like you. I was really trying to get advice without having to go I to detail of my living arrangements for the time, but alas people have made it difficult. Temporarily my husband and I are living in a camper out side of my parents house. Yes we plan to actually get a home next month I'm case you're wondering or want to bash me for not trying to. So, as to what I was trying to say earlier, when we got 1 snake, she came in the 75 gallon tank, and had lived in said tank for nearly 3 years. At least that's what was told when we got her. Now, if some can understand, the tank does don't sit on any shelf, or anything of the sort, because it will not fit on any in the camper. Therefore it does sit on the floor. So just after losing the other one due to -7 wind chill that particular night, which we tried to keep them as warm as we possibly could but with little to no insulation in, or under, this camper we failed her. And as we got paid the following few days we got said heating mat for tank, as well as new bulbs for the lamps, and a digital thermometer. Now all this being obtained before the other 2 snakes, I can not simply pay for 2 more totes and heating sources for them. And can not just put them into something else for they will freeze as well. Our children and my animals come before us, but literally, with no money you can not purchase anything at all. Now if people will be so kind and to give me some really good, hard core signs of stress from having all 3 together in one tank that I may watch for while waiting on ways to get them separate, that would be really helpful, as opposed to telling me to spend money on totes and things, which never mention that it's has to be at least 2 of Everything you tell me i need to buy. I am not saying my female is not looking for a mate, but as her and the other female I had were continuously wrapped up together, smaller one almost always laying in the middle of her coils to on top of her, and she did not move around UNTIL I picked her up. Then she was the one following my male around. He went into the hide, and she followed him in directly. Had to move them to clean and change bedding, she did not go into hide until he did. So either way, seeking mate, or whatever is it, I have just noticed her following 1 specific male. As per this morning, both males are in hide and she is out under lamp. So please, signs to watch out for while I am waiting on funds to get more space.

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Sounds like shes trying to be dominate,which can lead to her trying to eat one of the other snakes,they dont curl up to one another unless they are mating or trying to show dominance..good luck

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