New Ball Python, a few questions

Hi everyone,
I'm new to the forum and recently purchased a six month old BP, normal/wild type, Flynn. He just took his second mouse, a fuzzy, today. I have several questions about his care. Right now he's living in a 10 gal, complete with a large water bowl, a plastic plant, and a dark hide. I've been using a coconut mulch bedding, maybe that's the wrong word for it? I bought it at my nearby Petsmart. I will of course be moving Flynn to a 20 gallon soon, and eventually a 40-55 gallon depending on his size. Right now, the hot side of his enclosure is about 92 degrees fahrenheit, and the cool side is about 82. I mist daily, have a humidifier, and keep the water bowl full. Using the fogger I keep the humidity at fifty-five percent, but I was wondering if that might be too high? I feed Flynn once a week, either two pinky mice or one fuzzy. (More the fuzzies now that he takes them). He's been to the vet and I'm treating him with ivermectin for mites. I handle him every few days, but not after he eats. Sometimes I take him to the pet store with me but for the most part he is either inside or in the yard under supervision. I was just wondering if there is anything I need to change? Should I raise the heat or lower the humidity? Is there any sort of supplement/calcium I need to give him? I use one for my leopard geckos and American toad. If I'm doing something wrong, please tell me.
Thanks!

First of all, congratulations on your first royal :D :D
Your temps sound fine as does your humidity, 50/60% is my normal range for them. Aren't mouse fuzziness really small? It's been a while since I've bought mice so forgive me if I'm wrong lol. Personally I wouldn't take my snakes out to the shop with me, they can get a little stressed so only recommend it if you need a vet, I take mine out in the back yard occasionally as long as it's a nice day and not for long. To me it looks like you've done your research on them, but 55% is fine, just increase it a bit before he sheds :gj:

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I feed Flynn once a week, either two pinky mice or one fuzzy

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What you need to change is his feeding, even out of the egg a BP eats a prey much bigger than a pinky or a fuzzy, they get started out on hopper and quickly move to adult so in other word you are underfeeding your BP.

You need to feed a prey equal the girth size once a week until the animal is around 500 grams.

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Sometimes I take him to the pet store with me

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I would advice against it, this is the best way to pickup mites or something more serious not to mention they do not benefit from this type of trip quite the contrary.

Thank you both! I will definitely stop taking him to the store, I was a little excited to show him off I guess...oops. :rolleyes: I will increase the size of the mice, but the vet told me fuzzies for him...They are nearly the size of his girth and after he eats one he goes into his hide and doesn't seem hungry, but maybe hoppers are a better choice? He is relatively small still. I only fed him the pinkies once because at the pet store they had him on them (which I honestly thought was underfeeding) and it was his first feeding with me. Also, how much should I increase the humidity before sheds? I give Flynn a bath once a week, which he seems to enjoy. (I used to have garters, and they loved to swim, but maybe bps don't?) Thank you for the information and help!

Hey guys,
last week I received a hatchling rosy Boa (60g) and am keeping her in a 20 long with 88-90 degree basking and 80 cold side with 50% humidity. I purchase a ball from a Breeder this morning (male 80g) and want to know if I can keep them together during their hatchling days if they have their own hides. Both will be fed outside of enclosure as well. I know it's a bad idea to keep snakes together normally but they are both very mellow and eating regularly. Also, both lived in 6qt racks prior so the immense number of hides along with more than enough space for them should be fine no?

I just got my BP as well, but I would not house rosy boas with other snakes. Not only could they injure each other but BPs and rosy boas, from what I've read, have completely different humidity requirements. Just my opinion but I certainly wouldn't try it. Maybe in a huge terrarium but even then it would be iffy.

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Originally Posted by FlynnTheBP

Thank you both! I will definitely stop taking him to the store, I was a little excited to show him off I guess...oops. :rolleyes: I will increase the size of the mice, but the vet told me fuzzies for him...They are nearly the size of his girth and after he eats one he goes into his hide and doesn't seem hungry, but maybe hoppers are a better choice? He is relatively small still. I only fed him the pinkies once because at the pet store they had him on them (which I honestly thought was underfeeding) and it was his first feeding with me. Also, how much should I increase the humidity before sheds? I give Flynn a bath once a week, which he seems to enjoy. (I used to have garters, and they loved to swim, but maybe bps don't?) Thank you for the information and help!

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Definitely know the feeling of wanting to show a new pet off haha! If the mice are just under his girth then he could do with sizing up, a little bit wider is fine too. It's surprising how quickly they can out grow prey size, more so as youngsters. The humidity should be bumped up to around 60/70% at shedding time and you could also provide a damp hide, I like to use sphagnum moss in one of them. I bath mine too, while I don't think royals are natural swimmers mine seem to just chill in one, plus who doesn't like a clean ball python :rolleye2: just be sure that the bath water isn't hot, just a little warmer than room temperature/luke warm.

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Originally Posted by Wk2278

Hey guys,
last week I received a hatchling rosy Boa (60g) and am keeping her in a 20 long with 88-90 degree basking and 80 cold side with 50% humidity. I purchase a ball from a Breeder this morning (male 80g) and want to know if I can keep them together during their hatchling days if they have their own hides. Both will be fed outside of enclosure as well. I know it's a bad idea to keep snakes together normally but they are both very mellow and eating regularly. Also, both lived in 6qt racks prior so the immense number of hides along with more than enough space for them should be fine no?

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The thing with Co housing is people seem to think they are getting along, being cute and following each other around and cuddling up, they're actually competing for the best place to be. I wouldn't do it with 2 balls never mind a ball and a boa. Best advice I can give you on this is to try get something sorted for the royal asap, they're not social animals and it can lead to a lot of stress which again might not be picked up on because they don't have a way of telling you like say a dog can :).

Ok to OP about giving your BP a bath. Don't. Theres no need unless they have a really bad shed. Even then I advise against it as using a damp, rough textured towel is far better. Baths only stress out BPs IMHO.

to the other guy who wants to house a bp and boa together. No. They will not get along regardless of what you think judging their temperaments separately, and they also have fairly different requirements in regards to husbandry. Just don't do it.

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Originally Posted by montymiow

The thing with Co housing is people seem to think they are getting along, being cute and following each other around and cuddling up, they're actually competing for the best place to be. I wouldn't do it with 2 balls never mind a ball and a boa. Best advice I can give you on this is to try get something sorted for the royal asap, they're not social animals and it can lead to a lot of stress which again might not be picked up on because they don't have a way of telling you like say a dog can :).

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That said I kept my pair of Albino Royals in the same viv for a few months and they did follow each other around but it wasn't always the male following the female around , it was 50/50 split for who was following . That said their appetites weren't 100% and I had to separate them at feeding times

They're back in separate vivs now and feed everytime :)

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2017...db7f01a352.jpg

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

That said I kept my pair of Albino Royals in the same viv for a few months and they did follow each other around but it wasn't always the male following the female around , it was 50/50 split for who was following . That said their appetites weren't 100% and I had to separate them at feeding times

They're back in separate vivs now and feed everytime :)

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2017...db7f01a352.jpg

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It can and has been done without problems, I've done it in an emergency myself :D. It's just not something I would recommend to anyon, I believe in getting stuff set up before acquiring any pet :P . Those albinos are too cute though :wuv:

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Originally Posted by montymiow

It can and has been done without problems, I've done it in an emergency myself :D. It's just not something I would recommend to anyon, I believe in getting stuff set up before acquiring any pet :P . Those albinos are too cute though :wuv:

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They are aren't they :)

Who'd have thought , supposedly fussy feeding Royals scoffing thawed frozen rodents in a synchronised feeding frenzy :)


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I agree that the feeders sound too small ... my BP is going on 6 months old, shes around 180g and on Rat pups ... do you know how much your BP weighs?

I also love to see people's expression when they see a snake in the pet store... :) but I don't want to stress Flynn out. I think I will upgrade to hopper mice. Thanks everyone!

I'm actually not sure, the scale I have doesn't measure in grams...I'll weigh him and convert the lbs if it even takes his weight. Thanks!

Thanks for all the help everyone! I'll stop giving baths, but my BP seemed to enjoy his? I'm no snake whisperer but with half the tub dry, he kept swimming into the water...

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Originally Posted by FlynnTheBP

Thanks for all the help everyone! I'll stop giving baths, but my BP seemed to enjoy his? I'm no snake whisperer but with half the tub dry, he kept swimming into the water...

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Sometimes they will soak on there own no no reason (given they're not shedding/ mite free/healthy) if only it were easy too tell what they enjoy :rolleyes:. Mine like to make their mess in the hide and decide it would be great fun to lie in their own pee and whatever other horrors until morning :P so yup, they definitely get bathed haha. The smallest royal doesn't stay in it long without escaping but the female proceeds to sit still until I put her back, it's not an actually bath, it's a tub I have in the room too so i can keep and eye on them while the vivariums get cleaned :taz:

So far I haven't seen him soak yet, but I'll watch for that. Thanks for the help! Also, is it okay for me to handle him the day after I feed him? Most people say to wait forty eight hours, but is this really the case? It wouldn't be too stressful, I'd just be holding him for half an hour.

Id be tempted to leave him alone to be honest , I've always stuck to that 48 hour rule . Nothing to gain and a lot to lose if he regurgitates the meal up ....

Thats one of the beauties of having 20 snakes , even though there's always one or two in shed it still leaves so many others available for a handing session :)

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Originally Posted by FlynnTheBP

So far I haven't seen him soak yet, but I'll watch for that. Thanks for the help! Also, is it okay for me to handle him the day after I feed him? Most people say to wait forty eight hours, but is this really the case? It wouldn't be too stressful, I'd just be holding him for half an hour.

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It's not so much a stress thing, in the 48 hours that's when they're using the heat to digest the meal and handling at that point does risk regurgitation, which is probably the worst smelling/looking thing you could ever imagine and not good for the little noodle :P

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Originally Posted by montymiow

It's not so much a stress thing, in the 48 hours that's when they're using the heat to digest the meal and handling at that point does risk regurgitation, which is probably the worst smelling/looking thing you could ever imagine and not good for the little noodle :P

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Haha thanks! I'd heard about regurgitation so I decided not to handle him. ;)