Need advice on Albino Burmese Python (first one)

Ok, so I bought an Albino Burmese Python 4 weeks and 5 days ago. It's a year old but only 4 feet because previous owner only fed him twice a week. His first meal was a mouse after i got him because i couldn't get a rat and was eager to watch him feed. Previous owner told me not to do that so next week i got him a rat. That rat bit my snake but my snake did eat it. Next week i tried freshly killed, which my snake did eat but it took him about 30 minutes till he started. This week, yesterday, I gave him another freshly killed rat but he wouldn't eat it. Left it in his enclosure for a little over an hour and nothing. He slithered around it 2 different times but ended up going back to his hide. Hes been fussy since. I gave him a bath last night and he pooped in my bath and i also realized this morning his color is a lot lighter then when I bought him and his belly is light pink which most places I read say it's either because their about to shed or their getting to hot underneath but I manage his temp very well so my question is, should i be worried or do you (whoever reads this) think that he didnt eat because hes about to shed and hadn't pooped yet or what?? I feel like I may over worry a bit because this is my first snake and I love him to death and just want to make sure hes ok.

Hey there, a little information on your setup could be very helpful for us

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Avsha531

Hey there, a little information on your setup could be very helpful for us

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

---

Agreed, set up humidity and temps would be helpful. My big female went off food when she was younger because her temps were a tad too high. After I adjusted it she was taking food again.

Sent from my LGL164VL using Tapatalk

I have a 40 gallon tank. A heat pad underneath that stays between 89 and 92. The thermostat is placed directly on top of glass inside the tank where heater pad is. I keep humidity at 60 but since ive thought he was about to shed i bumped it up to 70. I use Eco Earth Loose Coconut Fiber Substrate. And the tank has a slide on mesh top. I have a seperate thermostat to regulate room temp and room temp usually is between 78 and 80. Been trying to keep that up while allowing for some fresh air. Theres no way it could be because didnt poop yet or because he may be getting ready to shed? Or both?

Oh dear.

Very helpful

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BurmesePython

I have a 40 gallon tank. A heat pad underneath that stays between 89 and 92. The thermostat is placed directly on top of glass inside the tank where heater pad is. I keep humidity at 60 but since ive thought he was about to shed i bumped it up to 70. I use Eco Earth Loose Coconut Fiber Substrate. And the tank has a slide on mesh top. I have a seperate thermostat to regulate room temp and room temp usually is between 78 and 80. Been trying to keep that up while allowing for some fresh air. Theres no way it could be because didnt poop yet or because he may be getting ready to shed? Or both?

---

Ok so a couple things here:

It is highly suggested to sandwich the thermostat probe between the UTH and the glass, so the probe is on the outside of the tank. Leaving it inside, your snake can move it, pee on it, and generally just mess with it in ways that can lead to a dramatic temo spike =burns. Use a temp gun to determine temp AT GLASS (not on top of substrate) so you can determine best temperature to keep thermostat on. Will be a slightly higher setting than temp you are looking to get, that is normal.

A 40 gallon is really not gonna last very long for a burm, especially if it's already 4 ft. Also, a burm can very easily get out of those sliding mesh tops if you're not careful (and even if you are). Suggesting a cage upgrade here.

As far as why he didn't eat, it is definitely possible that it is because he is in shed and will poop with the shed and leave you a nice package. But would strongly push you to not put your snake in a position where he can be injured by live rats. Whatever that looks like to you as far as changes.

Can you post pics of your setup? We would love to keep helping with suggestions to give your snake a comfortable, healthy, and stress free life!


Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Definitely move the UTH to the outside bottom of the enclosure as Avsha suggested. Also, is your UTH regulated by a thermostat? What you described sounds like a thermometer. I'd suggest a temp gun to more accurately measure your temps. Your snake could also be going into shed and that could very well be why it didn't eat. Once your temps are positively dialed in and if the snake does shed it should hopefully resume eating normally.

Thank you both!! Yes its a thermometer not a thermostat, sorry. And yes the burm breeder i got him from said get a 40 gal for now but that he would need something bigger in a few months which i plan on doing here soon. Any links to a nice temp regulating system of some sort orndo you guys just always check on him. Be cool to have something that regulated temps on its own. Like, didnt let it get below 89 or above 92 on its own. Also, i would love to post a pic but im not sure how honestly. Just moved my thermometer as suggested and it seems to have a more accurate reading. Thank you for the replies!

Thermostats to me are probably the most crucial piece of equipment for keeping snakes. You can go with a lesser expensive, but imo reliable option, like Hydrofarm/JumpStart. Or you can go with the better, more higher end options, like Herpstat or Vivarium Electronics.

https://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-Ger...gateway&sr=8-6

https://www.amazon.com/Herpstat-1/dp...ateway&sr=8-15


https://www.amazon.com/s?k=vivarium+...l_8konj86aep_e

Thank you! Also, after my snake got bit once i told myself if he will eat freshly killed or f/t thats the way im going to go because i dont want to risk harm to my snake so i tried freshly killed last week and he was on it. Just this week he refused and it was his first time refusing so it made me wonder.

Yeah I did not pick up on the fact that it was a thermometer not a thermostat. I will echo what has been said previously, get a thermostat asap asap. Most important part equipment and most neccessary, those heat mats can get way too hot even if the thermometer doesn't seem to be saying so. Also get a temp gun to measure surface temps, they're cheap on Amazon.

You can download the app Tapatalk from your app store, makes it super easy to post pics and browse the forum

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

I am going to order a thermostat tomorrow and a temp gun. Tried another freshly killed today and he just went up to it, sat near him for awhile and then went back to hide. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...55f43e992c.jpg

Sent from my SM-J737T1 using Tapatalk

The thermostats I use are the Herpstat Intros. They are only about $100 and work great.
https://www.spyderrobotics.com/index...products_id=23

Also please don't put the thermostat on carpet like that, its a fire hazard to have heat of any kind in direct contact with it without ventilation.

Also I keep my burms hot spot around 87, my reptile room stays between 78-80 and they don't miss meals. Humidity is around 60%

Try getting a more enclosed hide too, will help a lot [emoji4]

Sent from my LGL164VL using Tapatalk

Ok so. I tried feeding him again and nothing but today i thought id clean his enclosure all the way, make it as comfy as possible and i wanted to give him a bath to get whatever sent the rat may have left off him if thats even a thing. When i gave him a bath, he pooped, so i took him out, cleaned bath, filled water and put him back in, he pooped even bigger, i did that one more time and the 3rd time i put him in, he pooped even bigger. Now im just like what the heck. Hes pooped 2 times since his last meal a week n half ago and now 3 times in 20 minutes.lol. im going to put him in his clean enclosure. Keep moderating temps and humidity and leave him alone for about a week besides to change his water because i heard it could help as a last resort, unless somebody here tells me otherwise. Also ordered a herpstat 1 so that will be here soon. Oh a question too. Snakes cant just poop forever right? Never seen a snake poop so much in such short time.

Sent from my SM-J737T1 using Tapatalk

Oh, my "i tried feeding him again and nothing" was from yesterday. I forgot i already put that.

Sent from my SM-J737T1 using Tapatalk

I would suggest stop trying to offer food so frequently and just get the setup right and leave him alone for a week. Get the thermostat set up, get hides (one for each side) that provide more cover, bump the humidity a little, etc. Then let him be for a week with no handling soaking or messing with him. Then try to offer. If he was eating twice a week then of course he's pooping so much. There is no reason for a year old python to be eating that often. An appropriate size meal once a week (and possibly once every other week even) is more than adequate

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

If i put hes ate twice a week i didnt mean to and i corrected and said my message about trying to feed him wasnt again, i forgot i wrote that yesterday. He eats once a week but yes, that was the plan. Glad your thinking the same :) thank you

Sent from my SM-J737T1 using Tapatalk

[QUOTE=Avsha531;2705983]Ok so a couple things here:

It is highly suggested to sandwich the thermostat probe between the UTH and the glass, so the probe is on the outside of the tank. Leaving it inside, your snake can move it, pee on it, and generally just mess with it in ways that can lead to a dramatic temo spike =burns. Use a temp gun to determine temp AT GLASS (not on top of substrate) so you can determine best temperature to keep thermostat on. Will be a slightly higher setting than temp you are looking to get, that is normal.

This is new information to me, I’m still trying to get my enclosure set up right before my baby gets here. Just so I’m understanding this right, I should stick my thermostat probe between my the sticky on my UTH and the glass on the outside of the enclosure?




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[QUOTE=NewmanLovesSnakes;2706181]

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Avsha531

Ok so a couple things here:

It is highly suggested to sandwich the thermostat probe between the UTH and the glass, so the probe is on the outside of the tank. Leaving it inside, your snake can move it, pee on it, and generally just mess with it in ways that can lead to a dramatic temo spike =burns. Use a temp gun to determine temp AT GLASS (not on top of substrate) so you can determine best temperature to keep thermostat on. Will be a slightly higher setting than temp you are looking to get, that is normal.

This is new information to me, I’m still trying to get my enclosure set up right before my baby gets here. Just so I’m understanding this right, I should stick my thermostat probe between my the sticky on my UTH and the glass on the outside of the enclosure?




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Yup

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

He shed! Im so happy!

Sent from my SM-J737T1 using Tapatalk