A few questions to prove something to a friend #2

[LP.]

A while back I posted a thread asking a few questions because me and my friend always have arguments about animals, specifically snakes. I learned alot from the last one and so did he, but more questions have risen.

1. His ball python is "around a year and a half" (His words, he does not know for sure)... Is it better to feed yearlings or any "age group" above this one mouse per 3 days, or an appropriate sized prey item once per week?
I said appropriate sized prey item once per week, because his ball python is small compared to both of mine, and mine are way younger.

2. Can you house more then one species of snake in the same rack? For example: corns, balls, and boas, or is it better to house in different racks?
I said different racks because the different requirements can cause stress amongst other things.

3. Should you feed a ball python anything other then rodents (mice, rats, ASFs) unless you have an unlimited cheap source?
I said no because the snake may not go back on regular rodents.

4. Very stupid question, but hey, for the heck of it. Should you leave a live rodent in a snakes housing unattended?
I said no, for obvious reasons.

5. Is quarantine a MUST for bringing in any new reptile, no matter how much you trust the breeder?
I said yes. Just incase.

6. Will a Green Tree Python or any other arboreal snake (???) be stressed out if you do not house them with perches, trees, etc?
I was unsure of this, so this is also for my benefit.

7. If you are bringing your snakes outside for an extended time period (I do not do this, he does) should the weather be right around the same temperature as the snake needs, or should it be blistering hot?
I was unsure of this too, but I'm not completely oblivious. I only take my snakes outside for a maximum of 10 minutes, and I rarely do.

8. Do ball pythons need 2 hides?
I said yes. Obviously.

9. Will humidity affect anything if it is low or not given?
I said yes, and showed him proof on HIS OWN SNAKE.

10. Are any snakes non-nocturnal, and need sunlight/UVA/UVB/Light at all?
I said yes, although I'm pretty sure I am wrong.

11. Belly heat, or over-head light heat?
I said belly heat.



For those who gave answers to my last thread involving this, like I said, he learned ALOT, but he is still very stubborn. I'm trying to get him to sign up for this site.

[PYTH0N BOY]

A while back I posted a thread asking a few questions because me and my friend always have arguments about animals, specifically snakes. I learned alot from the last one and so did he, but more questions have risen.

1. His ball python is "around a year and a half" (His words, he does not know for sure)... Is it better to feed yearlings or any "age group" above this one mouse per 3 days, or an appropriate sized prey item once per week?
I said appropriate sized prey item once per week, because his ball python is small compared to both of mine, and mine are way younger.

Appropriate size prey item once pet week id say.

2. Can you house more then one species of snake in the same rack? For example: corns, balls, and boas, or is it better to house in different racks?
I said different racks because the different requirements can cause stress amongst other things.

You can house different species in the same rack but the heatmats for each species would have to be on there own thermostat.

3. Should you feed a ball python anything other then rodents (mice, rats, ASFs) unless you have an unlimited cheap source?
I said no because the snake may not go back on regular rodents.

Agreed, best to stick to the usual stuff, as they wont usually go back.

4. Very stupid question, but hey, for the heck of it. Should you leave a live rodent in a snakes housing unattended?
I said no, for obvious reasons.

NO WAY!, watch them close. The rodent could harm your snake while your gone. Yet if you were there then you could try and stop it.

5. Is quarantine a MUST for bringing in any new reptile, no matter how much you trust the breeder?
I said yes. Just incase.

Yes, a new snake could have mites and bring them into your collection, ITS A PAIN!
6. Will a Green Tree Python or any other arboreal snake (???) be stressed out if you do not house them with perches, trees, etc?
I was unsure of this, so this is also for my benefit.

Yes, GTPs need perches, its just what they do. They would get stressed if they couldnt climb up high and stay there.

7. If you are bringing your snakes outside for an extended time period (I do not do this, he does) should the weather be right around the same temperature as the snake needs, or should it be blistering hot?
I was unsure of this too, but I'm not completely oblivious. I only take my snakes outside for a maximum of 10 minutes, and I rarely do.

Depends, ive had snakes out side for 2 hours. Aslong as its not freezeing then theres no problem

8. Do ball pythons need 2 hides?
I said yes. Obviously.

No, my ball pythons dont have eny hides

9. Will humidity affect anything if it is low or not given?
I said yes, and showed him proof on HIS OWN SNAKE.

Agreed, humidity is a must.

10. Are any snakes non-nocturnal, and need sunlight/UVA/UVB/Light at all?
I said yes, although I'm pretty sure I am wrong.

Wrong, how do you think the snakes cope in the racks ?
Light cant get threw some of the rack tubs.

11. Belly heat, or over-head light heat?
I said belly heat.

Belly heat, although overhead heat can be used.



For those who gave answers to my last thread involving this, like I said, he learned ALOT, but he is still very stubborn. I'm trying to get him to sign up for this site.

I have replied to all questions, hope this helps. Ive got plenty of BPs and other snakes so know my things

[Paysons Bps]

A while back I posted a thread asking a few questions because me and my friend always have arguments about animals, specifically snakes. I learned alot from the last one and so did he, but more questions have risen.

1. His ball python is "around a year and a half" (His words, he does not know for sure)... Is it better to feed yearlings or any "age group" above this one mouse per 3 days, or an appropriate sized prey item once per week?
I said appropriate sized prey item once per week, because his ball python is small compared to both of mine, and mine are way younger.

2. Can you house more then one species of snake in the same rack? For example: corns, balls, and boas, or is it better to house in different racks?
I said different racks because the different requirements can cause stress amongst other things.

3. Should you feed a ball python anything other then rodents (mice, rats, ASFs) unless you have an unlimited cheap source?
I said no because the snake may not go back on regular rodents.

4. Very stupid question, but hey, for the heck of it. Should you leave a live rodent in a snakes housing unattended?
I said no, for obvious reasons.

5. Is quarantine a MUST for bringing in any new reptile, no matter how much you trust the breeder?
I said yes. Just incase.

6. Will a Green Tree Python or any other arboreal snake (???) be stressed out if you do not house them with perches, trees, etc?
I was unsure of this, so this is also for my benefit.

7. If you are bringing your snakes outside for an extended time period (I do not do this, he does) should the weather be right around the same temperature as the snake needs, or should it be blistering hot?
I was unsure of this too, but I'm not completely oblivious. I only take my snakes outside for a maximum of 10 minutes, and I rarely do.

8. Do ball pythons need 2 hides?
I said yes. Obviously.

9. Will humidity affect anything if it is low or not given?
I said yes, and showed him proof on HIS OWN SNAKE.

10. Are any snakes non-nocturnal, and need sunlight/UVA/UVB/Light at all?
I said yes, although I'm pretty sure I am wrong.

11. Belly heat, or over-head light heat?
I said belly heat.



For those who gave answers to my last thread involving this, like I said, he learned ALOT, but he is still very stubborn. I'm trying to get him to sign up for this site.

1. Ball pythons should not be fed more than every five days, and sizing I say nothing bigger than the girth of the snake.

2. If you house two snakes of different species in the same rack, there should be no problem if you have two different thermostats.

3. I've never heard of a ball python eating anything other than rodents so I wouldn't switch to anything else.

4. YOU SHOULD NEVER LEAVE A LIVE RODENT UNETENDED WITH A BALL PYTHON PERIOD..

5. I would always quarentine it's just to be safer than sorry.

6. I think having perches for green tree pythons is a must, in the wild they spend most of there time in trees perched up, they also do it to collect water.

7. Inless it's freezing outside It's okay to bring your snakes out for a little.

8. Ball pythons should have two hides one on the cool and one on the warm side, you should never put your ball python in the position to pick safety or water at the cool side.

9. If your hummidity is too low it can cause the outcome of your snakes shed.

10. Ball pythons in the wild spend most of there time under ground in burrows so they dont need any special light.

11. Belly heat is prefered, but ither way will work

[aalomon]

1. His ball python is "around a year and a half" (His words, he does not know for sure)... Is it better to feed yearlings or any "age group" above this one mouse per 3 days, or an appropriate sized prey item once per week?
I said appropriate sized prey item once per week, because his ball python is small compared to both of mine, and mine are way younger.

At that age he should be offering once a week.

2. Can you house more then one species of snake in the same rack? For example: corns, balls, and boas, or is it better to house in different racks?
I said different racks because the different requirements can cause stress amongst other things.

Yes, if you can keep the temps right for each species.

3. Should you feed a ball python anything other then rodents (mice, rats, ASFs) unless you have an unlimited cheap source?
I said no because the snake may not go back on regular rodents.

I say no. I dont know why you would want them to eat anything else either.

4. Very stupid question, but hey, for the heck of it. Should you leave a live rodent in a snakes housing unattended?
I said no, for obvious reasons.

Never.

5. Is quarantine a MUST for bringing in any new reptile, no matter how much you trust the breeder?
I said yes. Just incase.

Always. It might seem like overkill, but the one time you find out your new snake is sick will make it worth it.

6. Will a Green Tree Python or any other arboreal snake (???) be stressed out if you do not house them with perches, trees, etc?
I was unsure of this, so this is also for my benefit.

Yes, when a GTP grounds that usually means something is wrong with it. You might get away without perches for a semi-arboreal, but for a ATB, ETB or GTP; no.

7. If you are bringing your snakes outside for an extended time period (I do not do this, he does) should the weather be right around the same temperature as the snake needs, or should it be blistering hot?
I was unsure of this too, but I'm not completely oblivious. I only take my snakes outside for a maximum of 10 minutes, and I rarely do.

Use common sense. If you are uncomfortable, I would not take the animals outside.

8. Do ball pythons need 2 hides?
I said yes. Obviously.

I never use hides if the snake is in a rack system. However, in an open habitiat, yes.

9. Will humidity affect anything if it is low or not given?
I said yes, and showed him proof on HIS OWN SNAKE.

Definately.

10. Are any snakes non-nocturnal, and need sunlight/UVA/UVB/Light at all?
I said yes, although I'm pretty sure I am wrong.

There are many diurnal snakes, though Im not sure of their UBV requirements. I use UVB with my WC flying tree snake but she could probably survive without it.

11. Belly heat, or over-head light heat?
I said belly heat.

Belly with a thermostat.

[blackcrystal22]

My responses are in bold.

A while back I posted a thread asking a few questions because me and my friend always have arguments about animals, specifically snakes. I learned alot from the last one and so did he, but more questions have risen.

1. His ball python is "around a year and a half" (His words, he does not know for sure)... Is it better to feed yearlings or any "age group" above this one mouse per 3 days, or an appropriate sized prey item once per week?
I said appropriate sized prey item once per week, because his ball python is small compared to both of mine, and mine are way younger.
Feeding once every 3 days could be considered power feeding, and potentially unhealthy. Most people on here feed a single appropriately sized prey item every 5-7 days. One item is easier on the snakes system as well, especially if you feed live.

2. Can you house more then one species of snake in the same rack? For example: corns, balls, and boas, or is it better to house in different racks?
I said different racks because the different requirements can cause stress amongst other things.
How should I answer this.. It really depends. Personally, I do. The way I built my rack gives me a lot of leeway in that I can pull tubs out further if it's a species that requires less heat and push them in towards the back for ball pythons and warmer boas. If you have a rack that is a set size, you will probably only be able to house species that share similar heating requirements, unless you get more than one thermostat.

3. Should you feed a ball python anything other then rodents (mice, rats, ASFs) unless you have an unlimited cheap source?
I said no because the snake may not go back on regular rodents.
You mean like chicks? It's not really necessary for ball pythons and they are designed to eat rodents exclusively. I recommend sticking with rodents, and they generally have the best nutritional needs for ball pythons.

4. Very stupid question, but hey, for the heck of it. Should you leave a live rodent in a snakes housing unattended?
I said no, for obvious reasons.
It's not really a good idea. If the snake doesn't like being watched while eating, turn off the lights. But leaving a live rat or mouse in a cage for more than an hour will start to dehydrate the rodent and could cause it to chew on your snake. In general, you should keep an eye out when feeding live.

5. Is quarantine a MUST for bringing in any new reptile, no matter how much you trust the breeder?
I said yes. Just incase.
Absolutely. Taking the necessary precautions for your animals is important. You do not have to QT animals from each other that you get from the same breeder at the same time though.

6. Will a Green Tree Python or any other arboreal snake (???) be stressed out if you do not house them with perches, trees, etc?
I was unsure of this, so this is also for my benefit.
Yes. Arboreal snakes need some sort of climbing material and will not be very comfortable on ground floor. They may survive, but they won't thrive. Also, arboreal species are usually showcase animals and the perches provide for a good viewing of the animal.

7. If you are bringing your snakes outside for an extended time period (I do not do this, he does) should the weather be right around the same temperature as the snake needs, or should it be blistering hot?
I was unsure of this too, but I'm not completely oblivious. I only take my snakes outside for a maximum of 10 minutes, and I rarely do.
You shouldn't be taking them outside for extended periods of time anyway. You're exposing them to unfamiliar bacteria, pests, and high levels of stress. Also, if it is blistering hot outside, chances are the ground is at least 10F hotter than the air, and that is uncomfortably hot for them. Ball pythons are not basking animals, so in the sun it can be up to 115F on a 'not that hot day' which is much too hot for a ball python but good for a basking reptile like a beardie. It's best to just keep them indoors.

8. Do ball pythons need 2 hides?
I said yes. Obviously.
Depends. In a glass cage, yes, I would highly suggest having two (non-log) identical tight hides for thermoregulation opportunities. In a tub, you may not need hides at all, depending on the animal. I only put a single hide in a tub, and if they want to thermoregulate it, it's usually much easier to push around than in a cage.

9. Will humidity affect anything if it is low or not given?
I said yes, and showed him proof on HIS OWN SNAKE.
Yes! Humidity is essential for a few reasons. It should always be between 60-70% IMO. For shedding it is extremely important, but if humidity is too low or high the snake could be more susceptible to getting a respiratory infection.

10. Are any snakes non-nocturnal, and need sunlight/UVA/UVB/Light at all?
I said yes, although I'm pretty sure I am wrong.
In general, no. Snakes are nocturnal and do not need a light cycle. They also do not need any UV lights at all because they eat whole animals. I actually don't recommend lights in general because they sap humidity. If you do provide a light, however, you do need to cycle it properly or you could stress your snake out.

11. Belly heat, or over-head light heat?
I said belly heat.
In ball pythons, belly heat. They should be in their hides most of the time, and are not basking reptiles. They will efficiently digest their food properly with belly heat and it will not sap humidity like a light will.


For those who gave answers to my last thread involving this, like I said, he learned ALOT, but he is still very stubborn. I'm trying to get him to sign up for this site.

Hope that helps!

[angllady2]

A while back I posted a thread asking a few questions because me and my friend always have arguments about animals, specifically snakes. I learned alot from the last one and so did he, but more questions have risen.

1. His ball python is "around a year and a half" (His words, he does not know for sure)... Is it better to feed yearlings or any "age group" above this one mouse per 3 days, or an appropriate sized prey item once per week?
I said appropriate sized prey item once per week, because his ball python is small compared to both of mine, and mine are way younger.

2. Can you house more then one species of snake in the same rack? For example: corns, balls, and boas, or is it better to house in different racks?
I said different racks because the different requirements can cause stress amongst other things.

3. Should you feed a ball python anything other then rodents (mice, rats, ASFs) unless you have an unlimited cheap source?
I said no because the snake may not go back on regular rodents.

4. Very stupid question, but hey, for the heck of it. Should you leave a live rodent in a snakes housing unattended?
I said no, for obvious reasons.

5. Is quarantine a MUST for bringing in any new reptile, no matter how much you trust the breeder?
I said yes. Just incase.

6. Will a Green Tree Python or any other arboreal snake (???) be stressed out if you do not house them with perches, trees, etc?
I was unsure of this, so this is also for my benefit.

7. If you are bringing your snakes outside for an extended time period (I do not do this, he does) should the weather be right around the same temperature as the snake needs, or should it be blistering hot?
I was unsure of this too, but I'm not completely oblivious. I only take my snakes outside for a maximum of 10 minutes, and I rarely do.

8. Do ball pythons need 2 hides?
I said yes. Obviously.

9. Will humidity affect anything if it is low or not given?
I said yes, and showed him proof on HIS OWN SNAKE.

10. Are any snakes non-nocturnal, and need sunlight/UVA/UVB/Light at all?
I said yes, although I'm pretty sure I am wrong.

11. Belly heat, or over-head light heat?
I said belly heat.



For those who gave answers to my last thread involving this, like I said, he learned ALOT, but he is still very stubborn. I'm trying to get him to sign up for this site.

Okay, my turn!

1: In general, once every 5 days until roughly 8 or 9 months old, then once per week is all that is needed. A ball python grows rapidly as a baby, then as it matures, growth slows down considerably, and no one wants a fat snake. As far as size goes, there are two general rules. Never feed anything with a girth larger than your snake's girth, this means if your snake looks roughly an inch wide, don't go feeding a jumbo rat! Second, 10-15% of the snakes body weight is usually an appropriate amount. Just remember on the smaller end is safer for older snakes.

2: While it is possible, and people do it, it requires a great deal of planning and thought. Different species need different heat and humidity just for starters, and unless you use lids on your tubs, this would mean building a rack for multiple tub sizes. It can be done, but it's probably easier to use a different rack for each species if you are keeping numerous snakes of each kind.

3: While it might be possible to get a ball eating something other than a rodent, it isn't a good idea. To many variables and things that can go wrong, refusing anything other than this item, and what happens if you need to sell the snake are just a few. Rodents are best.

4: Under no circumstances whatsoever should you leave a live prey item unattended with ANY snake for any length of time. I have seen too many terrible things happen to EVER justify this.

5: QT can be annoying, and perhaps you feel it can't hurt just this once. But before you decide not to, ask yourself this, " Is it worth loosing my entire collection?" If the answer is no, then QT.

6: I'm no expert here, but just like our ground dwelling Balls need tight hides and low enclosures to thrive, it stands to reason an arboreal snake NEEDS the branches and perches.

7: Taking a snake outdoors can be fun IF you employ common sense. Be careful about excess sun exposure, I would imagine a snake can overheat just like any other animal. Watch where you let the snake roam. Every crossed a street barefoot on a hot day? If it hurts you that much, imagine what it could do to your snake! While 10 or 15 minutes of carefully supervised grass roaming should be fine, any longer and you are just stressing the snake without a reason.

8: Mine do alright with one, but they are in a rack. Especially in a larger or more open enclosure they MUST have those hides!

9: If you don't have anything to drink, does it affect you? If you ever spent time where humidity is low, you know about tight, itchy dry skin and the constant threat of dehydration, why would your snake be any different? Except that he/she can't scratch the itch!

10: I'm not sure on this one, but I do know if lights are used, you need to watch the humidity even closer.

11: The general consensus is belly heat, although some people use back-of-tub heat. Overhead heat generally means a heat lamp of some kind, and from personal experience, these things suck. And not just your humdity!

Gale

[mrmertz]

Boy, lots of good advice for the OP!