adopted a ball python new here a bit scared

[rabernet]

That doesn't help new people regardless of their attitude.

Agreed 100%

[Kaorte]

Well, sounds like the two of you have quite a bit of learning left to do. Please don't be afraid to ask more questions.

Monica gave some good advice.

I would also keep reading up about ball pythons. Ball pythons are not social animals. they do not enjoy the company of people or other snakes for that matter. They are happiest alone in a tight cramped hide box. Handling is for your enjoyment therefor it should be limited. I don't handle my snakes unless they are eating consistently. If they are eating, pooping, shedding and hiding during the day, I assume they are happy and healthy enough to tolerate short handling sessions throughout the week.

You will learn to understand their behaviors better with time. You will begin to notice when they are scared, mad, or happy. Constant roaming around the cage is not a sign of being lonely. It simply means the snake is looking for a way out because it doesn't feel comfortable yet in its environment. Having two, dark, tight fitting hides will help the snake feel safer in its new home

Here is a quick list of the basic things you will need if you don't have them already:

-2 identical hides. The dark "rock cave" kind are best. I use plastic cereal bowls with a small entrance cut in the side. I get mine from the dollar store, can't beat their prices!
-Water dish
-Thermometers and hygrometers. I like the accurite weather station from the home depot or lowes. it costs about $12 and measures temperature with a probe, ambient temperature, and humidity. This is the only thermometer/hygrometer you will need.
-Heating pad or UTH
-Thermostat. You absolutely need some way to control the UTH or it will get hot enough to burn. Thermostats are hard to find in pet stores so you will have to order one online. You can use a rheostat or light dimmer in the meantime.
-Substrate. You can use aspen, paper towels, newspaper, cypress mulch, reptibark, or eco earth. I prefer paper towels


Good luck you guys!

[cinderbird]

Well, sounds like the two of you have quite a bit of learning left to do. Please don't be afraid to ask more questions.

Monica gave some good advice.

I would also keep reading up about ball pythons. Ball pythons are not social animals. they do not enjoy the company of people or other snakes for that matter. They are happiest alone in a tight cramped hide box. Handling is for your enjoyment therefor it should be limited. I don't handle my snakes unless they are eating consistently. If they are eating, pooping, shedding and hiding during the day, I assume they are happy and healthy enough to tolerate short handling sessions throughout the week.

You will learn to understand their behaviors better with time. You will begin to notice when they are scared, mad, or happy. Constant roaming around the cage is not a sign of being lonely. It simply means the snake is looking for a way out because it doesn't feel comfortable yet in its environment. Having two, dark, tight fitting hides will help the snake feel safer in its new home

Here is a quick list of the basic things you will need if you don't have them already:

-2 identical hides. The dark "rock cave" kind are best. I use plastic cereal bowls with a small entrance cut in the side. I get mine from the dollar store, can't beat their prices!
-Water dish
-Thermometers and hygrometers. I like the accurite weather station from the home depot or lowes. it costs about $12 and measures temperature with a probe, ambient temperature, and humidity. This is the only thermometer/hygrometer you will need.
-Heating pad or UTH
-Thermostat. You absolutely need some way to control the UTH or it will get hot enough to burn. Thermostats are hard to find in pet stores so you will have to order one online. You can use a rheostat or light dimmer in the meantime.
-Substrate. You can use aspen, paper towels, newspaper, cypress mulch, reptibark, or eco earth. I prefer paper towels


Good luck you guys!

This is some of the best advice I've seen on this thread.

Reptiles are wonderful, rewarding animals to keep, they just aren't like more conventional pets. They don't dote on attention like mammal pets do (even animals such as rats and rabbits enjoy the daily interaction they get with their owners).

Reptiles are very sentient animals and its very different from owning other animals. This is a new pet, and I can see you guys want to do whats best for him. There are some amazing people on this forum, I recommend reading the caresheet and browsing around the forum a bit. You can glean a lot of really useful info.

Welcome to BP.net

[dmcminn]

an hour is long enough its shot

Can U try plugging it in into another socket ? Might have to trip the breaker

[exotica0095]

hey thanks all so much ok so today i bought a thermometer a humidity checker a book on ball pythons and one of those temprature control things along with a heating pad it all came to 75 dollars


oh well so just a quick question the man at the store said we pout the little point part of the tempratrue controller in the snakes house which is a log so it can control the temprature? well a lilttle piece of wire its conntected to is keeping the screen lid a bit open i hope the snake doesnt use that and push it so he can escape?

[stevepoppers]

Put the thermostat probe directly on the UTH. Put the thermometer probe in the hide. (Log hides aren't considered secure enough.) Use the thermometer to set the thermostat. Get cage clips to hold the cage shut.

Pet stores aren't considered a good source of information.

[wispurs]

Well, sounds like the two of you have quite a bit of learning left to do. Please don't be afraid to ask more questions.

Monica gave some good advice.

I would also keep reading up about ball pythons. Ball pythons are not social animals. they do not enjoy the company of people or other snakes for that matter. They are happiest alone in a tight cramped hide box. Handling is for your enjoyment therefor it should be limited. I don't handle my snakes unless they are eating consistently. If they are eating, pooping, shedding and hiding during the day, I assume they are happy and healthy enough to tolerate short handling sessions throughout the week.

You will learn to understand their behaviors better with time. You will begin to notice when they are scared, mad, or happy. Constant roaming around the cage is not a sign of being lonely. It simply means the snake is looking for a way out because it doesn't feel comfortable yet in its environment. Having two, dark, tight fitting hides will help the snake feel safer in its new home

Here is a quick list of the basic things you will need if you don't have them already:

-2 identical hides. The dark "rock cave" kind are best. I use plastic cereal bowls with a small entrance cut in the side. I get mine from the dollar store, can't beat their prices!
-Water dish
-Thermometers and hygrometers. I like the accurite weather station from the home depot or lowes. it costs about $12 and measures temperature with a probe, ambient temperature, and humidity. This is the only thermometer/hygrometer you will need.
-Heating pad or UTH
-Thermostat. You absolutely need some way to control the UTH or it will get hot enough to burn. Thermostats are hard to find in pet stores so you will have to order one online. You can use a rheostat or light dimmer in the meantime.
-Substrate. You can use aspen, paper towels, newspaper, cypress mulch, reptibark, or eco earth. I prefer paper towels


Good luck you guys!

Thank you so much! Im printing this out.

[NotaMallard]

Just want to say that I'm so glad you've gotten the help you needed, and good luck! I apologize for the rudeness by one of the members, haha.

[moravaguy]

Hi, im exotica s "roommate" and i would just like to say that i really dont appreciate you guys getting together and flaming me behind my back on some stupid forum for snakes when clearly you dont even know anything about snakes. you are wrong! he does like to be held, he hates it when i put him away! and i WILL sleep with him because it IS what he wants, I can tell!


Thanks for absolutely nothing.

um this stuff right here is bad enough that everyone should of been a little upset, its because of things like this people may be losing their big snakes, and then you get called dumb by the same person, why wouldnt you get angry?

[stevepoppers]

Yes, it's aggravating when someone throws your well-founded advice in your face. It's totally understandable to be angry because of it. But that isn't going to help change anyone's mind. It just makes them more likely to go off and do whatever they want. They'll then ignore your advice simply to spite you for getting angry with them. It's more helpful for the person and their snake to be nice and state the possible consequences of doing things their way. Then it's up to them to listen, because you did everything you could at that point.

I wouldn't get angry because I'm concerned for their snake if nothing else and they definitely won't want to listen to an angry, rude person.