Questions/concerns from a new owner

[abby1013]

Hi everyone, I had a few things I wanted to know whether I should worry about or not. I got a new female ball python. The guy I got her from said that she was about a month old and had so far been eating frozen and live pinky mice. He said she ate that day. It's been 10 days and I haven't been able to get her to eat. I have tried a couple times with frozen thawed pinkies. I really want her to eat frozen thawed food if I can. I have been told it could be because it is winter and she just doesn't want to. So how long before I should really worry? I don't have a scale so I can't keep track of her weight. What are other things I can look for?

I am hoping she is happy in her environment and thats not what is upsetting her. She is in a 20 gallon long tank with lots of branches and foliage, large water bowl, and a hide on each side. One side has a heating pad and overhead there is a ceramic heat emitter. The warmer side of her tank is usually around 90 degrees and the cooler is about 70. The humidity usually stays around 50 percent.

So is there anything that you guys think I am doing wrong or should look out for? How soon before I should think about assist feeding?

[DarrinLowe]

Well,

first off you should be very careful about the information you take from this website.

I was told to assist feed by a few skiddish members, and needless to say.. That snake never ate again after we assist fed, then passed a few weeks ago.

Overall your husbandry appears to be good. The cool side is a little on the cool end though. You want to aim for 80. Try moving your ceramic heater to the middle. With a snake that young, you should begin to worry after 3-4 weeks. The fact that you were sold a month old snake, is absolutely wrong.

I understand your desire to feed frozen thawed, we all would like to at one point, but you have to understand that this is a newly born snake, and is very shy.

Feed live for atleast a month, before you switch to f/t. It is worth it. Hoppers arent very likely to hurt your snake. If you're worried, buy some mouse food and pop it in the box on your way home.

The main key, is to leave her alone. Do not bother her, until she has eaten. (Apart from cleaning poop) and dont try to feed more than once a week.

To help her get comfortable, take black paper and cover 3 windows of the tank (this is called blacking out)

I would definitely say that it is about feeding live at this stage.. Any new snake I get I feed live, especially if they're already on frozen thawed. A new home may feel more so like home, if it is provided with natural characteristics.

If you can, give us a picture of the snake. Cause you could be able to get away with a small hopper. But I wouldnt want to say so if shes tiny.

[abby1013]

http://tinypic.com/r/2vvtfs8/7

Here is a picture I just took. I will gladly get her live food to start right now, I just have no idea where to go to buy it. If anyone can tell me where to get live feeder mice around Burbank/Los Angeles CA please let me know. In the mean time I will be searching for a place.

[DarrinLowe]

Yeah, you can give her a hopper.

Just monitor it until she snatches up the mouse.

Are her eyes cloudy, or is that just camera flash?

[abby1013]

Flash.

[DarrinLowe]

Check out this map.

Call them and ask before hand, so you dont waste your time.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?um=1&ie=U...ed=0CAQQtgMwAA