just got a baby ball python, did i do something wrong......

[Yvonne Marie]

Well I am glad that your snake ate, but I am thinking that the reason your snake didn't show any interest before is because the food you gave them was too big. Sometimes snakes are pickey like that. Mine is an aggressive eater either way, but what I would recommend, as would most snake owners, is once they get bigger around (say inch and 3/4) I would switch them to frozen thawed. You may have to wiggle it a little in front of their faces after you warm them up under running hot water, but otherwise its usually the same feeding reaction for me between live and frozen. Also if that doesn't work you can try pre-killed. I personally havent dealt with that so I am not sure about it, but from what I understand some small family owned pet stores do pre-killed for their customers.

As for the environment, I think a UTH is just fine since bp's need the heat under their bellies to help them with their digestion. I also found a great deal for a lazer thermometer for $30 (with a coupon at a local hardware store) Which works absolute WONDERS!!! They are a great investment and you should totally have one. as for the bedding, I got rid of all of the bedding and just use newspaper as it makes it easier to clean and if I decide to be lazy and feed my bp in her enclosure I don't have to worry about her ingesting any of the substrait. Thats one of the BIG concerns for me ever feeding in the tank with substrait.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

I agree with Yvonne.. Try offering him a mouse crawler/hopper next time. One that is absolutely no bigger around than your snake is. An adult mouse, or even a weaned juvie mouse is probably a bit too overwhelming for your new baby right now.

From the description you gave of how it fed, I have a feeling that it would be fairly simple to switch this snake to frozen thawed rodents that you just leave directly in front of the hide at night. I wouldn't attempt this until it has eaten at least a few more meals consistently for you but it would save you a lot if hassle in the long run.

[JungleCarpet81]

Aarhhh! You're SO funny! I was laughing just picturing the snake jumping and taking off! You sure have got talent for writing!

BTW, if you have trouble keeping your enclosure warm enough, you could find something to close up the top of your aquarium. A scren top will let all the heat AND humidity escape as quick as you generate it.
When shedding time comes,you'll appreciate to be able to keep a higher level of humidity without too much trouble.

Personally, I have a piece of Coroplast onto my screen top, with 2 shutter like flaps at one end, so I can regulate the humidity level, but anything sightier would do even better, like a piece of plastic film cut to size.


If that blue light is set on top of your screen, you might have to cut a hole in the plastic sheet and keep a 1in gap between the edge of the plastic film and the hot lamp. Or, if you close almost all your top screen, just leaving maybe 5% open for ventilation, you might find out that your UTH provides enough heat to maintain a proper T° level. And you wouldn't need to worry about the light stressing out your snake either. That's the option I'd try, personally.

You dont have to use anything to cover the top of the tank with to keep heat inside. if you get a bottle or anything else plastic (or one of those rat/mice igloos) and put some spagnum (sp) moss in it and spray it on occasion it will be nice and humid in there for the snake when its shedding time.

[Jenny_93]

And I have also read that If tHey eat dead mice it's also Hard to get there appetite to change to live mice so u might have checked if they fed it live or dead I'd advise feeding a real small Snake dead ones I have actually heard of the rats eating. The Snakes to