Very Concerned - New To BPs and Need Help

[ColdBloodKate]

Hi there!

I am brand new to BPs. A few weeks ago, I purchased a very healthy 3 year old female. She looks amazing.

Yesterday, I found an ad online for a free male that someone was moving and no longer wanted. The person claimed he was 6 years old and only eating hoppers every 3 weeks. Apparently he was extremely picky. I was concerned but decided to check him out.

As soon as I arrived, I could see he was tiny. It wasn't until I got home where I could really see how small he was. I can't pick him up because she fed him just before I arrived to see him (grrr). I've included pictures. I am concerned he is extremely underweight or she lied about his age. I suspect he may just be a hatchling she became bored of. I am running out to Walmart today to pick up a scale, and to buy a new heat mat. She had him with a heat lamp and a mat, but I found the mat getting extremely hot and the bulb seems faulty (keeps flickering).

If anyone has any opinions on his age/size, any suggestions for what I should do, or maybe if I am over-reacting, please let me know. I am new to this so trying my best. I hope I don't sound like an idiot! I really love this guy and will do ANYTHING to make him better.

[chrid16371]

It's hard to tell age but 6 years old doesn't seem right,maybe they meant 6 months? Just feed him the appropriate size prey once a week, 3 weeks for a meal at his size isn't right.

Make sure you get heat mats made for reptiles and thermostats to regulate the temp properly so the snakes don't get burned. When you take the temp of a heat mat you want to take the temp under the substrate (bedding) on top of where heat mat is heating and it should not be over 94. To take the temps properly you need a ir temp gun or a digital thermometer with probe and like I said take temps under substrate bc heat mats don't raise air temp and if they are heating the air they are way to hot.

I just see this is your first post and not using thermostats and checking temp in the wrong place with wrong equipment is a common problem. Make sure you read this care sheet and ask any questions.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet



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[Greensleeves001]

I'd guess about six months.

[m1lkhoney]

Mine is nearly two years old and not much bigger. (He eats once a week for now.) They basically kept him in the dark with no heat and never fed him. :/ People are very surprised when they learn how old he is. I can't imagine how a snake six YEARS old could be that size and still alive?

Agreed. Maybe they meant six months...

[wolfy-hound]

Make sure you have some sort of thermostat to regulate the heat.

IF he is really 6 years old, and it's possible, then he's just been getting enough food to survive but not grow. Once you start feeding him properly in a properly set up enclosure, he will most likely grow like a weed. They are remarkably hardy.

[ColdBloodKate]

I want to thank you all for your quick replies. I kept checking back throughout the day.

I took a trip the pet store today to pick up supplies, and the wonderful breeder of my healthy female (who happens to work there) was in. He asked me to bring the little guy in.

Amazing breeder guy looked him over completely, checked him out for me and sexed him - definitely a male.

Anyways, he said he is certainly not older than a year. (I also was thinking he was six months) I sent a text to the lady I took him from, as well as an email, regarding his age - but she has yet to respond. He said that my boy is definitely dehydrated, recommended lukewarm baths for the next few weeks and for his size, fuzzy rats. Needs to up his feedings to once per week, so I will make sure that happens. Hoping after a few feeds he is able to move up to pups and so on. He said to come in with any other help I may need, or send him a message.

So, good news. After a nice lukewarm bath tonight, he drank a bit of the water and seems more energetic. I've put him into a smaller tank and I can already see a difference. He is curious and exploring a bit. Yesterday, he had no interest in doing anything except hiding.

Awesome breeder guy is confident I will be able to get this little guy healthy and beefy in no time, its nice to have that reassurance! Thank you again for your advice. I have ordered 2 Hydrofarm thermostats so they should be here next week. Until then, I am home almost all day so I will keep close watch on the temps inside the tanks.