New Ball Python Roaming

[Caali]

Hi,
I just got my very first ball python about 24 hours ago. He was born at the beginning of March and weighs about 100 grams.
Right now he isn't in the terrarium I have but in the quarantine box (70cm x 40cm x 40cm = 27" x 15" 15") I bought for him. He has a warm spot which is at about 32ºC (about 90ºF) and a colder side which is at about 27ºC (81ºF). The temperature stays the same night and day. But the humidity changes. During the day it was at about 55%-60% and at night at about 62%-68%.
He has a hide on the cooler and another one on the warmer side as well as a small water bowl. After about two hours of exploring after I got him he went into the hide on the cooler side and was not to be seen again. His breeder told me the last time she fed him (she fed him adult mice) was last week. So he would normally still have to eat this week.
So here's what concerns me a bit: He's been trying to escape all night and even managed to do so because the lid was not fully closed (it now is) since I wasn't sleeping and didn't know he was up (he woke up at about 1 am and now it is 6 am (in my country)). I was wondering whether he is just exploring, hungry, or just simple stressed because everything is new. Maybe his quarantine box is too big for him?
I have an appointment for him at the vet's next Monday and the vet said I should not feed him but I worried that he is searching for food.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[Jeanne]

Why exactly have You made a vet appointment?

It sounds like you need to leave it alone awhile an let it settle in. Its only been w you 24hrs.. you need to not handle till its had a few meals w you. And I wld wait at least a week before trying to feed.... the movement you are seeing is likely its exploring the new environment and/or its stressed from the change..

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[tttaylorrr]

Why exactly have You made a vet appointment?

It sounds like you need to leave it alone awhile an let it settle in. Its only been w you 24hrs.. you need to not handle till its had a few meals w you. And I wld wait at least a week before trying to feed.... the movement you are seeing is likely its exploring the new environment and/or its stressed from the change..

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^^^^^^^^^^^^

[redshepherd]

I'd cancel the vet appointment- there's really no reason for snakes to go to the vet unless something is already wrong/they are already sick. Vet trips or any outdoor trips are just going to stress them more.

Just leave him alone for maybe 4~5 days, no handling, and offer food next week. If you offer food too early and while he's still settling, he has a less chance of taking the food too. His behavior seems totally normal for being in a new place for one day.

[Caali]

Thank you for the answers. They helped me. I think a got a bit scared because I read all these threads online which said roaming is due to bad husbandry or hunger.
I haven't handled him yet. I only put him in his cage (when he arrived and when he escaped) and I actually don't plan on handling him very often.
Right now he is sleeping anyway (he went to sleep about 20 minutes ago).
And concerning the appointment:
I've read a few books before buying this little ball python and all of them said to do about 2 faecal inspections (if that's the correct english term for it). And within his first hours I had a sample. I called to the (reptile-)vet and he told me to bring it and the whole animal. That way he could do a whole inspection. It'd be wiser and since I was a bit flustered I just agreed. That's why I have an appointment but I might cancel since I feel like there is not really a reason to go other than that he might weigh a little too less in which case the vet wouldn't be able to do a lot either.

[redshepherd]

He is small, but it'll be fine once he starts eating next week.

I don't know which books say to always do a fecal, but I'm assuming they mean wild caught ball pythons, to check for parasites. If your BP is captive born and bred, there's no reason to do it unless he already has unusual poop/acting weird.

[Caali]

I don't know which books say to always do a fecal, but I'm assuming they mean wild caught ball pythons, to check for parasites. If your BP is captive born and bred, there's no reason to do it unless he already has unusual poop/acting weird.

It's not in English but I'll try to translate it: "Samples of feces for an inspection, which you should do regularly even with healthy looking snakes and most certainly with new ones, are to be brought as fresh as possible."
This is what one of the vet websites says as an advice for new snake owners but you'll also get this advice in many of the forums here in my country. The general advice is: "Quarantine a new sake for at least four to six weeks (if you have a snake already, you should quarantine for at least 3 months), check for snake mites, do at least two fecal inspections, feed your snake at least 4 times and then you can end your quarantine."

[Craiga 01453]

Welcome, and congrats on your first BP.

Yes, your BP is probably just checking things out and getting acclimated to his new surroundings. Probably a combo of exploring and stressing from all the change. Nothing to be worried about. If your BP starts exploring all day/night then it is time to make some husbandry changes.

I agree with the others who have said cancel the appointment. The less moving of the snake the better for your snake.
Also, I would agree with redshepherd that the fecal is suggested for wild-caught animals. It almost sounds like the vet was telling you to bring the animal because the vet is running a business. Vet visits = money to the vet, and yes, unfortunately, many vets think business minded before what's actually best for the animal.

Let your BP get settled in, leave it alone to get acclimated and feed on his normal schedule and you should both be fine.

Good luck, we're here when/if you have more questions. Keep us posted!

Oh, and make sure that enclosure is SECURE!!!! They are sneakier than you think, stronger than you might think, can fit through smaller openings than you may think and WILL escape if they can.
We don't want to see your next thread as one of the many "missing snake" threads.