Help New Ball Python Owner

[WildSnipez]

So 2 days ago I got myself a Female Pastel Baby Python according to the website she is 100-300 grams and her full length is half the zoomed 20 gallon snake tank.If someone can give a rough estimate in how old she is that would be appreciated. I done a lot of research before hand but there are question I still have. I am planning on getting a timer for my Lamp which is a 50 watt black light. I also have a under tank heater and in the day the war, side of the tank is 90 sometimes passing but I turn off the lamp when this happens. But what worries me is the night time. I turn off the lamp then to provide the python with the day and night experience. But I'm afraid it might get to cold at night should I turn it on at night? The Tempeture at night in the tank is 76-84 degrees. Also I have a hid in both sides of the tank a log on the warm side and a tree with a nice dark cave to hide on the cool side my snakes spend most if the day on the cool side of the tank is this good or no the cool side during the day is probably averaging 80 degrees. I want to get a thermostat controller that shuts of my heat sources once it gets to hot but the problem is they have proba that I have to stick inside and I have a screen top that slides open so if I stick the prob inside for sure it will escape if there is another product plz help me or else I might just keep close eye on tempeture. Next I also know that pythons like to hide most of the day due to being nocturnal and stress but is it ok if I look in and check on her I'm worried I will stress her out. Also she comes out at night although today I went out and looked at her for 10 secs and later went out and she went back to hiding. I know this is a lot but I still need more info. I'm gonna feed her in 1-2 days and there is a lot of different opinions. There's the I should feed it outside its cage so it doesn't swallow aspen which I know they can digest but I am not willing to take the risk of it choking and dying but the problem with that is I can't leave it in another container for 2 days but I'm afraid to pick up the container or it and setting it in its tank due it it being stress and might throw up is there any soulutions to this like a way to transfer it from the container to cage or making the cage safe so it does not swallow aspen by mistake anything Except changing the bedding I'm sorry for writing so much but it's my first time in the site plz help if anyone can.

[Craiga 01453]

Hi, welcome to the forum and congrats on your new snake.

I'll help clear a few things up for you...

Getting an accurate age is really difficult, based on so many variables. Some hatch smaller than others, some don't start eating right away while others eat like pigs from day one, some are "maintenance" fed, etc...

There is no need for a timer for your light. BPs don't require a day/night light cycle. They actually prefer dark and extended periods of light can lead to a stressed snake. If your light is your primary heat source, just stick to dark purple bulbs or consider a CHE (ceramic heat emitter).

You'll probably have better luck getting two identical cave style hides, one for each end. BPs are finicky and will often choose one hide over the other for security and sacrifice proper temps because they feel more safe in the other hide if the hides aren't identical. The trees and log hides are unfortunately not the best choice for snakes.

When you say "probably averaging 80 degrees" it tells me you need to get things dialed in more accurately. Setting up a thermostat is 100% your best bet to stabilize your heat.

Are you only heating with the lamp or are you also using an Under Tank Heater (UTH)? ALL UTHs MUST be regulated by a thermostat to prevent serious burns to your snake, or worse....

As for feeding, it is 100% counter productive to feed in a separate feeding tank. Feed inside your snakes enclosure. If you're worried about substrate being ingested set down a few paper towels or paper plates, or even a small piece of cardboard.
Moving the snake prior to feeding causes stress. This may lead to food refusals. IF the snake eats, then you still need to move it back into it's enclosure. Now you're risking regurgitation, or being bitten. A snake will often remain in feed mode for hours and sometimes longer after eating, which makes moving the snake back to it's enclosure dangerous and not worth it.
Feed INSIDE her enclosure.

I would advise reading the stickies in the husbandry forum and focusing on getting your husbandry correct.

Are you using a UTH? Is it regulated?
What are you using to measure temps and humidity? Where are you measuring your temps?
Maybe show us some pics of your setup and enclosure??

The more you tell us the more we can help you...

[WildSnipez]

Hi, welcome to the forum and congrats on your new snake.

I'll help clear a few things up for you...

Getting an accurate age is really difficult, based on so many variables. Some hatch smaller than others, some don't start eating right away while others eat like pigs from day one, some are "maintenance" fed, etc...

There is no need for a timer for your light. BPs don't require a day/night light cycle. They actually prefer dark and extended periods of light can lead to a stressed snake. If your light is your primary heat source, just stick to dark purple bulbs or consider a CHE (ceramic heat emitter).

You'll probably have better luck getting two identical cave style hides, one for each end. BPs are finicky and will often choose one hide over the other for security and sacrifice proper temps because they feel more safe in the other hide if the hides aren't identical. The trees and log hides are unfortunately not the best choice for snakes.

When you say "probably averaging 80 degrees" it tells me you need to get things dialed in more accurately. Setting up a thermostat is 100% your best bet to stabilize your heat.

Are you only heating with the lamp or are you also using an Under Tank Heater (UTH)? ALL UTHs MUST be regulated by a thermostat to prevent serious burns to your snake, or worse....

As for feeding, it is 100% counter productive to feed in a separate feeding tank. Feed inside your snakes enclosure. If you're worried about substrate being ingested set down a few paper towels or paper plates, or even a small piece of cardboard.
Moving the snake prior to feeding causes stress. This may lead to food refusals. IF the snake eats, then you still need to move it back into it's enclosure. Now you're risking regurgitation, or being bitten. A snake will often remain in feed mode for hours and sometimes longer after eating, which makes moving the snake back to it's enclosure dangerous and not worth it.
Feed INSIDE her enclosure.

I would advise reading the stickies in the husbandry forum and focusing on getting your husbandry correct.

Are you using a UTH? Is it regulated?
What are you using to measure temps and humidity? Where are you measuring your temps?
Maybe show us some pics of your setup and enclosure??

The more you tell us the more we can help you...

Thank you for the fats response I will set down a paper towel when I feed it as for the UTH I use both lamp and UTH I check I often on temperature and turn off lamp if needed I might only use UTh now but the problem is I need to increase heat of the heat pad I want to get a zilla rheostat the one that controls temp and shuts off if it gets to hot but the problem is I have a screen top that slides and if I place the probe that means there will be a place for the python to get out which is a problem so I'm kind of stuck right now I don't know what to do

[Craiga 01453]

Thank you for the fats response I will set down a paper towel when I feed it as for the UTH I use both lamp and UTH I check I often on temperature and turn off lamp if needed I might only use UTh now but the problem is I need to increase heat of the heat pad I want to get a zilla rheostat the one that controls temp and shuts off if it gets to hot but the problem is I have a screen top that slides and if I place the probe that means there will be a place for the python to get out which is a problem so I'm kind of stuck right now I don't know what to do

Have you read the stickies on how to set up a 20 gallon glass enclosure? It tells you exactly what to do. If you follow what it says you will have success.
The tstat probe goes outside the enclosure, between the UTH and the glass. That solves the screen top issue...

Ok, so if you're running a UTH without a thermostat unplug it ASAP. Those heat mats can spike to temps as high as 120 and can seriously burn your snake, or even worse...
Stick to just the lamp until you get a thermostat.

Also, I'm guessing you bought the 20 gallon setup with "everything included"? If so, unfortunately, some of it is useless. If you have the dial style analog stick-on thermometer/hygrometer it is junk. They are inaccurate up to 20% A good Accurite digital thermometer/hygrometer is about $10 at Walmart.

If I were you I would read the stickies on setup and basically start from scratch. You're in a great place to learn and we are happy to help.

Also, what type/size prey are you planning on offering in a day or two?

[WildSnipez]

Ok but the the thing is the glass separates the heater form the inside I'm afraid that the sticking it between the uth and glass on outside will make it inaccurate as for the thermometer I will get on if those digital laser pint ones where u point at a place and it tells u the temp I am going to feed it small mices from the company artic mice the mouse just from eyeballing it looks no bigger then the largest part of my python maybe like .3 inches more in width and I will take ur advice about the notes but I don't know how to get there I'm still new to this site. I'm also going to get a dark cave for my python do u have any suggestions I'm going to replace the log but the tree one basically looks like a tree on the outside and has a entrance and on the inside is dark and hollow to the point of my snakes stays on the inside I can't see it unless it goes to the middle

[Craiga 01453]

The probe is supposed to be between the glass (outside) and the UTH. This tells the UTH when to raise/lower it's temps. Once you have that dialed in (it takes a little time, trial and error) the thermostat basically does the work for you. The UTH is ONLY to provide a hot spot, not for ambient temps. This is where your heat lamp comes in to play. The heat lamp will be there for ambient temps. As you have it now, it runs full blast the entire time it's on. So, as room temps rise and fall, so will your enclosure temps. Setting the lamp on a thermostat allows you to se the temp and the tstat will do the rest.

Once you have it set up correctly, you just monitor it to make sure it's not malfunctioning.

If you search in the search bar for 20 gallon glass setup its right at the top of the list

[tttaylorrr]

here's the link (: please read through it carefully and make the proper adjustments.

[Craiga 01453]

here's the link (: please read through it carefully and make the proper adjustments.

Thanks! One of these days I'll learn to add a link

[tttaylorrr]

Thanks! One of these days I'll learn to add a link

half the time i forget we have sticked threads entirely lol

[WildSnipez]

Ok so I just set up the thermostat for the heat pad and I have a digital thermometer to measure it it is a consistent 90.6 Fahrenheit also got two identical caves that is dark and hidden. It still likes to hide in the cool side though but I guess at night it could go to the warm side if it feels necessary.

Ok but 2 days ago I tried feeding it but it wouldn't eat I wiggled it with tongs in front of it and also left it there for a while. Ima try tomorrow to feed it again so I was just hoping for help. I got the frozen mice and put it in a ziplock back proceeding to put it in a plastic box filled with the warm sink water. I let it thaw for an hour. And the breeders I contacted to make sure what it ate they said I got the right ines and it ate frozen which was good for me. But I'm worry it would still not eat. It's been well over a week now since they fed it so I was wondering am I doing anything wrong. Also it likes to be in its cave for all day so when I feed it do I wiggle it in front of the cave or just leave it there until it comes out because I don't want it to be stress out hence why I did not feed it today because I had to remove it for a while to set the thermostat up so I'm giving a day to relax. if I leave it there will it get rotten?