Hey.

[SheldonTheBananaBall]

Hi all,
Just an introduction to myself, I'm a new ball python pet owner. I have a 3 year old, male banana ball python, named Sheldon. I got him from a local breeder about two weeks ago and he seems to be doing well, all apart from two (what seem) minor issues. He was fed the day before we collected him but hasn't fed since and the breeder told us he was a regular eater. He shed the night after we got him and it was a partial shed due to him having shed the night before we picked him up. He is 4ft long and a healthy weight of 1.35kg. Before I got him he was living in a rack system as he was previously being used as a breeder of females but I have transferred him into a 3ft by 1ft vivarium. He seems to enjoy being handled, never tries to get away or ball up and will happily sit and explore his surroundings. Is the feeding an issue or will he just be adjusting to his new surroundings? The other issue is two days ago I noticed some redness under is scales on the side of his body in patches (see photos on my gallery). He has none on his under belly but his belly scales near the lower part of his body are a little pink but not very noticeable. He doesn't seem affected by this and is acting as I would expect.
I researched python ownership for a while now before getting him but am I just overreacting to small things?
Thanks very much in advance,
Luci

[SheldonTheBananaBall]

[SheldonTheBananaBall]

He doesn't have any mites I have checked thoroughly. Also his vivarium temperatures and humidity are all within suggested ranges. The only main change between his old tray and vivarium (apart from the size) is he was on paper towels in the tray and now he is on coconut husk.

[Bogertophis]

For a 3 year old BP that you've had only 2 weeks & that was in shed when you got him, his dis-interest in feeding for you sounds perfectly normal.
His entire world was just up-ended...he's in a new home, & even though he cannot show it, this is pretty scary & unsettling for him. For a mature snake not to
eat for the first 2-3 weeks means very little...these are also snakes that are known for periods of fasting even when nothing has changed for them, so not to
worry....BUT, when you say "he hasn't fed since" it makes me wonder how often you've tried to feed him? FYI, when a snake refuses, you should not offer food
again for at least another week or two (offering too often only adds to their stress). As an adult snake (of what I assume is normal weight?) he's in no danger
of "starving" anyway.

You might try adding privacy to his new home by covering some sides. He may feel far more "exposed" in this type enclosure compared to being in a rack before.

Does he have hides? One cool side & one warm side...and does he use them? If not, they may be unsuitable for some reason (like too big or too "open") & with
some modifications will help him feel secure & settle in faster.

Even though he seems docile & "fine" with handling, it's best to NOT handle a new snake until AFTER it is feeding for you, at least 3 times and at normal intervals.
Stress can make a snake refuse food, & if they refuse for too long, it can affect their immune system & then you have a sick snake...ok?

You didn't mention info about his new home either: temperatures (warm & cool side)? kind of heat? how it's regulated? how you're taking the temperatures? etc.

It's hard to see much redness in your photos, but redness can be caused by several things:
it's normal (esp. on belly) pre-shed, it can be from pushing on cage furnishings (essentially they can get bruises), or it can be a "burn" from temperatures over 90*
that they've contacted in their cage...burns are serious, plus they HURT, so it's essential that you double check your cage temps A.S.A.P. and fix them if need be.

[Bogertophis]

He doesn't have any mites I have checked thoroughly. Also his vivarium temperatures and humidity are all within suggested ranges. The only main change between his old tray and vivarium (apart from the size) is he was on paper towels in the tray and now he is on coconut husk.

Better he be on white paper towels for a while, since mites can take a while to show up (eggs hatch out), and they can hide & overwhelm him if they have coconut fiber or similar substrates to hide in. They reproduce exponentially...never under-estimate mites. I'm glad you don't see any right now, but you cannot judge this so quickly, sorry.

[Bogertophis]

Those red marks show up much better in above pics, thanks...and they appear to be from him scrunching thru a tight opening...they look to me like his scales got
folded backwards. No skin is broken so just give it some time & see....they should diminish & go away on their own. If not, or if they get worse, that's another
matter & may need a vet. These sort of marks are probably fairly common, but those with normal (color) BPs just don't see them most of the time: your snake is
light in color, so anything like this will show up.

[SheldonTheBananaBall]

Hi Bogertophis
Thanks for the reply .. Thanks for the feeding reasurance .. When i say "Not fed since" I mean the breeder fed him the night before we collected and suggested we try after a week so waited a week and he didnt take the food (Frozen Thawed Rat Weaner) After he didnt strike i left it in the viv for 2 hrs with a towel over the glass.. Then removed and disposed of it ... that was a week ago and wasnt sure when to next try ..

His Vivarium is a wooden type with solid top, bottom, sides and back with a sliding glass front.

He has 2 hides one on each end of the tank, there is a false bottom where i have put a heat mat under so its not directly on him... and the temperature under his hide in the "hot end" is 90* F and under his cool side hide it is 77* F... and temperatures are taken with a lazer hand gun thermometer.

He uses both of his hides during the day and tends to come out to "stretch his scales" at 9pm regularly...

I have not handled him for 2 days now incase this was the issue with feeding .. Last time he came out was when i noticed the red marks ..

I hope this gives you a better insite to his husbandry...

Thanks
Tim

[SheldonTheBananaBall]

Hi again ....
I will put him back on Paper towels this evening then and see how that goes ...
Thanks for your help and advice, will take all your comments and suggestions on board
Im glad to hear the red marks may not be as serious as i first thought...

Tim

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Adults in general are more prone to going of feed when subjected to a change husbandry/environment and at this size it could last 6 months to a year.

So you can either be patient and let it be.

Or emulate it's previous husbandry to see if it helps with feeding.

[SheldonTheBananaBall]

Hi Stuart,
Thanks for the reply ... I will see how it goes for a couple of months and then if he still wont feed i will try him back in his rack tray as the breeder gave it to me to transport him

Luci