help :(

[liam]

hey,

im new to the site and to BP and to snakes.
i got this ball python about 1 week ago and i read as much stuff up on them as i possibly could. but i to be honest I have no clue what im doing.

ok let me start at the beginning. i go this lovly python from a america navy guy who was going to thow it into the sea in a weighted down bag. i saved its life.
i have always wanted a snake eveyr since i was 10 and this was a dream for me. but im having problems and im getting ready to rip my hair out.

it can with a fully furnished tank, whitch is made by a brand named - 'totto' and by the price tag on it it was not tht cheap '1200 dhs' whitch is about 3 dhs to 1 doller. anyway

it is refusing to eat, he/she is finding ways to nearly get out of the tank, its shy, and i generally feel a bit freaked to attempt a jump in and handle technuiqe..... i live the a coutry called the UAE, here there are no dealers that sell stuff for snakes only the snake so i cant buy anything for it on a decent level only crapppy things.

tank setup -

she is about the same lengh as the tank whitch is 2 foot, and about 40 cm high. i dont know exatly. i am aware that it needs to be bigger so my dad is going to build a decent one. i also have a bloody hot bulb tht i dont think is safe, this isn used to heat the tank.... in the daytime all the snake does is 'sleep' and at night it attempts to escape....


if u lot need pics to help me i will take a bunch and post them

i just really really need help. im starting to think i should have it 'put down' if u can do that. by a vet... cos i think that keeping animals when u dont know wht ur doing is wrong...

but its so beautiful that i don't want to give it up.

please help.

cheers,

liam

[Tammy]

first off, how kind of you to save the little guy. please read these forums, there is a wealth of knowledge on here on proper care for balls. i will not give yu any advice, beingnewmyself, but someone will be along shortly to help you thru your issues.

[liam]

cheer for the fast response... its 11.30 and night ehre i have school at 5 in the morning and im sat at my laptop thinking of the snake.... god i should bang my head against a wall till i sleep. :S

[darkangel]

I don't want to give out too much advice because I'm not that experienced either, but if you just got your snake a week ago, try not to handle him for a couple of weeks, at least until he starts eating. It's normal for him not to eat for a few weeks when adjusting to a new environment. As far as not being able to control your bulb, that is going to be a problem... You'll need a different way to heat your tank or a way to control how much power is going to the bulb, like a dimmer.

Your snake is nocturnal, which is probably why he appears to be sleeping during the day and active at night.

Can you post some pictures of your snake and the tank setup? This well help the members here help you.

And thank you for saving his life and having enough concern about his well-being to come here and ask the necessary questions. You did the right thing.

[liam]

cheers, you don't know how much someone saying that means to me lol.....

ill opost some tomoz, as i said its 11.40 here now and im more tired that a well i dunno... if my nieghbers find out i have a snake in the house i will be evicted :S

also i need some one that maybe is trying to get rid of all there old cage bits and bobs like hides... cos my interier is not tht good, and no shop sells anyhting... ok i have to try and get some sleep... i also am going to use the husbandary tank set out guide to heklp redo my tank tomoz.


ps -

instead of a bulb can i use some form of heat giving mat, and put it under the ground layer stuff... its actully my mums old 'pregnancy reliaf heat mat' untill i can find someway of grasping a heat mat made for snakeys.

[juddb]

First of all i think because the snake needs quick care and ball python's are head shy all together im gonna skip the tweeking a tank till its proper idea, i think you should get a rubbermaid/sterilite tub depending on the size of the snake(? how long , or how many grams is he) i would say 15 qt tub. You said you have a human heat pad, does it have a dimmer switch type deal on it? If so i have used these before for quarantine. Where ever you have to find one get a digital thermometer / hygrometer, at a lawn and garden section of any type of home improvement store you have there. And acouple hides ( very small hides so he can cram himself in there, he will feel super secure and safe this way. Also being that he will be in a tub humidity will not be an issue. Its not as cool looking as a big display tank. But if you really want whats best for him this is the way to go.

[juddb]

After you have him setup like this you can start ordering your real stuff from websites like reptiletubs.com, or reptilebasics.com. So would it be possible for you to post pics of him or her?

[casperca]

hey,

it is refusing to eat, he/she is finding ways to nearly get out of the tank, its shy, and i generally feel a bit freaked to attempt a jump in and handle technuiqe..... i live the a coutry called the UAE, here there are no dealers that sell stuff for snakes only the snake so i cant buy anything for it on a decent level only crapppy things.

Make sure that you aren't trying to feed it every day. You should only offer the prey item once a week. If it doesn't eat it within 20 minutes, it probably won't, so remove it and then wait a week. Do not handle the snake unless absolutely necessary until you get it on a feeding schedule.
tank setup -

she is about the same lengh as the tank whitch is 2 foot, and about 40 cm high. i dont know exatly. i am aware that it needs to be bigger so my dad is going to build a decent one. i also have a bloody hot bulb tht i dont think is safe, this isn used to heat the tank.... in the daytime all the snake does is 'sleep' and at night it attempts to escape....


I would not move the snake to a bigger tank. Ball pythons feel stressed when in large enclosures and this may only add to your problems with feeding. When the length of the snake equals the length + the width of your enclosure, then you can think about moving it up to a bigger size. Until then, the smaller enclosure is a good idea. To get the temperatures in the correct range, you must start by measuring them accurately. Get a thermometer that has a probe on it, the temperature on the floor in the hottest part of the enclosure should not exceed 94 degrees ferenheit ( you'll have to convert if you need to) and the air temperature in the coolest part of the enclosure should not be below 80 degrees ferenheit. You'll also want to get the humidity into the correct range ( 50-60 %). Someone mentioned the hides, which are also a necessity. This information is available as a sticky in the husbandry section of the forum. It would be a good idea to read that over.

if u lot need pics to help me i will take a bunch and post them

Yes, pics would be helpful!

i just really really need help. im starting to think i should have it 'put down' if u can do that. by a vet... cos i think that keeping animals when u dont know wht ur doing is wrong...

The people on this site are more than willing to help you through this initial trial period. You did a good thing by saving this snake, and we'll help you through this. Don't give up yet!

but its so beautiful that i don't want to give it up.

please help.

cheers,

liam

pics would be greatly appreciated, of the snake and of the enclosure.

[VesuviusVicki]

I am sort of new to this as well, but there are many helpful posters here so DON'T GIVE UP!

Did you read the caresheet?
http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules....warticle&id=59

Also FAQ: http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=30763

Also I know the pros always look at pictures and tell you ways to fix things, so you should probably start with that.

[liam]

2 things -

1) how do i post pics here, im not good at forums :S

2) i tried something new today... i turned off the stupied heat lamp and used a out of the way heat rock to heat the tank... its at currect heat and temputre... but the snake is more active also during the day.. :S