New here and thinking of getting this snake and tank

[instinct27]

For some odd reason I have been getting this immense drive to get a snake. I have been reading up and feel that a ball python might be a good way for me to start (please correct me if this assumption is flawed).

I found someone that needs to get rid of their snake so I contacted them, they sent me some pictures (below).

One thing that I noticed with my limited knowledge is that the snake shed it's skin in pieces. I'm guessing this is due to the lack of humidity in the tank. It is a 50 gallon so I am not sure if this is something that will take some work to get up to 40%-60%.

I feel like I am ready to take the plunge but would like to know what any of you might ask the previous owner. I have asked about general temperment, where she feeds the snake, any previous problems, etc. I didn't ask about the flooring (anyone know what that is?).

In any case, let me know what you guys think. Any/all comments will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[waltah!]

It's a nice tank setup, but it's pretty huge for a bp. The snake itself looks maybe a bit thin, but not too bad at all. (nothing a few rats won't fix) Is it just heated with overhead light? The substrate (flooring) looks to be reptile carpet. It's okay, but hard to keep clean. For a tank like that I would probably use aspen bedding.
I would ask what the snake has been eating (rats or mice, live or f/t) and how often it is eating. Not sure what they are charging, but they might be charging more for the tank than for the bp itself. The extra size in the cage can be okay if you fill it with fake plants and leaves. As long as the bp feels secure with lots of hide spots it should be fine. It's not easy maintaining humidity in a tank that large. You can cover most of the lid and mist around shed time. If you have a friend that knows snakes you may want to take them with you to check it out. You won't notice any issues unless you know what to look for.
Good luck and welcome to the site!

[instinct27]

Yes she did say that it is only heated from the overhead light. I will definitely use your advice and switch to a substrate and try to solve the humidity issue.

I did ask her about what/how she feeds the snake, she feeds it right in the enclosure and feeds f/t mice. I am not sure about how often but I will definitely try to find out about the snakes regular eating schedule and what might be abnormally normal for the snake.

Thanks a lot for the advice.

[Mindibun]

Take a very good look at the caresheet here if you haven't done so already. There are a lot of things wrong with that set-up, and it's silly to make the snake go through the stressful move if he's not being put into any better conditions. Your aim should be to help him, not hurt or hinder him so make sure you know what needs to be done to successfully keep ball pythons.

The snake seems to be in decent health, and the repti-carpet isn't THAT hard to clean. Aspen would be harder and less sanitary because you can't see where the snake has gone to the bathroom every time. I would recommend paper on the bottom. It's easiest to clean, and allows you to see anything that has come out of the snake's body.

[waltah!]

Sounds like you were asking good questions. Being on f/t is a good thing. The reason I asked about the overhead light is that they tend to dry out enclosures compared to undertank heaters. Many people use lights with success though. You can make a simple humid hide that the snake will naturally retreat to when it comes time to shed. Any closed in hide (plastic tupperware or rock type) with some damp moss or even paper towels will do the trick. You just have to mist and change out the paper towels more often to avoid bacteria build up. It's nice to see someone doing their homework before purchasing their first snake. Ball Pythons are my favorite snake, and I think you will really enjoy him/her
Most people use aspen because it looks nicer in setups like that one, although many people use it in rack systems as well. I use newspaper in my racks, but would go with aspen in a display type tank. Make sure to have digital thermostats and hygrometer to monitor everything properly. You can buy Accurite brand digitals at WalMart for under $13 that should do the trick. Don't fall for the analog stick on types that a pet store might recommend. Be sure to check the care sheets here for all of the important stuff.
I forgot, you may look into covering the rest of the back and sides with something dark to give a better sense of security for him.

[instinct27]

Well I picked everything up 3 days ago. I didn't want to further stress the snake out from the move so I just left it alone. He finally made his appearance out of his hide yesterday and was quite active throughout the night.

The former owners explained his activity was generally associated with hunger. Would it be acceptable for me to try and feed him perhaps tomorrow or should I wait more? I only ask because most have explained waiting at least a week or so before trying anything in order to make the transition easier on the snake.

[MONTY PYTHON FAN]

Well I picked everything up 3 days ago. I didn't want to further stress the snake out from the move so I just left it alone. He finally made his appearance out of his hide yesterday and was quite active throughout the night.

The former owners explained his activity was generally associated with hunger. Would it be acceptable for me to try and feed him perhaps tomorrow or should I wait more? I only ask because most have explained waiting at least a week or so before trying anything in order to make the transition easier on the snake.

Hi Gainesville..Go Gators! If the newbie is moving around actively seeking prey give it a go! Say hi to the Devils' Millhopper for me...

[starmom]

For some odd reason I have been getting this immense drive to get a snake....

I beleive this is called an 'addictive personality'!!!
Welcome to the club!!!!

[Somed00d]

Would it be acceptable for me to try and feed him perhaps tomorrow or should I wait more? I only ask because most have explained waiting at least a week or so before trying anything in order to make the transition easier on the snake.

Some snakes acclimate better than others. If he is not showing signs of stress like backing away from you or trying to strike at any movement I would try to feed him.