My new Ball Python

[Jason Bowden]

I like the setup. If you hear your snake falling from time to time, lower the vine. The light will probably dry out the enclosure. Looks great! Keep us updated on any changes.

[RoyalGuardian]

I'm not sure about the soil you've got in there... its a great and beautiful setup but I think that 1) replacing the soil will get expensive and annoying 2) its a substrate that could be ingested and cause problems 3) its hard to treat if your snake gets mites.

[mrshawt]

I'm not sure about the soil you've got in there... its a great and beautiful setup but I think that 1) replacing the soil will get expensive and annoying 2) its a substrate that could be ingested and cause problems 3) its hard to treat if your snake gets mites.

He's already addressed that. He has it all planned out.
(That wasn't meant to come out rude, but a couple other people have brought it up and I think he's got a reasonable solution.)

[N1GHTRA1N]

Do any of you suggest using a infrared heat light. I've read a few things online suggesting these are a good source of heat for Ball Pythons. I don't think I need it but I want to be sure.

I've also considered continuing to use the daylight bulb I have but install it in a Exo Terra incandescent fixture that glows in the dark when the light is off to product a moon glow.

What do you think about any of these?

Right now the highest temp I've seen in any spot in the terrarium is 89 degrees, most places in the terrarium are around 81-84. The lowest I recorded was at 76 degrees in complete darkness. I borrowed a laser pointer infrared thermometer and it is pretty acurate. The snake was around 82 degrees.

[mrshawt]

Light isn't really necessary for a bp to grow. Plus, bulbs just dry out the tank. If you absolutely have to use them to raise the ambient temps then do it, but rule of thumb is to avoid them at all costs as they create more problems in the husbandry.

[N1GHTRA1N]

Light isn't really necessary for a bp to grow. Plus, bulbs just dry out the tank. If you absolutely have to use them to raise the ambient temps then do it, but rule of thumb is to avoid them at all costs as they create more problems in the husbandry.

Thanks. I've just ordered a Zilla Thermometer/Hygrometer digital unit. Once I get it all setup I'll determine if I need additional heating and I'm also going to compare a day with the current light I have versus one without the light on just too see if it makes a difference and if I can do without that one too.

I tried to feed him tonight but he didn't seem interested, I'm sure he is just getting use to his new home. I'm not going to handle him at all the next two days to get him more settled and then try to feed him again. I'm using a thawed fuzzy mouse, if he doesn't like it I may try a live one if I can get one.

He is crazy active today though, every time I leave the room for a while and come back 30-60 mins later he is in a new position. He's been hanging out on the vine for the past 2 hours or so. When I got home earlier today he was wrapped right around the new plant on the left side of my tank, pretty much at the top. I'm surprised he is into climbing so much. I was at the store I bought him at today looking for a digital meter and was told by the guy there that this snake loved climbing for the two days they had him before I bought him.

[mrshawt]

The Accurite might be a cheaper option for a therm/hygro. It's about $12, and can be found at Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. It has a probe, but also measures temps at the unit.

[N1GHTRA1N]

The Accurite might be a cheaper option for a therm/hygro. It's about $12, and can be found at Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. It has a probe, but also measures temps at the unit.

Already have it ordered. It was only $25 anyway so no big deal. It also has two probes, so I plan to use one on the warm side and one on the cool side.

[Lolo76]

Not a good space for a chameleon, they really need screen enclosures since they need the air flow. Glass terrariums are a bad idea for a chameleon. Sometimes the reflections of themselves in the glass can also cause them to be stressed.

I don't know anything about them, it was just a random thought... LOL.

[N1GHTRA1N]

Well I just successfully fed him for the first time. It was a bit of a battle though. He wouldn't eat a thawed out mouse, it didn't even interest him, no matter what I did. So I purchased a small mouse that was alive. He was very interested in the live prey and stuck it down (on the third strike) within a minute or so and began trying to eat it. The problem was that he tried swallowing it backwards and the legs were stuck on the outside of his jaws. He battled with this for well over an hour, twisting and turning and trying to swallow but it wasn't going anywhere. Everything when he let up a bit I was able to gently remove the mouse without harming the snake. I was very worried that this would mean he wouldn't eat now but once I held the mouse up head first and bounced him a little a few inches in front of the snake he struck and began to swallow. This time the entire mouse was swallowed in about 2 minutes.

The mouse wasn't as big around as the largest part of Duke's body so I heard that was the proper size but now that he had trouble swallowing I'm wondering if it was too big. I'm thinking it wasn't becuase I don't see any major bulges or anything in him, he only looks slightly fatter than before and most people wouldn't know he ate a mouse by looking at him.

Anyway I'm hoping everything is fine and he becomes a regular eater, but did I do the right thing removing the mouse and having him try again?

Thanks in advance.