Questions on new ball python

[akidnamedchad]

I got a new ball python last night. It is a little over a foot long. The original owner told me he is healthy and moves around alot. I have him in the SAME exact cage and setup. He has a heating pad on the bottom of the tank.

Here is the problem I am seeing. The snake does not seem to move at all. he has not changed his position from where i originally put him. He seems slow. When i did pick him up originally he seemed kinda out of it. Could this be a heat problem?

Also i thought maybe he is hungry but from research on here i see that you should wait to feed the snake for a week. My buddy also told me to wait atleast a week.

I dont know what i should do.

I am going to go pick up a thermometer to check the heat. I had bearded dragons before and used a heat lamp to heat them and their cage. Its cheaper than the ceramic ones and i was wondering if that is ok or should i just get the ceramic one?

Any comments would help and thank you ahead of time.

[Kaorte]

!!!!!
Sounds like your snake is stressed, which is pretty normal for a new snake. Although the previous owner saying that it moved around a lot concerns me and leads me to believe that the set up is off. Ball pythons are shy and secretive animals and they hide 90% of the time. They don't really move much at all.

Go get an accurite weather station from the home depot, lowes, or walmart. This is the best thermometer/hygrometer combo for the money ($11).

Can you take a picture of your setup? That can help us determine what you can fix to make your snake happy and healthy.

[Reptile King]

When you say he hasn't moved or changed positions do mean that he is hiding all the time? If he is hiding all the time during the day then that is typical. It is crucial that you have a thermometer to check the temperature of your snakes hot spot! Ideally you are wanting around 90 degrees F. Can you post a picture of your setup? That would help a lot. As far as feeding goes it is good to wait a week so your new friend can adjust to his new enviornment. Some will eat right away and some won't. It just depends on your ball python.

[akidnamedchad]

well it doesnt matter anymore. I went to check on him and he was died. I think the seller knew he was dying and thats why sold it but he said i could have my money back. thanks for your help guys.

[WingedWolfPsion]

Unless the heat mat was over 100 degrees and covered the entire bottom of the cage so the snake couldn't escape, or your room is 50 degrees and the UTH wasn't working at all, I would guess that your analysis of the situation is correct, and the snake was unwell when you got it.

Did you purchase it locally, or was it shipped? If it was shipped without a heat pack, that might explain it too, it's been pretty chilly some places.

[Dianna]

Oh wow... that's horrible! I'm sorry for your loss What kind of person sells a snake showing signs of illness.. Not cool at all. Definitely make sure to get every penny back from this person.

If I were you, I would continue to tweak the set up until you're confident it's perfect, and then purchase a snake from a breeder with a good reputation. If you're looking for a normal BP, they are very, very affordable even including the cost of shipping. From what I've seen thus far, breeders will sell them for less than most pet stores.