My Baby ball python is curled up into a ball outside his hide?

[Zeraxi]

I made a big mistake of holding him for like 10 minutes once he came. Im really scared. He isnt any of the hides i set for him, he is just curled up into a ball and he isnt moving at all. Should I be worried? The hot side is currently at 90 degrees and the cold one is at about 77 degrees. His head isnt inside of the ball, he is just in the middle of the tank, staring at me. Should i be worried? (I already love him to death and dont want to hurt him)

[spellbound04]

I made a big mistake of holding him for like 10 minutes once he came. Im really scared. He isnt any of the hides i set for him, he is just curled up into a ball and he isnt moving at all. Should I be worried? The hot side is currently at 90 degrees and the cold one is at about 77 degrees. His head isnt inside of the ball, he is just in the middle of the tank, staring at me. Should i be worried? (I already love him to death and dont want to hurt him)

Is this your first snake? Where did you purchase him from?

[Kcl]

Unless there's something more than what you've mentioned here, everything is OK.

Step 1 - calm down. Holding for him for a bit didn't hurt him. It's recommended not to hold them until they eat just so they destress. Briefly holding him before putting him in his new home isn't a big deal.
Step 2- walk away from his home. He's probably just curled in a ball to protect himself for now and won't want to move until he's alone and unobserved.
Step 3- Glance back at him in an hour or so. He'll probably have hidden himself.

[spellbound04]

Unless there's something more than what you've mentioned here, everything is OK.

Step 1 - calm down. Holding for him for a bit didn't hurt him. It's recommended not to hold them until they eat just so they destress. Briefly holding him before putting him in his new home isn't a big deal.
Step 2- walk away from his home. He's probably just curled in a ball to protect himself for now and won't want to move until he's alone and unobserved.
Step 3- Glance back at him in an hour or so. He'll probably have hidden himself.

I agree. I held mine for a while when I first got him (and I was scared too bc I knew it wasn't recommended) and he was fine) try leaving him alone so he can explore without being watched. He might be shy 😉

[Zeraxi]

Is this your first snake? Where did you purchase him from?

I got him from Snakes at Sunset yesterday.
He was exploring his enclosure all day yesterday (at night too). He went in every nook and cranny. He doesnt really look scared. I should probably not worry. He has his head out and looks like he is relaxing. Its been a while and he is in the same position. I cant really tell if he is stressed.

On another note. If i open a f-t mouse packet, and its cut in half (like a perfect cut), should i feed him the mouse?

[spellbound04]

I got him from Snakes at Sunset yesterday.
He was exploring his enclosure all day yesterday (at night too). He went in every nook and cranny. He doesnt really look scared. I should probably not worry. He has his head out and looks like he is relaxing. Its been a while and he is in the same position. I cant really tell if he is stressed.

On another note. If i open a f-t mouse packet, and its cut in half (like a perfect cut), should i feed him the mouse?

That's exactly what my guy did, he explored for a long time and then made his way over to his hide. Its possible he forgot where his hides are in his tank because he's not used to it. Its likely he's just observing everything. If he isn't tightly coiled or in and s-shape he probably isn't stressed. I've never seen a f-t mouse cut in half (I get mine from pet smart/co bc it's nearby, but maybe they do it like that where you purchase yours. Id make sure though. Hope this helps.

[Zeraxi]

That's exactly what my guy did, he explored for a long time and then made his way over to his hide. Its possible he forgot where his hides are in his tank because he's not used to it. Its likely he's just observing everything. If he isn't tightly coiled or in and s-shape he probably isn't stressed. I've never seen a f-t mouse cut in half (I get mine from pet smart/co bc it's nearby, but maybe they do it like that where you purchase yours. Id make sure though. Hope this helps.

I actually bought my f/t mice from petsmart as well. I bought 3 small mice and 1 medium (just incase the smalls r 2 small for him). I tried feeding him today, and oh god did the mouse smell disgusting. Like i've smelt dead mice before. But this one was another deal. Im pretty sure its because it was cut in half. I dont think thats what is supposed to happen. Ill see once i try to feed him in a week or so.

[Oxylepy]

Do not feed it to your snake. It will be a sloppy mess. Wait a week before offering food.

As for holding your snake, it is my RECOMMENDATION that you handle your snake when you first get it. Take pictures, hold your snake, enjoy it, love it. Hold ot as long as you want as long as you keep it at safe temperatures for it (if it's prolonged you want a fairly warm room). Take tons of pictures.

When you are done stressing your snake out for your own selfish reasons and have enough to remember your snake by in pictures and memories, put it in it's enclosure and completely ignore that it exists for a week. Then start feeding it. Continue ignoring it exists until it is consistantly eating (2-3 feedings it eats).

The logic is, you get everything out of your system, you have pictures of the snake, and have the memories. Then you give it a safe place to live, and reinforce that safety by not intruding. Then it starts getting food, and the safety of the enclosure as well as the food delivered to it should help make it comfortable. Then you just try to acclimate it to you until it feels comfortable with you.

(When I say ignore it exists, you definitely want to still spot clean and supply fresh water, just don't prolong doing those things, don't lift the hide it is using, and don't try to watch it)

[Zeraxi]

Do not feed it to your snake. It will be a sloppy mess. Wait a week before offering food.

As for holding your snake, it is my RECOMMENDATION that you handle your snake when you first get it. Take pictures, hold your snake, enjoy it, love it. Hold ot as long as you want as long as you keep it at safe temperatures for it (if it's prolonged you want a fairly warm room). Take tons of pictures.

When you are done stressing your snake out for your own selfish reasons and have enough to remember your snake by in pictures and memories, put it in it's enclosure and completely ignore that it exists for a week. Then start feeding it. Continue ignoring it exists until it is consistantly eating (2-3 feedings it eats).

The logic is, you get everything out of your system, you have pictures of the snake, and have the memories. Then you give it a safe place to live, and reinforce that safety by not intruding. Then it starts getting food, and the safety of the enclosure as well as the food delivered to it should help make it comfortable. Then you just try to acclimate it to you until it feels comfortable with you.

Step 1 done. I've handled it quite a bit when it first came. I took pictures too. The enclosure is in my room so i cant like "forget" about the snake. but ill just occasionally look at it. I dont think itll be too stressed as long as i dont touch the enclosure (aside from changing water daily) 3 weeks though... *cries*

[Oxylepy]

3 weeks though... *cries*

That's a minimum and assumes it eats consistantly. It might not and you may wait a couple months.

You're reaction to cry over the notion of waiting so long is exactly why I recommend people do all that when they get the snake. You'll keep thinking "oh, I should get another picture, see what color its belly is," and "oh, are its eyes green?"

You get one chance to - everything up and freak your snake out, and that is before it is introduced to its home. It is much harder to get the snake to feel safe if you keep disturbing it in what is supposed to be its safe place. So, I always tell people to do everything before they introduce the snake to it's home. You won't be able to get good pictures and handling again for almost a month, or more.