Help with baby? no flames please

[gsx2ts4u]

Hello everyone. I am new..

Heres a little back round.

My brother has FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome) I adopted him and take care of him, even though he is older then i am.

Well twice a month he goes to a group for disabled adults, its kinda like play time for disabled people.

Anyways we dropped him off like normal, and when we go to pick him up, he has a baby ball python, I guess one of the mothers thought it would be a good idea to give away her baby pythons?

Well I always wanted a snake, my mom had a boa when I was growing up, but I never got too involved with it, because she wouldn't let me.

So after the initial shock and rage wore of that this A**hat of a women was just handing out baby snakes to whoever, not knowing if they could care for them. I googled and stuff, got him a 20 gallon tank, heating pads and a heat lamp, and a hideaway. bathing pool and water dish.

Hes pretty tiny, and she never told my brother the last time the snake ate, just that he ate frozen pinkies, well I got some of those, took him out to eat, and nothing, he just plows over it to investigate stuff.

The thickest part of him seems to be as thick as my thumb so I am guessing a pinkie a week isn't enough for him? maybe he should be on fuzzies? will feeding live tempt him more to eat?


Please don't flame the ?s, I know people who are not ready for a snake shouldn't have a snake, but we are eager to learn, and willing to do what we have to do.


I do think he is pooping, its not really a poop looking thing though, just brown streaks on the flooring of his tank.

Here is a picture of Juno the snake.

[JLC]

Nah...no flames here!

Looks like a really pretty little baby based on what we can see in the picture. I think a hopper-sized mouse would be good. A pinky is definitely too small.

After the trauma it has been through being transported however this person transported them...handed around to strangers...carried home to your house....put into a new home eventually.....he may not eat for awhile.

Check out our caresheet:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules....warticle&id=52

Make sure your temps are stable and well controlled (don't want any burned bellies!)....and then just leave him alone for at least a week. Then try feeding again. If he refuses...give him another week of alone-time before trying again.

Good luck! And don't hesitate to share more pics and ask as many questions as you need to to get comfortable with it all.

[dr del]

Hi,

Well lets see if we can help you get things set up for the lil guy.

Have a look at our caresheet - it should give you some good ideas and possibly help refine any questions you have as well.

I would get the enclosure dialed in right before worrying about the feeding as long as he is not losing a lot of weight or anything like that - it shouldn't take long.

Pay particular attention to the line about getting a good digital thermometer with probe as that is going to be the most important tool in getting everything set right.

It's also important to make sure the heatmat isn't getting too warm at the moment as they can get burned with some makes uncontrolled.

**edit**

Lol Judy types faster than I do

**end edit**


dr del

[Damon Theis]

I didn't know anything about snakes when I got my first one either.
You are already pointed in the right direction. Be patient with feeding.

[anendeloflorien]

You don't have to worry about people "flaming" you lol. Not around here. You rescued the little guy! I agree with Judy, he'll probably need some time to settle in and get comfortable before he will eat for you. In the mean time just make sure that you read and follow the advice on the care sheets available and do a little browsing around this site!

He's in good hands now

[RoyalGuardian]

Welcome to ball Python Parenting! This site is awesome for you to learn and grow! I would say that if your ball was actually pooping you would know... they look like little logs and smell! Snakes poop and they have urates which look like little white hardish blobs sometimes they are yellow and have liquid with it that smells of ammonia.

[gsx2ts4u]

just so you know when I click on both of your links it tells me invalid article, I will look around and find it though thanks a bunch for welcoming me and for not yelling at me for keeping him lol.

I am super nervous now about the temperature.. if i mess it up is he going to croak on me? I hope not, hes super cute.

On one side we have the heat lamp on medium and its shining down on the cage, not in it, the temp gauge says 85 and the other side the sticky thermometer says 79.. is that way too low for him?

also he won't go into his hideout, he is like, underneath his substrate.. is that normal?

i hope you don't mind the ?s You all rock

[anendeloflorien]

just so you know when I click on both of your links it tells me invalid article, I will look around and find it though thanks a bunch for welcoming me and for not yelling at me for keeping him lol.

I am super nervous now about the temperature.. if i mess it up is he going to croak on me? I hope not, hes super cute.

On one side we have the heat lamp on medium and its shining down on the cage, not in it, the temp gauge says 85 and the other side the sticky thermometer says 79.. is that way too low for him?

also he won't go into his hideout, he is like, underneath his substrate.. is that normal?

i hope you don't mind the ?s You all rock

85 is on the low side of what you'd want the warm side to be at. What kind of thermometer are you using? Like was said before one of the best tools you can have is a digital thermometer/hygrometer with a probe. You can usually find the Accurite brand at Wal-mart for 10-12 dollars and they work great.
He may just be under the substrate because he is still feeling insecure and learning his way around his new environment plus it might let him get closer to the under tank heater.

You normally want the warm side temps to be between 91-93 and cool side temps between 80 and 85.

[JLC]

Oops! Sorry about the link...I need to update my bookmarks. Try this one:

http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules....warticle&id=59

BP's are hardy little critters, so he'll be OK while you get the temps dialed in. Our biggest concern is an unregulated heating mat getting too hot and burning their belly. A simple rheostat (dimmer switch) that you would plug a table-lamp into will work to control a mat until you can get a reliable thermostat.

No worries about the hide. It can take them several days to explore their new home and figure out that the sweet little cave isn't going to be claimed by a critter with bigger teeth. And some snakes just like to curl up under paper, no matter how nice their hides are.

[gsx2ts4u]

sweet I will be headed to walmart tomorrow for a new therometer.

I think he will be ok tonight, i did move the tank and feel under it, and it just feels warm, not hot, not even super warm. I am wondering if the mat is giving out enough heat?

anyways Thanks a bunch for all the info and here is another picture of the new baby as a thank you!
Juno


sorry the pictures are dark, i am using my blackberry lol



Hes way cooler then my dogs, thats for sure.