OK, I'm not going to go through the whole "I'm new with some questions" thing, but I am new here, and new to the wonderful world of ball pythons. I do however, have some unusual questions. I'll list them one at a time...

(snake's name is Nag, which anyone who remember's "Rikki-Tikki Tavi" will remember)

Let me start off by saying I got him from a guy in Baton Rouge end of January I think of this year, and he was almost dead when he arrived here. Winters in Minneapolis, MN can be unbearably cold. I was supposed to have 2 snakes, but due to the stupidity and ignorance of the guy I bought them from, when they arrived, one was dead and had been for several hours, and Nag was so close to death, snake-heaven was waiting for him to slither on in.

1. Nag has this "loose skin" thing going on...its like you can pinch it between your fingers like it doesn't fit him: like an outfit thats too big on him. I thought it might be dehydration or something but I'm really confused about it.

2. For some odd reason Nag seems to enjoy being upside down. As he moves around his cage, he has a tendency to flip his head/neck area over upside down and sit that way for a few minutes to an hour or so at a time. Is it normal for them to want to be upside down a lot? And if yes, why?

3. I have a humidity problem in the tank...I have to spray water in the tank several times a day to keep the humidity level up. For whatever reason, in Minnesota there is a lot of moisture, but in the winter, it gets so dry in the house we have a humidifier running constantly. I want to get an automatic mister for the tank, but I cant afford it yet. I dont know if I have my tank set up properly or what? I must be doing something wrong or it would be more humid in the tank than what it is currently.

(The tank is set up as follows...I have some reddish bark chips lining the tank. I have a water bowl big enough he can fit his whole body in it with plenty of room to spare. He has a half-log hidey-hole over a container with sphagnum moss in it, but the chips are covering the container. I thought that was what the guy in the pet store was telling me, but now I'm afraid I misunderstood what he was describing. I do believe I need to fix the tank set-up but dont know what to do with it.)

4. How important is it that the snake have a light/dark period every day? Basically, I was passing out I was so tired and forgot to turn his night lamp on so he had all night with the daylight lamp on. On a separate occasion, he was sunning himself on a branch I have in the tank, and he was sitting right under the lamp, so I didnt turn the night light on that time either. I guess I figured if he was sitting that close to the day lamp he was cold, so I let him stay under the lamp without changing it.

5. Is it unusual to have a nocturnal animal who is not only awake most of the day, but he is moving around a LOT? It seems to me like he is moving a lot during the day, and I swear he keeps looking for a way out the tank. He stretches his body up the sides of the tank like he is trying to get out, and then he falls over, moves to the next corner and tries again. He climbs up on his climing branch and tries to get out that way as well. I swear if he could talk, he would be saying "gotta get out gotta get out..." all day and most of the evening.

and one last question for now...

6. He has been eating well for the past several months I have had him, and all of a sudden he has decided that mousie isnt on his menu anymore. I know that they dont have to eat like a warm-blooded animal does, but what could be causing him to decide that for whatever reason he doesnt want to eat? Is it normal for them to be inconsistant in feeding habits?

Please forgive my long post and many questions, but It appears I dont know as much about ball pythons as I thought I did. *grin* I'm sure I have other questions that I cant think of right now, but maybe thats best...I've already taken up enought of yourtime, but I thank you in advance for any help/advice that anyone is willing to give me.

Many thanks in advance,
Wendy