For those of you not familar with me...

I have recently become the owner of a 4.5ft, 5 year old female Ball Python named Delilah. I got her for free, due to the science teacher at the elementary school I worked at, suddenly leaving his position, and the principal deciding (probably still pissed off at the science teacher as he breached his contract) that she did not want the snake anywhere on school grounds anymore. I was planning on getting a corn snake, but when it came up I could get a free ball python, cage and all I scooped her up in a second.

The poor dear had not been tended to all summer and was left in the empty classroom, meaning 3 months of no care. She was not fed, her water was never changed and was almost empty, and she had a major retained shed. The filth of her tank was horrendous too. I cleaned out everything properly, added lots of new things in her enclosure including 2 hide boxes, a tank heater, a larger water tub. I read up and researched as much info as I could. I soaked her in warm water in an attempt to help with the shed. I have been feeding her 2 small rats every 2 weeks to get her back up to size. I think I am at the point where I can fed her a small rat weekly.

She has been quite easy to please, and she is the nicest snake. Great personality, very docile, despite what she’s been through. She recently had her first shed with me, and had a clean shed from her neck down. Eventually she got the rest off her head on her own and the eyecaps came of cleanly too. Here's some pictures of her post-shed.

PS: She is the first reptile I've ever had. And I think I'm getting bitten by the ball python bug and may want to get a nice morph down the line once I can afford it.







Snake kisses