First bp.

[Elleken]

Got a few pictures of the set up here we go. At this size would it be alright to feed it rat pups?

[adrenalinejunkie]

As long as the rat pups you get aren't thicker than the thickest section of your snake then he should be fine to take them.

[Egapal]

Those hides are too big. You want something that your snake can curl up in a ball and be touching on 3 sides. I just recently tried to increase the size of my snakes hides because she was lifting them up when she got in a high coil, and she didn't like them one bit. I would try to find something much smaller, like not much bigger than the water bowl you have now. In fact you are going to have a hard time keeping your temperatures up so you might try two hides about the size of the water bowl and a bowl about the size of one current hide.

Yeah just make sure the rat pup is as big around as your snake.

[h00blah]

nice pics, as it was already stated, the hides are a bit larger than normal. also, to make ur bp feel more secure, cover 3 of the sides. i used black paper o.O, and it seemed to work fine, but theres also alternatives

u will soon find that keeping teh humidity and temps correct in the glass tank is a very difficult job, doesnt look like u hav a heat lamp which is a great start. i wasted money on red bulbs / heat lamps which only damaged the ambient temps and humidity, and caused not only ME stress, but my bp (went off feed). took that off, and things got better (good shed, calm, etc...)

but yes, security + hide sizes + maybe a little more foliage (bc of 30g tank) + and GL with the transition from live to frozen . i cant offer advice with that bc i havent even solved my own problem. i love mice and rats too =p

[Elleken]

Yea, I'm going to give him some more time and try a frozen rat pup. If it comes down to it I will buy live feeders. I'm starting to become ok with it. Just need to realize its to satisfy my snakes needs. Is it ok to mist the cage with aspen for bedding?

[h00blah]

u can, just monitor the corners and sides of the enclosure. u dont want to build mold or bacteria on the sides. i mist my tubs, but they're on paper towels as substrate so its nice and humid. careful misting =p


Edit: also, forgot about the wooden logs, careful if ur misting those too, nice home for bacteria is an old dead wooden log

[Elleken]

Will a stressed ball eat or do they usually refuse food if too stressed?

[Kaorte]

Will a stressed ball eat or do they usually refuse food if too stressed?

Usually, yes. Although I have heard of over active snakes eating as well.

[Elleken]

I fed mine for the first time. I had tried a few times with frozen rat pups but it didn't take so I tried with a live mouse. I was there the whole time and it had struck at it once and missed then retreated to a hide. I decided to pick up the mouse by the tail (with tongs) and held it against the glass and it came out and got it faster than I expected. Was interesting to see my snake feed for the first time.