Bought my first BP yesterday! I have a few questions...

[knott00]

There's a pic you posted with the snake in the water bowl...

Can someone confirm if this may be a possibility of mites?

Im not too sure...so don't get worried...

I don't see any evidence of mites in that picture.
However a good thing to do would be to put some white papertowls or plain white paper in the bottom of your eclosure and let your snake crawl around on that for a little bit. If you see little black bugs all over the paper/papertowls then you have a mite problem.

To check on the snake, they are usually most visible around the eyes and nose. Mites are about the side of the head of a pin, so they are small and you have to look closely.

[syvil]

There's a pic you posted with the snake in the water bowl...

Can someone confirm if this may be a possibility of mites?

Im not too sure...so don't get worried...

That picture was taken minutes after putting him in the terrarium for the first time when he was all over it exploring. I'll definitely try what knott00 recommended. I examined him very closely when I first got him and didn't see any evidence of mites nor was there any debris left over on my hands/arms while I was holding him.

[Kaorte]

I would give him about one week by himself before you feed him. If you have moved stuff around here and there just a couple times I do not think it will be any big deal and you should be able to feed him a week after you put him in his home. For example I just got two babies about a week ago and I have had them out to weigh and measure, take a couple pics, and clean their enclosure and refresh their water, each event on a different day. I will feed them on Monday. If they do not take then I will wait a day or so and try again.

Just a little suggestion, if your snakes refuse food the first week, just wait until the second week. Don't attempt to feed day after day.

But yes, wait a week from the day you got the snake to try feeding.

[coolluigi007]

Sounds like you are going to feed in a separate container. To be completely honest, this is unnecessary and is just more hassle for you and more stressful for the snake. Feeding him in his home enclosure will not make your snake cage aggressive or make him associate your hand with food. No matter how many times you have read it, it isn't true.

It all depends on the snake. I have some snakes that would rather eat in the cage and some that like to be put in the feeding boxes cuz then they know its time to eat. It all depends on what you teach your snake to get use to, and reading your python. If it seems to eats better, or seems to like one way or the other better, do it that way. Some of the "cage agressive" things you hear about depends on the time of year also. Right now almost every single one of my snakes is very agressive and sometimes even strike the side of the tub if I walk to close by. Lol, not that I mind them eating alot though!!
Anyways, just pointing out there is other ways to do it. Like the rest of your pointers though!

[Kaorte]

It all depends on the snake. I have some snakes that would rather eat in the cage and some that like to be put in the feeding boxes cuz then they know its time to eat. It all depends on what you teach your snake to get use to, and reading your python. If it seems to eats better, or seems to like one way or the other better, do it that way. Some of the "cage agressive" things you hear about depends on the time of year also. Right now almost every single one of my snakes is very agressive and sometimes even strike the side of the tub if I walk to close by. Lol, not that I mind them eating alot though!!
Anyways, just pointing out there is other ways to do it. Like the rest of your pointers though!

I agree, I just don't want people doing it for the wrong reasons. Most people think that by feeding in a separate enclosure, they are reducing the risk of bites and "cage aggression" but it i s simply not true.

[DM1975]

Just a little suggestion, if your snakes refuse food the first week, just wait until the second week. Don't attempt to feed day after day.

But yes, wait a week from the day you got the snake to try feeding.

I think I made that sound all wrong, sorry ,my fault. I will usually attempt one more feeding within the next day or two, not once a day every day. After that I will wait till the next week. Now, I have been blessed on my snakes with no real feeding problems besides for a couple times during the winter, and that might be the complete wrong way to do it, but that is how I have done it.

Next time I have that issue I will just hold off an entire week instead of trying a day or two later.

[syvil]

I stopped by Walmart and picked up an $8 Acurite Thermometer/Hygrometer and well you guys were right. My analog thermometer was off by about 4-5 degrees however the analog hygrometer was off by 10-20%

[joshn6805]

Yea those analog thermo/hygrometers are bassically junk. The accurites are the cheapest, best way to go.

[syvil]

In case anyone is wondering which one I bought I got this one

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA280_.jpg

[joshn6805]

Good. I love the high and low feature, it helps see any major variations and possible problems.