Questions about my new ball python

[lepidunce]

Sounds pretty normal, I think the coloring is shed related, and the yawning is pretty frequent, with Pickles. But thats just my . I'm no expert, not in the least. (Pickles is my first herp)

edit: WOW, dr del, that dent scares me. Glad it got resolved with the shed.

[Aiion]

Still don't see any signs of RI. He's been yawning sometimes several times an hour but I see absolutely no sign that there is anything wrong. I think it's just one of his things.

I added another identical hide. It is another baseball cap that is cloth and collapses. From everything that I have read, they perfect hide is one that they are completely hidden and touches their body all around as much as possible. The baseball caps definitely fit the bill and he seems to be very comfortable in them

I fed him 2 mice today. A hopper and a fuzzy. The hopper didn't look quite big enough and 2 hoppers seemed like too much. He was very excited to see the second mouse appear. It startled him but as fast as he was startled, he struck. He squeezes them for a couple minutes until they are dead (they are f/t) and he gets them down very easily.

I found an interesting trick with my Colombian Boa. She would get a dent from time to time. Humidity levels were good in her habitat but she spent a lot of time outside of her cage. If it was a small dent, I would lick it occasionally for several minutes and it would pop right out. She had a large one once. She must have hit her head against something. I was worried she might go blind in that eye. I licked it regularly for about 10 minute and then applied and then ever so gently I sucked it out... No snake will be happy while it's eye is dented in because of impaired vision and I can only imagine how it would feel. I know it sounds totally crazy but the first time it happened I had a thought pop in my head about the qualities of saliva and thought it might soften the eye cap. It was almost like an instinct. Hey...it worked anyway and she did not go blind.

Here are some pics of Suku:

[dr del]

He is certainly a good looking snake.

One other thing hides need to be is easily cleaned and maintained.

If we think reptile carpet is a bad idea because it is hard to clean thoroughly to stop it stinking and harbouring germs how do you think baseball caps will cope with being dumped and P'd on?

And, as mentioned, simply raising the humidity works fine - stop licking your snakes before those nice people in white coats come and take you away.


dr del

[Aiion]

I can throw the baseball caps in the washer. If they get hard to clean I will buy new ones. I have thrown very dirty clothes with any number of different kinds of gnarlyness and they have come out perfectly clean so I am not worried. I used the baseball cap for my Colombian Boa and it never became unmanageable by any means. Just in case someone likes the idea... baseball caps certainly do the trick.

Thanks for all the advice and information. I still appreciate any and all advice, even if I don't agree with something I appreciate the will in which it was offered.

I think he is handsome as well. He is turning out to be very photogenic and I love to take pictures...so it works out. He likes to chill with me too. He'll sit on my hand for several hours just looking at me or whatever is around. I feel very grateful to have found him.

[BPelizabeth]

Very pretty pastel you have there! Ummmmm....freaked me out a little with the lick thing...but hey I kiss mine!! soooo......hmmmm...

Anyways...bout the cap......IMO...which is not a whole lot...the thing I would worry about is not that you can wash them but they do tend to go potty in their hides. I would be afraid it would hold too much and give them scale rot due to it being wet. A quick solution is a a plastic dish with a hole cut in it and burn the edges down or my favorite is the top of a pitcher...I put the eco earth over the top and they seem to really like that too. As far as the yawing...if there are no signs of RI then he is just yawning......one of mine yawns alot and she has quite the personality just like yours.

[Kaorte]

For a snake that size, a baseball cap as a hide is way way way too big. You want something that fits them snugly on all sides.

[cinderbird]

I added another identical hide. It is another baseball cap that is cloth and collapses. From everything that I have read, they perfect hide is one that they are completely hidden and touches their body all around as much as possible. The baseball caps definitely fit the bill and he seems to be very comfortable in them


I found an interesting trick with my Colombian Boa. She would get a dent from time to time. Humidity levels were good in her habitat but she spent a lot of time outside of her cage. If it was a small dent, I would lick it occasionally for several minutes and it would pop right out. She had a large one once. She must have hit her head against something. I was worried she might go blind in that eye. I licked it regularly for about 10 minute and then applied and then ever so gently I sucked it out... No snake will be happy while it's eye is dented in because of impaired vision and I can only imagine how it would feel. I know it sounds totally crazy but the first time it happened I had a thought pop in my head about the qualities of saliva and thought it might soften the eye cap. It was almost like an instinct. Hey...it worked anyway and she did not go blind.

adding the same notes as Dr. Del here.

you want easy to clean, sanitary or easially replaceable hides. They really do have a tendency to pee EVERYWHERE. all at once it seems hmm...

Plastic is good for something you can clean (bowls, kitty litter boxes turned upside down or tupperware thats opaque) or cardboard boxes (tissue boxes, shoe boxes, etc) depending on size. these can be thrown away and replaced when soiled.

Also. ..licking your snakes is in poor taste (SEE WHAT I DID THAR )
seriously, thats one way to get salmonella. Misting or a quick soak in some lukewarm water will do the trick just as well..without getting your tongue involved o.O

[Patricia]

If it was a small dent, I would lick it occasionally for several minutes and it would pop right out. I licked it regularly for about 10 minute and then applied and then ever so gently I sucked it out... I know it sounds totally crazy but the first time it happened I had a thought pop in my head about the qualities of saliva and thought it might soften the eye cap.

I'm still kinda new to snakes. Is this a common practice? Or is it as freaky to others as it sounds to me?

[Kaorte]

I'm still kinda new to snakes. Is this a common practice? Or is it as freaky to others as it sounds to me?

No this is not...I would not recommend licking your snake...Salmonella...

Just use a wet pillowcase. Has the same effect.

[Aiion]

Yeah, I thought it was the saliva's properties that softened the cap enough to pop back. If that were so then the information might have helped someone but being that is not the case I feel a little silly. Oops...it happens

Here is a pic of Soku's habitat. I plan on darkening 3 sides but I'm afraid of causing too much change at once for the little guy so I am going to wait a week or 2.





I am also going to get a digital thermostat and hydrometer but for now I am using a digital for temps every day. I am now using a heating pad which on medium setting is staying a steady 93-94 degrees on the warm side and around 80 on the cool side. I have 2 humidity gauges that read about 10 degrees different. The high has been a steady 60 and lower reading gauge 50.

Thanks again for all of the advice.