Zoey and her Cage

[True_Avery]

I looked all over the Reptile shops around my area and most had Normal males, and only morph females. I wanted this Spider Ball female that was displayed... but out of my price range. Finally found a female Normal at South Bay Reptiles and bought her up immediately. Sadly, she had some really bad stuck shed, so I soaked her for roughly 45 minutes and anxiously let her run through a damp towel and voyla: beautiful skin, no mites/ticks (that I know of), and a healthy looking activity level.

My one worry is that she does look a little thin, but hopefully she'll eat in a few days.

Say Hi to Zoey!



I'm almost entirely sure she is a Normal from a Spider Ball batch maybe 2 months ago. She is 1ft, 4inches, but I do not know the weight as of now.

Here is her cage:



Positives:
So far the cage has been holding to any temp/humidity I desire. The left side stays around 80°, while the right around 85°, with the hide being a little warmer. Been checking the Ceramic Heat Emitter (60 watt) and the Warm hide and so far the hide is very comfortable to the touch, and the emitter stays at a lower power pretty evenly.

To keep humidity even, I have a Repti-fogger being controlled by the ZooMed Hygrotherm, and both work like a dream! Really debated on myself on this purchase, and couldn't be happier. The Hygrotherm keeps the CHE at a very manageable temp, and the fogger turns on for maybe 2 seconds every few hours and keeps the tank at a constant H60%.

To keep the glass tank manageable, I put painted black cardboard on 3/4 sides, and used the screen tank mod (http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=90187), and both seem to be working great.

Negatives:
If you look at the second picture down, I do sort of wonder if the Medium hides are too big for now. I put Sphagnum Moss in to fill it out, but it definitely seems rather big. Hopefully she will grow into it in the next few months.

I'm a little worried because Zoey seems to heavily favor the left side, which is by all means the cooler side of the tank. I have more fake plants on that side since they do a really good job of helping control humidity and temp, but perhaps I've over secured the left side so she doesn't feel like exploring the right. I dunno, prolly over thinking things but just wondering if it is something to look into or not, since I understand younger BP's are a lot more secretive at first. She does keep her head out at night, so she at least seems to be interested in finding a meal.

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This is me and my sister's first BP, she has been with us for almost a week, and wanted to share and maybe get some feedback.

Thanks for reading.

[angllady2]

Congratulations and your new baby, what a doll!

You seem to have really put a great deal of thought and effort into her home, and I applaud you for that.

It is quite possible she is favoring the left side for security, so you may need to tweak the enclosure a bit. Can I ask, where exactly you are measuring the temps for the warm side, and warm side hide ? In order for her to digest her food properly, her warm side hide should be about 88-90 degrees.

She does look a little thin, but a few good meals should take care of that.

Gale

[True_Avery]

She has been very intently sitting her head outside her (cool) hide, which, from what I understand, means she is rather hungry and waiting for something to pass by. The Reptile Store said that they feed live, so I was a little worried that she wouldn't take to thawed mice. To test her, I thawed a Fuzzy out, put it in a container with holes, and set it near her. Came back awhile later and she looked very alert.

I know for fact that the Reptile store fed in separate containers, so I placed her in a critter cage and put the thawed and slightly warmed Fuzzy in with her. At first she seemed more intent on exploring and escape, so I moved the Fuzzy in her direction. She bumped into it, and then, *bam*, grabbed it in a second. Silly girl grabbed it on the side, though, so she had to reposition it for 5 minutes but she downed the Fuzzy in the end.

Fuzzy is pretty small for her, I think, but at least she immediately took to thawed! Weight off my shoulders there.

Congratulations and your new baby, what a doll!

You seem to have really put a great deal of thought and effort into her home, and I applaud you for that.

Thanks!

It is quite possible she is favoring the left side for security, so you may need to tweak the enclosure a bit.

Should I just make the Right Side look identical to the left? Hm, now that I say it that sounds pretty logical.

What interests me the most is that I've put her inside her Warm Hide a few times, but she always ends up migrating back to the left fairly quickly. I've lowered and raised the Warm side temp but she always ends up slithering back to left and, as far as I can tell, stays there.

Any thoughts on why? My guess is that she -really- likes that bigger fake plant, but even in the Warm Hide she is completely hidden when I invite her in.

Can I ask, where exactly you are measuring the temps for the warm side, and warm side hide ? In order for her to digest her food properly, her warm side hide should be about 88-90 degrees.

I've got two thermometers on the Warm Side, and did some testing with the Acurite and determined that the Warm Side Hide is consistently 3-4 degrees higher than air temp, so if its 85° in the air then it is around 88-89° in the Warm Hide.

[angllady2]

Well, if she favors the left side THAT much, just make that her warm side if you can. I did that with one of mine who was being difficult to please.

Usually when they are young, they are easier to switch to F/T than older snakes. Now that you know she'll eat, wait 5 days and try her on a small adult mouse, or if you can find one a fuzzy rat. The main reason I suggest rats is because rats are much more convenient to feed a big ball, but if you can't get them, don't stress, mice will do fine for now.

There is massive debate on the whole feed in separate containers issue. I won't go into that with you. I will say, I have used that method once or twice with a reluctant feeder, but now I only feed in their regular enclosure. It's less stress for me and them, and it works for us, so that's what I do.

I find with my gang, they know when it's feeding time. I come into the room and greet them all. I remove hides and make sure everyone is awake and seeking. I thaw my F/T, then just before feeding, I warm it with a hair dryer for 30-40 seconds, when the whole thing is nice and toasty, I lay the prey down, grip it with the feeding tongs, and hit the head for about 15 seconds. My guys are always waiting for me, and will eagerly rip it right out of the tongs.

Just some things to think about. She is a really cute little snake, and I can't wait to see how she grows.

Gale

[True_Avery]

Well, if she favors the left side THAT much, just make that her warm side if you can. I did that with one of mine who was being difficult to please.

Cool idea, I'll try that out. Although, now I'm worried that if I make her favorite side the warm side that she'll overheat instead of staying too cool.

Usually when they are young, they are easier to switch to F/T than older snakes. Now that you know she'll eat, wait 5 days and try her on a small adult mouse, or if you can find one a fuzzy rat. The main reason I suggest rats is because rats are much more convenient to feed a big ball, but if you can't get them, don't stress, mice will do fine for now.

Sounds like a plan!

There is massive debate on the whole feed in separate containers issue. I won't go into that with you. I will say, I have used that method once or twice with a reluctant feeder, but now I only feed in their regular enclosure. It's less stress for me and them, and it works for us, so that's what I do.

Indeed, I've read a few of the longer threads on the subject here. I've essentially come to the conclusion that since I have a loose cypress substrate, I'll stick to feeding outside as to not risk cypress getting stuck to the food, but if I ever switch her to a solid (like newsprint) I will feed in cage.

As an outsider, the entire debate seems to be based on semantics and differing opinions on what Snakes do, and do not feel. Both seemingly work, both have ups and downs, and for the most part any point can be immediately switched on its belly ("you train it to want food when it sees your hand", "you train it to want food anytime you take it out of its cage").

Its up there with the substrate debates; human semantics that, ultimately, the snake probably doesn't give a damn about.