Finally my first ball python/snake!

[equinebeing]

So, I was really close to getting a ball python a few weeks ago, but I found out that one of my cousins was really strapped for cash because of the radiation treatments she now has to pay for. Collectively as a family we pooled our extra cash to help her out, so I was pretty sure that I would have to put off owning a snake for several months. Well last night my cousin on the other side of the family was extremely insistent on spending the night and this morning around 9 am the FedEx guy arrived! It was a huge surprise, and apparently since this particular cousin who is kind of my best friend had been listening to me yap about getting a snake for about six months decided that he would use his extra money to buy me one!

I have to say the whole time I was shopping around for snakes I was being really vain and I was worried that I would end up with one that I thought was ugly. But when I got the box I was just so freaking excited to open it that I didn't care what it was. It's funny because these past several days he's been telling me that he was buying a snake for himself (I was extremely jealous) and he kept asking me about blond pastels and what they were and how they were different, and so I was doing research for him, but he was really just seeing if I would like one or not. Anyways, I opened it up and it's the cutest little snake ever!

I was immediately surprised at how tiny he is! I've been staring at pictures of ball pythons for what seems like forever now and I guess I just pictures them as bigger, and the tub I had set up was extremely big. SO we went out and bought a smaller one, and of course we had NO newspaper today so we bought bedding, and I got a proper Acu-Rite thermometer today because I had another one that I was not too pleased with.

So below is what I have set up as of now, and I know it's really basic and I'm not too happy with it, I need to work out the cable bit and come up with a better hide I think, but he does fit snuggly in there.

The problem is of course that I have NO thermostat. It was something that I was putting off until the end because I've been strapped for cash, and of course the problem with surprises is that I was not completely ready. We did buy a dimmer though, and my dad was too busy watching Bonanza tonight to even acknowledge my existence, but he did promise me that tomorrow morning he would help me rig up the dimmer so that I didn't have to put it in the wall but like in a box or something I don't know I don't understand half of the things my dad says to me.

So what should I do tonight? Should I unplug the UTH or leave it plugged in with a heavy bit of Aspen padding? The low tonight is 61 and the high tomorrow is 88. He was really cold when I got him so that worried me but he seems to have warmed up a bit. Also, he's really jumpy and besides the pictures I've tried to leave him alone (hardest thing ever) but he'll like coil up and I think he's going to strike but he'll just be jittery. Also, he's not really going into the hide, he just lays at other ends of the tub, and I don't think this is normal right?

Anyway, I'm sorry I wrote a novel. :-/ Also, these pictures are really bad because I took them with my really old (but loved) iPhone and of course they have the worst cameras. My mom is gallivanting around Europe at the moment and of course she took my camera. <3

[appygirl84]

Congratulations! That had to be over whelming and wow, what a great cousin to surprise you like that. Your new snake is beautiful. =)
I like the way you have your tub set up, of course I don't know what to suggest with the UTH. I don't have any plugged in right now, but it's getting to maybe 80 degrees at night here. Because it's such a small tub I'd say unplug it but try to keep the cage somewhere warm. You don't want him to over heat and not be able to get away because he's in a small area.
Good luck and I can't wait to see your little snake as he grows. =)

[redstormlax12]

Congrats on becoming part of the hobby.

As for the UTH, your ball NEEDS heat. I would highly recommend you use the UTH tonight. Too long of exposure to low temps cause RI's which could even lead to death. A pad of aspen should be good for the night, but no longer. Why dont you go and pick up a human heat pad with a thermostat built in? I used one of these for months and it worked great and now im using them for my turk roaches. Also your going to need two identical hides on each side. You dont want your bp having to choose between feeling secure and thermoregulating.

Surface temps for the hot spot can be around 90-92. Just make sure it is only covering 1/3 of the tub. Usually the suggested area covered by the UTH is 1/2 to 1/3 but I would suggest no more than 1/3 since it is uncontrolled. And make sure you have enough holes to release the extra heat that could possibly build up from the uncontrolled UTH.

Congrats on the addition and it soon will not be the only one. But be careful with the uncontrolled UTH, they can be deadly.

[equinebeing]

Thanks for the replies. I just checked the probe, I still had the UTH under the other tub and I was testing it out to see how hot it would get and the thermometer says 158 degrees. That can't be right ...right? I think for tonight I might just use a lamp for heat, and watch the thermometer, if it gets to hot I'll turn it off and so on, I'm kind of a night owl anyway.

I'm a little alarmed by that temperature reading ...I feel bad about not having purchased the thermostat sooner, but like I said I thought getting a snake was months away. I'm really thankful to Brian for buying me Norton but the anal retentive part of me is going crazy. Also, I was staring at him and he was just exploring his tub, and I know that's not a really good sign for BPs, and when I opened the lid he curled up under the hide really fast so I definitely won't be touching him for a while now.

Thanks again!

[Lolo76]

Congrats, he's adorable!!

Another "quick fix" for the UTH is to place it near the tub, but without direct contact... I've done that in a pinch, and it provides enough heat for a short period of time. I didn't think heaters could get up to 158, although I suppose it is possible! You could also run to the store now, ie Walgreens or Wal-Mart, and pick up a few hand warmers - like the ones you put in skiing gloves. I used those after buying a snake on vacation, and they kept her warm enough for 2 days. But definitely go buy a thermostat ASAP, or at least a dimmer/rheostat like the $11 Lutron dimmer from Home Depot (Lowes, etc). You don't need a fancy Herpstat-type for one tank, so I'd stick with the less expensive options for now... as long as your house temps aren't wildly fluctuating, I've found those to be reliable in controlling 1-2 UTHs. Good luck with the new little one!

P.S. I would try running the Acu-rite probe outside of the tub & back in, using a drill or soldering gun to make exit/entry holes... I have personally seen snakes get tangled in those wires, so it's always better to minimize the amount of wire. Oh, but absolutely NO tape!!

[ScubaRyan]

Thanks for the replies. I just checked the probe, I still had the UTH under the other tub and I was testing it out to see how hot it would get and the thermometer says 158 degrees. That can't be right ...right? I think for tonight I might just use a lamp for heat, and watch the thermometer, if it gets to hot I'll turn it off and so on, I'm kind of a night owl anyway.

If its the Accurite reading they're pretty accurate so if it's saying 158, its probably near that. If the dimmer is the $7 at home depot that you can just plug into the wall, then you plug the UTH into that you should just plug it in so you have some sort of control over it.

[Lolo76]

Oh, and I know what you mean about their tiny-ness... I was shocked the first time I got a real BABY ball python, LOL. But if you want to talk about small, you should have seen my Hognose as a baby - so tiny I almost accidentally threw her away, when I pulled out an "empty" snake bag from the shipping box. Luckily my roommate noticed the tiny worm shape inside, or she may have ended up in the garbage!

[equinebeing]

oh, and I'm supposed to be feeding him hopper mice right? About a week from today?

[Lolo76]

I would wait a week, just to make sure he's fully settled in... that's not necessary with all species, but BPs usually need a little "alone time" before feeding. Do you know his weight? A hopper mouse should be fine, if my gauge of his size is accurate.

[seeya205]

Congrats! Nice pick up! It would be easier to buy a lamp dimmer that plugs in the wall instead of making a box for the dimmer and wiring it up to the uth. Safer too! Here is a care sheet to tell you everything you need to know: http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules/...warticle&id=59