I have a "Rescued" BP & Need some Advice

[DarkEros07]

Hello Everyone,

My name is Kristen & my BP is Loki. I think he is a Normal but I am not entirely sure. I am putting up 2 pics that I just took, they aren't that great of quality but they are what I can do at the moment, he was cold & squirmy.

I think he may be emaciated slightly, he had a poor enviroment, only a heat pad that was too small for the tank, no heat light, no hide box, and was kept with another sanke untill that one eventually died of unknown causes. I "rescued" this snake from its previous owner when they left their husband. He(the husband) gave me Loki & a chinchillia.

I have noticed the last few days Loki has been hiding in his bedding. Does this mean he is too cold? As of yet I do not have any temp or humidity gauges in his tank beacuse I haven't had the funds, I put everything I had into giving him & his bro Chin food & water & everything else they need.

He recently shed & all then was very hungry, can I feed him every week if he will eat it or would that be over feeding? I know he hadnt ate in almsot 2 months when I fed him. I don't know if he is a he but I am saying he cuz its just easier. lol.

Can you think of anything I need? or May need in the future for him? I plan on finding a vet to take him to. Theres a pic of him as my default pic on here, i dont know how to put pics up. lol.

[sparticus]

First of all, !!!

When you click on sub-topics ie: "BP Husbandry" at the top there are threads that have been marked as "Stickies" - these are usually points of reference that are always good to go back and check. Here is a link to a Ball Python care sheet that has been marked a sticky :

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...s%29-Caresheet

In regards to pictures, I can't really see your profile pic very well so in order to post a picture on here- upload your photos to a picture hosting site like photobucket, picasa, or flikr and copy paste the IMG code in to the text box.

Good job for rescuing this little guy... but it is important to make sure you are giving him everything he needs to be on the road to good health! This is a good first step.

It is worrisome that he was living with another snake that ended up dying. Do you have him in the same enclosure that the previous owner had him in- or did you get a new one? - this is important because if you have him in the same enclosure that the previous owner had him in- you should completely disinfect it and make sure everything is clean to prevent further spread of any bacteria.

You didn't mention much about his current set-up so it is hard to say why he is burying himself in his bedding but it could be for a few reasons: he is stressed and wants to feel safe, he doesn't have a hide that he feels safe in, he is cold possibly- or hot- depending on where your heat source is.

Pictures are worth a thousand words so please post pictures of the enclosure you have him in and tell us how you are heating the tank - and it is really important that you get a temp/humidity gauge because that is crucial to their well being- and if you cannot afford that then I would possibly think about the future financial responsibility a snake (and chinchilla) will have and whether or not that is something you will be able to undertake.

in regards to temps: I will quote the caresheet that I linked to above:

TEMPERATURE
~80F (ambient temps)
~90F (basking temps)
75 or below is unhealthy
Night drops in temps are not necessary or desired

Maintaining proper temperatures is essential to keeping your ball python healthy – failure to do so can lead to a host of issues from poor feeding to potentially lethal respiratory infections. For this reason you want to make sure you are able to measure the temperatures accurately. The sticker-type thermometers used in aquariums, and the little dials usually found in pet stores are routinely inaccurate and do little more than measure the temps of the glass to which they are adhered. Do yourself and your ball python a favor and invest in a digital thermometer. One of the most cost-effective and easily available is the Accu-Rite digital thermometer/hygrometer combo available at large stores such as Wal-Mart. These retail for less than $15 and include a probe making it possible to monitor the warm side and cool side temps as well as the humidity levels all simultaneously.

humidity is also very important- see care sheet for more info- but it should be around 50-60% humidity.

In terms of feeding you should post pictures of him so you can let us give you advice on what you should be feeding him and how often. Snakes are pretty good regulators of their eating habits- they eat when they are hungry and they don't eat when they aren't. Usually it is recommended to feed rats since they have more nutrition than mice. That being said you need to make sure you are feeding the right SIZE- so nothing larger than the largest part of his body. You can feed him several smaller prey items or one larger prey item it is up to you- and also depends on how big he is. Usually if they are small and growing they eat well and can have a few pinky rats- every 5 days approx... but as they grow bigger they can go on a once every seven days feeding schedule. Do NOT force feed him as this is extremely stressful and could possibly only cause more problems.

get pix up as soon as you can so we can help you out with more of your questions.

in the meantime- try not to handle him or bother him too much as he sounds like he is stressed and possibly sick- extra stress is not good for any snake but especially one who has been through a lot! - also read through a lot of the stickies on the threads - they provide a lot of insight.

[Johan]

It is very important to get temp gauges (probe digital kind or temp gun). Also you need to get a thermostat dimmer or rheostat as soon as possible. Heat mats run very hot and can burn your ball if not regulated. I suggest browsing the stickies at the top . If you have a glass setup there is a sticky that can help you perfect it for your ball.

Its important to make sure you know all the costs of a ball and can afford them. Be honest to yourself and if you don't think you can manage, work on getting him to a good home that can. In any case great work saving him

[DarkEros07]

Right now, my camera is DOWN, I kinda lost the cord to it, any pics I have have to be taken with the computer. Stupid thing really.

Loki is about 2 ft long, but his neck is extremely skinnny. I use 2 diff bulbs in my heat lamp. He has a noc & day balb. It sits on top of the mesh/wire from the top of the tank. I do know for a fact that the tank was completely disinfected when the other snake died. I have been around this snake since it was first brought into this persons home.

As regaurds to the not finacially being able to afford it, its not that I can't its just that, with the circumstances that I got him with, I spent so much money to get them what they needed. Like clean bedding, water dishes/bottles, his hide, different foods for him & chin. Including frozen mice. He wants NOTHING to do with it. Just looks at it like, you gotta be joking me! lol. But will go for live.

I took that stupid heat mat and threw it away. I didn't like the looks or sound of it. Just like I had to correct my b.f. the other day when telling him if he wants the snake to burn then sure go ahead and put a heat rock in! lol.

He doesn't seem stressed and is normally very happy to be picked up and held. Unless hes cold. Like last night, cuz it was cold in here. Stupid FL weather wont decide what it wants to do! lol. Anyways, Ty for your suggestions. I'm actually off today to hopefully find temp & humidity gauges..yea right not in this town probly have to go to the city to do that! Ugh!

[Kymberli]

I took that stupid heat mat and threw it away. I didn't like the looks or sound of it. Just like I had to correct my b.f. the other day when telling him if he wants the snake to burn then sure go ahead and put a heat rock in! lol.

You're 100% right about the heat rock! However, I'd pull that heating mat back out of the trash. BPs need some form of belly heat more than they need ambient heat, especially after eating to help aid in digestion. For most heat mats you do need a dimmer or thermostat, dimmers are about $10 at Home Depot!

Good luck!

[DarkEros07]

I threw out that heat mat cuz it had dead cockroaches stuck to it and i wasnt having them in my house! I live in fl, my luck, an egg would hatch and that would be the end of it! lol.

Well I just fed him & he was very happy about it! Yay Loki! Here are some pictures of him, the ones I took last night, and ones I just took about 10 mins ago. Sorry bout poor quality but I have to take them with the cam on the comp. Enjoy the Lokiness! Btw I have ONE thermomoter now, it only goes to 86 tho. Ugh. I am going to Gainesville on Monday to see about getting something better.

Loki & I last night.


Loki & I last night


Loki Mowin down on a Nice Juicy White Mouse. lol.


A good View of his Tank & Him finishing eating.

[Kymberli]

He looks good to me! But I would most certainly buy another heating mat as soon as you can, especially since you just fed him. If it's not warm enough on his belly for him to digest, the mouse will rot in his stomach and he will regurgitate it, which is incredibly stressful for a snake!

[DarkEros07]

Wow, thats scary I didn't know that could happen. Right now I threw the box with holes over his lamp to keep in heat. Its when I do at night to regulate the temp in his tank. I'm going to look threw here some more now that I have some time. Work Work Work takes alllll my time away from me most days! Ugh! lol. He did just fine last week when i fed him..or maybe it was the week before? I think it was last week. I lose track of days. lol. Anwyays thanks everyone for all your great advice..I am going to get him another hide & more thermomters & a humidity thingy. Also going to put black stuff around the sides, seems like that is a great idea! lol. I saw that on here. Anyways, thanks everyone! Btw anyone know if hes a normal? or are the pics not clean enough?

[sparticus]

He doesn't seem stressed and is normally very happy to be picked up and held. Unless hes cold.

As a new owner of a bp, it is important to recognize how bps exhibit signs of being stressed. These animals are not like dogs and cats where you can instantly tell if they are stressed or scared (body language, erect fur, bark/meow, whimper etc) -they are pretty passive, about showing their "feelings" so you have to know how to recognize signs of stress. But one way to make this easier is to prevent the problem before it happens by making sure your husbandry is 100% on point.

Some immediate suggestions on your current set-up.

* your hide is WAY too big for him. you want the hide to be cramped for them- they like being able to feel something touching them on all sides. you can easily make him his own hide that fits this description using household items. Here is a link to a sticky on this:
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...0-Hides-my-way
- the reptile cubby holes are no longer made anymore (or at least that I have been able to find) so if you choose to buy a hide online I like the ones from Reptile Basics. Here is a link to their hides.
http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes/

additionally, in the meantime since the only source of heat you have on your tank is the lamp, I would suggest putting foil over the screen top to hold the heat/humidity in. - obviously leaving a cut-out for where the lamp goes. That seems to work well.

I suggested earlier to put black construction paper or some sort of dark opaque covering on at least 3 sides of the tank to make him feel more secure- you said you liked this idea so hopefully you'll be able to find something along those lines.

when you go to the city on Monday, it is essential that you pick up these items- if you cannot make them or acquire them some other way: 2 appropriate sized hides, (one on either side - one on cool side one on warm side), a UTH + a THERMOSTAT!! (the thermostat is JUST as important as the UTH because you need to be able to control the heat output - because if left on "full blast" (aka w/o a thermostat) it can reach dangerously high temperatures, and temp/humidity gauges.

Also your bp looks like a normal to me.

Additionally, when feeding him frozen mice, it can be hard to switch from feeding live to f/t (frozen/thawed) - (I am in the process of doing it now myself) - but I would suggest conditioning him with feeding tongs/hemostats to where he sees the tongs and knows food is coming. Feed live off of the tongs for about a month (4 feedings), then feed (if you are able to) pre-killed off of the tongs for about a month, then switch to f/t.

He did just fine last week when i fed him..or maybe it was the week before? I think it was last week. I lose track of days. lol.

It is important to keep your BP on a regular feeding schedule. This will help them be less stressed, and more likely to eat regularly. One simple way to do that is to tape a small index card on the OUTSIDE of the tank and just record the date you fed him. I record the date I fed- (and since i'm switching from live to f/t I record the type of animal fed ie live/pre-killed/or f/t). I also record when my ball pythons refuse food- and what was being offered. And this may be over-the-top and a bit anal but I also record their BMs (bowel movements), sheds, and weekly weights. I think it is better to be over-informed than under-informed... in case you need to take him to the vet and the vet needs to know those answers.

Hope you are able to find everything you need!

Andrea

[DarkEros07]

Ty! Tho I must say this site is very imformative. Most of what you just told me, I knew from searching last night, BUT you made it so much easier to understand! LOL! Yea, I like your idea of putting something on the outside of his tank to tell me when I fed and stuff. Now we just are going to feed him every Thursday, since its my B.f.s Payday would be easy to remember. That and I like to freak my boss out when i tell her its "feeding day" at my house! lol. she doesnt do snakes!

I am deff goign on monday to get what i need for him. So uth, thermostat, another higher degree thermomoter, and i am already going to go search work and here for plastic tubs. maybe i might get lucky and find a loyds tub or something. lol. ty everyone for your awsome help!

-kristen-