Quote Originally Posted by Starywary View Post
sorry this is so long, but a few more questions:
* he has been kept on care fresh. I have a Leopard Gecko that I keep on slate tiles, it's easy to clean, and absorbs heat well. can I use them for the Ball? I can give him a hide with moss or even a bowl of some fort with damp moss for humidity.

I'm not sure about slate, but I wouldn't keep him on the carefresh. I think it can be too dusty for ball pythons. I keep mine on paper towles, but others use aspen shaving or cypress mulch. And a humid hide would be good if he is kept in a galss aquarium.

* if he is in fact stunted, ( I measured 32" wasn't exact) could he grow momre if I get him on a reg schedule of feeding, I thought weekly was a good way to go? He's also very thin, and he has some of that wrinkled skin that skinny reptiles get, although it is hard to tell since he is shedding,

Snakes never stop growing. Once he is on a steady diet, he should plump up nicely for you. Wrinkled skin sounds like stuck shed to me. I would give him a week with zero handling, drop in a small rat (really small, like weaned), give him two days to digest, and then give him a good soak in luke warm water. Weekly feedings should be fine.

* he came in a 30 gal tank. he's been in it for 7 years I think. I have a 55 gal I was going to put him in just need to make a cover for it. Is that a better size? Or a I also have what I think is a 40 gallon breeder, so he could have more floor space.


As small as he is, I would keep him in the 30 gal. They don't like a lot of space, it will stress him out. Actually, I would go to walmart and get a 34 quart tub to put him in, but that's just me. As long as you can keep his temps and humidity up the tank should be fine.

* I want to encourage him to poop, the lady I spoke with said after he poops out the two mice he was fed Sat. to offer him a mouse. want to get him fed more. I was thinking I could fill the tub a couple inches with warm water and let him soak, maybe go poop, and get some of that shed off. is that ok to do? is it a myth that BPs soak in their water dish?

They don't poop very much. Like once a month, or when they shed. For some reason they hold it as long as they can just to give us nice big presents. They don't soak naturally in there water dish unless something is wrong. But, there are occasional soakers. Just make sure you can get his humidity up to 50%.

and lastly, lol, his name is Monty, cute, but not very original, so does anyone have a suggestion for a new name? I have yet to name the Leo too.
sorry again that this is so long, I babble, I will try to do one question at a time maybe , that might be better, lol. thank you!
Another opinion on the lights: ditch them both. Bp's don't need them and they will suck humidity out like a straw. I would get him a heat pad for his hot side, and regulate it with a thermostat or lamp dimmer. Then cover 3/4 of his cage to keep his temps and humidity accurate.

Also, get a digital thermometer to measure it all, some hides for him to sleep in (at least one on each end) and you will have a happy healthy snake in no time.