questions

[fr3nchvanilla]

I just worry about him because he hasn’t come out all day and he went into hiding at 10 last night
I put him back in his 10 gallon he came in just too maybe keep the smells the same
I just don’t want him to be hungry, but I will find rats the same size as the mouse he had

Every little bit of information helps, thank you

It's obvious that you care about him and that's awesome! Ball Pythons hide, I barely ever see Khal wandering around. I read on here that "A Hiding BP is a Happy BP". Of course all snakes are different, but if he's wandering too much and looking for an escape it could be an indicator that he's stressed out. I'm glad I could help, this website has helped me a ton and I hope it can be a useful tool for you too!!!

[nicole<3]

You will find on here that there are a lot of differences in peoples opinions. Just remember that every snake is different and one set of rules doesn't always apply.

If your snake has a lump let him chill for a few days, if he still looks the same consider feeding again.

I don't always follow the let him settle in for x amount of time, a few I have. I tend to feed right away and then let them digest for a few days.

When I was feeding him I did watch just to make sure the mouse wasn’t too big or didn’t attack him but once he eat it I followed the mouse down and once it hit the thickest part it like disappeared and he doesn’t have a big lump, I was going to go get a little rat tomorrow

[nicole<3]

It's obvious that you care about him and that's awesome! Ball Pythons hide, I barely ever see Khal wandering around. I read on here that "A Hiding BP is a Happy BP". Of course all snakes are different, but if he's wandering too much and looking for an escape it could be an indicator that he's stressed out. I'm glad I could help, this website has helped me a ton and I hope it can be a useful tool for you too!!!

He’s perfect, in my opinion of course
I was looking at him yesterday and I found a black heart in one of his brown spots

I have 2 6 month old baby Sulcata tortoises in the tank next to him and they just look at him all day
Could they be scaring them?

[fr3nchvanilla]

He’s perfect, in my opinion of course
I was looking at him yesterday and I found a black heart in one of his brown spots

I have 2 6 month old baby Sulcata tortoises in the tank next to him and they just look at him all day
Could they be scaring them?

That is Adorable! Do you have a picture of the little heart? I don't know about the Tortoises thing, I don't think they would scare him, maybe someone else can chime in on that note but I doubt it.

[nicole<3]

His heart


This is how he is every time he is out of the tank
He came out of hiding and started pushing on the top of the tank so I took him out

You can see his heart in this picture as well

[LizardPants]

Ok here's the thing: Listen to Fat Boy's advice, he's completely right; and read those care sheets!
I'll add:
* Leave your snake alone for a week to settle in. I know, it will be a very hard week, but trust me on this. Your snake will be happier, and as a result will eat better, and ball up less.
* Cover 3 sides of the tank so he feels more secure (at least during the acclimation period). Contact paper would work nicely, but ONLY on the outside.
* Don't feed during the acclimation period.
* Ball pythons are nocturnal, it is expected that they will stay in their hides all day.
* I'm unsure if the sulcata's scare the BP, but for future reference, practice quarantine. That is, any new reptiles should be kept away from your current collection for 90 days or more (but that's an over-simplification).

You have a lot to learn, but congratulations on your new pet! Maybe after you learn a little more, you can improve things for the reptiles at your petco.

[nicole<3]

Ok here's the thing: Listen to Fat Boy's advice, he's completely right; and read those care sheets!
I'll add:
* Leave your snake alone for a week to settle in. I know, it will be a very hard week, but trust me on this. Your snake will be happier, and as a result will eat better, and ball up less.
* Cover 3 sides of the tank so he feels more secure (at least during the acclimation period). Contact paper would work nicely, but ONLY on the outside.
* Don't feed during the acclimation period.
* Ball pythons are nocturnal, it is expected that they will stay in their hides all day.
* I'm unsure if the sulcata's scare the BP, but for future reference, practice quarantine. That is, any new reptiles should be kept away from your current collection for 90 days or more (but that's an over-simplification).

You have a lot to learn, but congratulations on your new pet! Maybe after you learn a little more, you can improve things for the reptiles at your petco.

Thank you I will try my hardest not to hold him for a week if possible more
Will he be more active once he’s settled in?

I also did move him to the other side of the room from my tortoises

[LizardPants]

He might be more active, but he should really only be active at night. A happy, and healthy ball python will hide all day, out of sight. If he's active during the day, that is cause for concern.

[nicole<3]

He might be more active, but he should really only be active at night. A happy, and healthy ball python will hide all day, out of sight. If he's active during the day, that is cause for concern.

Yes last night he was trying to get to the top of the tank, is he looking for food or just checking things out?

[Jeo123]

Probably trying to escape actually. If you just fed him recently I'd leave him alone. I don't always agree 100% with the leave all snakes alone for a week rule, but I believe in it when a snake is showing signs of stress. Daytime roaming is always the biggest indicator that something is wrong. Usually it's my indication that my snake has gone to the bathroom and wants her tank cleaned, but she's been with me for a year and is pretty settled in.

Snakes can go a while without food. Even if she truly is hungry, waiting for her to acclimate to the new tank isn't going to starve her or do any serious damage. But feeding a stressed snake can cause a regurgitation, which is very bad for your snake.