New snake and feeding

[caty]

Hi everyone,

I adopted a ball python from the humane society yesterday, a male approx 6 years old. He's around 3.5 feet long. I have him in a 90 gallon tank. Couple questions about him though-

They said he will only eat live hamsters. Do live foods pose a problem? I don't want him getting hurt from something that bites. ... and can his head really stretch wide enough to allow a hamster? He is quite wide around his largest area but still.. his head and neck are tiny!

Also he is making a very very quiet sound when he is breathing.. like he is a bit congested. Can snakes get respiratory problems? he was being kept on cedar shavings at the SPCA but I have him on paper towel now (damp).

Other than that he seems quite nice, he is pretty active for a ball, I've had him out non stop since yesterday and he seems pretty relaxed.

[sho220]

The cedar is a no-no...some basic info can be found here: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

[Kaorte]

Cedar is TOXIC to ball pythons, not to mention lots of other small animals. If the audible breathing persists, take the snake to a QUALIFIED reptile vet.

I would try not feeding the snake hamsters. Try rats or mice first and see if he will eat them. A ball python can eat a prey item that is as thick as the snakes widest part. Don't worry, his jaw will unhinge and his neck will stretch to allow the prey to pass through.

Also, a 90g tank is meant for fish, not reptiles. Get him in something smaller, a plastic 32qt tub would probably be your best option. Also make sure whatever heat source you are using has a thermostat to control how much heat comes out of it. Otherwise you risk cooking your snake.

[tigwelder84]

Ball pythons are prone to respiratory problems and making his humidity around sixty percent will help with that plus an aquarium doesn't hold heat and humidity in very well at all and check for mucus coming out of his nose

[Crazy4Herps]

Hello! Welcome to the forums! And kudos for rescuing the ball python!

He's around 3.5 feet long. I have him in a 90 gallon tank.

I don't mean to completely pick apart your post, but I think that size of a cage could present some problems... Ball pythons can be very nervous and insecure, and at least for starting one out in a new home I'd recommend something smaller, such as a 40gal tank or a 42qt plastic tub with holes drilled along the sides. At least until he settles in and gets used to his new home, a more tightly-fitting enclosure will make him feel safer.

They said he will only eat live hamsters. Do live foods pose a problem? I don't want him getting hurt from something that bites. ... and can his head really stretch wide enough to allow a hamster? He is quite wide around his largest area but still.. his head and neck are tiny!

The short answer is yes, but if you supervise live feedings very closely so that you can remove the rodent if it looks like it is going to start nibbling on the snake, live feedings are usually okay. The alternative (which many ball pythons refuse to eat) is to feed him frozen/thawed food, but I would recommend getting him to eat first and then worrying about switching him to frozen/thawed, if you so choose to go that route.
Ideally, his food should be about the width of his widest point. I know it's difficult to believe, but he can stretch his jaws that wide. It's pretty cool to watch, too!
Feeding hamsters is somewhat of a touchy subject... Nutritionally, hamsters are fine to feed, but they are much more expensive than mice or small rats, and frozen hamsters are not easy to find if you ever want to switch him to frozen/thawed food. Generally ball pythons prefer hamsters to mice / small rats, and often times once they start eating hamsters it can be difficult to switch them back to mice/rats. It's up to you, but if I were in your position I think I would start by trying to get him to eat a live mouse.

Also he is making a very very quiet sound when he is breathing.. like he is a bit congested. Can snakes get respiratory problems? he was being kept on cedar shavings at the SPCA but I have him on paper towel now (damp).

Yes, snakes can develop respiratory infections fairly easily. The problem is that they only have one functional lung and are unable to cough and hack up mucus that may build up in the lung, so respiratory problems can be very dangerous. I'm very glad you have him on paper towels now; as has been said, cedar is toxic to snakes. The cedar may have caused the potential respiratory problem, or it could have been caused by temperatures and humidity levels in the cage that were not appropriate for a ball python (since they are cold blooded, temperatures and humidity levels in the cage must be kept at very specific levels to imitate the snake's natural environment).
Since it doesn't sound like the potential respiratory problem is very severe at this point, I would say keep an eye on him for now. If you can get temperatures and humidity at appropriate ranges (the care sheets on this site are very helpful for figuring this out!), the problem may go away on its own. But if his breathing gets much louder or if you start to see bubbles or mucus around his mouth or nose, he probably needs a vet.

Other than that he seems quite nice, he is pretty active for a ball, I've had him out non stop since yesterday and he seems pretty relaxed.

I'm glad he's relaxed. I usually recommend not handling ball python for their first few weeks in a new home (all those new smells can be pretty frightening to them), but if you can get him to eat something that's usually a sign that he is relaxed and settled in (just make sure not to handle him at all for 24 hours before an after he eats; it can disrupt digestion and cause regurgitation).


Anyways, good luck with him! And if you have any more questions, please ask!