Got a new baby ball python... Some help? :/

[judas888]

So I got my baby ball python about 20 days ago from a local pet shop. It's not sexed but I call it a he.
I just want to make sure I'm doing everything okay, and I've been stalking this site for a while now, and I think you guys could help.

Athrun is my first snake ever. I've had him since June 18, and since then I have fed him once and he's shedded once.
This is what he has:
-10 Gallon Terrirum
-1 rock
- wooden hut on hot side
- Large water bowl on cool side of tank
- heat pad
- heat lamp on outside of tank with nocturnal bulb
Hot side usually around: 82-87
Entire tank around: 80 (83ish when shedding)
Humidity: 55 (60ish when shedding)

First day I got him (he came in a cloth bag) I emptied him into his tank without touching him and let him do his thing. He didn't hide at all like everybody told me he was going to do! My Roomates friend then came over (owner of a albino corn snake for a few years) and picked him up. I didn't relise that you shouldn't handle a new snake for a number of days when getting them, but the pet shop I received Athrun from wasn't very informative... So she was holding him and he seemed a little skiddish, but curious. I then held him and he curled around my wrist. He seemed very friendly! I have no idea how old his is, but he was born of 2012, so he's no older then a year. Anyways, he crawled around and got used to me. Which was what I wanted but I didn't want to freak him out still, and put him back in his tank. The next couple of days I held him once per night for an hour at max? About one week in I tried to feed him (frozen hopper) and he struck at it once but then showed no interest. I tried cutting it's brain open and he still didn't want it so I threw out the mouse and tired to put Athrun back into his tank, but he didn't want to go back in. So I held him on me as I watched some tv and I'm pretty sure he fell asleep on me, because he didn't move for 40mins. But then I was tired and put him back (which was a struggle, let me tell you -__-)

I left him alone while he 'attempted' to shed, but he gave up after a few days so I thought I'd help him out buy soaking him with Luke warm water and rubbing him gently with a cloth which ended good as his skin slowly came off. He started acting better with all but the skin on his head off, so I put him back in his tank hopIng that this would encourage him to get the skin on his head off with the rock in his tank, but it didn't. The day after I rubbed his head VERY gently to help it out and he seemed to enjoy it. He pressed against with the cloth as I rubbed. With continuation of that, he could see again and was happy!

So ball pythons are supposed to be 'chill' and 'shy' but mine isn't at all! He's VERY active, and loves my attention. The only time he's in his hut is when it's daylight and he's asleep (and I don't bug him at all) but when it's night time, he's all over the place and wants out! Also when holding him, he likes to sniff my nose and stick out his tonge to appear like he's giving me kisses. It's really cute ^_^

I THINK I covered everything, but I just want to make sure I'm doing things okay..
I still bring him out every night to explore by the way.

So please tell me! I'm so new it's ridiculous! D: I love Athrun. I don't want him too stressed out or unhappy!

[SRMD]

So I got my baby ball python about 20 days ago from a local pet shop. It's not sexed but I call it a he.
I just want to make sure I'm doing everything okay, and I've been stalking this site for a while now, and I think you guys could help.

Athrun is my first snake ever. I've had him since June 18, and since then I have fed him once and he's shedded once.
This is what he has:
-10 Gallon Terrirum
-1 rock
- wooden hut on hot side
- Large water bowl on cool side of tank
- heat pad
- heat lamp on outside of tank with nocturnal bulb
Hot side usually around: 82-87
Entire tank around: 80 (83ish when shedding)
Humidity: 55 (60ish when shedding)

First day I got him (he came in a cloth bag) I emptied him into his tank without touching him and let him do his thing. He didn't hide at all like everybody told me he was going to do! My Roomates friend then came over (owner of a albino corn snake for a few years) and picked him up. I didn't relise that you shouldn't handle a new snake for a number of days when getting them, but the pet shop I received Athrun from wasn't very informative... So she was holding him and he seemed a little skiddish, but curious. I then held him and he curled around my wrist. He seemed very friendly! I have no idea how old his is, but he was born of 2012, so he's no older then a year. Anyways, he crawled around and got used to me. Which was what I wanted but I didn't want to freak him out still, and put him back in his tank. The next couple of days I held him once per night for an hour at max? About one week in I tried to feed him (frozen hopper) and he struck at it once but then showed no interest. I tried cutting it's brain open and he still didn't want it so I threw out the mouse and tired to put Athrun back into his tank, but he didn't want to go back in. So I held him on me as I watched some tv and I'm pretty sure he fell asleep on me, because he didn't move for 40mins. But then I was tired and put him back (which was a struggle, let me tell you -__-)

I left him alone while he 'attempted' to shed, but he gave up after a few days so I thought I'd help him out buy soaking him with Luke warm water and rubbing him gently with a cloth which ended good as his skin slowly came off. He started acting better with all but the skin on his head off, so I put him back in his tank hopIng that this would encourage him to get the skin on his head off with the rock in his tank, but it didn't. The day after I rubbed his head VERY gently to help it out and he seemed to enjoy it. He pressed against with the cloth as I rubbed. With continuation of that, he could see again and was happy!

So ball pythons are supposed to be 'chill' and 'shy' but mine isn't at all! He's VERY active, and loves my attention. The only time he's in his hut is when it's daylight and he's asleep (and I don't bug him at all) but when it's night time, he's all over the place and wants out! Also when holding him, he likes to sniff my nose and stick out his tonge to appear like he's giving me kisses. It's really cute ^_^

I THINK I covered everything, but I just want to make sure I'm doing things okay..
I still bring him out every night to explore by the way.

So please tell me! I'm so new it's ridiculous! D: I love Athrun. I don't want him too stressed out or unhappy!

A Super active ball python, can be a stressed ball python you are not meant to handle your ball for one week when getting him and 1 hour is far to long, 5 - 10 mintues at the max.

Forget everything pet shop employees tell you most of them don't care about snakes and just want to make money off of you, check this out ball python care sheet: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet


Hotspot 88-92
Humidity 50-60% and when in shed 70-75%

With the heatpad, do you have a thermostat?
How are your measuing your temps and humidity with digital probes or dials?

is the rock a heat rock?

and you should never bathe your snake while he is in shed it takes about 12 days for a ball to shed im sure read this also:
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...edding-Process

[judas888]

Omg I'm a terrible owner! D,

I have dials that measure his temps.

NO, rock is defiantly not a heat rock!!

I feel so terrible! but the petshop that I got it from literally didn't elaborate on anything! I asked a million questions but all they told me was he's good to go and how to feed him :S

[SRMD]

Omg I'm a terrible owner! D,

I have dials that measure his temps.

NO, rock is defiantly not a heat rock!!

I feel so terrible! but the petshop that I got it from literally didn't elaborate on anything! I asked a million questions but all they told me was he's good to go and how to feed him :S

You are not a terrible owner! everyone has to start off some where.

You need to get digital Thermometers and Hydrometers with a probe they will bore more accurate where as dials are very inaccurate!

how are you controlling the Heat mat/pad? are you using a thermostat?

[judas888]

I just feel like I'm terrorizing Athrun :/

The pet shops I've gone to don't have anything digital.. Just dials.
I've got three, two at the top of the tank ones a hydrometer and the others a thermometer. Then I have a thermometer at the bottom near his hot spot.

His heat pad is a Zoo Med reptitherm under tank heater for tanks 10-20gallons. It didn't have a dial. More of a plug in and it gets hot type thing :|
but it wasn't hot enough which is why I have the lamp

- - - Updated - - -

Also forgot to mention that in his tank he also has a branch, the bedding is Aspen, and he has a terrarium liner on the bottom.

[SRMD]

I just feel like I'm terrorizing Athrun :/

The pet shops I've gone to don't have anything digital.. Just dials.
I've got three, two at the top of the tank ones a hydrometer and the others a thermometer. Then I have a thermometer at the bottom near his hot spot.

His heat pad is a Zoo Med reptitherm under tank heater for tanks 10-20gallons. It didn't have a dial. More of a plug in and it gets hot type thing :|
but it wasn't hot enough which is why I have the lamp

under tank heaters can be dangerous without a thermostat they can lead to your ball getting burned i would advise you to invest in one of these:

If your american:
Low budget:http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR.../dp/B000NZZG3S
High budget:http://spyderrobotics.com/

If your British (like me)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Habistat-Mat...731273&sr=1-14


Also i would suggest getting an Acurite thermometer and humidity measuring unit, which im sure in the USA you can get from a walmart for $12 i have saw before.

Dial thermometers and hydrometers are very inaccurate so they will probably not be giving you the correct readings.


Also check this thread out a long with the other threads i posted in previous posts:
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...04#post1845904

[I-KandyReptiles]

Walmart offers a digital thermometer called the accurite.

It's about $12 and measures your hot spot(with a probe over your uth) your cool side and humidity.

Do you have a thermostat? UTH's that are unregulated can get really hot and burn your snake!

[judas888]

I'm from Canada ^^'

I tried walmart though, they had nothing :/
I kinda live in a small town.. Population: 17,000
Why do they sell dials!? //rage

- - - Updated - - -

But maybe I'm not looking in the right section of wallmart? >__< Anybody know which section to look down?

[SRMD]

Why do they sell dials!? //rage

They sell dials to make money off of you

[Bushido]

We all have to start somewhere; don't get discouraged by it.

I have only owned my baby ball python and baby boa for less than two weeks, and have learned so much just by interacting and asking questions on here. I've also spent over 24 hours (combined) reading up on them on the internet, videos, etc. I'm 100,000,000 times more comfortable about what I'm doing when I decided to spontaneously purchase a baby ball python from Petsmart, because I didn't like that it was all cramped up in a tiny square box on display.

Seriously, everyone here is awesome, willing to help you learn on the fly, and there's tons of good information on the internet that you can soak up like a sponge if you have free time and are an insomniac like me.

Good luck!