Could Really Use Some Help! New Owner!

[Cloud Atlas]

Hi guys, I'm new to this site and new to owning a BP. So I just got my baby ball python last friday. He is about 9 months old and around 16-18 inches. He is so perfect for me! Atlas, is active and adorable. But I want to give him the best possible and so I need help with a few things. I have him in a 20 gallon long glass tank which already puts me at a disadvantage. I have a UTH on the right side with a hide and on the left (cooler) side I have a water dish and another hide. I also have a heat lamp I use throughout the day but I know that dries out the air. I stupidly bought the stick on dial to gage humidity and temps. I'll be buying something else because I know how innacurate those are. About humidity..I'm not to worried about it because i've been wetting a washcloth and draping it over the top..plus my room is small and it gets stuffy and humid naturally. And lastly...I got him from the local CountryMax where there are some snake experts who work there. They were very helpful and really took care of their snakes. They told me he had to he assist fed which I know is a last resort. Last night I tried to get him to eat (he eats frozen thawed) and I first dangled it infront of him..no interest...I had watched videos and watched the guy at the store try to feed him so I know what to do but he freaked out when I held his jaw and I didnt want to stress him out that badly so I put him away and left the food for him. Its now morning and he didnt eat it. I know pythons are finicky eaters also. So I'm wondering if because hes new here and maybe my temps are off is why he won't eat.
My questions are
1) Should I use a different overhead heat source?
2) What exactly should I use to monitor temps?
3) Eating? Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

I just want to do right for him so any tips about anything I would appreciate. Thanks!

[Archimedes]

First of all, you do not need to be assist-feeding if you've had him one week, unless he hasn't eaten at all with the pet store and in that case they shouldn't have sold him until he was eating. Give him some time to settle in, then try feeding an appropriately sized prey item by leaving it in the tank and putting a blanket over to give him some privacy. Make sure it's good and warm, so he'll be able to pick up its heat signature.

Second, you'll want to invest in a thermostat for your UTH asap. Hydrofarm makes a perfectly functional AC-powered thermostat, it's about 35 bucks online and is worth the money to keep your animal from getting burned. It'll keep your hotspot at the appropriate level.

[Crazymonkee]

I agree... I don't know why they sold it if it wasn't eating on its own.
What type of heat lamp are you using? And yes a thermostat is a must!!


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[Louie]

First, assist-feeding should not be done at all in my opinion. Unless it is emergency. Plus, no offense but you do not have experience to do so. These things can potentially hurt them.

Second, what is your temperature and humidity level? And what is temperature on the basking spot?

Third, why are you using two heat source? What temperature are you trying to reach?

Fourth, DO NOT use UTH without a thermostat! That will definately burn and be lethal to bp. Get a Hydrofarm thermostat. It is less expensive and very good.

Finally, let him/her get settled. Let it be for awhile until you feed him. Also if you can, please ask the feeding schedule and feed to the place where you bought from.

"Snakes don't bite. Just humans."

[NH93]

Yes, thermostat ASAP! (example http://www.amazon.ca/Jumpstart-Digit...rds=thermostat)

This worked for another member on the forum to get his BP to eat, maybe it will work for you as well (copied and pasted):

"Mine wouldn't eat the first week or two, but what I ended up doing (which worked) is I thawed a rat, put it in a baggie in HOT water, left the zip open and the cup right beside the tank for 15 mins. This usually gets my BP out and hunting, if he isn't already. I would then turn out all lights but one in a back corner so I could see, and get the tweezers and grab the rat in the middle, then slowly put it in the tank (not near my BP). I would jiggle it a bit, then slowly go a bit closer to the BP. When he noticed it (so he'd be about 6" away) I would start to entice him with it. Normally that got him to come closer. I would not move the rat closer to him, but wait for him to move towards it. I kept jiggling it, kind of acting like it was alive still. It could take a few minutes sometimes, but he always struck. When he coiled, I would give it another little jiggle for 5-10 seconds after, so he would coil tighter.

Now he knows the whole routine and it really doesn't take him long at all. Usually as soon as I lift the lid after scenting he's ready to go.

I also thawed the rat in with a mouse the first couple of times. I don't know if that made a difference or not though."


It should at least give you some ideas anyways

Good luck!

[Cloud Atlas]

They said he was eating on and off. I agree I Dont want to assist feed. Well according to these dials..humidity is at 60% and ambient temps are 80. I'll be ordering a thermostat today I have two heat sources because when I Dont have the heat lamp on it drops to like 70 which I thought was a little low.

[Louie]

You did get the ambient temperature and humidity level correct or I would recommend that too. I have 2 seperate temperature gauge for cold side and one on the middle (not necessary but I love over-killing) and humidity gauge at middle also.

Now to measure the temperatures, there are two ways. Which one is purchasing electric thermometer (I forgot the brand at this moment) or just using gauge that any pet store would carry (I use zilla which comes with humidity level gauge)

I use gauge although it does not give accurate temperature but I dont like having bunch of wires inside the enclousure so I use gauges and also little aquarium wall sticker? Thermometer is "okay" to use but that is worse than gauge since there is a chance it might measure substrate temperature rather than measuring actual cold-side temperature. So I use it anyway.

Hydrofarm thermostat comes with a little probe that attatched on the actual thermostat that must be inserted inside the soil to get the temperature if that is what you are asking.

So in summary,
it is my set so some might not agree but I would say ambient temperature at med. 80's fahrenheit. Cold side at high 70's F (ex. 76-78F). Basking, thermostat set as 91-92F with (+- 2F), with +94F seem bit high but in the basking spot of mine is about .5-.75 inch deep and top covered with bit wet moss so my bp never got a burn or never had a problem. It maybe bit too deep some may say actually. I hope my advice helped you a little!


"Snakes don't bite. Just humans."

[Saber402]

Are you feeding mice or rats? You should move to rats if not already doing so. A couple of mine were on mice when I got them and after moving to rats they have never missed a meal. I have four young ones that are currently taking rat pups.

I get all of my feeders out about two hours before feeding time to thaw. I place a couple pups per baggie. About 10 minutes before feeding time I place a couple baggies in a large bowl with the hottest tap water possible. I use a butter knife to hold the baggie down in the water. I refill the bowl with hot water again at the 5 minute mark. I take them out of the baggie and roll them up in a per towel to dry. I can feel the warmth of the rat through the paper towel so i know they are ready.

Usually by this time the snakes can smell the rat and are already moving around looking for the meal. As soon as I open the cage and dangle the rat with the tongs they usually strike right away. Occasionally if one doesn't strike right away and just sniffs the rat I warm it up with a hair dryer for a minute or so. This always does the trick and they take it the second time. I'm not sure if they get teased with the rat being removed and brought back or if it's the additional heat from the hair dryer.

Hopefully somebody's tips help your snake to easily feed. Good luck!

[Cloud Atlas]

So if I buy a thermostat to control the UTH heat....that comes with a probe I stick inside the cage directly on the glass above the UTH? And then I also need to buy a digital thermometer from wal-mart for like 12 bucks and stick that on the cool side with a probe on the warm side? I'm just very confused as I get conflicting answers on different sites and thermometer amd thermostat and all the other vocabulary is confusing

[Crazymonkee]

The probe of the thermoSTAT goes directly between the uth and bottom of the tank. The thermoMETER probe goes on the glass directly above the uth on the inside of the tank. The body of thermometer goes on the cool side of the tank.

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