New user with new python

[Ricardo]

Hello my friends, i decided to join this forum because im getting very soon my first snake. I love snakes, but unfortunelly i never had the chance to own one, but life changed a couple of things in my life and my gf its like me, she just adore all kinds of animals. We talked about owning a snake, and we are gonne buy one this week for as my Christmas present.

Now, deal is....this snake is "second hand", and i really wanna have it because all animals deserve a happy home, and this fellow is not diferent.

Infos i asked and answers i got from the owner :
How often does she eat ? Every 6 weeks
Live or frozen rats? Live rats only
How old is? 18 years old
How often was in vet or last time? Not sure
Is a she or he? He
Agressive or...? Extreme calm.
How often get out of the cage? Not answered
How big is terrarium? 1,20cm x 60cm x 60cm with light, UV, heater.

I want to learn very well and make no mistakes, thats why i joined this forum. Its my first snake and i have no experience in taking care of them, so any PROFI advice is way more than welcome.

Regards,

[BCS]

I am not sure but every 6 weeks may be a little too little. I have never heard of a ball python being offered less then 2 weeks. If he refuses then it is so, but I think he should be offered food more often. Ball pythons do not need a light or UV lighting at all. Light can actually stress them out and ball pythons do not make good decorative animals to even need a light. If the room has enough natural light then a light is not needed. Ball pythons hide for a good portion of the day, making the UV lighting completely useless.

Things to look for before purchasing, especially if this ball python is coming from an owner and not a breeder would be any health issues. Mouth looks nice and pink. Scales are healthy. Check for scaring especially along the belly. Listen to his breathing and make sure there are no popping noises. Check for mites (on the snake, in the heat pits and you may see it in the bedding) and check that the owner has kept his cage clean.

Ball pythons need to have belly heat, which means you will need a heat pad. I am not sure what you mean by "heater" whether that is a ceramic bulb heater or pad but you need the heat pad regardless. Along with a heat pad you will need some sort of thermostat. There are many offered on amazon. The more accurate ones will be more expensive.

Being eighteen years old, he is definitely not old. He could live up to 30+ years so be sure you understand that even though he is older, it will still be a very long commitment. Good luck with your new friend and post pictures once and if you get him.

[Ricardo]

Hi BCS, and thx fir the prompt reply.

This is 100% why i joined this forum. Some of the explanations you gived me are indeed diferent from what owners from a pet shop gived me. I dont even know what to say.

I asked and searched and checked videos and tutorials alot, waaaaaay alot, and in the end....whatever.

The guy in the store, wich his father told me he knows alot from snakes told me what would i need to have a Python.... Daylight bulbs 24/7, Heater bulb, Humidity bla bla, UV light bulb, etc... I asked for the "whole package" price, everything included, he asked me minimum CHF 900.- Im not discusting prices, but why the hell would i invest in something i dont really need?

I asked the owner to send me some pics from the setup and python...





I hate the setup to be honest, and when i saw the pics, again honestly, im not seeing a happy snake....im seeing just a snake... I really want him, and ill do what i can to have him with awesome conditions...

What can you say about the pics?

P.S: my place as plenty of sun light during day.

[T_Sauer]

That bulb has got to go for sure! ... The animal should never be able to make physicl contact with any bulb or heat source of any kind. Do a search on UTH or Under Tank Heaters .... These are usually the best bet and also the most commonly used method of heat combined with ambient temperature of the room that the snake is being kept in ... Good luck and you should be able to find any information you need on this site using the search feature

[George1994]

As T-Sauer said. Either get rid of, or get a cage for the Bulb. If the Snake touches that, it will burn itself. I have a Ceramic Heat Emitter with a cage in my big vivarium to keep the ambient perfect, as well as a Heat Mat run in conjunction with a thermostat, which is a must have.

This is what I mean by cage: http://www.888reptiles.co.uk/2318.html

[Ricardo]

2 new pics, more explicit :

[bcr229]

Wow. That enclosure couldn't be more wrong for any snake, let alone a ball python. The only good thing about it is that it doesn't have a screen top.

First, you can get rid of all of the lights. Ball pythons are nocturnal; in the wild they live underground during the day and come out at night to hunt.

Second, an under-tank heater + thermostat can provide a nice basking spot. You want it set up so the glass floor of the tank over the heater is about 92*F.

Third, at least three sides of the glass enclosure should be covered up to make the snake feel more secure. Snakes do not like wide open spaces as they are easy prey for birds. They like to hide under things.

Fourth, I would get rid of the log hide as they mold quickly in high humidity environments, and when your snake invariably eliminates waste on it you can't clean it easily. Plastic hides like those offered at Reptile Basics are a better option.

[ChelseaV]

I'm going to strongly agree with what the others stated regarding the light fixtures. In the wild ball pythons get their heat source from the warm burrows they hide in, not the sun above. So belly heat is essential for healthy digestion and a healthy snake. All of my snakes aren't even active during the day, unless it's feeding day than most will come out when they smell the rats. I only provide natural sunlight through the Windows of the room they are in and this is only to mimic a natural light cycle for them.

Unless the snake is consistently refusing food, feeding every 6 weeks definitely does not sound like enough. I feed all mine every 5-7 days generally unless they refuse, which I have one girl whose currently in a 2 week food strike. Also, keep in mind all my snakes are still pretty young and still growing. So for a mature snake like this one, I'd say maybe once a week would be fine and if he refuses, just wait a week and try again. As for feeding live, that's a personal preference. I feed all mine live because in my opinion it's more natural for the snake to hunt it prey but if you continue to feed live, please please make sure you monitor the process! A small rat has the ability to do some serious damage with those teeth of theirs. In fact, I'd rather be bitten by a snake than a rat lol

Make sure your provide two hides, one on the warm end and one on the cool end. My favorite expression I've heard on this forum "a hiding bp is a happy bp!" lol
Also, make sure to invest in a quality thermostat for the heat pad.

Hopefully some of this helped!

[AllThatInThemGenes]

Welcome Ricardo!!

you have already gotten some great advice on what will need to change in that set up. That being said, the cage your getting looks pretty nice and from your post it seems like you will put a lot of work into setting up a cool environment. I really have nothing to add except;

1. welcome!
2. keep asking questions on here
3. and post pictures of your set up as you get it! (I want to see what you come up with!!)

[Ricardo]

First of all, i would like to thanks to all people who have given me and Jack a bit if their time and gived us some advices.

Im getting Jack 30.12.15, and im really excited. Im like a kid when the present owner sends me pics or whatever.

Yesterday i received a video of Jack... I went crazy...

He seems to be a very healthy boy...

http://www.redcodedesign.com/VID.mp4

I hope you guys enjoy it as much as i did...