Guess what I got for mother's day!!!!!!

[frankykeno]

Well after tons of planning, researching and waiting to get our adoptee BP, Punkin (whose not here yet due to rotten Michigan weather...it's snowing again today btw), my wonderful husband Mike and my 4 great kids surprised me today with a lovely 3 month old baby ball python and complete housing set-up! An early mother's day present.

Everything seems to be good so far (cross fingers), with all the advice given here we were able to get "Baby" all set up (unsexed as yet so it's getting called Baby for now LOL). You have no idea how much more confident we felt setting Baby up and getting the temps and humidity right because of all the great information shared here.

She's in a nice rubbermaid bin with a lock-lid, under tank heat, two terracotta pot bottoms for hides, a low heavy dish for water, soft papertowels for a substrate for now (thanks for that idea so we can see her poop/pee easy and get a sample for the vet visit) and an AccuRite temp/humidity monitor (good old Walmart!) She's just shed (no sign of retained shed at all and very shiney) and has been eating but we are taking your good advice and leaving her be to settle in for a week or so before we offer her a meal or pick her up at all.

She seemed to settle right in. We saw her take a couple of drinks of water, then she snooped around a bit before tucking up in her warm hide. She seemed comfortable being handled while we were giving her a fast check over.

A big thank you to all forum members and the whole Ball-Python.net family for helping our family so much. It's great for us (and great for Baby) to have this amazing online resource.

Well I'm off to check the AccuRite again LOL (nice that it lights up as Baby's in our bedroom and Mike's snoozing away in there).

~~Joanna~~

[mlededee]

congrats! what an awesome present! sounds like everything is in order. you'll be checking that accurite so much you'll swear you have come down with a serious case of obsessive compulsive disorder. after nine months of bp ownership i still have it.

[frankykeno]

Whatcha think I'm doing up at 1:30 in the morning LOL. I just want to make sure everything goes well this first night and dang but it's just a lil baby (tho I'll probably fuss over Punkin's first night in a new enclosure *gawd that snake needs a new name*!)

When I saw Baby taking her first drink I was whispering to Mike to come see...geesh it's so exciting...I'll probably end up as thrilled about her pooping

Well one more check of that Accurite and I'm heading to bed.

~~Joanna~~

[Linda]

Many congratulations, Joanna! What a great Mother's Day present!

And to have the whole setup also. How wonderful!

Do you know about how old Baby is? My baby ball, Camille (don't know sex either) is about 7ish months I think. Hard to tell exactly as I didn't get her from a breeder but a pet store. I was lucky. She is a sweetheart. But the lady told me they got her and her clutchmates in the store middle of November so I am assuming they hatched perhaps in September?


Enjoy your baby and keep those temps up and humidty down except at shed time. I learned the hard way with Camille. She is being treated for a respiratory infection because I kept her humidty up too high for several months.
I didn't know any better which is no excuse but I have learned and went tonight and bought 2 AcuRite instruments also, new heat bulbs and dimmers.

Take care and I'd love to see a pic of Baby.

[Kiran]

Congrats on the new young'un!!!

[tigerlily]

How very nice! Congrats!

Good luck with the digital thermometer vigil. It must come with the territory. I know I have it too.

[frankykeno]

Thanks everyone. Baby too came from one of our local pet stores (the good one as Mike and I won't buy from the other - went in there yesterday and had to "mention" to the guy working there that the three baby snakes marked "albino burmese pythons" were in fact "ball pythons"...geesh!). The pet store we use is quite good with their stock, especially one guy there who really loves reptiles.

We as well are not sure of Baby's hatch date....2 1/2 months to 3 months ago was what we were told but she seems in great shape and I'm just thrilled to have "her".

To be honest, we wouldn't have had near the confidence in getting this baby snake or setting her up if we hadn't found a couple of great forums online that not only answered our many questions but steered us to some wonderful care sheets and other information.

Special thanks to all those that recommended the Accurite. At only $14.88 from Walmart it certainly is cost effective and is doing a super job!

[Marla]

Congrats on your new baby! That's a great surprise.

[Jeanne]

What an AWESOME Mothers Day gift. Congrats on your new baby and enjoy!

[Isshinharu]

All talk and no pics?! Congrats on the new "baby"!