husbandry help, soon

[jrosen123]

hey everyone, i am taking home a ball python who is currently on a hunger strike and need to comfirm some husbandry issues.

1) I have an 8" w, 9"h, 14"l glass tank
this will be sufficient for a 12"-16" hatchling ball python?

2) humidity should be 50%-60%?

3)temperature: 80-84 F on cool side and 88-94 F on warmer/basking side?

4) Should I be using a red/night heat bulb instead of a bright spot bulb?

5) currently the snake is on reptibark substrate, would it be better to keep him on reptibark when I bring him home? or could I switch him to paper towel?
And also, which would help to keep humidity up?

Thanks in advance and if anyone has anything else they think I should know, or that they want to add feel free.

[jglass38]

hey everyone, i am taking home a ball python who is currently on a hunger strike and need to comfirm some husbandry issues.

1) I have an 8" w, 9"h, 14"l glass tank
this will be sufficient for a 12"-16" hatchling ball python?

2) humidity should be 50%-60%?

3)temperature: 80-84 F on cool side and 88-94 F on warmer/basking side?

4) Should I be using a red/night heat bulb instead of a bright spot bulb?

5) currently the snake is on reptibark substrate, would it be better to keep him on reptibark when I bring him home? or could I switch him to paper towel?
And also, which would help to keep humidity up?

Thanks in advance and if anyone has anything else they think I should know, or that they want to add feel free.

With a stubborn eater I would start with a small shoebox sized rubbermaid/sterilite. 82-84 on the cool side, 92-94 on the hot side. Small hide that allows the snake to touch all sides when coiled up in it. I would use undertank heat rather than a bright bulb. Reptibark is fine but you could just as easily use newspaper or paper towel. After you have had the snake for a week and left it completely alone (quiet room), put a hopper mouse in with the snake overnight and leave it alone. Best of luck!

Jamie

P.S. For stubborn eaters I like to use as dark of a room as possible. I keep my incubator turned on all year long and find that I can get any snake to eat after a week in the warm, dark incubator.

[jrosen123]

thanks alot, unfortunetly at the moment I cant get any sterilite or any other plastic tubs/enclosures. I am hoping that I can keep the humidity up, so should I be using any type of heat bulb aswell as the UTH?

[jglass38]

thanks alot, unfortunetly at the moment I cant get any sterilite or any other plastic tubs/enclosures. I am hoping that I can keep the humidity up, so should I be using any type of heat bulb aswell as the UTH?

Heat bulbs suck the humidity out of the air. What is the temp of the room where the snake will be?

[jrosen123]

I had the tank, covered with a towel, with the UTH and it only reached around 80 F on the warmer/basking side. The room isnt very warm, but the tank is near( not close) to the heating vent, which makes that side of the room the warmest, unfortunetly though I think I will have to use a heat lamp.

[jglass38]

I had the tank, covered with a towel, with the UTH and it only reached around 80 F on the warmer/basking side. The room isnt very warm, but the tank is near( not close) to the heating vent, which makes that side of the room the warmest, unfortunetly though I think I will have to use a heat lamp.

You could use 2 UTHs on 2 separate thermostats.

[starmom]

I had the tank, covered with a towel, with the UTH and it only reached around 80 F on the warmer/basking side. The room isnt very warm, but the tank is near( not close) to the heating vent, which makes that side of the room the warmest, unfortunetly though I think I will have to use a heat lamp.

You could also use insulation on the back and sides of the tank to help hold in the heat

[Slim]

Hatchling BP? Hunger strike? Has this snake ever eaten? Are you thinking about assist feeding?

[jrosen123]

To Slim: I have tried EVERYTHING, this is me in desperation trying to make the husbandry conditions absolutely perfect. I've had to "assist" feed him 3 times because he was losing weight. I work at a pet store, and my boss refuses to feed live. (which he was eating at the supplier) I am taking him home to the proper sized tank, and to give him better, more specific care than he was getting.

to everyone else: i got the temp up on the warm side up to 90 F (too hot?) with a heat lamp and a towel over the tank. i think i have another UTH of the same size, but i dont have any thermestats because this setup is temporary until I can get him eating. It is just the basic: one hide on each side, water bowl, paper towel on the ground.

PS. The UTH are 8 watts each, 6"x8", and I DO NOT have the snake yet, I am waiting to get the temp and humidity perfect before I bring it in

[starmom]

90F is not too warm, though I would try to get it warmer so as to increase the feeding response. If you insulate the sides and back it would help to accomplish a ~94F heat temp.