just bought a ball python

[Oldshell4481]

i just bought a ball python, hes about 10-12" at the moment and was just wondering what any tips any owneres might have.. hes getting his first feeding tomorrow. i have a 55 gallon tank with the astroturf type reptile carpet, an undertank heater and the day/night uv bulbs.

[Rm250RF900R]

My brothers friend gave us one of those. He shed his skin twice so far. He isnt a healthy feeder so you have to force feed him (very stressful on the snake). But other than that he's great. Really gentle. Its funny because i took him out of the cage when my friend was over and he freaked. There isn't a mean bone in him. Hard to believe hes a snake. Just make sure you keep him above 70 degrees and you dont have to mist it. Give him a nice hollowed out log and he'll be good to go. A nice dish of water is needed. Those snakes can drink a lot.

[twgranger]

You have any picures of the snake?

[Lots_Of_Nothing]

My brothers friend gave us one of those. He shed his skin twice so far. He isnt a healthy feeder so you have to force feed him (very stressful on the snake). But other than that he's great. Really gentle. Its funny because i took him out of the cage when my friend was over and he freaked. There isn't a mean bone in him. Hard to believe hes a snake. Just make sure you keep him above 70 degrees and you dont have to mist it. Give him a nice hollowed out log and he'll be good to go. A nice dish of water is needed. Those snakes can drink a lot.

If a snake is drinking alot, then you have issues. A well fed snake will never be caught drinking from a dish. Reptiles get their water from what they eat. When they do not get the correct nutrition, then they will drink the water because they are dehydrated. which is really bad for them. A snake, or any other shedding reptile should have a water dish big enough for them to sit comfortably in. The water helps there skin shed without damage to their new scales underneath. The water is also the most common place for them to go to the bathroom. Simply because it relaxes them. The water should be replaced every day.

If it is a dry season, and the only heat source you have is lights, then you should mist it every day. If you dont then the old scales that are supposed to shed off will tighten up and harm the reptile.

The tank should have a costant 70-85 degree temperature, but they should have a basking spot in the tank where it is atleast 95-110. They should also have a cool side in their tank where they can go when they are hot.

You should never really have to force feed them, The biggest mistake snake owners make is over feeding them. A ball python should only feed about once or twice a week. Depending on the size.

Make sure you have a light that puts out UV rays, reptiles need UV rays because it helps them digest correctly.

[Oldshell4481]

not yet, ill try and get some soon. hes really friendly and im hoping his feeding goes well tomorrow. if you havent tried dead mice you might want to try feeding him that, or ask your vet or pet store what some alternatives are to force feeding. ive researched a bit and it says the snakes can go months without food.

[Rm250RF900R]

Yeah my brothers friend didn't take good care of the snake. He left it in a corner without a heat source or light. When we got him his cage was 60 degrees. Now one side of the tank has a heating pad under the tank and a big dish of water. Ive seen him in it a few times and now he's in the process of shedding. After he sheds ill wait a week and feed him.

[ATCWRENCH]

my brother had a couple of ball pythons, they were pretty cool to handle. his coolest snake though was his bermis python, when he get it, it was about 6 foot long, when he got rid of it, it was a little over 7 foot long. now (to the best of my knowledge) it is in the Wichita zoo here in Kansas.

you can indentify him by a big scar he has just behind his head. he got loose in our house and he found the hot water pipe in the bathroom and wrapped himself around that to stay warm, my mom found him and was trying get him out and she was doing pretty until the last and thats when the back of his head got drug across a nail and thats what cut him.

oh yea and whos knows how big he is now. my brother got rid of him about ten years ago.

[Oldshell4481]

fed him last night, went very well. took him a little time to manuever it down but he got it. i took a picture once i get it developed ill post it up.

[dividebyzero]

We watched a bermise python for awhile for a friend of mine.Feeding time was the coolest.That snake was really cool,let him out and wander.Loved being held.His favorite bath was crank on the hot water in the bathroom and hang him on the curtain rod for a nice steam bath.