RCReptiles.com

[laurmann2000]

Hi folks,
I just got my first ball python today and I'm so excited about him. His name is Reggie and he's a normal. I got him from a breeder near where I live. I was afraid to order one online as I just wanted to see and hold him first being the newbie that I am. Anyway here's Reggie:



And here he is going into his hide box:



I've also added another small hide box to the cool part of his enclosure so he has options.

[ryancbj22]

First off WELCOME TO THE FORUM!

Very nice looking bp!

Just a few questions and suggestion's. Tell us a little bit about your set-up what are you using for heat and are you using a t-stat. The only suggestion I can see is ditch the thermometer's that you have they don't work nearly as good as a digital thermometer. You can purchase one at home-depot or walmart for $15 that measure's hot side cold side and humidity all in one. Overall as far as hide's and everything goes it looks great just let us know a little more about it......

[img][/img]

[laurmann2000]

Thank you for the welcome.

I will get a new thermometer if you feel these aren't sufficient. I will head to home depot in the next couple days. I don't have a thermostat. Any suggestions as to type or where to get those? I'm not even sure how they hook up or work.

I have overhead lamps for heat. On the left I have a 100W bulb in a metal hood. On the right I have a 75W black light that I will put on at night and turn off the day light. I don't have an under tank heater at this time. Just the big hood with the two lights with separate switches. I read somewhere that an under tank heater can actually crack the glass of an aquarium. Is that true? I'm a bit nervous to get one.

I have two temporary (as you can see) hide boxes. One on the left and one on the right. That's about it other than what you can see.

I was told he eats weaned live rats so that's what I'll try feeding him next week. He was out exploring his new home about an hour after he arrived but now he's hiding and has been for a few hours.

[PlayBall]

[ryancbj22]

Check this out on t-stat's.
http://www.rcreptiles.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3235

A uth is very important as bp's need belly heat for digestion rather than just basking lights. In my opinion do away with the lights and get a uth that covers about a 1/3 of the bottom of the tank and a t-stat to control it. Grab one of those thermometers and and when you install it in your tank take the unit itself and place it on the cool side and run the probe under the substrate and tape it down over the hottest part of the tank right above your uth. Then adjust the t-stat to get the temp you want. I would just do away with the overhead lights there really just another hassle and your snake doesn't need them. Some people that have larger tanks will use them to help heat up the tank but your tank is small enough you shouldn't have to worry about that. You can find t-stat's on the internet for around $50 or less just do a search on google for reptile t-stats and you'll find all kinds of them. The link above will explain the differences between them.....

[laurmann2000]

I ended up getting a UTH and a t-stat and things are looking good as far as temp goes. I think I finally got it all set correctly. I am monitoring it several times a day and for the last week or so, things are nice and consistent. Right now I'm having problems with Reggie eating. He ate a week after we got him a live rat pup but hasn't eaten since. I've tried F/T, live small rats, live smaller rats and a large mouse and he's refused them all though he did strike at the first rat we got. Sunday will be three weeks since he's eaten. I'm going to keep trying and see what happens. Hopefully he'll eat eventually. Anyway, here is a new picture of Reggie. I just love this little guy.

[ryancbj22]

I was going to ask what you were monitoring temps with, but I saw a thermometer behind Reggie

From the looks of things I would continue with the rat pups. Try once a week not more than that trying to feed everyday can stress them out.

Give some more info on how your trying to feed whether it's in the same tank or are you moving him? Just be patient with him sometimes they need to settle in a bit.

What are your temps and humidity levels right now?

[laurmann2000]

Thanks for the advice on trying once a week. I didn't realize that trying everyday could stress them.

The temps are between 90 and 95 in the basking area (where the UTH is) and about 82 on the cool end. Ambient temp seems to be about 84. I have a hide box on both ends of the tank though he almost exclusively uses the one over the UTH.

I've been feeding him in his tank. I took him out once to a separate container when I tried the f/t but I didn't like doing that. I felt it probably stressed him more.

I read somewhere that we shouldn't hold them until they have eaten with us for 4 times. Is this true? I do take him out to hold him for a very short time (maybe 5 minutes) almost daily except for about a day before feeding. On the one time he did eat I also didn't hold him for 2 days after he ate. I don't want to stress him by holding him too much but I also want him to get used to being held/handled. He was comfortable with the breeder handling him, it seemed so I think he was used to being held prior to me buying him. Also I had been holding him for a few days prior to the first time I fed him the rat pup and he did eat that so I assumed it didn't stress him. Any advice?

[a_green]

Your temps sound great! As for where you're feeding, if you're committed to feeding inside its enclosure, just keep a close eye on things to make sure stuff like wood chips doesn't get in the BP's mouth. That's my biggest reason for feeding separately.

The rule for handling we stand by around here at least is not to handle at all for the first week or two after getting your BP, but obviously that is past. Handling every day except for right before eating and 2 days after is just right. But to get your BP really used to you, I would take him out for longer than 5 min at a time.

[laurmann2000]