Ball python care

[fantasybookworm]

Well, I'm getting another unexpected pet that I haven't researched enough. I keep getting myself into these situations. On the plus side, this time I have a month & a half or so to prepare.

My friend's cousin has a 4.5 foot long ball python that he said he can't take care of anymore. He's apparently currently keeping her in a pillowcase (he said something about a URI due to mold?), and otherwise was keeping her in a 10 gallon. I just texted him to clarify & he said that he's "almost done" with a cage that's 24" by 16" and 24" tall. He sent me pictures of the wooden frame and it looks like it's going to be two levels, but not sure how they're going to be connected. I'm still thinking about getting her a 40 or 55 gallon tank at Petco or Petsmart, with their $1/gal sales going on right now.

As I said, it'll be a month & a half or so before we can get our own place & actually bring her home, so I'm getting started with the research & planning now. So far I've been checking out a few websites, including www.anapsid.org and the www.reptileforums.co.uk that was linked on my "favorite animal forums" thread. From what I've read so far, this is loosely what I have planned out:

- 40 or 55 gallon tank
- shredded aspen bedding (unless astroturf is better & more recommended, it sounds appealing as well)
- an Ultratherm heating mat the length of the tank mounted on the back to keep the tank to around 80F
- a CHE bulb on one end of the tank to create a basking spot that's around 90F
- at least 2-3 hides (not sure what to use yet, I'll have to see what's cost effective & would look nice & also fit her)
- a large water basin that she can fit into (I've read conflicting things about whether this is necessary or not, but figure having it is better just in case she wants to soak? however, I'm not sure what to use yet that would be big enough & also not tip over, suggestions are more than welcome. I have a large reptile bowl, but I'm not sure if it'd be big enough since I haven't seen her yet.)
- will feed frozen/thawed rats, I didn't ask what she's getting now, but hopefully either rats or she'll switch nicely. I do plan on having a separate tote for her feeding spot, no feeding in her home.

So far the main questions I've had & either haven't looked up yet or keep finding conflicting information on...
1) I read something about ball pythons not being good climbers - what's the highest climby thing I should include to avoid her hurting herself? Or is she unlikely to because of her size?
2) Do they need water dechlorinated? I read some varying things about using bottled water versus tap water. I'm not sure how great the tap water here is, but don't want to risk hurting her. I can get bottled water if dechlorinating tap water is a bad idea.
3) Should I insulate the Ultratherm if I mount it on the back, or will that make it a potential danger for burns? I read in a couple places that ball pythons are pretty susceptible to burning themselves.

[wodesorel]

I don't have tropicals, but some things I've learned having my King and Corn:

They can poop a lot. It's like a mix of chalk, solid poo like a cat, and liquid like a bird. If it's not absorbed by something, it will start smelling quickly. Most snakes will poop once after a feeding. My king goes three times. Make the bedding something easy to clean, because you want it gone as soon as it happens and tearing things apart to deal with it gets annoying fast! I use a mix of Cypress and cocofiber, and keep it moist for the king.

US snake keepers tend to recommend smaller enclosures than European keepers. A snake will stretch out completely when given the chance, though they usually do it after dark.

It is a good idea to offer a bowl big enough for soaking since they do so when they shed. You don't have to so long as they have a water bowl to drink from a moist hide to go into. My two soak pretty often. They also poop in it often, so make it easy to change. It doesn't have to be a reptile bowl. I have a ceramic pet bowl for one and a plastic shoebox tote for the other.

Call around to your local pet shops to find availability and prices on f/t. There can be a major difference. My local shop is half the price of the chain stores and has a much better selection. For a snake that size you could do mice, rats or chicks.

Water doesn't have to be dechlorinated. Some do, some don't. I used to.

Snakes in general have a bad time judging how hot something is. Nothing in the tank should be hot enough to burn them. An IR temperature gun is ideal for checking and a thermostat really should be used to keep them safe.

A URI is nothing to wait on. If she's sick, she really needs to see a vet for antibiotics if she hasn't already. I'd also be worried about the pillowcase since she wouldn't be able to bask or adjust her temps. I hope he's not feeding her? It could rot in her gut if she can't warm herself. It sounds like when you finally get her she needs to see either a reptile vet or a reptile rescue that can assess her. A regular vet that doesn't know herps could do her more harm then good.

[fantasybookworm]

Thank you!! I really appreciate the advice & tips!

Okay, sounds like loose bedding would be easier to deal with then, for spot cleaning. I'll look & see what my options are for the local pet stores. I haven't gotten a chance to check around a lot other than Petsmart & Petco to see what smaller pet stores there are in the area. Hopefully I can borrow my friend's car, maybe on Tuesday or Thursday, and do some checking. I'll make sure I check for food prices too!

Yeah, I'm going with a "bigger is better" approach. The UK forum recommended a 36" by 18", I think, which is why I'm hoping to get a 55 gallon tank to switch her into. I'll just give her lots of hides & some stuff to climb on & check out to fill the space up. I don't want her to be cramped.

I'll probably just go ahead & use tap water then. I'm sure she's probably just getting regular tap water now anyway. I'll have to do some looking around to find something I like for a water container. My friend will have to babysit me in the dollar stores & home organization sections of stores again. I'd also like to pick up a solid colored tote for her feeding spot, so she can have some privacy for dinner if she's shy.

I'll work on getting supplies set up between now & when we move out. And I'll make sure I add a IR temperature gun to the shopping list! I've wanted to get one anyway, so this girl will give me a good excuse. I checked on ReptileBasics, but don't see them, so I'll have to do some shopping around for one. I do think I might get one of these though, to control the heating pad & the CHE bulb -http://www.reptilebasics.com/thermostat ... -ve-300x2/

I think he did say that he had or was treating the URI, but I didn't think to ask for specifics. I was kind of caught off guard about the entire thing, as he kind of mentioned out of the blue that he had a snake for me and I wasn't sure what he was talking about at first. I'll have to ask him about it next time I talk to him. He didn't say how long she's been in the pillowcase either. I'm hoping not for long. I'll have to see if I can find out more about the situation. I'll try to pay close attention when I get a chance to go meet her & see if I notice any red alert signs for bad health. The vet clinic that I found to take my dog to does have a vet who sees exotics, including reptiles, so I'll be setting up an appointment for her for a week or two after I get her, regardless of what she looks like.

I'm going to be even more impatient for moving out now, so I can bring this girl home and get to the business of spoiling her! I'll keep you guys updated as I find out more about her conditions & health status, and when I get a chance to go visit her.

[fantasybookworm]

Oops...Just found the temp guns on ReptileBasics! Yay!

[wodesorel]

I bought my temp gun at home depot for like $30. I use it for cooking, baking, aquariums and the critters, along with the house in winter to make sure we're insulated well and the furnace is working right, and it's also the laser pointer toy for our cats (and bettas). Best purchase ever, especially with 17 enclosures.

[fantasybookworm]

Lol, that's awesome! I'm probably going to have way too much fun with mine once I get it. I'm sure it'll be useful for lots of things for me as well. I would like to have a hedgehog again in the near future, and possibly a bearded dragon, so I'll have other critters that it can help with.

I just added up probable costs for the ball python and well. Let's just say I hope my job interview tomorrow goes well. Really though, the thermostat is a hefty chunk of it, so if I can't get that, I'll just get another like the one I have, or at least something cheaper than $200. I can splurge on the nice thermostat later down the line when we're not just getting started out on our own.

[Kleinerhejhog]

Bettas? Seriously? Whoda thunk.

[fantasybookworm]

Well, I got to meet our future snake today. She's in pretty rough shape, I think. She's quite skinny, which her current owner had mentioned, and she's not shedding well (due to insufficient humidity). I'm a bit unclear on whether she's skinny due to not wanting to eat or not being fed. I wanted to offer the current owner some money if he needs it to take care of her, but I just don't have the money right now myself. I still owe him money for my car as it is. I'm hoping if I can get a job sometime soon, maybe I can offer to help with her care until we move out & can bring her home.

Despite the health issues & the poor shed (she has flaking skin around her neck and head, and she has a retained spectacle on her right eye, which owner says she's always had trouble with that spot), she's beautiful and adorable, and I'm already in love. She's a sweetheart too, and was pretty interested in exploring my arms and under my hair. I can't wait to bring her home and spoil her, and just hope she doesn't get worse before then.







Side note, is shredded aspen an okay bedding for them? Current owner said that wood shavings aren't a good option, and that he's using Repti Bark. I hadn't seen anything about no aspen before he said that. I'm considering using Eco Earth for her instead, maybe mixed with Repti Bark or something else...I'll have to do some more reading & thinking, I guess.

[wodesorel]

She looks pretty decent. I'm not seeing her being underweight, no bones showing, no wrinkled skin. We tend to want plump animals, and most 'healthy' snake photos out there are of overweight animals. That's not good for them. (And I am so guilty of overfeeding my Stan and turning him into a sausage.)

If she does have an upper respiratory she's like to be off her food. Did you hear any gurgling or whistling or hissing noises from her?

Aspen is safe, but it can't be used in humid enclosures because it molds. Forrest or Repti bedding is less likely to get moldy, but can if it gets saturated.

The shedding around the head and neck can be removed by a good soaking. I have to do this every shed for my corn with the spinal deformity because she always gets it stuck there.

The cap on the eye is more dangerous. They can loose their eyes that way. Depending on the personality of the snake their head can be wrapped in a wet washcloth and then it can be popped off with a finger nail when it's soft. That's actually what my friend who owns a pet store was doing the first time I met her.

All they need is a moist hide or a good soaking when they shed to prevent these things from happening...

[fantasybookworm]

She still seemed like she was a bit too skinny to me? Maybe not then! That's definitely comforting if she's not too skinny. She had definite small dips on either side of her spine & her spine was noticeable, is that a normal, healthy thing? Similar to how with healthy dogs, you want to be able to feel/maybe see the ribs rather than not be able to feel them at all?

Frankly, I'm pretty sure it's less that she's off her food and that he can't afford to buy her food, and my friend agrees that's probably more likely. I didn't hear any noises from her though, and she kept her mouth closed & she didn't seem to have any issues breathing. So I think her URI is cleared up, at least. If I get a chance, I'll ask him if he's planning to soak her to help get the rest of the shed off, and to get her eye cap off. I'm guessing he has experience with helping her with that if it's a regular problem for her.

I'll keep reading up on bedding choices and what's best for a ball. I know I read something about not having the bedding TOO moist for balls or it can cause skin issues.

I'm guessing he didn't notice that she had started shedding. He's keeping her in a pillowcase right now until he gets more bedding for the 10 gallon temporary tank. So the humidity is obviously lacking & caused the bad shed.

I have to go to Petsmart tomorrow (didn't go today as planned because car stuff took forever), and he'll be over here working on car repairs, so I think I'll ask if he wants me to pick up some bedding for the tank & if he needs anything else for her. I know I should be saving, but I want to give an extra nudge if it means getting her back into slightly better conditions.

[soilentgringa]

I want snakes soooooo bad but my older brother put his foot down with an emphatic no! Since he is willing to help support myself and my son, I am not going to argue, just wistfully stare at the legless cats with longing...

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