# Got a Pastel Ball python



## joey'd

going this Saturday to pick up a pastel ball python from a breeder near the toronto area.
super excited!!
anyone else have one and care to share any tips, this is my first snake.

from what i am told, it is a male, born in august, weighing 182grams right now, and eating very well from what i was told, better than the normal i originally wanted.


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## ICEE

So you took my advice. what would you do without me









Joey put in in your 20 gallon. Under tank heater on one side. water dish on the cold side. Aspen snake bedding or whatever substrate you choose. AcuRite digital thermometer from Home Depot/Lowes measures hot side and cold side with a probe stick on hot side. Also measures humidity. Keep humidity 50-60%.

For some reason I feel like I have told you this over and over


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## joey'd

ICEE said:


> So you took my advice. what would you do without me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Joey put in in your 20 gallon. Under tank heater on one side. water dish on the cold side. Aspen snake bedding or whatever substrate you choose. AcuRite digital thermometer from Home Depot/Lowes measures hot side and cold side with a probe stick on hot side. Also measures humidity. Keep humidity 50-60%.
> 
> For some reason I feel like I have told you this over and over :rasp:


i have no clue what i would do without you....wait, i know, id have a crummy lil snake that does nothing.
thanks for the tips man, will prepare tomorrow, and leave tomorrow night to go to toronto


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## joey'd

so i just got back from getting a rhom, and a pasterl ball python, and i have to say, the guys i got the snake form, were really nice, and have a beautiful collection, and breed all they have.
here are some pics, sorry if this is a brief post, just left last night, did a 6 hour drive, right after work, through a snow storm, woke up today, drove 45mins to get the rhom, 45 mins to get the snake, 45 to get back downtown, and then another 6 hours later and setting up both tanks, here i am......
enjoy the pics, took him about 45mins to come out of his container


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## ICEE

nice pickup joey. looks nice and healthy. congrats


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## Mettle

Awesome snake!







Who did you buy it from? The GTA and surrounding part of southern Ontario is great for having tons of awesome reptile breeders.

I've always wanted a ball python but never made the grab. If I do it'll probably be in the form of a little breeding project. I've always liked the lesser platinums. But like I could afford a breeding project of those heh.

Congrats again!


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## joey'd

Mettle said:


> Awesome snake!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Who did you buy it from? The GTA and surrounding part of southern Ontario is great for having tons of awesome reptile breeders.
> 
> I've always wanted a ball python but never made the grab. If I do it'll probably be in the form of a little breeding project. I've always liked the lesser platinums. But like I could afford a breeding project of those heh.
> 
> Congrats again!


I got him from THIS SITE great bunch of guys...well brothers i should say, nice collections as well!!!

i just fed him for the first time, and he finished shedding today as well (it did not come off all in one piece, i have been trying to keep up the humidity in his cage by pouring hot water onto the coconut shavings).
he came right out, and grabbed the lil fuzzy right off the pliers, and swallowed it in about 5 minutes or so, it was very fast.
anyways, i grabbed a few shots of the process, i did this in his tank for the first time, i will not do this again, i will bring him out, but he still has some scales on, and looks a bit grumpy, and he has not eaten in 10 days, so i just fed him in the tank which like i said, i wont do again.
in a few days, i will start handling him, and then i will take him out next itme and put him in a large rubber maid box
enjoy the pics


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## [email protected]°

Very nice Ball Python...

I used to have a couple of them when I was younger. They really do make great pets as far as snakes go...


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## joey'd

[email protected]° said:


> Very nice Ball Python...
> 
> I used to have a couple of them when I was younger. They really do make great pets as far as snakes go...


thanks man, its a pastel by the way.
ya i know ive read snakes will never show affection or anything, but thy will get used to being handled
im excited about the next few days when i try and take him out for the first time, ill probably get bit


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## Mettle

There's nothing wrong with feeding in the tank. My snakes have always gotten fed in their enclosures. Just put down paper towel or a plate for it to feed on so that it doesn't ingest any substrate. Mine are on newspaper so I don't have that issue to worry about.


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## notaverage

Cool feeding pics!
Is a Patel python just a Regular python?
I was expecting a lighter colored python.


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## sapir

Mettle said:


> Cool feeding pics!
> Is a Patel python just a Regular python?
> I was expecting a lighter colored python.


pastels arent normal, theyre co-dominant which means if your breed a pastel male to a normal female 50% of the clutch should be pastels and 50% normals.


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## KINGofKINGS

all snakes are different as far as feeding response.... ive fed some in the cage and have no problems... others NO WAY would I as they are ALWAYS on the look for food--- BP's seem pretty laid back so I wouldnt worry about it as much..I feed my albino ball in his cage and he does just fine(has never bit)--- even if you get tagged by a ball, it doesnt hurt.... I would NEVER feed a snake on substrate tho--- very easy for the bark to stick to the mouse and get ingested leading to a possible death- just not worth the risk-- get a nice sized rubbermaid and put him in that everytime he feeds-



notaverage said:


> Cool feeding pics!
> Is a Patel python just a Regular python?
> I was expecting a lighter colored python.


All pastels are a different shade... joey d looked like he used a phone to take the pics?? Looks nicely colored just not seeing it as much in the photos-


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## psychofish

Nice looking snake, Congrats


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## joey'd

sapir said:


> Cool feeding pics!
> Is a Patel python just a Regular python?
> I was expecting a lighter colored python.


All pastels are a different shade... joey d looked like he used a phone to take the pics?? Looks nicely colored just not seeing it as much in the photos-
[/quote]
*yes, they are very laid back, and ive been told by many, being bit is more of shock than pain, so im not worried much if it does happen*

_ya, im not happy with feeding him on the substrate, while he was swallowing, i was cleaning off the fuzzy lolol, a piece of coconut shaving was stuck to the body, and i wiped it off._
_i only did this, as i said because i have not started or even attempted yet to handle him, but he has been in a bit of a mood shedding (i can tell he is not as comfortable as he has been since i got him, so i just wanted him to eat, since it has been 10 days, and next time i am going to bring him out into a rubbermaid bin_








ya, all pics were taken from my iphone (sorry for the poor quality guys), i want to save up and get a nikkon or cannon or something, but that wont be till at least next xmas or maybe a very expensive self given birthday present???......

hopefully within the week, ill take him out (gonna wait till tomorrow as i read it is best to give them a day or two after eating at the risk or regurgitation) and ill snap some pics, and see if my bro will lend me a cam, and a HD vid cam as well


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## Mettle

That whole deal about "every time you reach into the tank he'll think it's food" is frankly bs. This is ONLY the case if the only time you ever go into the tank is to feed. If you NEVER handle your snake then yes, when you open the cage, it will think you're going in with food. But if you handle regularly or establish a feeding time (I feed at night after lights out and never handle after lights out) you will not have problems. How do you think breeders feed? Do you honestly think they take the time to take every single animal out of its enclosure and feed in separate bins? Hell no.

ALSO. Another hole in that logic is that once you feed the snake in the separate enclosure it will be in feeding mode. It will learn just as easily that the separate enclosure means food. This can cause a few issues. One, when you take it out and put it somewhere else for cleaning it may think it's food time. Bang, you get tagged. Two, once it is out and has fed it may still very easily be in feeding mode and you are far more likely to smell like its prey. Bang, you get tagged again.

Another issue with feeding in a separate enclosure is that a snake who has just been fed generally shouldn't be handled. Or handled as little as possible. Feeding in a separate enclosure can cause issues for a snake who is handled improperly when transported back into its main enclosure. This improper handling can result from the snake striking at the owner for the reason listed above.

I'm not saying DON'T feed in a separate enclosure. I'm just saying know why you're doing it. Separate enclosure feeding is this thing that has been preached around by some for years. And frankly, a lot of the reasons for doing it are bs. The ONLY good reason is if you have substrate in the enclosure. That's it.


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## SERRAPYGO

Mettle said:


> That whole deal about "every time you reach into the tank he'll think it's food" is frankly bs. This is ONLY the case if the only time you ever go into the tank is to feed. If you NEVER handle your snake then yes, when you open the cage, it will think you're going in with food. But if you handle regularly or establish a feeding time (I feed at night after lights out and never handle after lights out) you will not have problems. How do you think breeders feed? Do you honestly think they take the time to take every single animal out of its enclosure and feed in separate bins? Hell no.
> 
> ALSO. Another hole in that logic is that once you feed the snake in the separate enclosure it will be in feeding mode. It will learn just as easily that the separate enclosure means food. This can cause a few issues. One, when you take it out and put it somewhere else for cleaning it may think it's food time. Bang, you get tagged. Two, once it is out and has fed it may still very easily be in feeding mode and you are far more likely to smell like its prey. Bang, you get tagged again.
> 
> Another issue with feeding in a separate enclosure is that a snake who has just been fed generally shouldn't be handled. Or handled as little as possible. Feeding in a separate enclosure can cause issues for a snake who is handled improperly when transported back into its main enclosure. This improper handling can result from the snake striking at the owner for the reason listed above.
> 
> I'm not saying DON'T feed in a separate enclosure. I'm just saying know why you're doing it. Separate enclosure feeding is this thing that has been preached around by some for years. And frankly, a lot of the reasons for doing it are bs. The ONLY good reason is if you have substrate in the enclosure. That's it.


Agreed. 
One thing I always did to break a snake out of "feeding mode" when going in for the grab, was to give it a quick tap on the nose with an open hand. I also use this method for my tegu...works every time. 
Gorgeous ball!


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## dracofish

Mettle said:


> That whole deal about "every time you reach into the tank he'll think it's food" is frankly bs. This is ONLY the case if the only time you ever go into the tank is to feed. If you NEVER handle your snake then yes, when you open the cage, it will think you're going in with food. But if you handle regularly or establish a feeding time (I feed at night after lights out and never handle after lights out) you will not have problems. How do you think breeders feed? Do you honestly think they take the time to take every single animal out of its enclosure and feed in separate bins? Hell no.
> 
> ALSO. Another hole in that logic is that once you feed the snake in the separate enclosure it will be in feeding mode. It will learn just as easily that the separate enclosure means food. This can cause a few issues. One, when you take it out and put it somewhere else for cleaning it may think it's food time. Bang, you get tagged. Two, once it is out and has fed it may still very easily be in feeding mode and you are far more likely to smell like its prey. Bang, you get tagged again.
> 
> Another issue with feeding in a separate enclosure is that a snake who has just been fed generally shouldn't be handled. Or handled as little as possible. Feeding in a separate enclosure can cause issues for a snake who is handled improperly when transported back into its main enclosure. This improper handling can result from the snake striking at the owner for the reason listed above.
> 
> I'm not saying DON'T feed in a separate enclosure. I'm just saying know why you're doing it. Separate enclosure feeding is this thing that has been preached around by some for years. And frankly, a lot of the reasons for doing it are bs. The ONLY good reason is if you have substrate in the enclosure. That's it.


Ditto...at one time my ex and I had up near 50 snakes (Balls, Corns, Hognose, and a Burm). They were all kept in breeder-type drawer enclosures, save for the Burm. No way we could take them all out for feeding. The only one I did that for was the Burm.


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## ICEE

nice update joey


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## joey'd

SERRAPYGO said:


> That whole deal about "every time you reach into the tank he'll think it's food" is frankly bs. This is ONLY the case if the only time you ever go into the tank is to feed. If you NEVER handle your snake then yes, when you open the cage, it will think you're going in with food. But if you handle regularly or establish a feeding time (I feed at night after lights out and never handle after lights out) you will not have problems. How do you think breeders feed? Do you honestly think they take the time to take every single animal out of its enclosure and feed in separate bins? Hell no.
> 
> ALSO. Another hole in that logic is that once you feed the snake in the separate enclosure it will be in feeding mode. It will learn just as easily that the separate enclosure means food. This can cause a few issues. One, when you take it out and put it somewhere else for cleaning it may think it's food time. Bang, you get tagged. Two, once it is out and has fed it may still very easily be in feeding mode and you are far more likely to smell like its prey. Bang, you get tagged again.
> 
> Another issue with feeding in a separate enclosure is that a snake who has just been fed generally shouldn't be handled. Or handled as little as possible. Feeding in a separate enclosure can cause issues for a snake who is handled improperly when transported back into its main enclosure. This improper handling can result from the snake striking at the owner for the reason listed above.
> 
> I'm not saying DON'T feed in a separate enclosure. I'm just saying know why you're doing it. Separate enclosure feeding is this thing that has been preached around by some for years. And frankly, a lot of the reasons for doing it are bs. The ONLY good reason is if you have substrate in the enclosure. That's it.


Agreed. 
One thing I always did to break a snake out of "feeding mode" when going in for the grab, was to give it a quick tap on the nose with an open hand. I also use this method for my tegu...works every time. 
Gorgeous ball!
[/quote]
one thing the breeder told me, was exactly that, before he went to grab it, he would tap it on the nose.
Thanks Serrapygo

ya, after posting that, i thought about it a lot, as i did read it was not best to handle the snake after eating for a day or so, at the risk of possible regurgitation which is no good for the snake.
as far as the substrate goes, maybe ill lay down paper towel or something??.....

last night i handled him for the first time, i opened his cage, and picked up one of his hiding spots where he was, and we both looked at each other for a good 30 minutes, both of us were a bit freaked out i think.
i had to come to terms with myself that i probably will, eventually get tagged by him, and it best to happen sooner than later i guess, so i picked him up, and held him for a bit, he seemed curious, and came over to my other arm, felt on of my arm hairs, freaked out and balled up in my hand.
i put him back in, but he seemed to want to come back out, so this went on for about an hour or so.
tonight when got home from work, i took him out a bit more, this time, he started to climb up my arm, and again when he felt my arm hair, he freaked out.

he is a bit testy i can tell, as he still has some shed left on his nose from his recent shed (as i mentioned, i have been trying to keep up the humidity)
so, he isnt in the best of moods i guess, and all went well.
he seems to like to ocme out when the lights are out, and try to crawl up around the top of the tank ( i have metal screen for the tank, with latches, and rocks on the top of the screen as well in the corners)

for the next week or so, i plan to try and handle him for at least 20 mins or so a day, he will be fed again on friday night, im house sitting for my brother, so i guess i have access to all his gear







maybe ill make a vid? but most likely be too lazy lol.

thanks for the compliment guys, i hope to try and grab some shots with a decent cam maybe soon, to get a better show of his color and what not


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## Mettle

Feeding in a separate bin/enclosure isn't a bad thing. Like I said - just know why you're doing it and don't try and justify it using many of the fallacies that are out there. Heck, I feed my beardie in a separate enclosure when it comes to live food. Just makes things easier especially with crickets. Sometimes it's not such a bad idea.

Often it's good to leave the snake alone for the first few days to a week to let it get settled in. You don't want to stress it with too much handling too soon. It's probably testy though because people who breed rarely have time to handle all their snakes on a consistent basis let alone the ones they hatch out so it hasn't gotten a ton of contact with people as of yet. Ball pythons are generally fairly calm though and it'll probably grow accustom to you after a short while.


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## sapir

joey said:


> That whole deal about "every time you reach into the tank he'll think it's food" is frankly bs. This is ONLY the case if the only time you ever go into the tank is to feed. If you NEVER handle your snake then yes, when you open the cage, it will think you're going in with food. But if you handle regularly or establish a feeding time (I feed at night after lights out and never handle after lights out) you will not have problems. How do you think breeders feed? Do you honestly think they take the time to take every single animal out of its enclosure and feed in separate bins? Hell no.
> 
> ALSO. Another hole in that logic is that once you feed the snake in the separate enclosure it will be in feeding mode. It will learn just as easily that the separate enclosure means food. This can cause a few issues. One, when you take it out and put it somewhere else for cleaning it may think it's food time. Bang, you get tagged. Two, once it is out and has fed it may still very easily be in feeding mode and you are far more likely to smell like its prey. Bang, you get tagged again.
> 
> Another issue with feeding in a separate enclosure is that a snake who has just been fed generally shouldn't be handled. Or handled as little as possible. Feeding in a separate enclosure can cause issues for a snake who is handled improperly when transported back into its main enclosure. This improper handling can result from the snake striking at the owner for the reason listed above.
> 
> I'm not saying DON'T feed in a separate enclosure. I'm just saying know why you're doing it. Separate enclosure feeding is this thing that has been preached around by some for years. And frankly, a lot of the reasons for doing it are bs. The ONLY good reason is if you have substrate in the enclosure. That's it.


Agreed. 
One thing I always did to break a snake out of "feeding mode" when going in for the grab, was to give it a quick tap on the nose with an open hand. I also use this method for my tegu...works every time. 
Gorgeous ball!
[/quote]
one thing the breeder told me, was exactly that, before he went to grab it, he would tap it on the nose.
Thanks Serrapygo

ya, after posting that, i thought about it a lot, as i did read it was not best to handle the snake after eating for a day or so, at the risk of possible regurgitation which is no good for the snake.
as far as the substrate goes, maybe ill lay down paper towel or something??.....

last night i handled him for the first time, i opened his cage, and picked up one of his hiding spots where he was, and we both looked at each other for a good 30 minutes, both of us were a bit freaked out i think.
i had to come to terms with myself that i probably will, eventually get tagged by him, and it best to happen sooner than later i guess, so i picked him up, and held him for a bit, he seemed curious, and came over to my other arm, felt on of my arm hairs, freaked out and balled up in my hand.
i put him back in, but he seemed to want to come back out, so this went on for about an hour or so.
tonight when got home from work, i took him out a bit more, this time, he started to climb up my arm, and again when he felt my arm hair, he freaked out.

he is a bit testy i can tell, as he still has some shed left on his nose from his recent shed (as i mentioned, i have been trying to keep up the humidity)
so, he isnt in the best of moods i guess, and all went well.
he seems to like to ocme out when the lights are out, and try to crawl up around the top of the tank ( i have metal screen for the tank, with latches, and rocks on the top of the screen as well in the corners)

for the next week or so, i plan to try and handle him for at least 20 mins or so a day, he will be fed again on friday night, im house sitting for my brother, so i guess i have access to all his gear







maybe ill make a vid? but most likely be too lazy lol.

thanks for the compliment guys, i hope to try and grab some shots with a decent cam maybe soon, to get a better show of his color and what not
[/quote]

if you get him used to being handled you shouldnt be worried about getting bit, the problem with snakes from breeders is that they dont get handled much because the breeders have many snake to care for and not enough time to handle each one. just spend time with him every other day and you should be good


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## joey'd

Mettle said:


> if you get him used to being handled you shouldnt be worried about getting bit, the problem with snakes from breeders is that they dont get handled much because the breeders have many snake to care for and not enough time to handle each one. just spend time with him every other day and you should be good


word, true dat, true dat, it will take some time


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## KINGofKINGS

... and if you want to make him real happy get him a nice solid pvc enclosure and dump the screen top-- best move i ever made... all controlled by a thermostat... w/o this i would be f-d in wi trying to keep up humidity and keeping the temp constant where it needs to be... imo when a ball is constanitly out and about he is looking for prey or HEAT-- after i got the new cage my snake basically sleeps all the time now... and i think thats the sign of a happy ball?


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## joey'd

KINGofKINGS said:


> ... and if you want to make him real happy get him a nice solid pvc enclosure and dump the screen top-- best move i ever made... all controlled by a thermostat... w/o this i would be f-d in wi trying to keep up humidity and keeping the temp constant where it needs to be... imo when a ball is constanitly out and about he is looking for prey or HEAT-- after i got the new cage my snake basically sleeps all the time now... and i think thats the sign of a happy ball?


word, he pretty much sleeps all day long, form one hide box to another (one on the hot side and one on the warm side)
the only time i see him out, is at night, he is trying to climb to the top of the tank.
and i got a new top, a metal grate cage snapped onto the top of the tank, more secure, and no sharp edges, also a gated door for me to open instead of taking off the whole top.
thing is, it seems easier to handle him at night since thats when he comes out, other than that, i really dont ever see him at all (course im not home all that often)
i hope a ball that sleeps often as that is the sign of a happy ball, because thats what i seem to have.


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## joey'd

well, i tried feeding him tonight but he didnt seem to go for it really, well at first, he started to eat the fuzzy, but sideways, then he tried to get it right way round for a minute, before giving up and not bothering anymore.
i tried re-warming the fuzzy, but it didnt seem to matter.
he is really much more interested in coming out, so i took him out for a bit.
this is the most i have handled him so far, i sat down with him, and let him stretch out on the bed, he even played some dope wars on facebook.


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## Mettle

Be sure to throw out the food that he didn't eat. You can't re-freeze it.

As for feeding. Put him in a smaller container in the dark with the food and there will be a better chance of him eating it. Try again next week, I guess. Ball pythons can be fussy eaters but if he's still young you want him to be eating at regular intervals so he doesn't drop weight at all.


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## ICEE

joey said:


> well, i tried feeding him tonight but he didnt seem to go for it really, well at first, he started to eat the fuzzy, but sideways, then he tried to get it right way round for a minute, before giving up and not bothering anymore.
> i tried re-warming the fuzzy, but it didnt seem to matter.
> he is really much more interested in coming out, so i took him out for a bit.
> this is the most i have handled him so far, i sat down with him, and let him stretch out on the bed, he even played some dope wars on facebook.
> View attachment 175824


I hope he poops all over that mac book


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## sapir

KINGofKINGS said:


> ... and if you want to make him real happy get him a nice solid pvc enclosure and dump the screen top-- best move i ever made... all controlled by a thermostat... w/o this i would be f-d in wi trying to keep up humidity and keeping the temp constant where it needs to be... imo when a ball is constanitly out and about he is looking for prey or HEAT-- after i got the new cage my snake basically sleeps all the time now... and i think thats the sign of a happy ball?


i heard these work great! but if you dont want to spend the cash, you could cover 3/4 of the top with aluminum foil it will help keep the humidity in along with misting.


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## joey'd

sapir said:


> ... and if you want to make him real happy get him a nice solid pvc enclosure and dump the screen top-- best move i ever made... all controlled by a thermostat... w/o this i would be f-d in wi trying to keep up humidity and keeping the temp constant where it needs to be... imo when a ball is constanitly out and about he is looking for prey or HEAT-- after i got the new cage my snake basically sleeps all the time now... and i think thats the sign of a happy ball?


i heard these work great! but if you dont want to spend the cash, you could cover 3/4 of the top with aluminum foil it will help keep the humidity in along with misting.
[/quote]
King im not sure what yo mean by the PVC.... like that should be his tank?????
im confused.........

not sure if this is cute and funny, or could be of harmful, but he likes to try and climb out of the tank, of course he cant, the top is very secure, but sometimes he losses his balance while most of his body is along the wall of the tank, and he falls down side ways

regardless, i just fed him like 20 mins ago, didnt think he was gonna take it, but he did, it was a huge fuzzy as well, good cause he hasnt eaten since i last posted the other feeding, which has been some time now.
here are some pics, sorry for the crap quality and the few shots i took, i literally just woke up, wnet and got the fuzy out of the water, and fed him, so i was still tired and lazy


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## sapir

no its not pvc like you get at home depot








check out this link 
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/vision...cages-and-tubs/

and as for climbing out of the cage, you put the aluminum foil over the screen


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## ICEE

ya joey all snakes climb. especially at night. dont worry about the falling. Vision cages are good, but I prefer tubs, in a rack system.


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## joey'd

he is in a glass tank, with a metal cage top, that is very secure and not escapable.
im not worried about him getting out, more than hurting himself when he falls.
ill snap some shots of the whole cage and setup on the weekend.

sapir, thanks for the link, im drooooling over the 80" long one, but im gonna maybe get one of those in a year or so when i save up for it and he gets bigger


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## ICEE

80" long one would be a waste for a bp.


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## joey'd

ICEE said:


> 80" long one would be a waste for a bp.


ok ok, your right, i thought long and hard, and the 48long by 28 tall sounds nice


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## ICEE

still pretty big. but w/e


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## joey'd

ICEE said:


> still pretty big. but w/e


dont they grow to about 40-48"?
when he is fully grown, WTF will i use for a hide box?? 
and by then, he will be strong enough to get out, so these boxes look secure, but how do you heat them?


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## ICEE

ya they do grow that big.

When they are that big they don't need a hide box.

heat with flexwatt.


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## sapir

ICEE said:


> ya they do grow that big.
> 
> When they are that big they don't need a hide box.
> 
> heat with flexwatt.


they still need a hidebox even if theyre fully grown just to feel secure, the tighter the fit the better. ill find this link for you that makes big hide boxes for cheap and best thing to do is get two i dentical hideboxes on both the cool and warm side of the tank so the snake doesnt pick a favorite based on the hidebox. heres the link 
http://www.reptilebasics.com/Hide-Boxes-p-1-c-282.html

and if you want the hides to look more natural you can spread some silicone and cover it with some coco fiber or something.


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## ICEE

everyone has their own opinions, but as adults hide boxes are not necessary. a tub is just one big hide box


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## KINGofKINGS

i think the 36x18 is the perfect size for a bp-- are you feeding live or f/t... i got mine on f/t and I have to dangle it infront of him with tongs- works everytime--


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## ICEE

you cant tell by the pics







f/t


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## joey'd

KINGofKINGS said:


> you cant tell by the pics
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> f/t












here are some shots ive taken recently over the last week or so, thought i put them up
View attachment 176490

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View attachment 176497

View attachment 176498


you can see one hide box in the direct above pic, and in the reflection you can see the other one on the hot side of the tank, ill take full shots soon


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## khmerboiRED

snakes scare the crap out of me. lol


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## joey'd

he ate the fuzzie sideways tonight....it was a painful 20 minutes of watching, but he finally got it down, he must have been starving, and its only been about 6 days since i fed him, i guess ill bump it up a day or so.
wow, i didnt think he would be able to pull it off, but he did, im always amazed at animals and what they can do.
my brother gave me a new (well old but new for me) camera, so when its all charged and what not, ill snap some better shots


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## Mettle

Haha. Yeah, sometimes I'm amazed to see what they can pack away. They're certainly awesome animals. I always feel I'm either feeding mine prey items that are way too small. Or way too big. There never seems to be a good median.


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## joey'd

Mettle said:


> Haha. Yeah, sometimes I'm amazed to see what they can pack away. They're certainly awesome animals. I always feel I'm either feeding mine prey items that are way too small. Or way too big. There never seems to be a good median.


k well, its been.... 6 days since i fed him or so, and ive seen him once or twice since then, and since ive had him, he has been very active, but for the last 5 days, well lets just say, i lifted up his hide box to check if he was still alive.
is this normal for them to just sleep and sleep and sleep for days like this?
i mean im not always home, but he doesnt seem to move, and i can see into both hides.
anyone have any ideas?


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## Mettle

They're a nocturnal snake. So he would be active at night.

You might want to check your temps and humidity to make sure those are okay.

Has he sh*t lately?


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## ICEE

sounds like everything is fine, mine just sleeps all the time as well.


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## joey'd

Mettle said:


> They're a nocturnal snake. So he would be active at night.
> 
> You might want to check your temps and humidity to make sure those are okay.
> 
> Has he sh*t lately?


day and night, normally when i referred to his activeness, i mean t at night that much i know they are nocturnal.
his activity in general is none, he hasbeen in his hide for a few days now.
temp seems ok, humidity may be a bit low if anything, i poured some warm water onto the chip substrate a few days ago just in case.
he has sh*t once since i got him, only once, but he pee's well, i find his white clays every few days or so, and i clean them out


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## ICEE

sh*t only once???????? my bps sh*t everywhere. are you sure the mice you are feeding him are completely thawed???

how long have you had him? something isn't right.


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## joey'd

ICEE said:


> sh*t only once???????? my bps sh*t everywhere. are you sure the mice you are feeding him are completely thawed???
> 
> how long have you had him? something isn't right.


well, im feeding him rats, fuzzies to be exact, but rats, and yes they are entirely thawed.
ive had him for a bit over a month now, i think it was the 2nd weekend of dec i got him


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## ICEE

its no big deal then. i thought you had them for longer


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## joey'd

actually according to this post, i got him the 6th of dec.
but even still, what about the lack of his activity?
i removed one of the hides today, he was there, i handled him for a moment, he seemed ok, but wanted to go back in his hide, so i let him be.
is this just normal winter behavior?
i dont want to seem all whinny or worried, but im curious whats going on here


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## Mettle

Lots of times in the winter months our homes are just naturally cooler. It's not unusual for certain reptiles to spend more time hiding or sleeping during this time. If he's eating then you're probably fine. Even if he wasn't I wouldn't be worried. He's a ball python. He doesn't do much.

Has he shed since you got him?


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## ICEE

everything seems fine joey, as long as he eats. dont worry about it.


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## lo4life

Very nice snake joey..


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## joey'd

Mettle said:


> Lots of times in the winter months our homes are just naturally cooler. It's not unusual for certain reptiles to spend more time hiding or sleeping during this time. If he's eating then you're probably fine. Even if he wasn't I wouldn't be worried. He's a ball python. He doesn't do much.
> 
> Has he shed since you got him?


he shed once, and update for all, came home today, and found a huge ball of skin in his less frequented hide box (less frequented as of this past week)
so, i am assuming this last week was due to his shed, which would make sense since the hide he has spent all his time in was the warm hide, which has a nice humidity level as well.
looks like a clean shed, i unraveled as much as i could, and it seems all in tact, but i want to see his face,a s last shed with me he took an extra week to shed half his face, aside from that, his last shed was almost perfect, so i am anxious to see what this one yielded.
thanks all for those who eased my concern, i wasnt totally freaked out, but was getting concerned.
hopefully from here on ill post normal updates.
thanks for all who commented, and the kind words as well!


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## Mettle

That's the reason I asked about the shed. Because often when a snake is about to shed it stays hidden 24/7 and does nothing. My carpet python just spent about a week hiding away and didn't come out because it was in shed.


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## joey'd

Mettle said:


> That's the reason I asked about the shed. Because often when a snake is about to shed it stays hidden 24/7 and does nothing. My carpet python just spent about a week hiding away and didn't come out because it was in shed.


i kinda thought it might be a shed, good thing i had that feeling, as a day or so before he shed, i poured some hot water onto his hide, and gave him extra humidity to aid.
his last shed was not great, he had some blemishes on his pattern, but this one was perrrrrrrrfect, he looks so beautiful, and one clean piece of skin!!!
now i know for next tme when he is dormat for a week, he wasnt like this last time, but hey we learn right!

thanks guys, i did get a normal cam, so soon ill snap some shots of him and his new coat


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## ICEE

every shed is supposed to come out normal









and in one piece


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## SERRAPYGO

ICEE said:


> every shed is supposed to come out normal
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and in one piece


Ideally, yes. But, it's common for a shed to go not so perfect, especially for Ball's. I've had plenty of them, along with other boas and pythons, and the balls were always the worst shedders. Plenty of times I found myself with a cup of warm water and Q-Tips (for the eye caps) and soaking periods. All in spite of "proper care". You're doing nothing wrong.



> He's a ball python. He doesn't do much.


Big time agree!


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## ICEE

i don't seem to have the problems your talking about serra. and i got lots of balls :nod:


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## Wide_Eyed_Wanderer

Whats the mess (poop) like and how often do you clean the substrate. Im planning on getting one seems like a cool low maintenance pet.


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## ICEE

the poop isn't bad, just use newspaper or paper towels, and replace every 5-7 days and you will be fine. very low maintenance pet! and a awesome one as well


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## joey'd

SERRAPYGO said:


> Whats the mess (poop) like and how often do you clean the substrate. Im planning on getting one seems like a cool low maintenance pet.


he has pooped once since i had him, it looked like a flat brown hair-ball sorta actually, which was very easy to clean
i go into his hide boxes every other day, and look for pee or poo (he has only poo'ed outside of his hides so far) and i pick up the mess he leaves with a tissue and i take the surrounding substrate which is coconut shavings and throw it out just about.

for the most part, he does jack all, but at night, i get the feeling this one is more active than most or maybe its just cause he is sooo young maybe?

he is cool if you ask me, and he is somewhat low maint. but dont take it for granted, or they will die probably


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## joey'd

Mettle said:


> That whole deal about "every time you reach into the tank he'll think it's food" is frankly bs. This is ONLY the case if the only time you ever go into the tank is to feed. If you NEVER handle your snake then yes, when you open the cage, it will think you're going in with food. But if you handle regularly or establish a feeding time (I feed at night after lights out *and never handle after lights out)* you will not have problems.


ive been thinking about this post, cause the only time i ever handle my guy is after the lights go out, thats the only time he comes out and i get a chance to handle him.
i do frequent the inside of the tank often, so i guess he is used to me, as i have been feeding inside the tank.
once i have handled him, and then fed him as well.
he seems to be getting used to me, even though i know they dont do that so much, but when i take him out, he does tend to want to stay close to me or my hand as much as possible.
anyways, like i said, this post about not handling after lights out has been on my mind, and wanted to reply with my experience so far with this ball


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## Mettle

joey said:


> That whole deal about "every time you reach into the tank he'll think it's food" is frankly bs. This is ONLY the case if the only time you ever go into the tank is to feed. If you NEVER handle your snake then yes, when you open the cage, it will think you're going in with food. But if you handle regularly or establish a feeding time (I feed at night after lights out *and never handle after lights out)* you will not have problems.


ive been thinking about this post, cause the only time i ever handle my guy is after the lights go out, thats the only time he comes out and i get a chance to handle him.
i do frequent the inside of the tank often, so i guess he is used to me, as i have been feeding inside the tank.
once i have handled him, and then fed him as well.
he seems to be getting used to me, even though i know they dont do that so much, but when i take him out, he does tend to want to stay close to me or my hand as much as possible.
anyways, like i said, this post about not handling after lights out has been on my mind, and wanted to reply with my experience so far with this ball








[/quote]

Two things...

First, the snake sticks close to you because of your body temperature. You're warm. It's not. It likes you 'cause you're warm. It's kind of a cool (pardon the pun) coincidence that it works out this way. It makes snakes a little more interative with their owners most often which is never a bad thing.

Second, as far as handling after lights out, I don't simply because that's how I work things in my personal routine. My snakes have never been handled at night. When their tank doors open they know it's for food. During the day or evening is generally when I'll take them out for handling. I usually have to wake them up for this though and they're a little annoyed. But once awake and out they're fine. Everyone develops their own routine as far as this goes.


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## joey'd

i figurewd as much about the body heat









i know this is gonna sound like a stupid question, but can snakes get sick, i have a cold right now, and i dont want him to get infected, is it possible
i know i sound like such a dumb-ass right now but had to ask


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## crazy banana

i have had a ball python for a couple years i always feed live food, much easier IMO. if using frozen was a PITA just make sure your snake kills the mouse and then you can walk away. yeah snakes can get sick but you having a cold wont f*ck him up. make sure his tank stays warm and you clean up his tank. theyre really clean pets actually, just make sure you pick up after him, and he should be fine, nice snake.


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## joey'd

crazy banana said:


> i have had a ball python for a couple years i always feed live food, much easier IMO. if using frozen was a PITA just make sure your snake kills the mouse and then you can walk away. yeah snakes can get sick but you having a cold wont f*ck him up. make sure his tank stays warm and you clean up his tank. theyre really clean pets actually, just make sure you pick up after him, and he should be fine, nice snake.


cool stuff crazy, thanks for the tips.
he actually takes really well to the thawed food, he doesnt take more than 5 seconds to snatch it out of the tongs when i introduce it to him, lol, its after he has "killed it" that he likes, just moves around it for a few mins, its like he is examining his kill or enjoying the moment.
nah, his tank and temp are fine, i was just curious if they can catch our sickness' or if they are not able to be affected?
but i guess he will be good


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## crazy banana

i had the flu in october and my snake was fine. so i dont think they can catch anything you have.


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## joey'd

well, here he is a year later, took this the night before i went to go get him a girlfriend from the breeder i got him from


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## His Majesty

good looking snake joey


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