I got a a snake! [Archive] - MonsterFishKeepers.com

d20monsteroscar20

07-15-2007, 10:14 PM

:headbang2 This is my first Ball Python ever, its fairly small. I got it a week ago for $20 bucks, and she lives on a 29g by herself. I have a heating lamp but I think its is too strong(100w). It ate yesterday morning for the first time while at home. I had to force feed it, and it bit me like twice before it actually got a hold of the frozen fuzzy. I feed her frozen because the lfs didnt have live pinkies or fuzzies:headbang2

kody1192

07-15-2007, 10:25 PM

wow your bp bit you. you must of really pissed it off cuz i knew nothing about snakes when i got mine.(this was along time ago no longer have the snake.) it never even tried to bite me. and force feeding isnt a good idea unless the snake hasnt eaten in forever. bps can be very picky eaters. mine wouldnt eat sometimes id wait a day or 2 and hed eat. anyways nice snake. and i hope you thawed out that mouse first.

dougefresh

07-15-2007, 10:38 PM

Nice ball........I'd avoid force feeding unless it hasn't eaten in a long while because it gives the snake a lot of unnecessary stress........good luck with it though it looks to be a very nice healthy BP..........

rallysb1tch

07-15-2007, 10:44 PM

beautiful! I actually got to handle one of these today.

benzjamin13

07-15-2007, 11:33 PM

It's so cute!

Danyal

07-16-2007, 1:09 AM

dude, no force feeding, you just go the snake so it's probably a bit stressed by the new surroundings. snakes can go for months without eating without any problems other that a little wieght loss.

TheBloodyIrish

07-16-2007, 1:21 AM

By forced feeding it, you made the problem worse. You can stress out a snake for life by doing that.

elevatethis

07-16-2007, 8:55 AM

I'm confused...you said it ate...was this via force feeding or did it eat on its own?

Baby ball pythons should eat with gusto- those who don't, its generally due to how they are set up - not surprising either, given that you set the snake up in a 29g with a 100w bulb.

Baby balls need security first and foremost...proper temps come next. A 29 is far too tall and long for a baby to both feel secure and get the right temperatures. High wattage bulbs also deplete the humidity in the tank quickly which will also have ill effects on your snake in the long run.

Danyal

07-16-2007, 11:09 AM

have lots of cover and hides and you won't have problems with too much space and the snake can choose it's own comfortable spot in the tank. if you're worried about lack of humidity just put plastic wrap over 3/4 of the screen lid to hold it in a bit better and gently spray the tank as needed.

monsternoob

07-16-2007, 2:26 PM

Yeah you could probably do with a thermostat for your heat lamp, otherwise it is hard to know whether the snake's tank has the right temps or not. BP's won't eat if the temperature isn't sufficient for proper digestion. I would advise you now to wait a week without handling your snake as it is probably very stressed out both from it's new environment and also the force feeding, and try to feed it a f/t mouse after that week. Force feeding is a last resort more than anything, if it doesn't eat try after a few days and you can go from there ;)

Anyways, you have a very nice little BP :)

Miguel

07-16-2007, 2:29 PM

PARABÉNS!!!!!! BOA COMPRA!!

TheBloodyIrish

07-16-2007, 3:56 PM

Danyal, it is probably just easier for him to either buy a tub or a tank divider and adjust while it grows.

Anyway, if it doesn't feed - don't fret about it. There are reasons why it won't, and forced feeding is just a quick way out to a painful routine for a lifetime.

Aquaman_95

07-16-2007, 3:57 PM

Awsome!

Jessica Dring

07-16-2007, 6:12 PM

I agree, You should have waited about two weeks at least if it was being a fussy feeder. Forcing should be done after months not a week.

d20monsteroscar20

07-17-2007, 12:54 AM

Tanx guys. I only force fed it (Opened her mouth and placed the fuzzy in it, then I watched her eat it) because the guy at lfs told me so, and since he handles snakes I didnt found it necessary to disagree with him at that moment. I had placed the snake in the 29 because I assumed it would need lots of space to move around. Ok so you saying a 29 is to big and tall right? I just brought a 20L starter kit today but now I feel afraid of moving it again to a new enviroment. and yes I will definally wait a week before handling the snake again.
PS: Is it true that a clear sing of a stressed/sick BP is if it starts to look very yellow instead of the nice dark brown? at least thats what the kid told me.

monsternoob

07-17-2007, 6:05 AM

No they don't change colour man don't worry your snake is fine, the people at pet shops really don't know what they are talking about a lot of the time, he was wrong to tell you to force feed but it won't have harmed the snake. If you want to move him now then you can, then give him the rest of the week to relax and try feeding him. However, as long as the temps are correct and he has a few hiding places that are low so his back nearly touches the top he will be okay in the 29.

elevatethis

07-17-2007, 8:45 AM

Force feeding? Color changes? STOP listening to anything the dude at the lfs says...he's has no clue as to what he's talking about.

A 20L would be an improvement over the 29 due to the height of the tank being lower. My first ball setup ever was a 20L and with the right amount of cover and close monitoring of your temps, it can work, just not as easily as a tub setup would.

cichla1004

07-17-2007, 12:48 PM

I agree, stop listening to the LFS guy. My experience with balls is the more you mess with them the harder it is to get them acclimated. Just get him in the 20L with a nice low, tight hiding spot and leave him be for a week or two. Then try leaving a fuzzy in overnight to see if he eats. If that doesn't work you can also try putting him in a paper bag, inside the cage, with a fuzzy and see if he eats that way. Good luck!

vicedretard

07-17-2007, 12:51 PM

it so small...especially when compared to some pic people post on here...haha it will grow though ...congrats.

lovespunaround

07-17-2007, 5:24 PM

$20 for a ball, even a normal, makes me think it's an import. So it's not a great start, but if you give it some time and keep it correctly, you should do alright. It also helps that it's a baby.

Good luck man...I'd offer more advice if I kept ball pythons. I have one but my mom's been taking care of it for the past few years.

ercnan

07-17-2007, 5:40 PM

My little dude's in a 29 and doing great. Eating like a ............well, snake, shedding, pooping, etc.
A little too big for him, yes, but he has a couple nice low corner hides, (one over the uth and one not) a branch to climb on if he wants, a nice large water dish, and a DIY humidifier (keeps the tank 70% during lights on.)
Tank temp is 80-82 during lights on and 78 at at night.
Let him settle, treat him right, and don't fuss so much.
Listen to the folks here, you will be much better off and so will the snake.
Congrats. nice looking "little dude".

davo

07-17-2007, 5:45 PM

Congrats, nice looking ball python :)

d20monsteroscar20

07-22-2007, 9:57 PM

I m so freaking happy, she ate two live pinkies with no problem today.

Jessica Dring

08-03-2007, 11:49 PM

You not tried F/T or P/K?

TheBloodyIrish

08-03-2007, 11:54 PM

One step at a time Jessie. He already had a hard time getting it to feed. Although converting it to prekilled shouldn't be hard while it is in the pinkie stage.

Jessica Dring

08-03-2007, 11:56 PM

I was asking a simple question BloodyIrish. For all we know the pinkie he force fed could have been F/T or P/K, and if it was, I was only going to suggest that, that was what the problem could have been. Jumping way too quick dear. ;)

TheBloodyIrish

08-04-2007, 12:36 AM

Jumping way too quick dear. ;)

I think you're the one that jumping too quick. ;)

Jessica Dring

08-04-2007, 12:37 AM

Whys that bloodyirish. What have I done this time.

TheBloodyIrish

08-04-2007, 12:40 AM

Nothing. :D I gotta run before davo come and warn me for curbing the topic off the rail.

Jessica Dring

08-04-2007, 12:42 AM

Lol I see. Just didn't wanna be the one who jumped a little too quick for once.

lovespunaround

08-04-2007, 5:56 AM

With pinkies, it doesn't really matter if it's dead or alive. They couldn't hurt a snake if they wanted to.

Anyway, even though it's a baby ball, I would just go ahead and start feeding it hopper rats. These are best fed killed, but you might have to work with the snake for a while to get it to eat a dead rat. Or you can try live fuzzy rats, then killed fuzzies, then move up. good luck!

Jessica Dring

08-04-2007, 11:26 AM

With pinkies, it doesn't really matter if it's dead or alive. They couldn't hurt a snake if they wanted to.
Obviously. But what about the live pinkie thats getting hurt? LOL. IMO live should only be fed as a last resort, which, it probably was for this chap. It more than likely wouldn't of worked using P/K anyway. :)

elevatethis

08-06-2007, 9:12 AM

Live feeding can be safe when the right precautions are taken and the conditions are right. There are people over here in the states that feed large collections (1000+ permanent members) live food and have little to no instance of bites or other live-feeding related issues.

While live feeding is not for everyone, it's not accurate to say that it absolutely can not/should not be done on a regular basis.

We've duked this out before, do we really have to do it again?

Jessica Dring

08-06-2007, 12:00 PM

who said you had to post your opinion elevatethis..if you don't want to then do't post on the subject, simple as. I was just posting my opinion, :)

elevatethis

08-06-2007, 12:33 PM

who said you had to post your opinion elevatethis..if you don't want to then do't post on the subject, simple as. I was just posting my opinion, :)

Someone could chime in with their "opinion" that the world is flat, but that simply being their "opinion" still wouldn't make them right ;)

To make a blanket statement that live feeding should only be done in a last resort isn't really a good thing...whether it is your 'opinion' or not.

Jessica Dring

08-06-2007, 12:39 PM

opinions are niether wrong or right elevate this... something you need to learn. I respect your opinion whilst at the same disagreeing, but I don't feel the need to tell you your wrong.. or imply it. I stick by what I said. If you can feed F/T or P/K then (IMO!!) you should. Why not hold back on the pain and suffering of an animal if you can? :)
Like I said.. if you don't want to get into this debate I suggest you don't.. because it will become a debate no matter what anybody says. And I have accepted your opinion without telling how wrong you are (those who tell others their opinions are wrong are wrong themselves in doing so...) so you have nothing further to gain from me :)

elevatethis

08-06-2007, 1:46 PM

TheBloodyIrish

08-06-2007, 2:09 PM

Geez.... elevatethis is a supporter of pre-killed usually, he is just saying you can't have a blanket statement.

Anyway, Jessica's opinion, albeit moral, is mainly derived from the British law, which banned live feeding in snake husbandry. Even if she does happen to support live feeding, she cannot go down that path anyway. So when are forced to follow the said law, you are going to see the positives of prekilled.

Anyway, I normally support prekilled since it is not always possible to get a live prey, even if you have a breeding colony. What IF your breeding colony crashed and you can't find another source? At least with frozens, you can have about 6 to 8 months worth of supply, or up to three years if you vacuum packed them.

I don't see a problem with live feeding as long it is responsible, but not everyone is responsible enough to keep observation on their pets or specimens.

Jessica Dring

08-06-2007, 5:06 PM

I suppose then that this just illustrates your level of experience with snake husbandry.

If you won't take my word for it, I can refer you to some of the top reptile breeders in the U.S., some of whom I know or have met personally, who would disagree with your 'opinion.'

Word for what exactly?
Don't you question my level of experience love because of my opinion, you don't know me! I'm actually laughing here, because whilst I may not be that experienced (I think I fare pretty well for some one who just turned 15 and has learnt everything themselves) I think even i go about this more adult than you. It suggests how childish you are if you have to tell me I'm unexperienced because my opinion is feeding F/T or P/K if possible. Opinions do NOT make us unexperienced. Though given, I don't know as much as others do on this forum.

In answer to bloody irishes explanation of my opinion, yeah I would say thats quite fair. But also, if I had a snake that absolutely would not eat F/T or P/K and I had tried everything, I would reluctantly feed live (with some one more experienced guiding me around it) though I believe its cruel if you feed live for either pleasure or without trying dead. It's not a quick death, nor a painless one, and I often try and think about how I'd hate to be killed that way... So yeah, maybe its high morals who knows. But again it's my opinion and if you can't agree to disagree, and then you question my experience because of this and then go on to insult me.. your not worth arguing with, because even though I don't agree with feeding live wholey, I never asked the question if you were cruel or not.. and nor did i insult you. Good on you if your more experienced than me for feeding live.

But, experience is barely anything if you can't go about it maturely and without insulting others.

Feel free to write back with insults, I won't do it back if thats what your looking for. I won't stoop as low. And don't begin thinking of me differently now that you know my age...

Jessica Dring

08-06-2007, 5:09 PM

I'm also curious to learn the benefits of feeding live? Do enlighten me, as I've never heard/read its better to feed live.

d20monsteroscar20

08-06-2007, 10:38 PM

Me singing: "One love, one live, lets all be together and feel alright."
I m just woundering why is that everytime I post something in here ppl go ballistic with one another? I would love to give all of you a hug (Probably just Jessica:) ) jk.
Anyways I m sad to inform you guys that not long after I feed the snake last week, it thruw up after maybe 5 hours. I feed it again two days after and she hasnt thruw up. I feed her again 2morow, and also I have not played with her much so it wont be to stress out. I m guessing that I feed it live food because in the wild thats what they would be eating. I mean I wouldnt feed it live if it was bigger than a pinky (like normal size rats) because I wouldnt want it to bite the snake. but than again I think snakes are much more faster than rats.

GOING OF TOPIC:

I would do my best to keep you guys updated with my snake and everything else, however I m going to to some personal stuff right now.
I have a bad kidney thats its like dieing and I also had surgery on my leg because of soccer. I would be fine but since I m allergic to vickiding ( vickiding) I m in pain 24/7 so it will be kinda hard to sit here updating you guys on the snake and reading you guys debating with each other:grinno: .
Thank you all for all your knowledge and support ( just try not to kill each other)

elevatethis

08-07-2007, 9:01 AM

Word for what exactly?
Don't you question my level of experience love because of my opinion, you don't know me! I'm actually laughing here, because whilst I may not be that experienced (I think I fare pretty well for some one who just turned 15 and has learnt everything themselves) I think even i go about this more adult than you. It suggests how childish you are if you have to tell me I'm unexperienced because my opinion is feeding F/T or P/K if possible. Opinions do NOT make us unexperienced. Though given, I don't know as much as others do on this forum.

If you go back and read the original posts, I said that the only thing you did/said that was "wrong" was a blanket statement that feeding live is bad. Whether that is merely your opinion or not is irrelevant, it's just simply not correct; and I said I could refer you to some reputable sources to confirm that. Can you find any reputable sources that feeding live is bad in all cases, as you stated, or should we just take a 15 year-old's word for it?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with your belief and practice of never feeding live, in fact I commend it because it can be a very challenging method of snake husbandry. What I'm saying is that its just not possible to do in all cases and it's irresponsible to preach that it shouldn't ever be done.

Jessica Dring

08-07-2007, 12:23 PM

If you go back and read the original posts, I said that the only thing you did/said that was "wrong" was a blanket statement that feeding live is bad. Whether that is merely your opinion or not is irrelevant, it's just simply not correct; and I said I could refer you to some reputable sources to confirm that. Can you find any reputable sources that feeding live is bad in all cases, as you stated, or should we just take a 15 year-old's word for it?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with your belief and practice of never feeding live, in fact I commend it because it can be a very challenging method of snake husbandry. What I'm saying is that its just not possible to do in all cases and it's irresponsible to preach that it shouldn't ever be done.

Fair enough. The problem here though is, I NEVER said 'Never feed live' nor did I ever say feeding live was bad.
You unfortantely put words in my mouth here. I looked back on the posts and the word bad was never mentioned.

What I said was:

IMO live should only be fed as a last resort

I weren't attacking anybody who feeds live, nor preaching! I was stating my opinion on the topic. So this is why I say my opinion isn't wrong. If I had said 'Live should NEVER be fed under ANY circumstances'
Then I would have to agree I would be wrong. So now I hope you see where I'm coming from and why I'm offended when you attacked and questioned my experience and knowledge. :)

lovespunaround

08-07-2007, 12:37 PM

How about this: Feeding live is not necessarily bad, but it's not the preferred method for feeding constrictors because of the possibility that the food animal will injure the snake. However, some snakes refuse to eat pre-killed food, so in some cases, feeding live is unavoidable.

No need to be bitter, folks. It's not like anyone here is abusing some snakes.

Jessica Dring

08-07-2007, 12:48 PM

I think it makes a good discussion and viewing anyway. And also will clear the air when sorted out. I have no problem with elevatethis at all, I just won't have someone question my experience and knowledge because I prefer to feed F/T or P/K. I mean theres been on a few on here that buy and sell of animals all the time... that keep their animals or want to keep their animals in too small enclosures to save space, and that buy animals on impulse without knowing ANYTHING about them, and just don't know anything about animals.. thats who should be questioned about their knowledge and experience.. not someone who prefers to do whats best for animals and their prey...:)

TheBloodyIrish

08-07-2007, 12:54 PM

For the record, I don't give a rat about the prey. My dog eats mice all the time, and an unlucky bird once in awhile. Yes, he is fenced up.

However feeding live can cause injury to the predator.

Jessica Dring

08-07-2007, 12:59 PM

Fair enough if you don't bloody irish. Not all have the same view :)

d20monsteroscar20

08-07-2007, 1:16 PM

can one get sick from a pathon bite? I know they have this one disease call salama something.

Jessica Dring

08-07-2007, 1:17 PM

well you need to clean it. and have a tetnus shot.

TheBloodyIrish

08-07-2007, 1:19 PM

When that happen, I just clean the wound and nothing more. I am still alive, am I not?

You means salmonella right? I just remember it as Sal, Mon and Ella. Anything can carry them, even dogs, cats and so on. Turtles are only a concern because they naturally produce them in their guts and toddlers don't always have good hygenie.

elevatethis

08-07-2007, 1:25 PM

can one get sick from a pathon bite? I know they have this one disease call salama something.

Any open wound from anything, whether it be a bite from a python or a small child, is susceptible to infection. I've been bitten more than a few times by constrictor snakes and never had any problems. I'd be 10x more worried about a dog or cat bite than a snake ANY day of the week.