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 #1868441


GunshotxRomance3
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 Question! Please Answer!

I have owned my ball python for a little over 2 years now, he (or she, I just assumed it’s a he) is still a baby though. I usually handle him a lot and have let many many people hold him and he has NEVER one tried to bite anyone. He even lets you stroke the back of his head and under his head without any problems (he actually seems to enjoy it sometimes). However, during the Summer I worked a lot and then I went on a week long vacation right before school started and now with school starting I haven’t been handling him as much. Tonight when I went downstairs to give him fresh water, when I walked up to his cage and reached toward it he tried to bite me through the glass cage wall twice. And I found this very strange and kind of unnerving because he has NEVER done this before, I figure maybe it was because he was hungry so I fed him and I let him explore on the floor for a bit and I held him for a little bit, but I didn’t trust him because of when he tried to bite me earlier. So, I guess I wondering if he did that because he was hungry, was just in a "bad mood", from him only having a "night time" heat lamp for a few weeks (I haven’t had to time to drive 20mins to the store for the "day time" heat bulb) or if it was from me not handling him a lot lately?
So if anyone has any advice at all, please, please reply to this! I love my snake to death and I’m just worried that this might behavior might stay..?
09/25/08  10:08pm

 #1868466


LeggLess
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   Message To: GunshotxRomance3   In reference to Message Id: 1868441


 Question! Please Answer!

Pythons need heat all day all night...I would have been pissed too!! Try under belly heat too(UTH) . Wow 20 minutes drive, for something you love so much...How giving of you? What is the rest of your setup like? Take a look at your husbandry and I am sure you will find your issue. Fix the problem and feed regularily and I am sure the snake will adjust back to its happy self.
09/25/08  10:54pm

 #1868508


Crisco
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   Message To: GunshotxRomance3   In reference to Message Id: 1868441


 Question! Please Answer!

Not only your set up but seeing that you were also handling you BP right after a meal is bad too. Handling them right after eating can case stress and result in a regurgitation. So after feeding him just let him be for about 24 hours.
09/26/08  01:12am

 #1868580


Eves Ball Pythons
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   Message To: GunshotxRomance3   In reference to Message Id: 1868441


 Question! Please Answer!

If you had heat on him 24/7, then it does not matter if it was from a night time or day time bulb, just as long as it was on. BPs do well if you just have them in a room with a window to provide day/night cycles. But they do need heat, whether from a bulb or Belly Heat (UTH).

And you should not be handling him after a meal. They need to digest their food-undisturbed-for 48 hours. I don’t even handle mine 24 hours prior to feeding to make sure they are not stressed.

Do check your temps/humidity levels (use a temp gun or digital thermometer, not a stick on one).

Also, at 2 years+, it is a sub adult, not a baby. Are you feeding the appropriate-size meal? What does he weigh?

He may have struck at the glass because he was hungry. If everything is ok with your husbandry, and you can handle him without issues a couple of days after he has been fed, then I would not worry about the striking.

Hope this helps!
09/26/08  08:28am

 #1868764


GunshotxRomance3
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   Message To: Eves Ball Pythons   In reference to Message Id: 1868580


 Question! Please Answer!

Well, first of all thank you for your replies.
Second, he does ALWAYS have heat on 24/7. I don’t know EVERYTHING possible about Ball Pythons, I have done research on what they need, etc. before I got him, and I still do research to see how I can improve things. I am only 17 though.. so I am still learning everything..give me somewhat of a break guys? I’ve wanted a snake ever since I was 10 years old and I finally got one. I will gladly take any advice that you have to give me, just please don’t be rude to me.. And he has been completely happy the whole time I’ve had him up until last night. And, I don’t handle him after a meal I let him crawl or slither (whichever word you people prefer..) on the floor so he could have a break from being in his cage.
I will post pictures of him later (or when the photoserver is working again). :]
09/26/08  02:42pm

 #1868768


Crisco
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   Message To: GunshotxRomance3   In reference to Message Id: 1868764


 Question! Please Answer!

Well you really need to get a UHT and a thermostat and a digital thermometer to read temps. BP need belly heat to help digest there meals. So what I am thinking is his enclosure is not properly heated. And it dose not need a "break" from his cage, that can also stress him out. What he needs is to be feed in his enclosure and be able to get to belly heat.
09/26/08  02:49pm

 #1868771


GA_Ball_Pythons
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   Message To: GunshotxRomance3   In reference to Message Id: 1868764


 Question! Please Answer!

Few things you need to erase from you vocabulary

Quote:

he has been completely happy the whole time



Quote:

He even lets you stroke the back of his head and under his head without any problems (he actually seems to enjoy it sometimes)



Ball pythons DO NOT like to be handled a lot they TOLERATE being handled that is completely different.

Handling your BP less is not the source or your problem in need to look elsewhere however without complete details of your setup temps etc it is hard to tell you what the problem is.

Note: Handling your BP too much will overtime cause stress.




09/26/08  02:53pm

 #1868831


GunshotxRomance3
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   Message To: GA_Ball_Pythons   In reference to Message Id: 1868771


 Question! Please Answer!

And you can try to not be so rude.
There’s something to ADD to your vocabulary.

-So do you people not approve of heat lamps..?
I was told that they work perfectly fine and they’ve been doing the job so far.
09/26/08  05:03pm

 #1868832


GunshotxRomance3
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   Message To: GA_Ball_Pythons   In reference to Message Id: 1868771


 Question! Please Answer!

Also, he’s much better today. So now that that’s out of the way..
But really, are the heating pads A LOT better than heat lamps?
09/26/08  05:05pm

 #1868845


GA_Ball_Pythons
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   Message To: GunshotxRomance3   In reference to Message Id: 1868832


 Question! Please Answer!

Quote:

are the heating pads A LOT better than heat lamps?

Essential, you MUST provide belly heat!

Note: I think you are a bit sensitive and try to interprets people’s comment too much when there is nothing to those comment than what was stated.

Now if you call that rude no problem, but you have not seen rude from me yet!
09/26/08  05:33pm

 #1868849


GunshotxRomance3
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   Message To: GA_Ball_Pythons   In reference to Message Id: 1868845


 Question! Please Answer!

Yes, I do tend to take things that people say the wrong way sometimes. In my mind when I first read it, it came off rude. So I apologize for that. :)
)
So with heating pads do you have to replace them? Or can you keep using the same heating pad for a long time (longer than a bulb for heating lamps)?
I’ve never used heating pads before, only heating lamps. I got everything that the people said to get where I got him at and from what I read on-line.
And would you recommend using newspaper, astro-turf (I believe that’s what it’s called) or some form of mulch as substrate?
09/26/08  05:46pm

 #1868858


GA_Ball_Pythons
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   Message To: GunshotxRomance3   In reference to Message Id: 1868849


 Question! Please Answer!

Quote:

So with heating pads do you have to replace them?

A good heating pad will last a long time (years), it not something you have to replace unless it quits working.

Belly heat is essential for your BP it helps with digestion and overall health.

Remember just like any other heat source a heat pad MUST be controlled by a thermostat or lamp dimmer

My favorite brand when it comes to heat pad is Ultratherm Link

As far as substrate sometime it really depends on the type of enclosure and whether or not you have humidity issues (Personally I use newspaper so when you clean it’s completely clean not just spot clean)

Astro turf and repti carpet would be by far my last choice they are ground for bacteria and mold.

If you use a glass tank you will likely be better off using a bark type substrate which would hold humidity better.
09/26/08  05:58pm

 #1868865


GunshotxRomance3
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   Message To: GA_Ball_Pythons   In reference to Message Id: 1868858


 Question! Please Answer!

I plan on going to the Reptile store tomorrow afternoon. I’ll see if they sell heating pads there and if they don’t then I’ll go down the the Petsmart. :]
When I first got him I used the astro turf but I didn’t like it, so then I got a mulch type to help with the humidity and it just seemed better. And I do use a glass tank.
Thank you for your help. :)
09/26/08  06:06pm

 #1868877


GunshotxRomance3
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   Message To: GA_Ball_Pythons   In reference to Message Id: 1868858


 Question! Please Answer!

oh, once I get a heating pad will I still need a heat lamp?
or would I put in a normal bulb for light...?
09/26/08  06:24pm

 #1871376


Eves Ball Pythons
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   Message To: GunshotxRomance3   In reference to Message Id: 1868877


 Question! Please Answer!

Once you have the heat pad & the temp controller in place, you no longer need a heat lamp. BPs also do not need UV, etc., so you can get away with not having any lighting at all. If you have his enclosure in a room with a window, I would recommend using the natural light for his day/night cycle. Now, if you need additional lighting for you to be able to see him, then you should get a fluorescent light fixture so that any heat emitted is minimal.



09/30/08  10:55am


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