i recued ball python with a kinked spine

[jessica_durand]

Hello i am a retile resuer and i rescued tjis ball python that has a borth defect of the spine. when i was researching this i came up with a kinked spine. the last owner told me she was like that since birth how do i work with her on handing and eating please help.

[Aaron_S]

Get rid of the heat rock.
Get rid of the tank. Put it in a rubbermaid.
Use a heat mat or heat tape hooked up to a thermostat like herpstats.
The kink isn't affecting that snake at all. If it's that big then it eats,sheds and poops just fine. It just shouldn't be bred.

[kwhitlock]

^ sums it all up, what everyone else will tell ya

[jessica_durand]

Ok how big should the rubbermaid yybe and where can i find it and besides the heating part should i put. anything else in it

[Aaron_S]

Rubbermaid roughly 24 inches deep, 16 wide and 6 high. Those are the ones I use.

Heating should go outside the tub and underneath one end. Thermostat attached to it.

On the inside, paper towel or newspaper as substrate. A water dish, and a snug hide on both the cool and hot ends.

[pdomensis]

does anyone else think that snake is obese?

[Aaron_S]

Could be. Can't really tell with those pics.

I give the benefit of the doubt that it isn't and it's angles or whatever until better pics are shown.

[jessica_durand]

That is kinda what i thought when i got her and i do beleive she was fed to much at a time he was feeding her 3 M rats at a time but i just got her like that only had her for couple days cAn i do anything About it?

[Aaron_S]

Can't do anything right away. Over time with proper feeding she will slim down.

Probably go to an every 14 day feeding schedule, 1 medium rat. Should suffice.

I see you're rescuing animals and that's great. Means you've got your heart in the right place but you're asking a lot of things that someone rescuing should already know. I would take a step back, only rescue a couple at a time. Trust me, if you open up the doors to it all, it will certainly all come. Build up slowly. Even 1 - 3 animals taken in properly cared for and eventually re-homed is better than trying to take in 10 - 30 and only being able to manage 70% of the care required.

No one will fault you if you say no to a rescue because you're full. The big rescues actually do it because they know their limits.

[jessica_durand]

Its only snakes i am new at i am use to dragons postly i am slowly learning about snakes but i will keep that advice with me thank you

[Aaron_S]

Its only snakes i am new at i am use to dragons postly i am slowly learning about snakes but i will keep that advice with me thank you

It's great you know dragons but what about geckos? iguanas? Chameleons? These are the animals you will be harbouring on a regular basis if you're not careful. It can and has in the past ruined some people's hobby experience.

Be very careful and my suggestion to you is to just rescue dragons for the time being. Enough of them need to be cared for.

[jessica_durand]

I have owned iguanas and geckos