Just fed my baby Spotted Python for the first time

[AndrewM1217]

Hello everyone!

I recently got my first snake, a baby Spotted Python. (S)he (forgot to ask the seller for the sex) is a few weeks old, and had been eating live pinkies. The snake had been fed i believe 3 times prior to coming home with me. Anyway, i just tried to feed a frozen/thawed pinky and the snake took it after about 30 seconds of wiggling the mouse outside the log (s)he likes to curl up in. Anyway, the smallest mice they had still are a good deal larger than the snake's width. The snake shot its head out and pulled the mouse back into the log. Its dark in there but I can see the snake has coiled up around it and looks like it has started to consume the mouse.

Anyway, I'm slightly concerned that the snake might regurgitate or maybe not eat the mouse since it's a little large. I know i'm probably just being worrisome though :) I chose to feed the animal in its living space for a few reasons: A) The snake is new to my home and is probably stressed from the move, and I didn't think it would be good to handle it and feed in a separate container. B) The salesman at the store suggested I do this atleast until the snake is comfortable with me. And C) I feel like it shouldn't do any harm seeing as snakes don't search out a clean space to eat in when they're in the wild.

So i guess my question is, would it be alright to lift the log in a few hours and see if the snake successfully consumed the mouse? Or should i trust the snake and not bother it any further. Thanks in advance for the replies!

[Tsubaki]

Sounds like you're doing it right, you could carefully check if the mouse has been eaten later on. Don't worry too much about the size, especially if it is your first snake any meal will seem really big.

[AndrewM1217]

Thanks, it has now been a day since the feeding so I think later tonight I might lift the log and peek in to see if the mouse has been eaten. Early this morning the snake was coming out of the log whenever I would look in on it. (S)he'd wiggle out and come up to the glass and investigate me, or follow my finger around. So I'm glad that the snake is getting comfortable now. When it would come out and free up some of the space in the log I tried to peek inside but it was still too dark to be certain, and the snake didn't seem to have a bulge in its stomach. It's possible that he didnt extend far enough out of the log for me to see this though. On a side note, how often should the water be changed?

[AndrewM1217]

Also, one more question; How long should I wait before handling the snake in small amounts? From what I've read, people say about a week before feeding and then handle 2-3 days after the snake eats. My snake, however, ate a few days ago almost the instant the mouse was in the cage, so I'm assuming the snake is a comfortable eater. Would it be alright to handle the snake for brief intervals 2-3 days after the feeding?

[EL Ziggy]

Welcome and best wishes Andrew. I usually change my snake's water every 2 days or so and it should be fine to handle your snake 2-3 days after a feeding. Please share pics of your critter when you can.

[AndrewM1217]

Sounds good! Even if he's still been under my care for less than a week he should be ok to handle? Also, when I returned from my classes today, I found a full shed complete with eye caps! Didn't even realize he was in blue. So the good news, aside from the healthy shed of course, is that he readily devoured the mouse while he was preparing to shed. Hopefully he'll be a voracious eater. The shop owner said once a week feedings are fine, but I was considering trying to feed him again 5-6 days after the last feeding since he's a baby. Thoughts?

[pdomensis]

Sounds like everything is going well here. Nice that he ate for you so soon after getting him home, and in blue as well. A pinkie every 5 days would be good. Post pics when you can. There aren't enough spotted represented here.

[AndrewM1217]

Well, I attempted to handle him today for the first time since handling him in the store. In the store he was quite content to slither around my fingers and lay in my hand, but today he was very squirmy and tried to escape rapidly. He also struck at me a few times. I placed him back in the tank after trying to hold him for about 30-45 seconds after realizing he wasn't going to calm down.

I chalked this up to him being a baby, and I think I should probably wait for him to settle in a little more before I try handling him again.

EDIT: Or should I try to handle him more often? I can see both sides of this argument. Part of me says to handle him more so he will grow accustomed to it, but another part of me says to let him settle in more before I try again. If it helps you give me advice, he spends most of his time inside his log hide but sometimes moves around to different hiding spots inside the tank, or occasionally comes up to the glass to investigate me when I look in on him. Any words of wisdom?