stress???

[albinoTy]

Ok my new albino I've had for 3wks seem to be stressed or something. So i need some help he eats the temp on the hot side is 93.5 not sure on cool side. But everytime I go to handle him he balls up and breaths real heavy what should I do?

[Skumbo]

hard to tell from the picture... what kind of snake is it? (other than albino lol!)

other than possible husbandry issues temp wise, he probably just doesnt want to be held right now. has he eaten? snakes need a bit of time to adjust to a new environment, people usually recommend not touching the snake for a week or two once you get it so it gets used to its new home.

do you have a hide on both sides (cool and warm) of the tank?

[youngster]

It's a ball python, unless he put it in the wrong section.
I think skumbo pretty much covered it.

[albinoTy]

Yea he has eaten I I have 2 hides I've had him 3wks he wasn't shy at the breeders place. Ball Python by the way.

[alessia55]

You have a baby that's nervous about being held and/or is still getting used the new environment. With gentle and slow handling, he'll get used to it. Keep sessions short (5mins at first) and increase handling session times slowly. Work at his pace and with what he's comfortable with. It can take a while to gain the trust of your new ball python.

Temps are too high... the hot end should be 87-90F, and cool side should be 77-80F.

[albinoTy]

Ok alessia that's ill work on cooling that down. One more question where do u measure the temp from on substract or where?

[albinoTy]

Weird got ready to feed and usually the sound of the top opening make him ball up and breath hard he didn't budge or breath heavy. You think he knew what time it was?

[alessia55]

He can smell it ;)

[albinoTy]

Wow there sense of smell is awesome. I Think he feeling good cause he didn't waste any time tonight. He went right after it.

[alessia55]

That's great! :)

[Skumbo]

Wow there sense of smell is awesome. I Think he feeling good cause he didn't waste any time tonight. He went right after it.

thats good! you should think about getting a temp gun (you can get them for like $15), you can easily check any spot in the cage and how warm it is!

as for him having an awesome sense of smell.. you see those vents on his face? those are literally "heat vision" as well, so if you warm up the food to about "body temp" of a living rat (for frozen rodents) if you aren't feeding live (id suggest Frozen if you can) then he'll take to it even better!

[mykee]

Take the hint and leave him alone. The balling up and heavy breathing means he doesn't want to be handled.
Next step from there is biting.
Learn your animal.

[Kiljosh]

Whats the area around his cage like? Busy, lots of traffic? Is there anything giving off vibration like a speaker or space heater?

Also, are his hides turned so the entrance/exit is facing away from the room and towards privacy? Does he use BOTH? Depending on where your probe is your hides could be too hot/cold and the probe is telling you otherwise. Are you reading the temps in your cage in the hide or out in the open?

[albinoTy]

He uses both hides the traffic isn't busy where he is. The probe is inside the hides.

[albinoTy]

I think his temps are wrong due to me not being sure where to put the probe to measure it.

[Kiljosh]

One more reason to get a temperature gun, huge peace of mind.

I have my hot side hide at 90-91, cold side 79-83(depending if he's in there). Ambient temps in the tank are usually about 84-89 hotside(depending on if the light is overhead), 79ish cold side.

Measuring my tank's floor I have a lot of spots where the temp fluctuates but never as warm as the hot hide.

Go get a gun man, they are cheap and really do give you a nice tool to get your temps right.

[Hillsberry]

You should have two probes in the tank. One reading the hot side and one reading the cold. It makes it easier to make sure the tanks temps are perfect.

[albinoTy]

I knw have to probes my question is where do I put the probes in the hides or what???

[Hillsberry]

You can put them next to the hides. Or on top.

[albinoTy]

Ok and what should they read.

[Gungirl]

How are you heating your tank?
If you are using flexwatt you will want the probe under the sub-straight. I use the side of a hide to hold it in place. If you are using a Radiant heat panel, lights or a ceramic heat emitter then you can place your probes on top of the sub-straight.

Edit: if you are using flexwatt and place the probe on top of a hide your snake will get burned. You need to place the probe at the hottest point the snake can get to.

[albinoTy]

So I just open my viv to put fresh water in after him eating and temp adjustment since yesterday cause I had it to hot. He didn't move didn't breath hard I wonder if I was lucky or he's feeling better I didn't handle him cause he ate last night.

[alessia55]

Ok and what should they read.

The hot side should be set to be 87-90F, and the cool side should be 77-80F.

[albinoTy]

Ok 88.3 right know so got that right.