help

[bolt]

Hi was after some info about my new ball he is 4 months old but only weights74g is this about rite?the breeder said he was feeding and sheding ok but was only eating pinkys,onc e every week this does not seem alot to me but hey this is my first bp!i have to hides a uth set at 82 cooler side is 75-78 and a water dish he has eaten for me twice in the too weeks iv had him and upped his food to medium mice but he hasnt yet been to the toilet is this normal??plz help any info would be great xx
:no::suspicious:

[UwabamiReptiles]

He needs a hot spot around 90-92. 82 is too cool for a hot spot. Besides that, what else can you tell us about his enclosure? How big, what is it, humidity, hides on the cool and hot side. Ball pythons do fine on a weekly feeding schedule so I wouldn't worry about him only eating once a week. I'm sure someone will have more advice but I would definitely get that hot spot hotter.

[alessia55]

eating pinkys,onc e every week this does not seem alot to me but hey this is my first bp!
First, congrats on your first ball python! :)
Once a week is a good feeding routine for a young ball python. However, pinkies are far too small. You should be offering a rat that is approximately 1.5 times the girth of the snake (the girth is the largest part of the body; around the mid-section of the body).

i have to hides a uth set at 82 cooler side is 75-78 and a water dish
The hot side is too cool. Your ball python will need a heat source at all times. You can use a heat mat, flexwatt, a lamp, or a ceramic heat emitter. Do NOT use a heat rock as a heat source. They can easily burn your snake's body. Snakes cannot generate their own heat, so it is important that they have a way of accessing heat in their enclosure so they can thermo-regulate their internal body temperature. Whichever method of heat you choose, you must have it connected to a thermostat. Without a thermostat, your heat source could easily get too hot and burn your snake. The thermostat will help regulate how hot your source gets, maintaining it at the right temperature at all times. Buying a thermostat is essential to good husbandry and to your snake's health. Do not overlook buying a thermostat, and don't aim to go with a cheap thermostat that might fail.

The enclosure must have a heat gradient. One side of the enclosure (the one with the heat source) will be considered the hot side, and the other side will be considered the cool side. The hot side should be set to be 87-90F, and the cool side should be 77-80F.

he has eaten for me twice in the too weeks iv had him and upped his food to medium mice but he hasnt yet been to the toilet is this normal??plz help any info would be great
If he has eaten for you twice in the past two weeks, that is GREAT. You have no reason to worry. Yes, it is normal that he hasn't eliminated yet. Ball pythons have slower metabolisms and will eat a few times before they eliminate feces/urates. How often your ball python eliminates waste can vary by age, feeding schedule, and hydration. As soon as you see any bodily waste in the enclosure you should remove it. Long term exposure to these can be detrimental to your snake's health.

Good luck! Let us know if you have any more questions.

[bolt]

I have a a hide on the hot side and one on the cooler side humidity is 60% and he has a moist hide at 75% as he is shedding his eyes have gone milky!i have a thermostat so will up the temp to 90 on the hot side he is in a small rub at the moment with air holes in it as i was told that to big a cage will stress him out??is his weight ok??my snake is always on the cool side of his tank enless he has eaten is this normal??thank you both for your help im sure i will be back asking more questions!!

[SnakeyJay]

Some snakes prefer the warm side and some the cool but it's normal for them to seek out heat after feeding.. Without the right temps their digestive system doesn't work/shuts down.

[shaunyboy]

snakes need the correct heat in order to digest their food mate

you need to up your hot end temperatues

cheers shaun

[bolt]

Iv upped the hot side to 90 is that hot enought for him??what should the cooler side be?at the mo its 75-78 is that ok or to cold??thank you all :-)

[Lankyrob]

Iv upped the hot side to 90 is that hot enought for him??what should the cooler side be?at the mo its 75-78 is that ok or to cold??thank you all :-)

Sounds fine to me :)

[ballpython1717]

the hot side should be somewhere between the high 80's or low 90's and the cold side should be room tempature

[Nobodyspecial]

and the cold side should be room tempature

Only if your room temperature is constantly in the low 80's. Which for most people it's not.