Couple of Questions here!!!

eferna · 12-13-02, 01:36 PM

1. How often would you feed your baby ball python? Every 5 days? I have a baby ball and I fed it on Monday. I was wondering if it is okay to feed it today.

2. How often would you play with your ball(lol)
Once every day for 10 minuts? Couple of times a day for 10 minutes?

3. How often do you clean the tank out? Every week?

Thanks for your time

escm · 12-13-02, 01:55 PM

Im pretty new to the ball python and mines not quite a baby (21"). I feed him every 7-10 days. Everything I've read points to feeding babies every 5-7 days. I've only had my ball for two weeks so I've been keeping my distance and letting him get situated. I take him out to clean up the cage and he seems pretty comfortable just chilling on my arm or in his travel bin for the 10-15 minutes it takes to clean. I clean the tank every time he pees or drop a #2. He seems to only pee in the corner so ill change the paper in that corner and wipe it down with a 1:10 bleach/water solution or a watered down antibacterial soap solution. when he poops (only one poop so far) I clean the entire cage (i.e. change paper, wipe everything down, clean his hideouts etc.) Also I always make sure his waterdish is cleaned everyday and that he has clean water.

If your guy is new (and has had an entire week minimum with no handling to aclimate to his new home) I wouldnt handle him more than 10min once a day. Balls can be shy from what I read and I tend to err on the less-stress=happy snake path.

Big Mike · 12-13-02, 02:50 PM

Every 5-7 days is good for a youngster.

You can judge the amount of time to handle him/her. If they are calm and inqusitive then let them get comfortable with you. If they are jumpy or nervous or scared then don't handle very long. Just long enough to get the idea that your not dangerous.

I change the substrate (news paper) when ever he soils it and completely clean/sanitize the enclosure every month or so.

Kathy · 12-13-02, 07:34 PM

Feed them every 5-7 days, or whenever they look hungry (my girl lets me know when she wants to eat by coming to the screen and "yawning" hehe)

Dont handle them for a day or two after they eat, it can disrupt their digestive system. Once the mouse lump has dissapeared its ok to play with them again.

and yea basically what everyone else said, dont need to clean the tank if they dont dirty it, spot cleaning is fine with a big washout every so often.

Have fun with your new pet!