a couple of stupid ball python Q's...

[DeviledApple]

i read an article on kingsnake specifically stating that ball pythons dont need UV, and havnt seen UV mentioned eihter way in a few other care sheets i read, and just want someone to back this up, since ive always had it drilled into me that ALL REPTILES *NEED* uv light. I have the lamp and everything if he needs it, but dont want to force unnessisary light.

also wondering about handling. Since hes stressed with the new home and all, should i not be handling him for a few days? all ive wanted to do since i got him was carry him around with me, but i want him to be as happy as posible.
also, whats the rule of thumb about handling after eating?
and as for eating, everyone says to feed the same as the widest point in girth, thats like 3-4 times bigger than his head, is he REALLY not going to choke? i spend almost an hour trying to find a mouse that i felt was small enough for his head size, and then i start reading about the girth thing..
ok, last one. is fabric, namely, tee-shirt fabric, safe for him? I've thrown one of my shirts in his cage, half as a snuggly hiding spot, and half figuring this was a great way to get him used to my scent (yeah, a dirty shirt, mm mm good!)
I'm sure ill have a new set of questions tomorrow... but any guidance on what ive already posted would be greatly appreciated!

[StevenLeeAugust]

To the best of my knowledge they do not need it but it does not hurt, so I have used it as I do on all my snakes except my albinos.

As for the scent thing I have no idea about that.

[Karnis]

I personally dont feel that there is a treu stupid question. Especially when it comes to the meaning of life and death. But here is my Routiene with my ball. I let her acclimate to her surroundings for 2 weeks when I first got her, and fed her after that time. I slowly let her become used to me by holding her for a few minutes, after every feeding I increased my holding time by 30 min. If she refused to feed I cut back.After feeding I do not handel her for 24 hours. And during shed and untill 2 days after shed I do not hold her at all, UNless it falls on cleaning day and I will dodge it if she is in blue. Hope that helps out in some way. Also I have heard the smelly shirt theroy from others. I dun see what it would hurt, and yes they can take prey-food that large. Dun worry about not handeling it that much right now, Because if everything is done properly there will be plenty of together time for plenty of years to come. Peace and good luch with your new snake and welcome to RTB

[schmelkdog]

hey, you know what they say, the only stupid question is one not asked. The UV far as I can tell they don't "NEED" it. However, they do need a day/night cycle to keep the stress down. Long as they get that and some regular room natural light they should be fine.
It will surprise you what they can fit in their mouths, a bit smaller won't be bad but as long as you're going by the girth rule you're good to go. I don't know what to tell you about handling. I know that leaving em alone is a good idea so they can get used to the place but I'm not real good at not handling. I'd say set up the hide and if they're out and exploring feel good about picking em up unless it's been less than a day since they ate. Good luck and have fun.

[JuliusSqueezer]

1- UV is only necessary for snakes that don't eat whole mammalian prey. Your ball python not only doesn't need it but would likely avoid it. In the wild, they stay in burrows throughout the day and come out in the cooler night air to hunt and frolick.

2- Don't handle any ball python more than you absolutly have to until it is feeding for you. If it's eating, it's happy...or happy as a pea brained ball python can be anyway. As SOON as anything is causing him stress, he will go off feed.

3- Best not to handle any snake at least for a couple of days after it eats. But gently picking him up and letting him more or less go where he wants on you shouldn't hurt anything as long as he doesn't fight your advances. If he is defensive or shows any sign of stress at your presence and has just eaten within 48 hours...leave him be or you might have a nasty mess to clean up not to mention the major health issues that regurging snakes soon find themselves with. I don't normally handle anything for a few days after but I have...gently with snakes that don't mind being handled with no ill effects.

[WhiteLips]

I have a thought on the T-shirt, it seems that fabric will hold water and microbes (bacteria & molds), as well as urates/feces, unless it is laundered everyday I would probably stick to aspen or newspaper.

[DeviledApple]

any animal i keep fabric in with gets it switched regularly. now i dont wash them everyday, but i tend to do a load of "animal clothes" every week, so i dont think the cleanliness will be an issue, i was just worried if maybe they managed to snag scales on it alot. Theres no loose threads, but, just wanted to be safe. oops on my part for the feeding thing, i gave him a mouse the first day i got him and played with him shortly after, whereupon my bf yelled at me and thats why i asked! He must not have been too stressed out about the whole deal, cuz he ate that mouse straight away, and seemed non too upset about doing it in the half-reared little hermit cage i kept him in for a day (after dropping the aqaurium i had for him.. oops!) never move around your last glass tank after 7pm, cuz ya aint gunna be gettin a new one until morning!

[Cretia]

Julius- this is what i was wondering about in one of the last posts and i dont think anyone answered fully. I didn't think that my bp, or corn, or kingsnake needed UV's, just something to give them the day/night effect, but the vet told me that every(I think she said every, she definately said the ones I have do) snake needs SOME UV's. She said that even if they hide the majority of the time, it doesnt bother them- as long as they HAVE a place to hide, and that eventually they will come out and suck some of it up. She said that they get vitamins/nutrients from it that they can't get elsewhere. She also said that a snake can go for months w/o it but that eventually it will affect the snake, how much depending on the snake. I know that you've bashed vets before , so, what's up with this? Some people say it's necessary, some say it's not...???

	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

[slaponte]

As far as I know, and Julius will know more details I am sure, snakes DO NOT need the UV. The UV (as I understand) is mostly used to help the herp absorb certain vitamins and calcium and snakes don't need this.

That said, sunlight has UV in it, so at worst the snake will hide away from it.

Now to the BPs. I still remember when I got my 3 BPs. Been used to BCIs it was quite a temperament difference.

- As stated, try to handle them as little as possible the first few days, until you get them eating regularly. Mine were VERY picky and I had to leave the room to get them to eat. Any noise or movement would throw them off and they would just hide away.

- Today they are two years old, and still the most stressfull moment for them is to pick them up. They bunch up and my male in particular hisses like a viper. But then, if you craddle him and let him move (don't hold), he settles down and is a happy camper. Just testy when you approach him.

- I think in general BPs remain skiddish, maybe because they are smaller. Even now that they are quite bigger then tend to hide away when they can.

- I always used newspapers. Easy to keep clean. I controlled air circulation by covering part of the top when it gets cold (in Miami, FL, so cold is like under 70)...

Size of prey. This is quite something to get used to. I also thought "but their head is sooo small!!"... well, don't even worry about it. They swallow better than many porn... well, never mind. Go by the size of the body. Trust me, if you feed by the size of the head, your are going to have one hungry BP. Mine are much longer and wider today, they eat a large rat almost every other weekend. When I get to feeding, the rat always looks too large to me. But they have no problem at all.

I don't hold them for two to three days after feed. When they come out and start exploring at night, I know they are ready to get around. I open the front cover (I have them on Boaphiles), and let them glide onto my hands.

There are no stupid questions. Ask away. I came here a few years ago and with the help of this site and the wonderfull people here I have 3 BCIs and 3 BPs to be proud of. Big, healthy, shedding clean, all thanks to the advice and what I have learned here.

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[slaponte]

Link to my BPs album : http://redtailboa.net/pp/showgallery.php/cat/3198

Link to my cages album : http://redtailboa.net/pp/showgallery.php/cat/3194

[JuliusSqueezer]

SOME snakes do need UV. Not all snakes eat rodents. Snakes that eat bugs but no rodents or other mammals NEED UV. Ball Pythons do not eat bugs. Vets know a lot (mostly about kittycats and puppies) but I challenge any vet to show me where a rat eating snake n