A few questions I haven\'t gotten answered in books.

[Spooky]

Okay, I got a ball python in January, and absolutly love having a snake. Now shedding or biting like our cat, hehe. I've done a ton of research, but I still have a few questions to ask, okee?

1) My BP (Spooky, where I got my handle [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif[/img] ) is on her 2nd shed. I had to help her get some spine skin off the first time, and this time I soaked her for a good hour and then rubbed the skin off in three big chunks. Her head shed comes off really quickly, tho', so no eye caps, which is good. I figure it's the humidity in the cage, but I don't know how to keep the cage humid. I always try to keep her water bowl full, but it occasionally gets dry because water evaporates so quickly here. So, to keep her hydrated, would it be a good idea to let her (make her?) soak once a week for an hour or so? Despite there always being water, she doesn't seem to keep too hydrated on her own.

2) A few weeks ago, Spooky got loose (The cat jumped on the screen top a few months ago, and popped the entire top in, and bent the screen. It still required some popping in until a few days ago when I fixed it with super glue. There was space at the back of the screen occasionally [that which needed to be popped into place] that Spooky could get through.) Anyway, I searched the whole apartment, couldn't find her. Then, three hours later, the cat found her. The got a lot of little scratches and punctures - luckily, the cat's not smart enough to eat anything besides cat food. So, Spooky healed quickly, without infection, but she is scarred. will the scarring go away after a few sheds, or are they permanent? BTW, the cat's no longer allowed in the same room as the snake unless someone's home to keep an eye on her.

3) I'm about to get a 4ft female Red Tail Boa, from a breeder. I'm assuming it wouldn't be a wise idea to let that and the 1.5 ft BP play together, yes?

4 and finally) Is feeding every two weeks bad for the BP? She gets kinda ornery for about 3 days after she feeds, so if I fed her every 7, then that would reduce her handling time. But at least I'm not over-feeding, right? Oh yeah, I feed her those cute little white mice, since I can't find any rats small enough to feed her with.

Soo . . . information is mucho appreciated. Danke.
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[Barrin]

what kind of bedding are you using? I have been using eco earth and I spray it down every other day with hot water.
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[Spooky]

Oi . . . I can picture the bag, but not the name. I know there's no Cedar, tho. I'd go look at the bag, but I just changed her bedding a few days ago and tossed the bag

So, get a spray bottle and mist the bedding?

I know I have another question to add on to one of my other, but I'm too tired to think clearly.
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[Karen]

Welcome to RTB Spooky! Do me one favor before getting this red tail boa. Do some reading online of snake behavior and care first. The humidity problem can be taken care of with placing some damp moss over the heating source and covering some of the screen top. But truthfully, that looks like the least of your worries. Look over the site and archived post and there are also links to care sheets. ect... Feeding is dependant on the size of the snake but 2 weeks sounds fine if its an adult. For babies once a week is better. Anyways, take a look at some care sheets as owning a snake takes alot of care. But of course if ya have any questions fire away!
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[Spooky]

I've been researching for several months on the ball, and for about a week on the red tail (I'm not getting it for a while). I've just had a hard time finding good information. At Barnes & Noble, I only found one book on BPs, and I'm going to head that way tomorrow to find as many books as I can on RTs. Finding a good page online has also been extremely difficult for me, until I found this place last night. I've learned a lot, but not everything I want to know.

So, if the shedding/humidity thing is the least of my worries, what should I spend my time researching? I've read a lot on behavior and care, but since I don't know ANYONE in my area who knows a thing about snakes, I can't ask them what I'm doing right and wrong. I love snakes, I love having them, and I want to do the best job that I can. Constructive criticism is more than welcome.
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	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.

[travis66]

no do not put the 2 snakes together.the rtb could hurt the bp because its so much bigger.they like to lay on each other.a question about your tank?how big is it?some times it helps to cover up part of the screen.and spray the inside of the tank with a spray bottle.find out what kind of bedding you use.i use aspen.what are the temps and humitity in your tank?
travis
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	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.

[Karen]

well, if you're willing to wait till I get off work...maybe later tonight we can go over it all on email or something?? Send me an email describing your set up and we'll go from there. Or you can just post your questions here and everyone can answer. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
kahumano@hotmail.com

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" The intruder is entering the building master."

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[Spooky]

I wasn't planning on putting them together because of the size difference. I just wanted to double check the badness here. I'm getting a second tank for the RTB. When I go get her a mouse (feeding time is coming up), I'll check the bedding (because I need more of that, too). And I'll check on the humidity and temp when I'm not to exhausted to get up and check. My chair's sooo comfy right now.

Okay, the setup. 20gal, heating pad under it, 60watt heat lamp on a timer, log hidey place along the back that goes pretty well into the heated side and the cool side, and a water dish on the cool side. I know the bedding doesn't have either of those bad things, but I can't recall what those bad things are at the moment, hehe. If I had my scanner working, I'd scan a pic of it for you. Spooky seems happy according to what I've read. Active, tongue flicking, grasping when she moves around on me, moves from the cool side to the warm side, has never struck at anyone. No mites or other sign of disease. Anything else you want to cover?

cjirish@earthlink.net Is me.
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	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[travis66]

i moved my water bowl under the heat lamp and that seems to help.make sure you keep a eye on your water.change it at least once a day.
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[travis66]

aspen is always a safe bet and its cheap also
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[Spooky]

Under the heat lamp? I'll give that a try. And I'll start changing it every day, instead of every 3. Thanks. And I'll keep the Aspen in mind, too.
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[LdyDrgn]

Spooky, in my setups I use 2 water bowls. A big one on the warm side and a little one on the cool side. The big dish I put under the lamp and over the pad. The smaller one will be most likely the one the snake drinks from since it isn't warm water (they seem to prefer to drink cooler water). I have the moist moss, wet towel over the screen and I mist once a day, too. All these things together will help with the humidity a great deal. Good luck with everything! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] Take a look at the setups in my album, if you wish, to get some ideas.

My RTB album
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[JC86]

Hm that 2 water bowls thing is a great idea...
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Hi there;


WELCOME TO REDTAILBOA.NET !!!

You have some great info here on the humidity thing. How big is your ball python anyway ? On the feeding if it is a baby then I would feed it like every 7 days. On the adults I tend to go with every 10-14 days for them.
Also when looking for books..check the date they were published [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] Information can be an ever changing thing hehe. Your best bet for getting up to date information on your snakes and any you want to obtain would be the ww at such sites as this one [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Just post any questions you may have and opur members will gladly provide answers for what you inquire of.
We do have members all over ..why don't you try to link up with someone and they can intro you to their redtails hehe Where are you located even ?
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[XzyluM]

I've heard using damp moss and misting about 2/3 times a day usually keeps the humidity up. Like Lori said, so many members, with so much information, that you can always find the answers to your questions.
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