Here's v.2.0. Corrections that y'all made. And yeah, you can use it. My webpage is a link on my pic -
http://www.liquid2k.com/voodoodragon/snakes
Edit: Wow, I thought I could use HTML to show what was bolded. I guess I hafta do it all with the buttons.
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Caresheet for Ball Pythons (Python Regius)
Size: Male Ball Pythons will reach 3-4 feet, while females will reach 4-5. The occasional, rare, female will reach six feet. They are a heavy-bodied snake.
Temperment: Ball Pythons tend to be very docile snakes. They stay in their hides much of the time, because in nature they're snakes that stay hidden until prey passes and then either strike then, or follow the prey back to their nests. They are also nocturnal, which means that they'll be more active at night, which is the best time to feed them.
Housing: A single adult will require a cage (ideally) that is 3' wide by 2' deep. Be sure that the cage is secure - Ball Pythons, like all snakes, are escape artists. While not very active snakes, it's always good for them to have climbing branches and/or shelves.
Heating: Ball Pythons require a cage heat gradient, as well as day/night temperature changes. During the day, the warm side should be in the upper 80's or low 90's, with a cool side in the mid 80's to upper 70's. During the night, temperatures should be allowed to drop around five degrees. An under tank heater (UTH), or even a human heating pad, can be used to heat the warm side, and a lamp can be used to warm the cage during the day, placed over the heat pad. You can also use ceramic heat emiters (CHE's) to heat a cage, and these last for several years.
Do not use heat rocks. There are many reports of heat rocks overheating or shorting out and burning snakes. Glass cages aren't as well insulated as plexiglass, plywood, or plastic cages, so keeping heat where it needs to be tends to be more difficult. Also, if temperatures are too low, it can cause respiratory infections and cause it to stop eating, because without sufficient heat, a snake cannot digest and food will simply rot in its stomach.
Note: Thermometers should be used to measure the cage temperatures - you should never try to guess. Digital thermometers are the most accurate, and thus the best. Rheostats can be used to control temperatures of
CHE's or
UTH's.
Lighting: Use a reptile basking light. ZooMed makes a great basking spot light. Unless there's no other choice, avoid regular human light bulbs, as they can damage your snakes eyes. Be sure the lamp is on the same side as the heating pad. Be sure the snake can't come in contact with the lamp, as they could burn themselves. The light should be on a 12 hour on / 12 hour off timing, to make for their proper photoperiod.
Humidity: Humidity should be around 60%. This can be accomplished by putting a water bowl under the heat lamp. Cages with screen tops tend to make keeping the humidity where it needs to be more difficult. If this is the case, misting several times a day can raise humidity, as can moist sphagnum moss. If the humidty is too low, a snake will have difficulty shedding.
Substrate: You can use newspaper, paper towels, astroturf, compressed coconut, reptile bark, or aspen.
Do not use pine or cedar. These woods have oils that are toxic to snakes.
Water: A snake should have two water bowls, one on the cool side, and one on the warm side. The bowl on the warm side should be big enough for the snake to curl up inside it and be touching the sides. Snakes usually drink from the water bowl on the cool side. Both water bowls should be cleaned every few days, or whenever you see them soaking or if they deficate in the water bowl. Water bowls should be sturdy, as Ball Pythons are very good at tipping over water bowls.
Hides: Hides are
crucial to a Ball Python's well-being. They're shy snakes, and they need hides to feel secure. In a smaller cage (20-30
gal cage), one hide on the warm and one on the cool sides should be sufficient. In larger cages, however, more hides should be provided. Snakes shouldn't have to choose between a feeling of security and being able to regulate their body temperatures to be comfortable or digest. A hide should be solid and preferably have only one small opening on one side. It should also be small enough for the snake to touch the sides - too large of a hide will make a snake feel insecure.
Cleaning: The cage should be spot cleaned every day, removing any urates (rock-like balls of urine), feces, or shed skin. Hides should be cleaned every time they become soiled, and water dishes should be cleaned whenever a snake soaks or deficates in the bowl. Other than that, cages should be thoroughly cleaned every few weeks, and water bowls should be cleaned at least twice a week.
Note: Snakes can get "burns" from sitting in their urates or feces for too long.
Feeding: Warning: Ball Pythons are known for being finiky eaters. Aside from that, feed your snake a rodent as big as your snake at it's widest point. Young snakes should be fed once every 7-10 days, and once they're large enough for small rats, you can begin feeding every 2 weeks. Rats are better for snakes, but if you don't have any availible, mice also work. Frozen/thawed rats are much better for snakes than live prey. Why?
Live vs. frozen
Rodents can carry
mites, which can transfer to snakes
Rodents can carry internal parasites, which can be transfered to snakes and cause disease (and even more difficulty eating)
Rodents may turn on the snake and cause serious injury - even while constricted, a rat can claw, or even bite into a snakes head.
In short,
only feed a snake live prey if you're willing to risk serious injury, or even death, of your snake. To feed a snake frozen/thawed, buy the frozen rodent from a local petstore, or from an online supplier, such as RodentPro.com. Online suppliers tend to be cheaper and have higher-quality rodents. Even though they're frozen, the dead rodents do loose nutrients over time, and you have no way of knowing how long they've been in a pet store's freezer.
Get the frozen rodent out of the freezer and thaw it in hot water until thoroughly thawed. Don't use a microwave, as they cause the rodent to have hot spots while still being frozen in places. Put your snake into a feeding box, such as a shoebox with airholes, and dangle the thawed rodent in front of the snake using forceps or tongs. Hopefully, the snake will strike, constrict, and swallow the rodent. Don't worry if the snake takes the rodent from the rear or side. Eventually, all snakes learn to eat head-first. After the snake eats, don't handle it for at least 30 minutes, as they're still in "feeding instinct." Most snake bites occur when a snake is either hungry or just fed, and a person reaches in to pick them up with the scent of the rodent on their hands. After handling any rodents, wash your hands thoroughly, or expect a bite.
Why won't my snake eat?
Check their cage temperatures - A snake knows when its surroundings are too cold to digest. Raise temperatures, and it should eat again
Is it getting ready to shed? - If a snakes color is dull, it's getting ready to shed. A snake's metabolism slows during a shed, and they often won't eat because they can't see.
When are you feeding it? - Ball Pythons are nocturnal snakes, which means it's best to feed them in the evening or at night.
Where are you feeding it? - Snakes can be shy eaters. When they have a half- swallowed rat in their mouth, it's hard to escape from danger. Some will only eat in complete darkness with no disturbances. However, some will eat with people watching. It all depends on the snake.
How long as it been? - If it's only been a few days, your snake may not be hungry yet. If it's been several months, non-feeding may be due to internal parastites.
What time of year is it? - Some snakes will go off food in the fall and not eat for several months. Some won't.
Is the mouse dry or wet? - Some snakes won't eat a rat that's wet from defrosting in hot water. Try putting it in a water-proof plastic bag to defrost.
Diseases to watch out for:
Scale Rot - This can be caused by too much soaking or too moist of substrate. It'll look like rust stain on the scales, with some of them being eaten away or curled up. Remove soaking bowls, but leave in a drinking bowl, and change substrate to paper towels or newspaper until it clears up. Also try applying Neosporin (
without the pain reliever) or diluted betadine (mixed with water, it should be the color of weak tea) to the wounded areas. If it's a bad case, see a qualified reptile vet. You won't see it clear up right away, but it will look better after its next shed.
Respiratory Infection - This can be caused by humidity being too high (consistantly 80%+) or too low (consistantly 40%-) and temperatures being too low. Listen for wheezing, popping, and watch for "snot" in the mouth or breathing with its mouth open. Go see a qualified reptile vet and raise the cage temperatures and adjusting humidity. You should most likely be given Baytril for the infection.
Parasites - These can be given to your snake via live rodents or coming in contact with feces of snakes not of it's species, or of any infected snake. Parasites can be transfered via your contact without hand washing, sharing uneaten food items, water bowls, etc. Watch for several bad sheds, refusal to eat, and scales not laying down as smoothly as they should. Go see a qualified reptile vet, and bring a stool sample.
Mouth Rot - This is often caused by substrate caught in the mouth, an infected tooth, or some other type of cut. Watch for swelling or discoloring of the gums (they should be a light pink). See a qualified reptile vet.
Abrasions - Some snakes will try to escape from screen-top cages so much that they'll rub their nose raw. Apply a light coat of plain (
without pain reliever) Neosporin daily. You should see it get better with each consecutive shed.
My snake escaped! Help!
Step 1: Calm down
Step 2: Put other animals (like dogs or cats) in a room where you know the snake isn't.
Step 3: Look under things. Ball Pythons like to hide. Check under clothes, paper, couches, couch cushions, pillows, blankets, anything else.
Step 4: Look in things. Look in boxes, cupboards, and anywhere you think there's a slim possibility that it may have gotten.
Step 5: Put out a heating pad with a hide on it. Leave it near a wall. Hopefully your snake will come upon it while out roaming and decide to stop where it's warm and secure.
Step 6: If you still haven't been able to find your snake, and feeding day is coming up, defrost a rat and rub it along the floorboards. Leave it under a hide on a heating pad for several hours, and hope your snake takes interest.
Step 7: Still no snake? See Step 1-6. Repeat until you find your snake. Snakes can survive many months loose without starving to death. Just make sure they can't get outside and keep an eye on your other pets. Good luck.
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Email:
VoodooDragon@trust-me.com
AIM: VoodooDragon137
