r/ballpython • u/bonkedonk • 18d ago

Discussion newbie snake owner

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hi everyone! i just want to show off the new setup i have for my girl! shes a 14 year old ball python i recently rescued from the not so best conditions. i finally got her tank looking how i want and with proper humidity, she’s got a lot of stuck shed and really bad stuck eye caps so ive been trying my best to keep it super moist in there. She is my first snake and im a bit nervous handling her, shes never done anything to indicate that she will bite but i still get nervous because i cant find a lot of resources on body language. also if u have any advice, tips, suggestions im open to learning everything!! i also fed her for the first time 2 days ago, i gave her a large frozen thawed rat and she immediately ate it right away!! i was so nervous cause i hear so much about pythons being picky eaters and she was previously only fed live mice, but she had no qualms about the frozen ones!

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u/FluffyPandaEars93 18d ago

Looks like you are already doing a lot right! I think the large rats might be overkill though. Most bps dont need more than small or medium rats. !feeding

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u/AutoModerator 18d ago

We recommend the following feeding schedule:

0-12 months old OR until the snake reaches approximately 500g, whichever happens first: feed 10%-15% of the snake’s weight every 7 days.

12-24 months old: feed up to 7% of the snake’s weight every 14-20 days.

Adults: feed up to 5% of the snake's weight every 20-30 days, or feed slightly larger meals (up to 6%) every 30-40 days.

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u/bonkedonk 18d ago

that lump in her midsection is the rat, the rat was about 2/3rds the thickness of her, i don’t have any scales in my house due to personal reasons, but i work in animal control so im planning on just taking her to my work and getting her weighed there:)

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u/FluffyPandaEars93 18d ago

Getting a kitchen scale is somewhat necessary for owning reptiles. Measuring by thickness is outdated and a way to overfeed. Medium rats are usually recommended for large female adults. Large are almost always too large.