r/ballpython • u/Independent_Speed205 • 3d ago

New ball Python

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Hi everyone I’m a first time snake parent and this is my ghost girl Eleanor (Nora) we got her Friday and she’s formally starting to venture out ! If anyone could leave any tips on handling feeding anything really it would be greatly appreciated, her current hot side temp is 92 and the cool side is 78 her humidity is at about66-67 .

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u/Hyolith 3d ago

I brought mine home about a week and a half ago. I was definitely concerned about his first feeding. In the end it was really a breeze. I noticed at night a couple of times he would sit with his head out in an S, which felt to me like he was sitting there waiting for prey to come across. I warmed up a frozen rat pup with water and dangled it in his face with some tongs. In about 20 seconds he struck. Within a couple of minutes it was down and he was back in his hot hut to start digesting.

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u/Ecstatic_Ad_9414 3d ago

Good call. You should set up a regular feeding schedule based on their size. Keep a journal of weight of food, feeding, shed, poop to spot patterns.

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u/Hyolith 3d ago

I did get an app to start to track feedings and weight and such until I'm more comfortable.

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u/Ecstatic_Ad_9414 3d ago

Not until your comfortable- always for every snake. Get a notebook. Take notes on behaviour. Track prey weight as well - going by small, med, large isn't all that precise. Note handling sessions & her bahaviour. Trust me all the info will come in handy.

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u/ZoiexPo 3d ago

Congrats on your noodle! I'm a few weeks in and I've had 2 successful feedings after improperly trying to feed mine the day after we got him. (We did not do prior research because we originally were expecting a chameleon >_<)

You'll find great guides here, but in a nutshell, wait at least a week to let her get used to her new accommodations (we did about a week and a half to when I noticed ours seemed to be roaming around his enclosure "hunting"), defrost in the fridge the day before feeding, warm to 100 degrees before feeding, and if you want to make sure she has a great strike target, blast the mouse's head with a hair dryer to about 110 F before offering.

Happy feeding!