New Snake owner

Yup! I bought one in February and I’ve purchased 3 more since then haha.

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Haha I have a feeling I will be doing the same thing :joy:

Okay, I have found myself lost again. I dont know what brand of heat warmth supplies to get.

Zoomed is a good brand for a under tank heater. Dont get a cheaper brand just cause its more wallet friendly because they are more likely to catch fire. That’s how I lost one of my snakes. Go the extra step and get a good one like zoomed.

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Thank you! and Im sorry to hear that.

Skimmed through and I’m not sure if anyone touched on temps and humidity, but everyone seems to have their own that they prefer. I NEVER have my temps at or above 90. I’ve found a sweet spot at 87-88 that’s given me perfect steady growth and digestion (using a strip of heat tape in the back of my rack). As for humidity, my “snake closet” is kept at 60%. I’ve had perfect sheds and respiratory health for the entire time I’ve had reptiles with that. I’d suggest buying a small digital thermostat/hygrometer outside the enclosure to tell you the ambient percentages in the room.

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I am curious about your comment “buy older.” I’ve been thinking of it as it is my first snake but am worried it will bite me more than a hatchling would and the bite will hurt worse. Crazy worry?

Hatchlings are actually more likely to bite than older animals, because they are smaller and more vulnerable, and therefor feel they need to defend themselves. Also, even a full-on bite from an adult ball python does not really hurt that much. At least that’s how I feel, as I keep and have been bitten by large constrictors, so a ball python bite seems like nothing. Ball pythons are one of the snakes I’d consider less inclined to bite than other species.

One benefit of purchasing an older animal is that its personality will have developed, and possibly the seller will have had it longer and know more about its personality. Don’t be afraid to tell a seller that you are a new snake owner hoping for a calm pet. A good breeder may be able to steer you towards an animal that has the kind of personality you are looking for. You may consider purchasing from a smaller breeder instead of a large company with thousands of snakes, so that the breeder knows more about each animal they have for sale.

All this being said, most defensive snakes can become much calmer with regular, gentle handling, as they become more used to human interaction and therefor less afraid.

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If it bites its comparable to a bee stings and they dont latch if they bite, it’s just a quick strike. Hatchlings are more prone to bite because they are scared of the new environment and you handling them is intimidating to them. Adults are more sociable and use to handling and much more hardy then a baby.

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Way late to the party but I want an update so happy for a new animal lover to come over to the dark side (snakes because obviously we are al creeeeepyyyyyy :slight_smile: ). Good luck friend!

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Can confirm. There was only one time Helios tried to strike me and it was 3 or 4 days after i got him when he was only like 130g or so. Ever since, in shed or not, he either stays coiled for a while or starts running over my hand right away when i handle him. He also got used to me touching his neck and even head without problem to the point that when i don’t want him crawling somewhere i had to tap his nose directly or he just won’t stop at all. Curious and fearless creature :smile:

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