Paranoid Newbie

[rozzza.louise89]

Hello to everyone.
I'm fairly sure I am just being paranoid but reassurance would be nice.
I have never owned a snake before. And have done research on Spotted Pythons.
I purchased one from PetHQ in Townsville on Sunday (bit of an impulse decision which i will peobably get my but kicked for but i love snakes and have been umming and uhhing on the decision to buy one since I held my mates snakes about a year ago now, so it wasnt quite impulse... and i DO NOT intend on ditching it)
I dont know its age or if its male or female and i did ask the guys at PetHQ but they said their main reptile man was on holidays and didnt know, but i know that its juvenile and is .65m and feeding on hoppers.
I fed it last night and it took its food straight away.
Its very shy and seems to be scared, before i fed it when i got it out of its vivarium it would just go into a bundle as apposed to exploring. (getting used to its tank/new home maybe why it seems like this?)
It doesnt like its hides which i have 2 for it. Definately is not interested in its water. And seems to go to the top of the tank where there is a little lip. Its been there all day today..
I got home this arv and have noticed a little kink at the end of its body. Could this be something to be worried about??
Or am i just being paranoid like i originally thought?

 

[Banjo]

Best thing to do is let the snake settle in for a couple of weeks without being disturbed, looks and sounds like the snake is stressed, provided the temps are ok which is about the only thing you haven't mentioned everything shouild be fine.
Can't really see the kink you talking about though. Got some better pics.

 

[AirCooled]

Being nocturnal species you might not see it drink,but supply fresh water daily.It has to get to know you,just as you need to get to know it.Young snakes think everything bigger is going to eat them,so be patient,don't make any sudden moves. A good book that will help is Keeping and Breeding Australian Pythons by Michael Swan.

 

[grannieannie]

I think it's really nice that you are so worried.... but snakes are pretty good at being snakes. Just let it settle, don't try and touch it for a couple of weeks, it needs to get used to it's new home just as Deadpan said....so try and relax. Read as much as you can about them, ask as many questions you want to here...it's normal to feel nervous when you start out. With lots of snakes you can't tell their sex till they get a little bigger and if you're not going to breed, it doesn't really matter. You'll be just fine .. xx Annie

 

[Mace699]

the bump you are referring to from what i can see, seems to be just where the cloaca is where it goes from noticeably fatter to skinny. unless there is another bump which cant be seen in that photo. i wouldn't stress to much give it time to settle if it ate and doesn't regurgitate it should be fine. but like everyone else has said, keep its temps right and give it space to settle and you should be fine.

 

[ozziepythons]

Very nice patterned spotted python. They make ideal starter species to keep as they can be unintimidating and don't threaten to grow several meters and potentially swallow others residing in your household. Being small and squiggly though they have a habit of finding the smallest of gaps and squeezing out of them and once liberated, can hide almost anywhere in the house (trust me, this isn't fun returning home exhausted at 2am to upturn the place). Its hard for some of us to turn back time and experience and remember what being new to keeping a snake was like, but I'll have a crack at soothing some of your paranoia (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, afterall the paranoid tend to live longer).
I wouldn't be hung up on gender at this point, it makes no difference as a pet whatsoever. Beware of letting anyone probe or attempting to pop hemipenes unless they really are experienced (ie being a pet shop attendant doesn't necessarily qualify). If done roughly you can stuff up a reptile with porforated hemipene pockets and kinking spines.
Naturally they are timid and being picked up will frighten a shy specimen. The curling in a ball behaviour is a defense mechanism, however rarely do they do so. If your gentle and slow with your movements from picking it up to holding it, then putting it back you'll win its confidence much sooner that your not about to eat it.
Place the hides at the end of the cage away from the heat source so it has to find warmth. Be paranoid about the cage getting too hot by using a thermometer, don't let the cage get to above 27 DegC at the cool end. Either buy a thermostat or turn off heating on a hot day if not in an airconditioned room.
It will drink when its thirsty, fresh water is ideal and don't let it sit for a week like so many keepers do. It doesn't hurt to scrub the water bowl and let it sit to dry out for a day or two.
They will climb and providing a branch will aid in this. If it likes the lip of the cage don't fight it, they always go back to a favourite spot.
If you can show us a pic of the kink in the end of its body. Some pythons live long lives with injuries from knocks and bumps.

 

[rozzza.louise89]

okay cool.
being north qld the weather has been really hot here lately. I have been told that its probably enjoying the temp up there and thats why it keeps going up there, i was freaking out at lunch cause it looked like it was in the same spot (i thought it was dead lol).
tank is at around 30-32 atm 32.
So i fed him yesterday i havent seen any regurg and im fairly sure i can see where the mouse is in his belly still.
Research says i should leave it alone for a few days after it eats, but its sleeping where the lid opens so not sure if i should open it to put the freash water in. Which i changed it yesterday aswell.

Okay, Tank is currently around 27-28 Sony has moved but still up in the lip area.
Kink isnt a kink lol. Could it possibly be going to deficate? and thats what i can see?
Too is regurging a time thing, can it sit in it its body for some time before coming up again?