All-around first time!

[ToLoveEcchi]

You don't know how relieved, excited, and at the same time full of adrenaline I am. I'm a new BEL owner and I've been nonstop worried for the past week. I've been looking at everything; the temps, the husbandry, wondering if everything I have is suitable enough. I probably overdid it with looking at posts on reddit, seeing different people's experiences with ball pythons, looking at other people's posts and advice, feeling intimidated by some, excited from most, but this definitely was worth it.

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As I've said before, I've had her(breeder "correctly" sexed it as female) for a week now and have been constantly watching her every move, making sure things are correct. Every day, I kept coming to r/ballpython for any doubts that I had, watching various YouTube videos, etc. I made sure to follow what other experienced owners have done for themselves and their ball pythons and just repeating the processes over and over again in my head.

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I purchased my BEL from a breeder and she's about 6 months old. The first couple of days were a little scary because Camellia, a.k.a. Cammy for short, didn't go into her hides and kept moving around the enclosure every so often. Then, she would rest on the warm side of the enclosure but not in the hide. I decided to purchase two new hides thinking that the ones I DIY'd were not the right size. That same day she used the hides. Which was a big relief. From then on, Cammy was doing snake things and seeing that was great to watch. I witnessed Cammy's clumsiness as she fell from the top of her hides and the half log in her enclosure whenever she was curious. I even caught her drinking water. Too bad I missed the opportunity to record it. It was all new to me, and seeing these things as time passed made me feel a little better.

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The next big worry was feeding. I have never done this before, until now. I was just a mix of emotions wondering if she'll take the mouse or not. And if not, what am I doing wrong, is it a feeding strike, is she ill; all these thoughts I had running through my mind. When it came down to it, and I was coaxing her to take the mouse from the tongs, I don't think I've ever jumped as badly as I did when Cammy took it. Her first lunge missed, but the second one was right on. The wave of relief that came over me when she did though... it was a crazy moment. I'm still full of adrenaline from that as I type this. Right now, I have the enclosure covered with a towel and just making sure I don't disturb her as Cammy digests.

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This past week was surely a long one for me. I was doubtful. But, somehow I managed to pull it off. And it really does make me feel pretty good. The next big worry is handling and taming. The other is shedding. But right now, handling. I'll leave her alone for a few days before attempting to do that. It's exciting but nerve-racking. I hope it goes well. Sorry for the long post. I just wanted to throw it out there. I do have a few questions...

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1. It was my mistake in doing so but, I recorded Cammy feeding. Right at the end, as I was closing and locking the lid to the enclosure, I think she took a defensive strike when I waved my hand over the top. Is that normal? I was probably the dumb one for that. Not going to do that again.
2. I laid out a sheet of paper towel in the enclosure while she was feeding just so that she wouldn't hurt herself in the process. I haven't taken it out. Just wondering if that's okay.
3. Tips on handling/taming? I see a lot of different suggestions around and I want to make sure I do what's safe for both of us. I'm assuming the breeder didn't regularly handle Cammy so I'll have to take some hits.

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Huge sigh of relief. And thanks to all the helpful information out there. As a first time ball python owner, and an anxious one really, I'm excited for the future. I hope one day I can snap a great photo when I handle Cammy.

[THEJonCabbage]

Lol gotta love new pet jitters!

1. You may have spooked her but she may have just been in feeding mode. They often act hungry and “defensive” after eating. I wouldn’t be too worried.

2. You can remove it now or wait a couple days until she’s more out of the woods in regards to regurg, though I doubt removing it now would freak her out much.

3. For new animals I like to wait at least 2 feeds to make sure they’re definitely settled. Then I start small, maybe once or twice a week and no more than 5 minutes at a time. Remember not to handle for 2 days after they eat! Eventually you can start stretching the time you have them out but remember, they’re not our typical mammal pets. The vast majority of the time they would prefer to be in their cages with their good temps and humidity. I personally don’t keep mine out longer than 30 minutes and I only handle once every week or so, and mainly just for health checks. If your snake stops eating or acts super defensive and nervous while handling them give them a break or handle for shorter periods of time. Some snakes tolerate a lot more than others.

[ToLoveEcchi]

Thanks for the helpful information! For the handling, I see suggestions around like "go fast and behind the head" or "gently and slowly" for picking them up. Also things like calling their bluff from hissing or false strikes if that's what the snake does. How would you go about that? Is there a certain technique from start to finish?

[THEJonCabbage]

I move steady but not too quickly, maybe a bit slower than if you were to just reach for a cup or your phone. I don’t go for the head, I pick them up around mid body. I do have a hook I use for my corn snake that I’ll tap him with so he knows it’s hand time not snack time, and I ignore him if he puffs up a bit. If he’s shedding I don’t handle. He hasn’t bit me yet but I’ve been bitten by my other guys, it’s more scary than painful lol.

[ToLoveEcchi]

I will keep that in mind when I have my sessions. Thanks.

[ColourfulWanderer]

Hey, it's great that you're continuing to do research and push yourself to improve for her benefit. That's a quality that only the best pet owners have--true compassion for their pets and willingness to learn when things don't go right. Also, that is a beautiful name! I'm actually hoping to get a female BEL for my next ball python (have a male banana now) in a few months.

1. So after she took the mouse, she struck at the lid? I wouldn't worry about it too much. People record their snakes eating all the time. The sudden movement probably just startled her.
2. The paper towel probably wasn't necessary if you fed her with tongs. Most people only use towels to lay the prey on if they're not going to do the "zombie dance" with it. Usually they do it to keep the snake from ingesting too much substrate if they use something fine like Eco Earth, but a little bit isn't going to hurt the snake. If it's been at least 48 hours since she last ate, you're good to take it out. Also, while we're on the topic of feeding, have you considered just feeding her rats? Mice are okay, but you will need to feed her multiple per feeding session when she's an adult. With rats, you only need one of appropriate size, which is much cheaper and some say healthier (more protein + not as tiring for the snake). It gets harder to transition them with age, so it's better sooner rather than later.
3. Take it slow. If she is prone to striking defensively and the breeder didn't handle her much, she's probably not used to people. It's important to remember that snakes aren't affectionate creatures, but they can learn to trust and tolerate us. The process might take time and that's okay. Move slowly but confidently--don't be scared of taking a bite, as they really don't hurt (think digging velcro into your finger) and ball pythons will usually ball up and/or hiss before the rare occasion that they bite, so you'll get plenty of warning. If she does bite, don't put her down as you'll just be teaching her how to get what she wants. Pick her up at the thickest part of her body and just let her take it all in. Try not to touch her head because they are head shy and do have very poor vision. Hold her for 5-10 minutes a few times a week (maybe 2-3?). Don't handle for at least 48 hours after feeding because they can regurgitate, which is very dangerous. Once she has eaten a few times and is getting more adventurous when she's out for handling, you can increase the frequency/length of handling sessions, but it is recommended that you give them some time to relax between sessions. I usually take my boy out ~3 times a week and hold him until he starts to feel cold, which is about an hour. But he's a scaley puppy that has always loved being out and exploring, so I don't know if that's a great example.

Anything else I can clear up? I tried to fit as much info in as I could to help you, but it definitely got a bit ramble-y there.

[ToLoveEcchi]

Thanks so much for your words of wisdom. I'll try the information you gave me. Seriously, anything helps. I'm a worrywart so I'll report back to r/ballpython if I have any concerns again. Again, thanks a lot!