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"I have a young ball python named Patch. Ball pythons are chubby snakes; short and fat and generally quite slow when moving, so they are not likely to scare someone who is afraid of snakes. They are incredibly strong creatures with over 77% of their entire bodies consisting of pure muscle, so they will squeeze very tightly and effortlessly to anything supporting them. Ball pythons often scare their new owners when they refuse to eat for months at a time. This is simply because they are sensitive creatures and they become shy and reclusive when introduced to a new situation. It may take your python a full year to become accustomed to your home, and so he will be quite reluctant to eat. Very seldom will a reptile eat when shedding, so you can speed up the shed by warm baths every couple of days until the snake finally gets rid of his skin. It is always better to feed several small prey items rather than one large one. I suggest offering a live pinky mouse every to every other day. If the snake eats it, he eats it. If not, it can wait a day or two. This is the best way for a snake to eat, as it does wonders for their digestive tract. Studies show that snakes fed this way can top fifty years or more, and even in some cases, outlive their owners! A larger snake can be fed a larger mouse, or more pinkies. Breeding colonies of mice is a great way to get hundreds of mice for under ten dollars, and to keep them for years to come. Ball pythons are extremely sensitive to drastic temperature change, and they can slowly freeze to death even at room temperature! Remember, your body makes heat on its own, but snakes need their environment to make heat for them. This is what "cold-blooded" really means. Have you ever noticed your snake crawling towards appliances, heaters, warm food, or even towards you? They can "see" warm places, and they like to be near them to regulate body temperature. A cold snake will quickly wander to the warmest place it sees to keep itself alive. That's why it's a good idea to turn on a small heater and put a towel next to it whenever your snake gets loose. You can check the towel every couple of hours to see if your buddy is sleeping underneath it. If you let a mouse crawl on the towel, your snake will also be attracted to the tasty smell. SITE ADMIN: Alter the text as you see fit, post the parts that you like most if you need to make room. Feel free to leave my address on the page, as I enjoy helping inexperienced python owners in their times of need. Feel free to contact me at any time, I'd be more than happy to chat! Lenny V. Lisbeck Heavenly Hollow Herps Leech Lake Area, MN [email protected]"