First time snake owner dumb question time

[Talanthas]

So I got myself a 2mnth old F2 wheatbelts Stimsons (I know I know It's a Children's) python and I have a couple of probably dumb questions that have been answered already. I'm asking again as searching for what I want is like trying to find a needle in a haystack here. There is just so much to go through.

1. Is it old enough at 2 months to be handled? It's so thin I'm afraid to injure it.
2. Is there some sort of schedule for upping the size of food or do I just wing it based on size?
3. How long should it be kept in a tub before moving to an enclosure?

 

[Sdaji]

1) You can handle them at any age. As long as the snake is feeding and healthy, it's fine. If you're gentle it's perfectly possible to handle them without injury.

2) The snake is constantly growing so each meal can potentially be larger by however much the snake has grown. When I feed snakes I usually thaw around 50-100 rodents at a time and pick out the most appropriate size for each snake as I go.

3) Depends on the size of the tub. My oldest snake is over 20 years old, around 10 feet long and lives happily in a tub. Actually, these days literally all of my snakes are in tubs. That 20 year old of mine went into a wooden enclosure as a hatchling and didn't go *into* a tub until she was a large adult and over 10 years old.

 

[Herpetology]

What the heck is a 2month old f2 python?

 

[HadesPanther]

I think it is some sort of hybrid generation

 

[Herpetology]

I think it is some sort of hybrid generation

F2 means second generation meaning it’s parents were first gen which means their parents were the originals in captivity

so unless they had both the f1 parents, I can’t see how it’s a 2month old f2

 

[Talanthas]

I had no idea what was meant by "F2 wheatbelt", this is what I was told by the breeder. Thanks for the info. I can only assume that he had both F1 parents.

 

[user 41856]

I am not a fan of Tubs to keep animals in, all mine have individual enclosures and things to see and do.

You can handle them at 2 months old, just be gentle. Be aware that if they haven't been handled then they can bite, if it does, it is nothing that might need a Band-Aid, no worse than a pin prick.

No there is no schedule, each animal is different. The rule of thumb is pick food that is a bit larger than its tummy size. A Snakes skin can stretch up to 15 time larger than its food, you should stick to the rule so they don't get fat or they can suffer from Fatty Liver Disease.

I would keep it in a small enclosure for a few months, there are some sites that can guide you on sizes of enclosures. They need to be able to move around freely but can fret when small in a big space

 

[CaitlinK]

congratulations on your python acquisition!
may I see a picture? have you named it?
It is very fragile at this stage as I am sure you're aware, being newly hatched it has a lot to learn! perhaps familiarising yourself with it over time and allowing it to become trusting and confident in your presence and attention... it may slither onto your outstretched hand and allow you to pick it up! I truly enjoy the handling experience, even if I am wearing gloves - its both stimulating for the python and myself!

 

[Talanthas]

In the end it was named Raffi. Not a fantastic picture but I didn't want to disturb it too much. Very chill little snake and handles well. Ideally it would be in an enclosure but due certain unforeseen circumstances that will have to be delayed.

 

[Herpetology]

In the end it was named Raffi. Not a fantastic picture but I didn't want to disturb it too much. Very chill little snake and handles well. Ideally it would be in an enclosure but due certain unforeseen circumstances that will have to be delayed.

Snakes especially hatchlings thrive in tub setups provided a hot spot, water, and hides are provides. Don’t feel rushed to get it a nice big enclosure usually keepers will wait till the animal is 12mths old and has a bit of size to it, this allows the animal to be a bit more comfortable in a bigger open area

 

[CaitlinK]

In the end it was named Raffi. Not a fantastic picture but I didn't want to disturb it too much. Very chill little snake and handles well. Ideally it would be in an enclosure but due certain unforeseen circumstances that will have to be delayed.

Raffi! Awesome, how adorable. They can live in tubs, personally enclosures are more ideal for me & my pythons, but thanks for showing me & sharing!