Needing help

[Jaissen]

Hi There guys,

I have recently purchased a Southwest Carpet Python, about 3 months ago. He/She has had the first shed and I have the skin. I am seeking some advise with really good info about what I need to do during the cooler months for my new baby.

A few questions:

Sam, unsure if it is a male or female, I have been having the heat light on all day for him/her, is this the proper thing to do?

Should I get a heat pad for him/her?

I am feeding him/her 3 small mice every 7 days, do I need to look at increasing this for him/her?

I have a heat lamp and timer that I can't work out how to have this come on automatically, so I turn it on each morning and off each night.

Can someone give me some advise please.

Thanks heaps.

 

[Bushman]

Advice depends on the age of your python, so how old is it?

 

[Pythoninfinite]

You say it's a baby, so you need to have a thermostat controlled non-light heat source - heat cord is best - which keeps the temps steady night & day for the first year of life - letting youngsters cool too much in winter can be risky.

Having a heat source that you need to turn on & off when you remember to do it is also risky. Although it's not likely at this time of year, I've lost a snake or two in years gone by when you expect a cooler day than it turned out to be, and if you're not at home to turn the heat off... dead snake when you get home... Don't take the risk.

Jamie

 

[Jaissen]

Hey Bushman, Sam is 13 months old.

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Hey Pythoninfinite,

I do have a thermostat, but I can't seem to work out how to set it up.

I have googled for instruction manual as well but I must be totally blonde. Going to look at this tomorrow. Will look at also get a heat pad for Sam as well.

Don't want to come home to find him lifeless.

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Hey Bushman,

I believe Sam is about 13 months old.

 

[kitten_pheonix]

In regards too feeding you should aim for 1 food item every 7 days as youngsters not 3 small items, bump it up to rats, about 10-20% of its body weight is the right size.
Pythoninfite covered the heating.
What brand is your thermo? And is it a probe thermostat?

 

[bdav70]

with regard to your thermostat buy a seperate cheap LCD to couple with your thermostat probe to keep an eye on the temps on the 'hot' end, as the temps on the thermostat dial can be notoriously inaccurate