Newbie owner of a children's python, any tips or tricks I should know?

[Aeroplane_Jelly]

Hello everyone,
I've recently purchased a 7 month old marbled children's python and I wanted to reach out and double check I'm doing things correctly for my little guy.
He's got a 30x30x30cm cage atm until he gets a little larger, with paper towel as the substrate, a fake hollowed out log for him to climb, and a 5W heat mat under the glass of one of his hide. Now, I'm a little worried because whenever I feel the spot with the heat mat it never seems hot enough, however the temp gun I have registers it between 30-36 degrees celcius so I guess it's ok? I am considering getting an overhead heat lamp but I've heard that underbelly heat is better for snakes so any advice on this area would be awesome! I also have a dimming thermostat on order that was supposed to come last week but good ole Australian Post is working their 'delaying important packages with express post' magic again.
Although it isn't necessary, he's got a 5.0 UVB light because a little UVB can never hurt.
He last ate on the 8th of July and keeps refusing food no matter how I try to give it to him. I try to feed him about midday so he has the afternoon heat to digest, but because he's a nocturnal snake should I try feeding him at night or leaving it in his tank to find overnight? I live in Darwin so our winters are nowhere near as cold as down south, but we've recently had a little bit of a cold snap, so this could possibly be the reason. His eyes also seem a little milky and he seems a little darker in colour so possible shed coming on as well. I'm a little concerned since I know hatchlings/juveniles should feed at least once a week.
Thank you to all who respond, looking forward to reading the feedback!

 

[Herpetology]

go off what the temp gun says, your hand is sitting at around 37c, so anything less than that is going to feel "not hot enough". 30-36c is fine. since hes only young, provide him with 24/7 heat. I wouldnt get a overhead heat lamp. if anything, a larger heat mat on a thermostat.

feed him whenever you want. theres no set time or schedule.

I'm a little concerned since I know hatchlings/juveniles should feed at least once a week.

at MOST once a week. maybe a fuzzy or hopper mouse, but hard to say without seeing him

 

[Aeroplane_Jelly]

go off what the temp gun says, your hand is sitting at around 37c, so anything less than that is going to feel "not hot enough". 30-36c is fine. since hes only young, provide him with 24/7 heat

feed him whenever you want. theres no set time or schedule.



at MOST once a week. maybe a fuzzy or hopper mouse, but hard to say without seeing him

Maybe he’s just nervous because he’s in a new environment and hasn’t quite settled. But how often should I offer food to him and if he doesn’t take it, can I refreeze the pinkie? Also how often do they shed when they’re this age?
Sorry for the plethora of questions

 

[dragonlover1]

You said the eyes are milky so def a shed coming, so probably the main reason for not eating. Most (but not all) snakes don't eat when coming up to a shed.
As Herp said just keep the heat mat running 24/7, also your little 30x30 is too small for a heat lamp there would be nowhere for your snake to hide. I've had dragons in 1 of those but they like to be hotter than snakes

 

[Aeroplane_Jelly]

You said the eyes are milky so def a shed coming, so probably the main reason for not eating. Most (but not all) snakes don't eat when coming up to a shed.
As Herp said just keep the heat mat running 24/7, also your little 30x30 is too small for a heat lamp there would be nowhere for your snake to hide. I've had dragons in 1 of those but they like to be hotter than snakes

Thanks for the response, appreciate the heat lamp comment, since it seems hes coming into a shed, should i be misting his enclosure or giving him baths regularly? Or is it best that I let him progress his shed on his own?
Thank you again

 

[Herpetology]

Maybe he’s just nervous because he’s in a new environment and hasn’t quite settled. But how often should I offer food to him and if he doesn’t take it, can I refreeze the pinkie? Also how often do they shed when they’re this age?
Sorry for the plethora of questions

If he’s not eating , I’d give it a couple of weeks, try again end of July, he may or may not eat. It does sound like he’s coming into shed, so probably won’t be focusing on food.

Don’t refreeze food once it’s been warmed up (via hot tap water). You could also try go up a food size to fuzzy or hoppers.but I would wait for him to shed.

Shedding can occur as often as once a month while young and growing (depending of the size of food)

 

[Sdaji]

Thanks for the response, appreciate the heat lamp comment, since it seems hes coming into a shed, should i be misting his enclosure or giving him baths regularly? Or is it best that I let him progress his shed on his own?
Thank you again

Don't give him baths. You can raise the humidity if you want or if it seems necessary, but don't have any direct interaction with the snake when it's coming up for a slough unless it's necessary. If you want to increase the humidity, the best way is by using a larger water bowl, but you can spray if you want to.

Snakes aren't social creatures, they don't want interaction, and when they're coming up for a slough they're vulnerable so they just want to go away and hide somewhere safe and humid until they've shed their skin.

 

[Sarah Jane]

Thanks for the response, appreciate the heat lamp comment, since it seems hes coming into a shed, should i be misting his enclosure or giving him baths regularly? Or is it best that I let him progress his shed on his own?
Thank you again

I mist my boy's enclosure when he comes into a shed at least twice a day, but you wouldn't need to do it that often with a small enclosure/small snake.
I reckon just a squirt or two of the mist from a spray bottle & having a larger water container in there would do the trick, but I've only ever had two snakes - this is just what works for me. I'm in no way a herp expert