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Royal (Ball) Python Advice Needed

P

pipi5xtra

New member
I brought a baby royal on thursday, I have 8 corns but this is my first royal. How long should i let it settle into its new environment before handling or feeding the snake. I saw it feed at the shop and it fed two days after arriving there. Want to get everything right so not to stress out Reggie. Will post pics when I can finally handle him/her. Any advice regarding these would be appreciated. Thanks.
Philippa
 
Since royals are shy and sensitive snakes I would give him about a week to settle in. Don't handle it until it's had at least one feed. Try to give it a piping hot prey item next Wednesday/Thursday and if it takes it you know it's settled in. The hardest thing to adjust to when getting your first royal is their feeding habbits. Sometimes they are fabulous feeders, sometimes they aren't. It totally depends on the snake and the methods they prefer. I have found the boiling hot prey item never fails, even with the fussiest of feeders.

I see you are in the UK, and unfortunatley there is a huge influx of captive farmed royals recently who can sometimes be exceptionally tricky feeders. They are stupidly cheap though, which is why so many people buy them not knowing what they are getting in to. Is your new baby a CF or CB (captive bred) royal?

Good luck!
 
I have been assured that it is captive bred, i certainly hope it is. Don't like the idea of captive farming. It ate a F/T fuzzy mouse in front of me at the shop. Will try it on thursday and see if it eats or not. Should i put it in a feeding tub like my corns or feed it in its enclosure. Is not in a viv but a 10 gal plastic tank. Is this ok until it gets bigger? Want to get this right as its important to me to look after my snakes well. The more knowledge i can gain the better.
Thanks you have been really helpful so far.
 
I find feeding royals in their enclosure ensures they eat. Moving them and disrupting them can be enough to make them upset enough not to eat...

Offer the food on tongs and if she doesn't strike straight away just leave it in front of his hide. Royals prefer not to be knocked about the nose or teased with their food (or so I have found). However some royals like to be teased. You will soon find out how your royals likes to be fed :)
 
You are welcome :) I like tricky feeder royals, it's soooo rewarding when they finally do feed. It's just understanding they way in which they like to be fed. I am sure you will have no problems if your new baby is willing to eat in a shop where it's light and busy etc...
 
Don't get discouraged if your new royal doesn't eat. Like Elle said, they can be quite fussy at feeding time. I also agree with Elle that if you have problems feeding, try feeding him in his viv. Mine hates being moved before feeding...but mine also likes to switch back and forth from live to frozen/thawed. I never know which one she'll go for, so I have to keep both on hand now. :)

Other than feeding problems, royals are fun animals. They tend to be a lot less wiggly than corns when you're handling them. Watch out though, baby royals can be nippy at times, but they grow out of it with regular handling. :)
 
I had an evil pastel boy baby... he sort of grew out of they snappyness. But I also found snappy babies are much better feeders :)

pastel11.jpg
 
My royal looks pretty similar, although she was sold to me as a normal. She's extremely yellow compared to most normals I've seen. I know that some normals can be yellowish, but mine is bright yellow. I wish I could post some pics so you could see what I'm talking about. She looks almost identical to your little pastel there.
 
I sold Gnarly to a friend a while back, but he was one of the blushiest and brightest graziani pastels I have ever seen. He has matured into a stunning adult! When I bought him, I got the pick of the bunch as I didn't want a crappy cheap pastel.

pastel4-1.jpg


Sorry for hijacking the thread :(
 
Hey dude, congrats on your new Royal. Great snakes.

Mine like to be teased with their food, f/t rats. I dunk the head in boiling water and dangle it infront of them. BANG and coiled round. Awesome :)

I feed my female in her viv and take the male out. He's more confident so he dosent mind feeding in a separate tub.

Ive had mine for over a year now and the only problems ive ever had have been feeding. Once yours is feeding, every now and then it might have a fast for a few weeks. Nothing to worry about as they can go 9 months without food!!! If this happens keep trying him every feeding day but if he dosent take it dont pressure him. They like to have a break for a while.
 
Here is Reggie, i think he is just a normal royal no one said he is pastel or anything, but i think he/she is beautiful. Can anyone tell me what type of royal it is from this picture. Thanks.
 

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Wow, he looks so tiny!

I personally like darker coloration. Of course the designer morphs are great, but there's also something beautiful to me about a really dark Ball Python. I love his stripy pattern too.

I hope he eats for you! :cheers:
 
Hi
Went to feed Reggie on thursday and he/she is in the blue. I put a moss box in with him and have tried to leave him to it. Needed to remoisten the moss today and tried to move him/her. All he/she does is hiss at me. He/she is not interested in food at all, but is very aggressive. He/she was not like this when I picked him/her up in the shop. Held him/her on two seperate occasions before buying him/her. Don't want to stress reggie out. Is reggie aggressive because they are in the blue or is it because of moving him/her to a new home. Plus how big should his/her viv be at the minute with him/her being a baby. Shop sold him/her to me with a snake starter kit as they said a viv would freak him/her out. Am so new to keeping royals. Can anyone recommend a good book to buy about them. I know I probably shouldn't be worried, but I can't help it.
 
Due to the fact that he's in blue, Reggie is probably going to be very agitated when you try to handle him. He can't see very well while in blue. Royals can be quite nervous when they are young. Remember that you're a giant to Reggie. :) Don't stress about him.
 
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