New snake mom

[snekysnek]

Hi,
I am new to this forum. I just got my first snake yesterday! She is a female bull snake that I got off of craigslist. She is around 2 years old. She seems very healthy etc. Does anybody have any advice for the proper care of a bull snake? As far as the enclosure and feeding goes. Right now I have her in a 40oz enclosure with 2 heating lights, keeping it around 87 degrees during the day with a ceramic lamp at night. I have not fed her yet because I am letting her settle in. How long should I wait to feed her after she's been in her new enclosure? I got her frozen pinky rats, my local reptile store said to give her 2-3 since they ran out of the bigger rats. She is around 3 feet long right now, does this sound right? Thank you:)

[Aaron_S]

You can private message Andy G as he breeds bullsnakes for care tips.

Welcome to the forum.

I would offer her first meal any day now.

If your snake is 2 years old and only 3 feet then there's an issue of severe underfeeding previous to you owning the animal.

[EL Ziggy]

Welcome aboard and congrats on your new critter. Bulls are one of my favorite snakes. I'd agree with Aaron that rat pinks would be way too small for a 2 y/o bullsnake. Do you have a picture of your snake or know how much it weighs? It would give us a better idea of an appropriate prey size. I would also lower your temps a bit. My bulls seem to like it a little cooler. I keep their warm sides at 82-84 and their cool sides in the mid 70s.

[Scubadiver59]

Welcome to sSNAKESs!! :)

[snekysnek]

Hi,
Thank you for replying, I will definitely message him for more information about my snake and what I should be feeding her exactly. Sorry for the late reply, I didn't know the moderators approved my post yet.

[snekysnek]

Hi,
Thank you for replying. Here is a picture of her from when I brought her home: https://i.imgur.com/YgLsHw6.jpg . I did not read this before I first fed her but I gave her two pinky rats on Saturday and it went well, but I should definitely size up. The previous owner was very unclear about her age, she is somewhere between 1 and 2. I lowered the temps in my tank; its usually around 84 at most on the warm side. As of her weight, I do not own a scale currently so I do not know. I was thinking of starting a journal for her to keep track of her size and weight?

[snekysnek]

Thank you:)

[Aaron_S]

Lots of people keep track of their size and weight. Go for it if you want. People do it on a per shed cycle, per week, per month, do it however you like.

[EL Ziggy]

Nice looking bullsnake. Rat pinks are way too small for her though. I can't tell her exact size but she looks like she could eat small or medium rats easily.

[snekysnek]

Hi, yeah I'm planning to get her bigger rats for next time I feed her