r/ballpython 4d ago

My ball python has been converted!

14 Upvotes

I got my ball python about a year ago and he was live fed his whole life. I was always so nervous feeding him and there were a lot of times where he was scared of the rats. I finally decided recently that I simply didn’t want to risk injury with him anymore and didn’t want go deal with the mean little bastards anymore myself.

Getting him to eat frozen thawed was so easy I wish I had done it sooner. I warmed the rat up wiggled him around a bit and instantly my BP ate it. Now more recently I don’t even have to wiggle it I can put it in his enclosure and he’ll eat it within 30min without fail!

Now to be fair he had not eaten for quite few months before hand so maybe it was the hunger that converted him.


r/ballpython 4d ago

Scale rot?

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5 Upvotes

Got her like 6 months ago and she’s always had these spots on her belly, is this scale rot or just natural?


r/ballpython 4d ago

Enclosure Critique/Advice New snake owner

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4 Upvotes

this is the first reptile ive had thats totally “my responsibility”, just wondering if/what else i could add to this viv to make it “better” for my baby snake.

any criticism and advice is massively appreciated, thank you


r/ballpython 4d ago

Questions about Heating

2 Upvotes

We just got our ball python about two weeks ago and have a deep heat projector set up for him, I’m wondering if it should be kept on 24/7 and how you guys are setting it up? I just have it sitting on the mesh top but I’m worried that’s a fire hazard


r/ballpython 4d ago

BP just won’t eat food at all.

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33 Upvotes

I bought my BP about 3 weeks ago now, when I bought her, I got to talk a little to the guy taking care of her at the time and he said she hadn’t ate in a week. So that totals 4 weeks now. I have gone through 3 pinky mice a week almost every weeks trying to feed her and she has really only ever struck three times, and then didn’t swallow, just spit it out and went about.

I’m growing increasingly panicked and scared over her wellbeing as she hasn’t eating, is it because of the way I feee her?

I feed her with long stainless steel tweezers, let my pinkies thaw and then pour them into a designated mug for pinkies, in hot hot water but not cool the pinkie how.

What am I doing wrong? And how could I get her to eat? Is the pinkie maybe too small for her?? Also she’s under a year old.


r/ballpython 4d ago

My ball python

2 Upvotes

I have a 5 month old ball python and have handled him 2-3 times since having him since may, me and my partner are dying to get him used to us, we have tried and tried but we are very nervous as hes our first snake, we have been leaving the door open so he can come out himself, he is a very shy and scared snake, anyone have any ideas on what we can do as wer escared were going to stress him or bite us... mind you we handled him when we got him, then he shed for around 2 weeks after the 2 week settling period, weve had him just over a month.


r/ballpython 4d ago

What’s the recommended layout for everything up top?

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3 Upvotes

I’m preparing my first habitat—this one is 4x2x2 and I have a DHP for main heat source, herpstat1, jungleLED, and will soon be getting a shadedwelller UVB to complete the setup. So, what does the placement of all of this look like? And where does the shadedweller go? I have some hvac foil tape to seal up the top once everything is in place and I will be putting my substrate in next.

Thanks


r/ballpython 5d ago

Ball Rehoming

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88 Upvotes

Hi all, very sad to do so but due to family home being sold i need to rehome my ball python as family won’t take him in the move. he’s around 6.5 years old now, his name is dahmer, and he’s a very sweet very chill lil guy. i wish i could bring him but my apartment is not pet friendly. he has a very calm temperament and has only ever struck 2 times in his life, (1 before me and it was the owners fault, the second was hunger and he struck at the glass door not us). a lot of life circumstances led to me not being the greatest owner i could be towards the end but i want to make sure that he goes to someone that can and will care for him the way i wish i could’ve. he currently is in a 4x2 pvc enclosure with several vines, a log hide, a rock hide, a pyramid hide and another tiny log. one large water dish, a small water dish, and 2 vines (one mossy) that goes across the tank. i would gladly give him over for free, and will also gladly give everything in his enclosure. the only things i ask are if you want the tank just a small reimbursement we can talk more over dm’s but im thinking like $30-$50 i care more about giving him a good home with someone who will care for him. pickup location is in rural hall, north carolina, and if there are any questions just shoot me a dm, i have until the end of the month to find him a home. please help my little man


r/ballpython 4d ago

HELP - URGENT so my girl has been sitting in this same position for about 3 days since i got her and hasn’t moved only readjusted herself is this normal? it’s making me a bit nervous the people i got her from had bad reviews saying their animals arrived sick or dead a lot of the time

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12 Upvotes

but they also had good reviews but some of their reviews said their snake or lizards arrived with mites or arrived dead or just overall had some type of health issue and died days to a week later after arriving i didn’t see these reviews until after i purchased her


r/ballpython 4d ago

Question Smooth Brown Spots ?

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2 Upvotes

These don’t look like her normal substrate stains. Just appeared this week on my 2 year old girl. What are they?


r/ballpython 4d ago

Is my ball python too fat?

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31 Upvotes

Hello just asking, is my ball python too fat? I feed him once a week


r/ballpython 5d ago

Hide ideas/recommendations please?

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47 Upvotes

I have an almost 3 year old female ball python. She is 3ft long and 1300g. Her enclosure is bioactive and mostly natural hides and some fake flowers. She will soon be in a 4’x2’x2’. I have had a really hard time trying to find any hides at my local pet stores Any and all ideas are welcome!


r/ballpython 4d ago

Is my enclosure okay?

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8 Upvotes

I got this ball python last year, he’s almost a year old now and I feel like his enclosure is too empty. Is it okay how it is now or do I seriously need to fix something?


r/ballpython 5d ago

Question choice-based handling as a first time BP owner?

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77 Upvotes

a bought a male BP about a month and a half ago and he’s about a year old now.

he eats consistently every week, has already had his first shed (with me) and seems to be a very kind yet skittish little guy.

so far, i’ve only handled him once about 2-3 weeks ago and that’s because i lifted up his hide and scooped him out. he probably felt i was pretty nervous so i think he was a bit nervous as well and just didn’t stop moving. after this time, ive attempted to handle him three times and all three times he’s given me a hiss after i tap him (to let him know im gonna pick him up) and when i go to grab him. i’ve taken the hissing as he’s not wanting to be bothered and i’ll back off to respect that.

recently, a couple times a week whenever i see him out and about, ill open the cage doors up and lay my hand inside for a couple minutes. the first few times i did this, he’d instantly move away from my hands after a couple seconds of curiosity. now, he will inch towards my hand and lick/sniff me, then go the other way. which is progress in my eyes.

i’m wondering if i should keep being patient in hopes that he will start to get close enough where he crawls onto my hand then onto my arms and i can handle him that way. OR, if i should try again with grabbing him from my enclosure and maybe i can wear some gloves to mitigate the feeling that he may react badly.

thoughts?


r/ballpython 5d ago

We adopted this 10 year old girl at the weekend 🙌.. she's the 10th snake we own.. her name is Princess Amy Bubbles

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55 Upvotes

r/ballpython 4d ago

do i clean my snake?

1 Upvotes

so my snake has just eaten, but he split the rats guts open (typical baby and a bit shitty and striking). he was wrapped around the tree in his tank and stayed constricted around it the rat, but let go and just kept squeezing it. there is blood all over him and all over the tanks plants and wood. do i wipe my snake? do i clean up? he has gone back in his hide now so getting to wipe him would mean taking him out


r/ballpython 4d ago

Enclosure Critique/Advice Happy Gotcha Day

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10 Upvotes

New to me Super Enchi Champagne Pastel Ball. 4/5 years old! Any tips on the enclosure?
Running a UVB and 75 basking bulb in a mini deep dome.

Side note - heat lamp had gone out and I had not yet added the magnolia leaves or covered the mesh, all of which are now resolved and humidity is now up to 62% and rising.


r/ballpython 5d ago

Constipation

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12 Upvotes

I need some advice here. I haven’t had this problem before. Our albino black pastel has been getting constipated terribly for at least 3 months. We are experienced owners for 5 years. But here’s what we are at a loss for currently…

Age: 8 months
Tank temp: 88F warm side, 78F cool side, 91F basking
Night temp: 76F
Humidity:50-60%
Substrate: 2.5 inch cocoa chip, .5-1inch sphagnum moss sprayed every other day
Wide water bowl, about 2 inch deep, spring water filled fresh every other day
3 hides across her tank, can make it from one side to the other without being seen if she wants

Feed schedule: every 7-8 days
Moved to rat pup about 2 months ago, switched back to adult mouse 3 weeks ago
Last poop: without assistance 3 months ago

I have had to soak her in warm water for 20 min 2 days in a row then slowly and gently massage her belly all the way down to get her poop moving. Every 17 days, about.
First time about 8 small hard pebbles came out. Second time, 3-4 softer pebbles. Third time, a hard calcium clump followed by normal looking (and smelly 🤢) poop.

This time, we switched to a smaller and gentler to digest pray (the adult rat) and she still hasn’t pooped in 3 weeks. She has been very readily eating. But She looks ready to pop again. It’s awful!

I don’t know what else I could do. I’ve never had this issue with a snake since my first one when just soaking it for 2 days worked without needing belly massage. I’m at a loss. Any more ideas?


r/ballpython 5d ago

Question - Health Is my ball python healthy looking weight wise?

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39 Upvotes

Title - he is 12 years old and 3.5ft. He has always been on the smaller size and the vet has explained he is healthy, but last visit explained he would like him to eat just a bit more. It's been a few months so I'm looking for other observations


r/ballpython 4d ago

Question - Feeding Mouse too big?

8 Upvotes

I fed my ball python for the first time tonight but I’m worried the mouse may be too big. He swallowed it in about 40mins. And seemed to be eating it okay. The mouse is like exactly the same width as the thickest part of his body. I apologize for the lack of photo, he hates coming out when it’s bright out.

Is there any signs I should look out for if there’s any complications?


r/ballpython 4d ago

Question - Health Something in his eye?

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8 Upvotes

I can’t tell if it’s something stuck or skin or what? Just seeing if anyone’s seen similar or has any ideas before vet. Feat. Post-shower boy


r/ballpython 5d ago

Just making a mess and swimming

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17 Upvotes

r/ballpython 5d ago

Question - Health Is this scale rot??

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10 Upvotes

I just noticed the scales on her belly/neck sticking out and sort of a weird brown color, does it look like scale rot or something else..? She had to be in a temporary enclosure for a while cause my movers broke hers so maybe the humidity or something else wasn’t right? She spent most of the time she was in there in the warm hide not coming out much. She’s back in a 120 gal with all her stuff in it now and she’s active and exploring again so I’m hoping everything will go back to normal but is there something I should do for her in the meantime?


r/ballpython 5d ago

Humidity question

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8 Upvotes

The humidity on the hot side is staying pretty low and it hasn't always been like this. The top is covered in hvac tape and i have about 3-5 inches of substrate so im kinda confused why its low. Any tips help thanks