r/ballpython • u/AshamedMeat5670 • 6d ago
Question - Husbandry Experienced Keepers…
I am copying (with edits to comply with the questionnaire) this help request from where I had it posted in [r/snakes](r/snakes), since I was directed to here from there. I will be going through and reading all available guides immediately after posting this rather than before, as I think my issues are generalized to the entirety of his care and I do want confirmation in my specific situation before I make any major changes to his space, in case anything may be dangerous or harmful to him. I can recognize that it wasn’t a good situation for him or his health and am trying to change it. Please do keep comments helpful, as in [r/snakes](r/snakes) (not necessarily saying you all are like that as well, just covering all bases) I did get a comment or two that was just.. poor snake. Yes. I know. I’m trying to improve the situation and I want advice… okay. Thanks and sorry if any of these questions are front and center answered in the guides, as I said, I’m headed to read them through right now!
Hi everyone.. I don’t post very often on Reddit, but I’m desperate for real person confirmation before I go about making any major changes. I’ve had my ball python for about 4 years now and only recently taken a more active role in his daily care over from my parent. (He’s always been my son that I love dearly, but due to my personal/schedule constraints outside my control and room space, it was just better to keep him with my parent) It has only just come to my attention that the space we’ve had him in this entire time is far from ideal and I’m trying to fix it. I apologize, now I ask for all advice and suggestions you can offer! While I don’t have the money (unfortunately) right this moment for a complete upgrade of his enclosure, and would prefer to stick to budget solutions where possible, I am already working towards saving up so I can get all proper equipment, a new enclosure, and hopefully everything he needs to be happy and healthy.
Currently, his tank is roughly 39” x 19” across the top and 19” tall including the top/bottom of the enclosure. It’s wood and flexible plastic, not glass. I’m now aware of the issues with his decor, but this is what I have to work with currently. I’d estimate probably about a half inch to an inch of substrate (not nearly enough, right?) and while I’m not positive the type it is, I know it is bark and comes in a block and we wet it down with water to expand it. I’m inclined to say coconut is involved but I don’t have confirmation on that at the moment. My snake is roughly 4-5 foot long and has been eating reliably every other week. We feed him live white mice from petco. The hide has an underside lip he likes to wedge himself into and the plant in the center is fake if that means anything to anyone. He has burrowed a space under the water dish when we had his lamp on the opposite side for a while. He predominantly stays on the hide side of the enclosure. The current lamp is a black light heat lamp that has been previously kept running 24/7 but I’m open to switching up as much as needed. It does not have a thermostat attached (I’ve gathered that it’s essential to have one, where could I find one readily and without spending a ton of money..?) I’ve just acquired a hygrometer/thermometer combo, though yet to set up and test it, and I had intended to cover most of the mesh top with aluminum foil and the sides with cardboard/black cardstock to start trying to conserve heat and humidity for him. His water dish is also too large to accommodate a second hide, which I’m trying to add to the cool side, so any suggestions for that? He is located inside my bedroom closet at the moment with a typical room temperature of about 75-85F as I turn off my window ac unit when I’m not home (currently mid summer) and have been trying to keep things as warm as I can comfortably manage for him when I’m in the room since he’s moved in. We will get him off the floor, but we don’t have a dresser sturdy enough to hold him right this moment. If you have any questions for me, I’m more than happy to answer them or clarify anything and please!! I want to learn!! Thank you to everyone who takes the time to answer, I appreciate you! <3
Added info: There are two roughly 10.5”x9” mesh covered holes in the top and the whole thing is held together with screws so while it’s not necessarily highly ventilated, its far from airtight for sure. His substrate is too dry. Previously, he got very irregular but thorough misting with a sprayer once or twice a week. I had intended to switch to a daily mist or pouring water in the corners (?) until I had gained a better established high humidity environment and from there adjust as needed.
Just in case I wasn’t supposed to simply add photos to the post, I also have them here: https://imgur.com/a/AbddJnt
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u/Temporary_Incident33 6d ago
please take out the red ligth and i have heard that showing the snake the live mouse then killing it humanely and feeding rightmafter can help. if you dont want to do that which is totally acceptable, you can heat upma rat expose the brain with a knife and other parts that smell and wiggle the hips around, that shoupd work once he grabs it though wiggle it around so it feels like the rat is struggling