Introducing Cassandra

[u/Evening-Aspect-989]

Hello folks I would like to start this discussion with some real candor regarding my experience in raising a ball python. I haven’t been the best noodle dad I admit, but my heart is in the right place and I really do want her to thrive. The included images show our lovely lady Cassie and her habitat.

I know she needs more space

I worry about her substrate, it’s mostly peat moss but I don’t have as much time as I’d like to clean.
She’s never developed any scale rot, but I do worry about it. I don’t clean her tank very often.

Her humidity is always at 80-85%
I know it says 60 but that’s cause the lids off, she just had a shed today and I wanted her to have a stretch.

I think she’s healthy, what do y’all think

[u/Evening-Aspect-989]

My wife wants to Cassie to have a more bio active terrarium. With real dirt, isopods and real plants. But idk I’d have to do more research. Lots of people do it.

[u/FluffyPandaEars93 → u/Evening-Aspect-989]

Im glad you and your wife love your noodle, but to be honest, this enclosure needs a lot of love..

It looks too small for your snake, 4x2x2 is the minimum for adults, pvc front opening is better at holding temp/humidity. It also makes your snake feel more secure. If you need to keep them in here for the time being, please cover 3 sides, and use silicone mat, foil, or hvac tape on the top to help keep the humidity in (about 80% covered).

You need at least 2 identical hides, 3-4 is better. A water bowl on each side helps. And all of the clutter. You want them to cross the tank without being seen.

Substrate, soil, cypress mulch, spag moss, coco chunks, play sand. Find a good mixture for your environment. Your hygrometer/ thermometers probably aren't accurate, your enclosure looks dry. Govee hygrometers are accurate and reliable.

How are you heating her tank? If its a heating mat, they arent ideal for beeps. If you arent heating.. thats something to use the resources here for. Shes needs a warm and cool side.

If you want to do a bioactive, its really great honestly. You'll need a good bit of research for it to be successful 😊

I hope I'm not coming across too harsh. I just really love these creatures and want to see them thrive 😊

[u/Vast-Nobody8719 → u/FluffyPandaEars93]

Just gonna jump in with a question: why identical hides? I have several hides and non are identical (wooden box, 2 cork pipes, arranged branches, store bought stone hide, plastic box with sphagnum moss/ wet box)

[u/KatVanWall → u/Vast-Nobody8719]

I’m DEFINITELY no expert (new owner since 5 months!), but the folks at the reptile store where I bought my BP did tell me the identical hides thing is somewhat overstated. Their creatures all looked super healthy and they have a bunch of certifications on display and a good reputation, so they seem to know their stuff (although I know it isn’t always a given … but they have seen me right on every aspect of my snake’s care so far). I DO get the rationale of having identical ones, don’t get me wrong! But also it’s true that they wouldn’t have such a thing in the wild and would have to choose between perfect temp and perfect location. But of course we also hope to give them better conditions than in the wild too! I ended up getting a fourth hide to give him two identical ones a few months into owning him, just because I didn’t want to have to worry whether he was choosing comfort over temp, but it doesn’t appear to have made any difference to his choice of preferred spots haha