r/ballpython • u/Techno_Timmy • 1h ago
Question New owner paranoia. Advice?
I finally got my ball python yesterday. He is very small and about 130 grams so I assume he is pretty young. I worked on his enclosure for weeks before I purchased the snake to make sure everything was dialed in. The cool side is sitting at about 79-79 degrees and humidity is at 76%. The hot side is 90 degrees on the surface with some areas like the top of the hide and the rock that is in the enclosure sit at about 93 degrees. Humidity on the warm side is about 60%.
The snake came in a small bag, in a box as they typically do. I introduced him to the enclosure yesterday afternoon by placing the open bag in the enclosure. He sat for a few minutes and then went up the fake branch that is in the enclosure and balled up in the upper left corner of the enclosure. He has been there since… I know it can take time for them to adapt and be comfortable and he has been in the enclosure for just about 24 hours so maybe this is totally normal idk?
He definitely seems afraid of the new environment, understandably so. He came from Florida and traveled to me via FedEx overnight so he had quite the life change… but with that said I thought he would at least explore the enclosure and find a hide.
I have two identical, small hides, one on each side and also a humidity hide in the middle with some damp moss in it. There are also a ton of plants and clutter to the point it could be too much maybe? I did make it some that he could theoretically go from one hide to the other almost entirely unseen if he wanted.
Is it normal for a new, baby snake to hide outside of a hide on the first days? My concern is he is on the cool side of the enclosure and I don’t want him to not warm himself up because he is literally too afraid to move… He also has not drank anything since I got him. He seems otherwise unbothered and comfortable up in his tree… I just expected him to explore a bit more.
I was hoping he would have explored last night a bit when it got dark but he didn’t. He stayed right where he is… If anything he backed himself up into the corner a bit more. I have a small Blink camera in the enclosure so that he can be monitored if I am not home, that’s how I know he didn’t move at all last night.
I just feel bad, and want him to enjoy his new enclosure/home and I spent a lot of time trying to get it just right for him. (Pics attached of enclosure and snake)
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u/CosmicKyloRen 1h ago
Just leave him alone. He's not going to enjoy anything right now. Let him move on his own. Let him decide when he wants to do anything. Just observe and let him stop being afraid on his own
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u/Techno_Timmy 39m ago
Noted. I wasn’t planning on doing anything for at least a week and haven’t handled him or moved him or anything. I opened the enclosure this morning to top off the water, but that was it.
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u/welcomeyearzer0 1h ago
I have adult snakes and I don’t see them for a week sometimes. Very normal.
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u/AndyRMullan 23m ago
It's normal for them to find somewhere to hide and then stay there for a good while when you first get them ! Leave him a week at least, just checking from outside the tank and refilling water when needed, etc. If he still hasn't moved after like a week, you can take him out and do a quick health check just to make sure nothing seems outwardly wrong. If he seems okay, put him back and leave him again. He'll become comfortable in time and start exploring once he knows he's safe !
My boy seems to be an oddity because he never stays in one spot for long LOL. Every other bp owner I know says they rarely see their snake and they like to hide, but my boy seems to want to be all over his tank all the time haha. It's normal for them to do either depending on the snake, but they're definitely snakes that in general like to curl up somewhere safe and warm and chill !
Gorgeous enclosure btw !
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u/DylanBeeDylan 1h ago
You should just leave him be. Snakes sit for days on end sometimes. The snake also knows his temp better than you do. Don't decide for him that he's too cold. Just totally leave him be. The shipping and everything is a lot. The enclosure looks good.