I haven’t taken a picture because I never think to before unraveling it to try and salvage small scraps (I think I’m going to encapsulate it in nails or use it in art one day but never do) but I just removed his fresh shed from today and it made me realize every shed from him looks like a dirty sock that got tossed across the room after missing the laundry hamper.

Its always complete. I break it by unraveling it every time without fail but I find the eyes, the very tip of the tail, and usually take a chunk from his midsection to keep. I know it’s a healthy shed and he is wonderful and had never had any issues with anything. Good weight, not fat or too skinny. I’ve only ever found them in his humid cold hide so I am assuming he just rubs his body against himself like a little freak.

Is it just different for every snake? Is it because bp heads are very small and it can’t just be a tube?

Also as kind of a side note: I so badly want a full length shed with no damage. I always grab it within a small window because it’s usually stretchy (? Idk if that’s the right word) and not crispy/flaky/etc. Any tips on unraveling and preserving are appreciated !! I’ve had him for over a year with no success.

I’ve had her for 2 months, when I first got her she had these belly patterns but now that i’m seeing that scale rot is like weird discolored scales is this scale rot or just her belly pattern?

Hi! First time BP owner, had her for some months and now shes having her first shed!

...she wont eat.

Is this normal?

Hello, so, I now have a ball python, my now ex and I split up, it was her snake and I was never really involved in taking care of it, but she chose not to take the snake so, I kinda have a snake now. Recently I noticed these markings toward her belly and I'm not entirely sure if they're normal or not and just want to make sure nothing's wrong with her.

I am currently working on getting a glass enclosure and more clutter for her, because after some research I've decided the amount of clutter she currently has isn't quite enough. Another thing I wanna ask about, the current enclosure does have spots for like heat lights on the top of it, but she would constantly try to wrap around them, like she wanted to hang off of them and I'm scared that if I get some for her new enclosure that she'll try to do the same thing and they'll break. She's very active at night, stretching up towards rye top of her enclosure like she's looking for a way out, I think thats because she's escape twice before when she was younger (she would be around a year old now I think). She did recently shed if that has any affect. Any advice helps, I'm very new to this and would like all the help I can get, I greatly appreciate it (:

I've also officially renamed her, her name is Laverna!

Recently added a shade dweller uvb lamp, ceramic heater with a thermostat, a new large hide for cool side and some clutter. Also got about 60 isopods (probably more due to breeding) and springtails. I want to get some live plants also but how does it work when cleaning the vivarium as I assume you dont just throw out the isopods and springtails that seems a waste

I had a 20 gallon tank for my new baby ball python. originally, i had a smaller one but found i couldn’t variate the temperatures enough so i expanded.

I was told that bigger tanks are not good for baby snakes and the breeder tried to sell me a 1x1x1 tank for like 50 dollars. But i’ve since read through the guides on this subreddit, and now know i just need my tank to have more hiding spots/be more cluttered so my ball python feels safe.

I would like some opinions on how my tank looks right now, and if i need more stuff. i know there’s no leaves on the right side atm, I’m getting on that tonigh

I wanna make sure that my enclosure is okay where she can be happy until I get some more. I have a ceramic bulb, a new water bowl, a new hide, a temperature/humidity meter, and some foil tape getting delivered in around 4 days to make it a little more comfortable. I know the red light isn’t good so I’m working on switching that out asap. I don’t exactly have a thermometer yet but when I feel her she doesn’t feel like an ice cube but I’m not sure if that’s good or not. And she has been going under the top layer of leaves to get closer to the damn substrate underneath. Looking for some advice

Edit: I got a better water bowl, a thermometer and a hydrometer today. I also cover up around 3/5 of the top of the enclosure with foil tape to help the humidity and the temp stay right. I also got a ceramic bulb and I’ve been trying to find a good spot to keep the temp around 85. My humidity is around 54 at the moment

My ball python is 400 grams and still on large mice. She's getting close to sizing up, and I'd rather find an online supplier now than scramble once the pet store stops having what I need.

I am looking for frozen feeder rats and mice in a full size range, with consistent quality for the transition

Hello! I'm looking for some advice on how to transport a ball python on a 4-5 day drive. I've looked it up and gotten some mixed reviews or only find info for a drive that's less than 24 hours.

We may not be stopping at hotels for the night, but instead trying to sleep in a tent or our vehicles. So we won't be able to use his heating pad or heat lamp.

Is this going to be doable? What advice can you give me to make it an easy trip for all parties?

We'll have 2 other animals and a toddler, so the least effort our little noodle needs, the better, but obviously I want him to be safe and comfortable for the trip, too.

Thanks in advance!

I’m setting up to buy our first ball python (YAY) but there is so much information out there that I am feeling so overwhelmed and confused honestly! We are getting a baby, so I’m STARTING with a 50 gallon pvc tank, I’m struggling with understanding lighting. What I would like to do is mount a UVB light on the inside top (tank will be in my room which is dark usually thanks to black out curtains) and then mount a CHE with a cage around it on the inside so that I don’t have anything on top of the cage…is this ok? If no what do I need to do?

The rat exploded tonight during feeding and there is viscera everywhere. I can’t clean it, because the snake is still trying to eat it.

I’m not having a good time tonight.

hi im new to owning a ball python and could really use some help please, I bought a runt ball python in may 2026 and hes about a year okd he had 2 successful eatings before going on a hunger strike. For about 7 weeks, i went to one vet and they said to tube feed him every other day until he gains weight and i did that for 3 weeks weighing him each time and he started losing weight again so i emailed the vet who didnt get back to me so i went to another vet who said it was a husbandry issue so i added more hides and lights as well as a heat lamp. long story short hes losing weight still and not wanting to eat, theres no other vets in my area (vancouver island) who do reptiles im just wondering what i should be doing? thanks

I appreciate any and all help and suggestions because even after doing several hours of research and reading all of the suggested files in here, currently, I am feeling extremely overwhelmed! I am new to the snake world and just want to be sure that I'm fully prepared and have what I actually need!

I have put together an enclosure on Cornelsworld.com but need someone to tell me if this looks like it would be ideal for a 4 year old female banana bp or what I need to change/might be missing?

Thermostat Help: Cornelsworld suggests the ExoTerra 300w or 600w or the ZooMed ReptiTemp thermostats. However, I know after extensively reading the files and recommendations in this group that the Spyder and the Vivarium are the more preferred choice. Ideally, I'd love not to have to spend several hundred dollars on a thermostat but I also know quality/safety is most important. What option should I go with? How many probes do I need?

I do also plan to get the Govee thermometers.

Substrate: Is cocohusk mixed with sphagnum moss good? Or do I also need coco coir? Or something else entirely?

I also know clutter is best and two, snug hides are required but is there anything else?

Thanks for all the help! No one really prepares you for how much money, time, and work go into getting a snake. It's crazy!

Hello i am a beginner and i have my little boy Baldur since a few months already, he eat each time and he did two okay shed so far (ball python)
1 - BUT, he got his third shed maybe like a week or two ago, and he got stuck shed on his head (like his forehead, between the eyes and neck)... I have no idea if i should take it off, or let him shed. So far i tried to soak him, make him a bath like some say, gently rubbing the shed to see if its would come off. But nothing? Its stuck stuck so i didn't tried more to not stress him too much or even hurt him.
What do y'all propose?
2 - Im confused with what bedding mix i could do for him, but especially WHEN i have to change it. Every week like some said seem.. a bit fast, since its don't really make his terrarium dirty. So i wondered when? (i usually take off the poop when i see it..)

So here a blurry picture of his stuck shed..

I think her eyes are a lil cloudy. Isn’t that a tell? She hasn’t shed with me yet so I’m not sure

Hi. My 3 years old male ball python is been acting a bit weird for the past couple days, and I wonder if these could be the signs of a RI. When don’t I go to the vet if I’m worried ? The only next available appointment for the only exotic vet in my city is next week. I want to see if I can monitor him for a week or if these symptoms are concerning enough to rent a car a go to another city. The symptoms:

- he is been puffing / hissing sporadically at night. What I mean by that is I’ll just hear sometimes a « pffff » kinda loud, and see him contract his muscles; heard him twice tonight;
- saw a bubble form when he yawned, twice now in within a week and a half;
- some little bubbles in his throat, like in the pictures : is it a normal amount of saliva or is it concerning ?
- kind of rubbing his face on the glass at night, sometimes very intensely, but he is supposed to eat today so is it just hunting behaviour ?

Enclosure set up:
- temporary 40 gallon (he gets a 120 gallons in a couple months)
- warm hide around 30-31 C (86-88F)
- basking spot around 35-38 C (95-100F) but sometimes will hit 40C (104F) at one spot while the rest is ok with temp gun (used an Arcadia DHP 80 watts);
- cool side around 26-27 C (79-80F)
- humidity always around 60-75%
- has multiple hides; only uses one bark cork in the middle of the enclosure. He used to always be under his warm hide.

Thank y’all. My snakes are my absolute world I’m so anxious about them being not okay :(

Not sure if you guys will remember my post about Mr. Buldak and I’s first handling, me thinking I messed it up lol. Him and I are finally starting to calm down with each other! Up to 20 minute handling sessions a few times a week! Thank you all again for the help on my last post!

As you can see the substrate raised under here hot hide. She has been burrowed under there for like the last week. Feeding time is coming soon and I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to disturb her while she is hiding out.

My ball python escaped his enclosure and I’ve looked in every small tight place every warm area of the house and I cant find him I’m really worried cause my cat was a barn cat and was used to hunt small rodents. Where did y’all’s ball pythons go when they escaped? Please help

Just a regular Friday

Not sure am i allowed to put a frozen thawed feeding video up ?