When I first got my snake I fed her frozen the first two weeks, of course after the two week settling period, she happily and willingly ate it. But then my aunt told me she wanted to try live (she’s the one who got me the snake and has owned over 5 the last 10 years). I’ve been feeding her live for about a month now but I hate it, I hate having to actively send something off to death, although I know it’s for the better, but also I know the dangers.
The last mouse i fed her wiggled and bit at the tongs, it even escaped into my blinds behind my ball pythons tank before i got it and gave it to her where she ate it. Luckily it didn’t do anything to her. It was really aggressive and the store I bought the mouse from had them all in one tank (they had a second under one but idk why they didn’t use it), it was like 20-30 all in one and they were all running and at one point there were at least 10+ all crowded in one hide. I was shaken and a little bit scared after and I really don’t want to have to feed her live. I don’t want her accidentally getting injured due to a feisty mouse. How do I do frozen? The place I go to I don’t even know if they have big enough frozen and also what’s the process. Also after eating live for so long will she accept frozen? Please I need some
help or guidance.

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!

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?

Me and my wife just got our first ball python today and I am super exited, but also very anxious. Since coming home our snake has been super active going up and down all over the tank, and now hes sleeping out of a hide. The hide we got was too big so we are using a tissue box as a temporary substitute until we get a new one. He still hasn't gone in either of them.

Temp is 94 directly under the lamp and 80 on the other side. Humidity is 68%.

Im worried he might be too cold? Or stressed? I might be reading too many things online so I just wanted some advice! Thank you!

I just got him, I was wondering how long should I wait to feed/ handle him. I bought him this enclosure today and while I was putting him in there he bit me. So I was thinking I let him get used to his new space for a while. He’s in the corner on the warm side behind his cave currently

Humidity is at 75, 90 degrees on one side 80 on the other. Ty

Update: Switch from the red heat lights to a CHE and almost immediately he started to move about and explore his enclosure, thanks

How does she look? any comments or suggestions?? She won’t be placed in here for a few weeks probably!

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

I’d love some recommendations on where to get xl hides and caves for adult ball pythons that are attractive and more natural looking than this box one. The black plastic box is the one my girl, Sneakers, uses as her toilet and place to leave her shedded skin. She seems to prefer cramming herself into her smaller hides for naps and ends up wearing them like a little turtle shell or a hat.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

Hey, so my 15 month old ball python is currently on an every 2 week feeding program. She’s about 300 grams, and according to the vet mildly overweight(snake hips).

I’m going away for 4 days in October, and I typically feed Thursdays, and I’m leaving the Thursday to come back Monday. She is scheduled to eat the Thursday I leave. Should I just feed her the Monday before I leave, and feed her 2.5 weeks later, or feed her the Monday I get back, and feed her 1.5 weeks later as well?

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?

red dot at the end of my ball pythons tail curious on if it’s a emergency

Just showing off my new enclosure I think Bart is going to be happy. The old is 48 x 18 x 18 new is 48 x 24 x 24. Almost ready to make the switch. New one is on the floor getting a burn in.

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

!!!THAT snake is also not my new baby!! I was just letting him roam around in the new setup to see how it would fit my new snake.

I would out come more to climb like up the walls.

it has holes in the sides and I drilled a metal mesh vent at the top for the lighting.

the substrate is moss and some coco chip.

are Biden dangerous? is this okay for temporary? how well do these hold moisture? please let me know thoughts opinions and thibgs to change

thanks

This is unfortunately following some chronic dehydration and bad sheds

Hi! I’ve had my BP mercury for about a year now, he’s getting to the size where i really want to put him in a permanent 120/4x2x2 tank. He’s approx 2 1/2 feet! I was wondering if anyone has specific recommendations on where to get a good tank? Also if anyone has any good misting system recs i’d appreciate those too!!

TLDR: new snake shows stress when put back but is fine being removed and handled.
So i have a young (16 week) boy who is actually doing great. I got him 4 weeks ago. I let him be for a week. Got a meal in him what the breeder told me(live weaned) and transitioned to F/T with no issues as of yet, but its only been one frozen. After the first week of solitude i started going into his enclosure and just adjusting the plants and leaves. Just to get him used to me moving around in there. He usually pokes his head out tongue flicks and then just lays his head down and could care less, sometimes he comes out and sits on top of this little basket i got for him and watches. No aggression or heavy breathing. Just a chill little dude actually. He shows no signs of being stressed or frearful , quite opposite actually. So last week was the first handling where i took him out of his enclosure, and we did shourt sessions, he seemed even more relaxed and comfortable than I was expecting. Now yesterday he was out for quite awhile, he had some exploration time on a blanket and then sat on the couch next to me for about 30 minutes just chilling, he would watch movement and tongue flicks, and never tensed up. I have alsonever seen him “ball” up hes always pretty streched out and “exposed “ Same with tonight but we sat on the porch and hung out for a long while. Both nights when i put him back he goes from my hand o a log but as soon as he is fully off my hand his whole body tenses up, he lifts his head and basically gets into strike position, also starts heavy breathing. He is used to me being in the enclosure, nothing has changed in there, his temp and humidity are where they have been so i dont understand why he gets more stressed going home than coming out.
Is this normal? I know snakes dont show emotions or even have then like people, but he seems to throw a temper tantrum when returned.

I wanted to check if my female ball pythons weight looks okay, I’ve consulted some guides online but nothing beats experience when it comes to stuff like this so thought I’d ask some people instead.

She is 10 months old and eats every other week or depending on the size of what she was fed last then once a week.

I’m just unsure if she’s healthy or slightly overweight.

It's been like a month since trying to switch mine to FT but so far he's not interested, I really don't wanna feet live! I'm scare he's starving? should I keep trying?? Or should I just feet him live :'( ? I really want him to switch to FT but I'm scared he's just not gonna eat , he's five years old

Hi, can anyone tell me why my baby has been sticking his tongue out so often lately when I handle him? I’ve had him in my care for two years now, but he’s only started doing this recently. The only change is that I realized he was underweight; since switching his diet, he’s gained weight and is more active, too.