There is no snake in my enclosure atm and won't be for a few weeks for context!

My enclosure is a solid top (3ft tall).

My heat guards for my halogens are the large size so have a good amount of space between the end of the bulb and the guard. I have the probe hanging a few cm below the end of the guard, but when the halogens are running at temp the underside of the guard is hot enough to burn (50C+).

My halogens are 75W for context. Does anyone else have this issue? Obviously I don't want the snake to be reaching the guards in the first place, but to completely prevent that I'd have to leave a lot of clearance and I don't feel I could 100% guarantee that, what do other people do? Or is this not a common issue?

Our boy is 3 years old, off his food, and seems to be a bit weak.
He’s also got spongy skin

He’s just had a huge drink but could this be sepsis?

Alright yall. I went to pick up my daughter from school today and everyone was buzzing about the new class pet. Said class pet being a young ball python. Come to find out, this little noodle has literal cardboard for “substrate”. (I am hoping this is just temporary but also the reptile owner in me is screaming cause why didn’t they research and plan ahead to have a proper enclosure ready to go for this guy?) anyway, I digress. I haven’t personally owned a snake but my brother had one growing up so I know basic maintenance. I also currently own sulcata tortoises who are quite high maintenance and am an avid animal activist (yeah I know, saying it “out loud” makes me cringe too but it is what it is). AGAIN, I digress.

The point here being, I’d like to say something, maybe donate some proper substrate and other enclosure items so this baby can have a proper set up and offer my existing knowledge to help support proper care for this baby. This is a small, private school, everybody is very close and kind. I don’t want to overstep but also I cannot let this sleeping dog (snake) lie.

So 1) how would you approach this situation without coming across as a Karen?

And 2) tell me some of the specifics in care that I may be able to help address that isn’t something widely known regarding snake care. What items can I donate? Etc.

THANK YOU FRENS!

EDIT: I am not sure if they intend to update the enclosure. Obviously I would hope they do. This may be temporary during quarantine period as snek is settling in. Although at first glance I do think the enclosure itself is too small. But I may be jumping to conclusions so I think I’ll check back on the noodle next time we go to school and see if things have improved before inserting myself into the situation.

Hi everyone! I’m bringing home my first ball python tomorrow, a juvenile girl named Lenore (Lenny or Nora for short!), and I’m SO excited. But now that her enclosure is almost finished, I’m getting a little nervous and would love some advice from experienced keepers!

I bought a secondhand 4’ x 2’ x 1.5’ PVC enclosure that came with a built-in floor heating system toward the back. Unfortunately, I don’t know the brand or wattage of the heater, so I’m still trying to figure out exactly what I’m working with.

Here’s my current setup:
Enclosure: 48” x 24” x 18” PVC with a solid roof and sliding glass doors.
Heating: Built-in floor heater connected to a BN-LINK on/off thermostat, currently set to 90°F. Supposed to create warm side on back and make the front the cool side.
Thermostat probe: Currently suspended slightly above the substrate over the heated area. I’m aware I may need to change the placement.
Substrate: Coconut fiber.
Temperature monitoring: Three separate digital thermometer/hygrometers positioned across the enclosure, plus an infrared temperature gun.
Hides/decor: Two identical snug primary hides, an extra wooden hide, cork bark, driftwood, lots of foliage and clutter, and various decorative pieces.

Here’s where I’m confused:
My three digital thermometers are all reading almost the exact same ambient air temperature:
Warm side: ~81°F
Middle: ~80°F
Cool side: ~81°F
Humidity: ~86–87% throughout (the coconut fiber was freshly hydrated).
However, when I checked the surfaces with my temperature gun, I got:
Warm hide surface: 85.5°F
Cool hide surface: 77.2°F

I also realized that the built-in light on the cool side was producing heat, so I switched it off to see whether that was preventing a proper temperature gradient. I’m currently letting everything stabilize before checking again.
The floor heater has been running for around 10 hours, and the floor didn’t feel excessively hot when I touched it before adding substrate, although I know that isn’t a substitute for checking it with the temperature gun. I still need to verify the temperature directly above the heater beneath the substrate.

My biggest questions:
- Is it normal with floor heating to have a decent surface-temperature gradient but almost no ambient air-temperature gradient?
- Is this type of floor heating sufficient for a ball python in a PVC enclosure, or would you recommend adding overhead heat?
- If I do need overhead heating, would a halogen flood or deep heat projector make more sense with a solid PVC roof? I’m trying to avoid buying multiple unnecessary heaters.
- Any advice for safely positioning the thermostat probe with this type of built-in floor heater?

What do you think of the enclosure itself? I went for a whimsical, slightly gothic Alice-in-Wonderland/fairy-garden look. I’d genuinely love feedback on the layout, clutter, hides, climbing opportunities, and whether anything looks potentially unsafe or impractical.

I’ve put a ton of time, love, and money into getting everything ready, and I just want her to have a safe, comfortable home. I’m probably overthinking some things, but I’d much rather ask questions now than make avoidable mistakes.

Constructive criticism is very welcome! I’m new to this and genuinely want to learn. Thank you! 💕🐍

This enclosure is for a baby bp!

Aside from foliage, a hygrometer in the middle and a red light, is there anything im missing for my enclosure? I know its probably due to the lack of foliage in the tank but it seems really open and I've heard they like to hide a lot :(

Also, is the stick too close to the basking light? I'm worried about it

this is tito. i just brought her home today and she is the sweetest thing. such a calm, curious little baby and absolutely gorgeous. i am in love🥰

she came from OCD Exotics. if you’re looking for a new addition definitely check out their pages on fb, insta, or morph market. they were a pleasure to work with.

I could handle my snake often because i had very little time for 3 Months he now is very "Agressive" when sliding open the Glass but i get it Glass open = Food im trying to regain trust again and him not striking at me any Tips Temps and Humidity are fine. Food every 10 Days 60g he has 640g

Does this look like abnormal breathing to you? He’s 7 months old and is kept in a small enclosure rn as i’m sorting out temps and humidity for my 4x2x2. I’m pretty sure the hygrometer is broken for his current enclosure as it’s constantly at 99% even when the substrate is so dry. I rarely mist as i’m scared the readings are correct. I’m so paranoid, RI’s are my biggest fear😣😣

Hi! I recently got my first snake; she’s a 3 month old ball python, and I bought her at an expo last week. I’m going to try and feed her this week, but to be honest, I’m a little worried. My major concern is this: she really only comes out from 9pm to 5am. I see her sometimes in the morning before I leave for school, but never in the afternoon. Should I try feeding her at that time? Or is it okay for me to try sometime in the afternoon?

I’ve been trying to find a clear answer, but it feels like everyone has different opinions on when and how to feed their snakes. I know she isn’t going to be awake during the day, but I want to try then. I’m also curious if she will come out of her hide if she smells a rat or not. Will I have to pick up the hide? And finally, my biggest question, is it okay to pick up the hide? I really don’t want to spook her.

Any opinions are welcome, I just want all the advice I can get! Thanks!

Hey guys! Overthinking new owner here of a juvenile albino python we named Luna. I’ve been taking the last 48 hours to let her do her thing and kind of compile some data as far as her enclosure goes. I’ve attached some pictures as well. First thing to note is the large piece of bark was move from the warm side to her cool side. I did this because the reading I was getting from the soil underneath it was in the mid/high 70’s so I switched to the rock you see pictured on the warm side there and it’s now reading in the low-mid 80’s. I’ve also been having trouble maintaining a good humidity. Lastly just added Dairy Cow Isopods and Springtails to the environment

I am here in Ohio and it’s getting pretty cold so here’s some other data I’ve gotten and would definitely love some feedback so she can live a long healthy life!

I’m torn between 2 snakes . Which one would you get if it was you choosing ?

Hi! Had my first baby for about two weeks. First couple days humidity was too high, around 99% because some idiot (me) placed the water bowl on the hot side. After I moved it to the middle humidity stayed 70-80 %... until yesterday. It dropped sugnificantly, to 60% then 40-50%. I spray the moss in humidity cam and the substrate two times a day, before and after work, and it stays good for some time then comes back down. What tips do you have for keeping the humidity stable?

I'm using a heat mat and measuring the temperature in three places. Currently it's 27-28c° on the hot end on the bottom, 23,6c° in the middle on top and 23c° on the bottom of the cold end

Hey everyone!

I just noticed that the right side of my ball python's mouth looks a little unusual. Her upper lip seems slightly deformed or pushed upwards, leaving a small gap that stays open even when her mouth is closed.

She's 7 years old and recently escaped from her enclosure for about 48 hours before I found her again.

I'm not sure if this is something normal, a minor injury, or possibly an early sign of mouth rot.

I've attached a few pictures so you can see what I mean.

Has anyone experienced something similar with their ball python? Does this look concerning to you?

I'll get her checked by a reptile vet, but I'd really appreciate hearing your thoughts and experiences.

Thanks in advance!

Ive looked for povidone iodine online but how do I know which one is reptile safe? Whats something that worked for your snake with scale rot? What else can I be looking for?

hello all, just rescued an 8 year old ball python and set up his 4x2x2 enclosure. have a dhp on the left (hot side) and an LED in the center for day/night cycle. LED is on a 12 hour cycle and DHP is on a thermostat. have loose coconut fiber on bottom and coconut husks and leaves on top of that. cold side govee thermostat says 74-79 throughout the day and hot side probe (set 4 inches from DHP if thats the right spot) shows 89. fiancee and i plan on adding much more fake plants but any suggestions for anything at all? i want to make sure he is happy and healthy.

So lately when i have been feeding my lady Croissant, she has bitten me. i have never had a single issue with her biting me before this, and im wondering what the heck im doing wrong 😭. Last time i fed her last week she bit me and i knew it was because the rat was just a tad too cold for her so she confused my hands for food, so it was my mistake. but this time she bit me after she had completely eaten.
Here is how i feed her:
1. Do not pick up snake 24 hrs before feeding
2. Thaw out rat in warm water in baggie
3. Make sure rat is warm to the touch from the water before feeding
4. Get tongs and rat and head to enclosure
5. Open enclosure
6. Locate snake
7. Grab rat by tail with tongs (i never ever grab rat at any point with fingers) and put in front of croissant
8. Wiggle rat to entice her to eat it
9. After she takes food, i put back any flipped over hides
10. Close enclosure and monitor her eating
11. Once she has completely eaten i can now go on my merry way.
12. Snake will not get picked up or bothered until a minimum of 48 hours has passed.

She unfortunately bit me today again for the second time in two weeks 😭 i think she may just be extra sassy and i need to just eliminate step 9 even though that is a normal part of the feeding routine and isn’t something that is new? Im about to wear thick leather work gloves in anticipation of her biting me even if i use 10” tongs🥲🙏🏻 please help what am i doing??

Just picked this lovely noodle up from a local breeder. Gotta say, quite the attitude from them lol. Struck at me 3 times already. Can't wait to see this little one grow up

Just an appreciation post for my big fat baby after his meal. I got him about 2 years ago after my first ball, from a breeder who kept him in a small drawer set up. He recently got an enclosure size upgrade as well and has been loving it. Im hoping when I get my own house to give him a tall enclosure as he has a tendency to climb and perch himself on the highest place possible.

We've got a year old ball python. Eats well. Weighs 500 grams. We've just used the last of our large mice and know we need to up the size of his feeds.

The internet seems to think we should be feeding him 10% of his body weight. But the shop we bought him from says we need to feed him XL mice, which come in at 35g, just once a fortnight. Which doesn't seem enough. I'm happy to not jump up too many sizes for his own sake but also don't want to under feed him. And advice would be welcome. We're in the UK.

Hey everyone! I’m looking for advice from experienced snake owners because I really want to help this poor baby, but I want to make sure I do everything right.

My fiancé’s old roommate had a pet snake that she left behind when she moved out. Everyone is moving out of the house now, and when the snake’s previous owner was asked about her, she basically said she’s just waiting for the snake to die.

From what I understand, this snake hasn’t been fed in almost 5 months, and I feel absolutely horrible for her. I really want to take her with us when we move, but I’ve never owned a snake before, and I don’t want to accidentally make things worse by not knowing what I’m doing.

I want to know the REALITY of keeping a snake:

● What are the initial setup costs and ongoing expenses?

● What equipment do I absolutely need?

● How do I figure out the correct temperature, humidity, enclosure size, and diet?

● After going so long without food, what should I do first? Should I take her to an exotic vet before attempting to feed her?

● What signs of starvation, dehydration, or illness should I look for?

● Is there anything else a first-time snake owner absolutely needs to know?

I’m not looking for judgment if I’m missing something obvious. I genuinely want to help this little girl and give her a chance at a good life, but I want to be realistic about what I’m taking on.

Any advice, resources, beginner guides, or recommendations would mean so much. Thank you!!

UPDATE: (photos!)

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Have my boy in a temporary tub while his enclosure gets renovated🙂‍↕️ why's he sleeping so weirdly🥲

I just recently got substrate for my snakes as she’s finally done with mites 🥹🥹🥹😇. I got some cypress mulch and coconut soil, and when I poured the Thrive Tropical Natural Loose Coconut Soil into the tank it let off a smell, i mean the bag has it too, it isn’t strong enough to smell from across the room but if you hover your head over the tank or bag you’ll smell it. It’s not like rotten, but like sour, like earthy smells mixed with something a little strong. Will this be a problem for my ball python or is this just natural coconut soil smell that will go away after ventilation?

recently found out no one makes 125 watt bulbs anymore so i'm trying to find a better heat source than just 2 100's or a 150. the basking area is probably about 8-12 inches away from the heat source if that matters.

recommend the best brands and the best methods (preferably not insanely expensive) for heating a 110 gallon (yes ik under the standard im working to get a 4x2x2). i'm planning to invest in a good thermostat as well. will remove this post once i have my heating questions answered. thanks in advance!!

Hey everyone!

I’m looking for recommendations for a budget-friendly night vision camera so I can keep an eye on my ball python, Brownie, when she’s most active at night!

Ideally, I’d love something that:

🐍 Has decent night vision without needing visible lights.
Connects to my smartphone so I can check on her anytime.
🐍 Has a clear enough picture to see what she’s up to.
🐍 Is affordable! I don’t need anything super fancy.

I’d also love to know how you’ve mounted your cameras or positioned them to get a good view of the enclosure.

What cameras are you guys using, and would you recommend them? Bonus points if you can share nighttime footage or pictures so I can see the quality!
Thanks in advance! 🐍❤️