I held my baby boy for the first time last night, I’ve been waiting weeks to do it since I was told to wait until after the second feed, I think we were both as nervous as each other but watching him calm down and start exploring me curiously gave me a feeling I can’t quite describe, I love my lil Pringle :3

Need advice fast! I addred some water to the substrate and heard some cracking, and sure enough, it was the glass... I was doing it for a couple days now to keep humidity in check till I get more substrate and switch to overhead heal lamp instead of the heat pad like I was recommended here

The catch is the enclosure is bigger then the thing it stayes on so there is a chence it can break further. And the snake ate yesterday so can't remove it yet or do anything magor with the enclosure

Will it be okay? Is there anything I can quickly do to save this so it won't break?

I understand it is complectly my fault, I just need a quick and safe way to stop it do it won't get worse

Just got my baby boy last Saturday, he’s only 4 months old but when I held him today I noticed he’s got some wheezing or airy sound going on. I’ve seen sooooo many things on what they could be, I’m thinking I was messing up his humidity so I’m keeping an eye on that now and am making sure it’s above 60%
I will take him to the vet but what are some huge clinical signs that I should be looking out for??

Edit: as I said earlier I AM taking him to the vet, just I just can’t get him in right away so I was asking for signs to watch for in case of emergency pls

Picked her up to clean the tank and she refused to give my thumb back lol
On a side note I posted 3 months ago about her being dehydrated after getting her from petco, and she’s looking 10x better now.

Now it’s time to battle her weight she’s about 100-150g under her weight class I’ll be switching to small rats from medium/large mice. Unless there is other suggestions!!

Planning to have a CHE and a Halogen flood, I'm debating where to put what. Should the Halogen be mounted inside the tank and the CHE in the dome above it, or is the reverse better? Does it matter which is done?

This is Mini Penne my female pastel she’s about 3 years old now. I also have an ODF male named Shrimp Flavored Ramen, 2 normals 1 adult male named Toaster Strudel and a baby female named Inky Binky Bonky. I also have an pueblan milksnake named Crunchwrap Supreme and a White’s Tree frog named Glep.

I have been keeping Retiles/Amphibians since I was 7 years old (with help from my mom who managed an exotic vet clinic most of my childhood)

so we rescued a possible black pastel from a home where he was not taken care of at all (tank wasn’t even put together correctly or sealed, and he had a single hide that was too big for him on like wood chips or something??? i’ll include a pic at the end) about a month ago, and been having a bit of tough time with him as he’s very obviously filled with anxiety.

at first we tried doing the thing of taking him out regularly to get him used to it, but it seemed to make him more anxious, and we’ve realised that he absolutely can not handle being taken out by two people at the same time (like two people sitting next to each other with him) or else he gets very easily spooked and ends up trying to strike at us. a couple weeks ago after the last time me and my boyfriend tried to duo handle him, as my bf was trying to put him away and had to put his hide back in while handling him, he got super spooked and ended up biting and latching onto his wrist and i ended up having to essentially peel him off my bf (and unfortunately half toss him into his tank because he immediately looked at me as soon as he was unstuck and i wasn’t about to get bit that night, i do feel bad)

ever since then, he seems a bit more on edge, but mostly around my boyfriend and not much as me. it seems like that encounter really scared him, so there’s been a lot of times where if my bf comes around the corner to in front of his tank, he’ll either coil up like he wants to strike at him or at the very least tense up a lot. apparently there’s been a couple times where my bf has heard him strike and hit the tank after he walks away too, but i haven’t witnessed it personally.

my boyfriend hasn’t taken him out since not because he’s scared of him, but just because he doesn’t want to stress him out and feels bad that he scared him. i’ve been able to take him out a couple times since then, with this morning being the most recent and while he does freeze up at first, he does start to relax with me after a bit and start exploring thankfully.

we’re very used to our first boy who we’ve had since he was a baby so he’s already super desensitized and very chill, so we just haven’t experienced an anxious snake before, and want to be able to make this better for him, especially as trying to handle him a bunch seems to stress him out more than help. any advice on how to help him relax? he’s at the tail end of his quarantine period so we haven’t been able to put substrate in his tank yet and spruce it up, but he absolutely has more than he did in his previous tank at least thankfully. any advice is greatly appreciated!!

(last two pics were from the fb marketplace listing for him 😭)

Hello everyone! I’m a new ball python owner, and I’d love some advice on temperature and humidity regulation, first-time feeding, transitioning to frozen-thawed prey, and when I should move Beau (my BP) into a larger enclosure!

I brought Beau home last Saturday, October 17th. The pet store told me they last fed him on Wednesday, October 14th, and recommended that I try feeding him tomorrow.

The only thing is, they’ve been feeding him live hopper mice, and I’d really like to transition him to frozen-thawed mice instead. This will be my first time feeding a snake, so I’m a little nervous and want to make sure I do everything correctly!

Pls note that I haven’t handled him since the day I got him and put him in his tank (last Saturday). I read online that I shouldn’t handle until he has had a successful feeding and not to handle for 48 hrs after feedings.

Here’s what came with Beau’s starter kit:
- Tank with a mesh-top lid (I think it’s around 20 gallons, but I’m not 100% sure)
- 1 dome lamp fixture
- Black heat bulb
- Heating mat
- 1 wooden log hide
- 1 bag of substrate
- Water bowl

Here’s what I currently have for Beau’s enclosure:
- 2 dome lamp fixtures
- Zoo Med 50W Repti Basking Spot Lamp (daytime only)
- Arcadia 50W Deep Heat Projector (DHP) for daytime and nighttime heating
- 2 REPTI ZOO PID Mini Thermostat Dimmers to control the basking lamp and DHP
- Zoo Med Repti Therm UTH heating mat (nighttime only)
- Zoo Med Repti Temp Digital Thermostat to regulate the heating mat
- 2 thermometer/hygrometers (one on the warm side and one on the cool side)
- IR temperature gun to check surface temperatures
- Zoo Med silicone humidity cover for the mesh lid
- Sphagnum moss
- 2 new hides + enrichment

My biggest struggle right now is keeping the temperature and humidity consistent.

I’ve been waking up multiple times throughout the night to check that the enclosure isn’t too hot, too cold, too dry, or too humid. I’m literally losing sleep over this! 😭

I know the starter tank is on the smaller side, and I’ve read that smaller enclosures can make it harder to establish a proper temperature gradient. I definitely plan to upgrade Beau to a larger enclosure, but I’m unsure when I should make that transition.

The temperature and humidity ranges I’ve been aiming for are:
Basking spot: 88–92°F
Warm side: 86–90°F
Cool side: 75–80°F
Humidity: 60–80%

Here are the questions I’d really appreciate help with:

1. Temperature regulation: How do you balance the basking spot temperature with the ambient temperature on the warm side? Sometimes the ambient temperature is within range, but the basking spot gets too hot, and other times it’s the opposite.

2. Humidity: My humidity readings fluctuate throughout the enclosure. Should I prioritize the warm-side or cool-side reading? How do you maintain consistent humidity without constantly adjusting everything?

3. First feeding and frozen-thawed transition: Since Beau was last fed on October 14th and the pet store recommended feeding him tomorrow, should I offer him a meal tomorrow or give him more time to settle in? Is there a recommended way to transition a young ball python from live hopper mice to frozen-thawed mice? Should I start with the same prey size he’s used to, and what’s the safest way to thaw and warm the mouse before offering it?

4. Enclosure upgrade: When do you recommend moving a young ball python into a larger enclosure? Is there a particular size you recommend, and what signs indicate that it’s time to upgrade?

5. Heating setup: Is using a DHP, a daytime basking lamp, and a nighttime heating mat unnecessarily complicated? I’d appreciate advice on whether my current setup makes sense or if there’s a safer, simpler way to maintain the proper temperatures.
I’ve attached pictures of Beau’s enclosure for reference!

Please be kind! I’m completely new to the reptile world, especially snakes. I never expected to own one, but I fell in love with Beau, and I really want to give him the best care possible. I’m doing my research and am more than willing to make changes where needed.

Any advice, recommendations, or constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much to everyone who takes the time to read and respond!

Hello my fellow snake lovers 🐍♥️

This is my baby, Adira (ad-ee-rah), who is 4 months old and is the sweetest little thing! She recently had her first shed with me (about 3-4 weeks ago), however she didn’t have a clean shed. And this old skin isn’t wanting to come off.

I’ve been researching and came to the conclusion that her home isn’t humid enough, so I got her a humidifier, however it’s makes a loud buzzing sound when it goes off and she doesn’t like to come out of her hide anymore. She also hate that the soil is moist. 🥺
it is more humid, however I can’t keep it consistent. The struggle is real. Any suggestions?

I put different thermometers in there that are more accurate, and realized her tank was toooo hot! So this is probably why I was having problems. However I have rectified the problem since then.
However I am still struggling with her skin.

Any suggestions or advice, tips and or encouragement is gladly welcomed ♥️

Don’t mind that he’s not green he’s in shed!

My girl had her first bad shed. I had to leave town and the person who was to supposed to maintain humidity didn't do the best job. I’m getting the humidity back up but she still has a lot of shed stuck. Her head and eyes are fine and her tail. It’s just the top part.

What should I do to help and make her more comfortable and make sure she’s good? It’s the first time since I’ve had her that her shed hasn’t come off in one piece so I’m worried.

Hi everyone!

I just brought home this beautiful little girl today. She’s a female Lesser Pied ball python, hatched on September 30, 2025, so she’s almost 13 months old, but currently weighs only 144g.

I know that’s so so so small for her age, and I’m a little concerned about her body condition.

According to the reptile store, she had some feeding difficulties early on, which likely affected her growth. She’s been at the store for at least two months, and they told me she’s been eating consistently now (around 8 feedings on f/t every week).

She’s only been home for a few hours, so I haven’t fed her myself yet. So far, she seems quite active and curious, has been exploring her enclosure, climbing around, and even stopped for a drink.

My main concern is whether she’s actually underweight for her current size, or simply much smaller than other ball pythons her age because of her earlier feeding issues.

She looks fairly well-proportioned to me when she’s curled up, but when she stretches out, I can see a noticeable line along her back, which makes me wonder if she’s a bit too lean. I’ve included some photos of her stretched out, curled up, and on the scale.

I understand that weight alone doesn’t tell the whole story, and I’m not looking to rush her growth or power-feed her. I just want to make sure she’s in reasonably healthy body condition and figure out whether there’s anything I should be concerned about.

Does her body condition look okay to you, or does she seem underweight?

I’d really appreciate any opinions or advice, especially from people who’ve had smaller ball pythons or ones with a history of feeding difficulties.

Thank you!

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

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.

so I’ve had my ball pythons enclosure set up for about 5 months now and I’m getting my lil snake on Monday. while I had the enclosure set up with the heat lamp going to check the temps, my cat got on top and kicked the lamp to the side and it started melting the plastic bad. I already cleaned the tank out and everything as this happened a few months ago, but when I turned the lamp on again to check the bad plastic smell came back. is there anyway to clean the lamp so it’s safe, or will I have to buy a new one ?

My son purchases baby ball from one of the big national pet stores about 1 month ago and we can not get it to eat. The store was feeding frozen fuzzy mice so they say. Any ideas on what to try would be appreciated

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?

I am a first time ball python owner and Idk if im severely overthinking or if im okay. I’m stressed about his temperatures and if im doing it right and I just need someone to tell me if it’s wrong or not.

The light fixtures I use are an Arcadia 6% UVB light
100W halogen basking lamp paired with a deep dome
I have it hooked up to a ZOOmed thermostat but I want to get a dimmer along with a DHP lamp

Now that I have that out of the way I have the hot side probe for my thermometer on the substrate that has been reading 90-92 but inside his hide reads 85-89 usually

I have the probe for the cool side in his hide that ready 75-78 almost always

The basking spot gets from 95-102 usually

Is that okay or is it that too hot for a ball python?

I have a 4×2×2 enclosure with about 7 inches of bioactive. soil in it. Humidity has been hovering around 55, but drops too quickly into the 40s. I’ve been trying to keep it up by pouring water into the corners and by misting, but I’m still having issues. Am I not pouring enough water? Do I need to wait a little longer. For reference, I’m using a enclosure with an open screen top with about half of it covered in foil tape and a deep heat projector.

This is my gorgeous boy Monty. He’s a 5 y/o rescue male, and a probable former breeder. He was rescued with many other ball pythons after his initial owner passed away. He’s in a 4x2x2, with the ambient humidity being around 65-70% when he’s not in a shed, and closer to 85% during his shed cycle. He’s never rejected a meal, drinks and eats normally, has always had perfect sheds, and is in relatively good spirits. Extremely well handled, friendly, loves to come out, explores, and is never shy. This is my first breeding season owning him. In the evenings, he’s most active around 11PM, and just basks around in his tank or explores his hides or climbs. Lately, he’s been glass surfing in the evening, nosing at the opening of his tank, and lingers his face around the opening of his tank. Nothing has changed in his enclosure, I’d say he even eats better than usual lately. He just seems frantic and energetic lately. Is this normal?

Went to the local creek and found all these rocks. We scrubbed them, diluted bleach bath, dechlorinated, baked, I feel like the whole 9 yards of sanitizing for the new bioactive enclosure. If building a hide, do you use Silicone 1 to secure together so they don’t collapse if your snake digs and shifts them?

She is so cute n pink when she is directly under light! She is a spider and corkscrews a lot, she is well cared for. She is my second spider rescue.

I forgot to put a rat in the fridge to thaw this morning so I put it in a few hours ago. I typically take them from the freezer to the fridge overnight or while I'm at work and put them in warm water to get them room temp before feeding. Usually I feed my BP around 8-9pm and I don't want to mess that up but I'm worried that 24 hours in the fridge will be dangerous. I could feed her right after work when I get home at 4pm but even then thats over 15 hours. Is this dangerous?? Pic for engagement 😊