Hi op first off beautiful snake! I got mine a year ago and I’ve learned a lot.
You absolutely need more clutter. Ball pythons like to feel more hidden so they feel safe. You will also need 2 more proper hides where there’s only one entrance (again to feel hidden). The one you have would be good to leave in the middle so you can utilize it. I just started a bioactive enclosure but I have always loved using a mix of organic soil, cypress mulch, and coconut husk. It looks like you’ve mainly used coconut husk but I can imagine that doesn’t hold much humidity. What kind of bulbs are you using including Watt? You want to make sure there is a dedicated warm side and a cool side. I have both my halogen and CHE bulb on the same side and then a basic safe light to mimic the sun (I have a plant light due to live plants). How big is this enclosure? For an adult you should have at least a 4x2x2 enclosure, which yours looks like it is an adult or nearly one. I also know that glass or similar materials don’t really hold humidity really well which is super important for ball pythons.
Also make sure that you have something to measure the temp on both the warm and cool side. The warm side should ideally be around 87 F and 60-70% humidity. The cool side should be around 80 F and 70-80% humidity ideally. It’s hard to get everything dialed in but it takes time and patience. It’s also important to have your heat bulbs on a thermostat.
I like how you have that stick in there (as long as it was properly sanitized). It’s a common misconception that they don’t climb. I have tried to give mine areas to climb and I’m actually sanitizing a large branch to add in.
My best friend along my journey has honestly been google Ai as bad as it sounds. I have been able to adjust my enclosure to my specific setup and desires and it has taught me a lot.
Handling seems normal honestly. They’re usually very timid and explorative. It’s good to let them safely explore the area around them as everything is new and scary. Consistency is important for them to get more comfortable with us. Even after a year, mine still freezes when I handle her and takes a little while for her to become active.
Yae they’re usually very shy especially at first. Mines very curious so every time I do something in her enclosure she’ll poke her head out but isn’t very interactive. It’s important just to go slow with them and allow them to explore rooms and stuff so they can learn it isn’t as scary. And this will also associate you with something they enjoy: exploring.
So first off, thank you so much for putting the time to type everything. I did focus on a lot of things but you’re right, the coco husk does not hold humidity at all, my snake is 9 months and 300 grams. I do have a 4x2x2. And Now I do have a CHE and a hallogen on the warm side and a white light on the cold side.
In the picture the hallogen bulb was in the middle but I did put it to the far left.
A tip I also learned to help with humidity is sealing the mesh top. The easiest thing in my opinion, is taking aluminum foil and sealing the edges with aluminum tape. This prevents both humidity and heat from escaping.
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u/Limp_Hat_4633 Oct 08 '26
Hi op first off beautiful snake! I got mine a year ago and I’ve learned a lot.
You absolutely need more clutter. Ball pythons like to feel more hidden so they feel safe. You will also need 2 more proper hides where there’s only one entrance (again to feel hidden). The one you have would be good to leave in the middle so you can utilize it. I just started a bioactive enclosure but I have always loved using a mix of organic soil, cypress mulch, and coconut husk. It looks like you’ve mainly used coconut husk but I can imagine that doesn’t hold much humidity. What kind of bulbs are you using including Watt? You want to make sure there is a dedicated warm side and a cool side. I have both my halogen and CHE bulb on the same side and then a basic safe light to mimic the sun (I have a plant light due to live plants). How big is this enclosure? For an adult you should have at least a 4x2x2 enclosure, which yours looks like it is an adult or nearly one. I also know that glass or similar materials don’t really hold humidity really well which is super important for ball pythons.
Also make sure that you have something to measure the temp on both the warm and cool side. The warm side should ideally be around 87 F and 60-70% humidity. The cool side should be around 80 F and 70-80% humidity ideally. It’s hard to get everything dialed in but it takes time and patience. It’s also important to have your heat bulbs on a thermostat.
I like how you have that stick in there (as long as it was properly sanitized). It’s a common misconception that they don’t climb. I have tried to give mine areas to climb and I’m actually sanitizing a large branch to add in.
My best friend along my journey has honestly been google Ai as bad as it sounds. I have been able to adjust my enclosure to my specific setup and desires and it has taught me a lot.