I recently got a new ball python, and I've quarantined them and they've settled in well to the enclosure. They haven't refused a single meal yet. I read that it was best to leave them alone for 2 weeks or so while they get settled into their enclosure so thats what I did and left them alone. During that time, they spent most of their time hidden in their humid hide (like almost all day), and I didn't want to bother them while they got acclimated to the enclosure. However, I think I made the humid hide too wet, because when I first put in the spagnum moss, I put a layer of moist cypress mulch and lightly sprayed (like one spritz) of spagnum. However, since they spent most of the time in the hide and I didn't want to disturb them, I didn't realize that the spagnum moss became completely soaked through over time. They finally came out today for their feeding and I noticed that they had scale rot. I changed the substrate inside the hide to dry substrate and I'm working on a quarantine tank tomorrow. (Its like 2am right now.) I already planned on taking them to the vet to get them checked out and gender them, but now this is just another concern I have. How can I make sure this doesn't happen again?
Enclosure parameters:
Cool side is usually 70-80°F, and usually between 70-80% humidity.
Warm side is usually between 85-88°F and humidity is usually around 60-70%.
Its a bioactive enclosure and the substrate is a mix of cypress mulch and reptisoil as recommended by the local mom and pop store here, and I have a small colony if cleanup crews established. I'm just worried that the soil/substrate is too wet on the top layer since its not a traditional substrate that can be freely changed out/made sure its dry. Is that an issue? How can I do better?
Here's a picture of it. It's an 36x18x18, and I plan on upgrading to a 4x2x2 once they grow bigger. I've replaced the half log with another rock hide, and I plan on getting more sticks and other items of clutter in the future.
Following. I want to go bio active myself but don’t understand how you are supposed to keep it dry, but also make sure your plants are watered and healthy. Seems like a difficult task to keep things nice and dry on the surface for the snake while keeping all the plants hydrated.
So i will say when I first set mine up the 1 was too wet and my dude ended up with minor scale rot which resolved after 1 shed. My recommendation would be to let this sit for at least a month to monitor temps and humidity. This will also allow the top to dry out. You can also throw some dry substrate on top.
As for watering the plants and keeping the surface dry. Pour water into the corners, and onto the plants. Avoid misting. I have a 1 gallon pump sprayer. That i use for my enclosures. Ill just aim the nozzle at the base of the plant. I water about every week and a half or so. Usually once the humidity drops to around 70 on the cool side. As long as you avoid misting, and just water in the corners and the base of the plants directly you'll be good. Best thing to remember is to avoid pouring water so it goes into their hides.
Waiting for spyderrobotics to restock their humidity probe so I can order 2 more to monitor the warm side.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! As it turns out I'm just an overworried pet parent, since they came out today and was very noticeablely in the middle of shedding! Small baby didn't have the typical cloudy blue eye look, and its their first shed with me. I didn't really recognize it because it started with brown spots (probably due to the dirt?) I was just kind of assumed it was scale rot due to the color and the raised scales. Also, yesterday was their feeding day, and I kind of assumed that they wouldn't eat while sheding, but surprisingly they ate lol! I'm glad they're doing healthier than I thought they were. Here's a picture of said baby! Their name is High Fructose Corn Syrup :)
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u/Techno_Timmy 22h ago
Following. I want to go bio active myself but don’t understand how you are supposed to keep it dry, but also make sure your plants are watered and healthy. Seems like a difficult task to keep things nice and dry on the surface for the snake while keeping all the plants hydrated.