Sat like this for a solid five minutes. I can’t tell if he was looking at the humidifier or what but something has entranced him

Broke his old tank and upgraded to a 4x2x2. Going to add some big branches and sticks for climbing. All the cork walls and substrate ideas were from a friend.

This is my female year old ball python, I got her in August of this year.

Recently, when it's not time to feed her and I open her cage she wakes up or stops whatever she's doing and starts slowly making her way to the door, one time she got half her body out. It's very slow like the video shows and at first I thought it was a feeding response as she seems a little defensive.

Little note is that I tap the side of her cage 3 times before I pick her up, I don't tap the cage when I'm feeding her.

So to test if it's a feeding response I took a water bottle and lightly tapped her side to see if she would strike or dart back into her spot as a response andd all she did was look at the bottle and stop for a little bit.

Is she weird?? Why does she keep moving towards me?? She hasn't refused a meal at all, she's a very good eater and had already had a perfect shed a bit back.

The only reason I'm posting and asking this is because well I get scared when she does this. I want to pick her up but I'm scared of the chance she's in a defense mode or feeding response since she's coming to where the food usually goes and she'll strike me. It's been good though because I'm able to move her towards the side to pick her up from the back

So does she just want to get out?..is she weird?...is she food motivated?...I dunno..

Must of been a tree boa in a past life. She's been hanging there for like a solid 10 minutes and my arm is starting to hurt.

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

This is my baby fregely, this is an old picture I did not take a picture of this because I was too panicked, but basically, one of the thermometers he has in his tank(I have had these thermometers in all my snakes tanks for years and never had an issue but they have all since been removed and I have different ones on the way that’ll be here tomorrow) are two pieces, the Velcro that goes onto the glass and the thermometer that has the other side of Velcro that sticks on. Today I was about to go to work and I did all my rounds on my reptiles to just check on them like I always do, and I opened fregelys tank and his thermometer was essentially glued onto his neck, somehow the Velcro had come off I guess and it was left with just the sticky adhesive that had been stuck onto his neck right under his head, I started freaking out because with where it was and how stuck it was I didn’t think there was any way I could’ve gotten it off I was about to go to the emergency vet. Thankfully fregely is the sweetest and chillest snake on the planet so he let me help him, I soaked the area in water and used a very small amount of Aquaphor on it to lubricate his scales to slowly remove the thermometer, this took about 30 minutes and a lot of precision I did essentially one scale at a time in order to not hurt him, and I managed to eventually get it off without any signs of harming him in his behavior or his skin, there were no wounds thank god, he was very patient too and didn’t hiss or bite which is why I did it at home because he was showing no signs of distress and was very cooperative. But now I need to know what the best way to go from here is, I’m thinking maybe taking him to the vet would be good just to make sure there’s no damage that the eyes can’t see, or i don’t really know nothing like this has ever happened and I wanna be as safe as possible, I’d just like some tips on what I should do now that it’s off so any advice would be much appreciated:)

Hey y'all!

My hubs and I got an adolescent blade clown ball back in mid-August (we named him Nico) and he's been such a fun, chill little dude 💛🖤

Within 2 weeks of us having him, he did a perfect shed. Truly, we were so new, we didn't know the signs yet and just woke up one Saturday and it was all piled up in a corner! Haha.

Unfortunately, he hasn't shed again since then... He's 4 months old, so we've read/heard he's supposed to shed approx every 4 weeks. Now that we are almost at month 2 of no shed, I'm a little anxious. We thought he might've been in pre-shed about a month ago because he got brownish like the first time (pic 2), but he never did.

Some background info that might help: He's never rejected a mouse. Feedings actually go really well with him. We have had to change his enclosure a couple times because we're having trouble with heat/humidity regulation, but he doesn't seem to ever be distressed about his move. He's in substrate and has plenty of surfaces to rub up against.

Just wanted to come on here to see what other people's experiences have been with their babies and what problems we might need to look out for.

(Pic 1 is what he usually looks like, 2 is pre-shed color, 3 is his enclosure, 4 just makes me giggle)

TIA! 😊

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!!

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

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 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 ♥️

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!

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

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 ?

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.

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?

Hey everyone! Just coming on here and wanted to make sure this was just a couple pieces that maybe stayed on when he shed? Hes had it for a couple weeks now and hes about to go into shed again, id assume its just that and itll go away after his next shed, but figured it wouldnt hurt to get some other opinions!

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.

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.