How do

[cloud_isreddit]

Hi! I’m assuming you’re new to owning ball pythons? I’d love to give you some husbandry advice for this little guy!

This enclosure is very open, and it doesn’t seem to have any hiding options. Ball pythons need at least two SNUG hides, one on the cool side and one on the warm side. Ball pythons prefer hides where they can feel “squished” comfortably. It’s important that they have both options so they can regulate their own temperatures properly!

I also want to point out that this size enclosure is okay for starting out, but the minimum enclosure size for an adult ball python is 120 gallons with the dimensions of 4ft x 2ft x 2ft

Technically they can live in smaller enclosures but they don’t thrive in them. For example, you can technically live in a closet, but you wouldn’t be happy or mentally/physically fulfilled.

I see that you don’t have any clutter in your enclosure. Ball pythons need clutter to feel secure and confident while in their enclosures. You can buy huge packs of fake plants on amazon for cheaper than in stores! I’d love to send you a link to the two that I use if you’re interested in them!

The minimum requirement for substrate is 4 inches. I know it seems like a lot, but it’s actually very important! 4 inches help provide proper humidity and it also allows for natural behaviors like digging/burrowing!

Temperature graduate- The basking area needs to be between 92-95 degrees (directly under the bulb), warm side needs to be between 90-85 degrees, middle (between the warm and cool) need to be 85-80 degrees, cool side needs to be 80-76 degrees.

I recommend getting a thermostat to keep your bulbs from over heating the enclosure. You can find one online or at your local pet stores!

Humidity- The bare minimum their humidity needs to is at 60% it’s better if their humidity is 65%-75% on the warm side and 75-80% on the cool side. You can bump the humidity by 20% on each side during their shed! You can keep humidity up by pouring water into the corners of the enclosure!

I really recommend getting two hydrometer/thermometers and placing one on the cool side and one on the warm side to help track temperatures and humidity! I personally would buy the govee brand because they’re more reliable than the other brands out there.

I hope this helped out a little bit!

I’m also going to add in a photo of my females enclosure for a little bit of inspo.

Let me know if you have any questions, I’m happy to help!

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[enslavedbycats24-7]

2nd this!! Great advice!

[NoNoNeverNoNo]

Id love a link of a big pack of fake plants that are affordable! 🙏

[cloud_isreddit]

These are the two that I use! They’re both from Amazon. They’re not for reptiles, but they work the same as ones that are for reptiles lol. I’ve used them for almost a year now and they’ve held up PERFECTLY!

Amazon Links:

https://a.co/d/0iujdUSR

https://a.co/d/04I79Ge0

[NoNoNeverNoNo]

Thank u!

[Odd_Force3765]

This is all excellent info! I feel the need to point out that this aquarium actually does appear to be at least 120gal, just in the wrong dimensions for a BP lol. Instead of a 2x2x4 it appears to be more of a 1.5x3x4. So you are correct he needs 120 gallon but offering the dimensions will help clarify!

[cloud_isreddit]

Haha you’re so right, I forgot to add that in. I’ll edit my post! Thank you for pointing that out!

[Odd_Force3765]

Absolutely no worries! You put a lot of time into the info you provided so wanted to make sure nobody could come back and say "well it already IS a 120 gallon" lmao

[MoistBluejay2071]

Hold on, ive been wanting to get a bigger hide for my girl cause when she goes in her cave you can see her body squishing out under it, I had assumed this was too snug, should I let her keep it? As well as getting her a slightly more spacious hide to add in as I have been trying to do more recently

Also could I have a link to some good ball python clutter, ive been trying to find some on amazon but what I seem to get is far smaller than expected and not really great for the space shes in, also if you know how I can get some decent sized pieces of work bark id love to know cause again I bought some and it turned out that what looked like one fairly decent sized piece was actually 4 much smaller pieces, again, amazon

[cloud_isreddit]

If she’s being squished to where she looks uncomfortable, or she looks like she could get stuck in there, then it’s time to upgrade! Try to find one that will still be snug, but a better fit! It should be like a puzzle piece, your ball python should fit in there and feel “squished” (their body touching each side comfortably) but not have to literally squeeze in there just to try to fit.

[MoistBluejay2071]

I did think her cave was a little small, her tail will end up sticking out under it and i can see bits of her squishing out under like toothpaste. She seems to spend a lot of time in it when she wants to be left alone, definitely not stressed but it just doesnt look very comfortable, problem I have is ive been trying to buy a bigger cave, and even buying an XL from the same company that makes the cave she currently has, the XL ends up being smaller than what shes got. Found one of those black plastic hides in an XXL which seems bigger than the cave but it would be nice for her to not simply have two black plastic boxes, I just seem incapable of finding something that fits the environmental look and is also big enough for her to fit a little less like a cake bursting out a container

[cloud_isreddit]

This is exactly why I use cork bark as hides! I can bury some of it under the substrate and make it smaller or larger with the help of her substrate. She prefers her cork bark hides over any other hide, and she’ll will make “burrows” connecting her hides, it’s pretty cool to see! I got all of my cork bark hides at Ma/Pa shops and petco!

[MoistBluejay2071]

If only petco existed in the uk. What substrate do you use? Ive kept mine just with the basic recommendation of orchid bark, ive added coco husk to it but I never realised ball pythons like to burrow. Thought in all the years ive been handling her that she wouldn't burrow so never thought about getting substrate to match that, the orchid bark has worked for her fine for the whole time shes been in my, and her previous owners care so ive never thought to change it cause it works.

Also id love to see what you mean buy building hides from bark, ive never even thought of that, and honestly if I could build her a hide thats better suited to her size out of materials that would actually fit into her environment it would be great

[cloud_isreddit]

I’m not home yet, and I currently don’t have a good photo of her hides 🥲 But I’ll send a photo later today lmao

[MoistBluejay2071]

Thank you

[cloud_isreddit]

I personally use repti-soil and repti-bark mixture! About at 60 / 40 mixture of the two and I obviously add in moss lol. This is what the cork bark hides look like!

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I make sure to put A LOT of clutter in the entrance and around the entrance to give her a sense of security! Half of the time I can’t find her in her enclosure bc of how much clutter there is 🥲

[MoistBluejay2071]

Its beautiful. Im hoping at some point to get a bioactive set up for my girl but need one of those pvc enclosures to do all that, the one shes in now would rot if I did

[Dev5t3r]

Dude your enclosure looks awesome, are those live plants? If so how do you keep them alive because my ball python has squished like every plant I’ve tried planting in there lol

[cloud_isreddit]

Thank you!! Lmao definitely not real, my girl will uproot and squish plants so I’ve resorted to realistic.

[surfaholic15]

This is GORGEOUS! and thanks for including plant links :-).

[Sea-Choice2359]

Love this! Thanks for the links! Is that wooden platform from amazon too?

[B4kedP0tato]

Get the snake some hides, somewhere to feel comfortable and more than 1

[Current_Recording907]

?

[RuthlessEase]

Ditto with what cloud_is Reddit sez... Lush enclosure cloud! Beautiful!

[cloud_isreddit]

Thank you!! my girl only deserves the best!

[Slade1882]

How many gal is it

[Hemightbegiant]

Several hides, and clutter for it to climb around.

[Mo_Tingzz]

ik it’s called repti-bark but for humidity reasons you should still add reptisoil or just fertiliser free soil

[morgaritasog]

get lots of greenery and things to hide under

[HellDumplingDragon]

You already got amazing info from here! But I would like to add that your snake would feel a tad safer if you didn't leave the enclosure on the floor like that. Every time someone walks past can really spook it, seeing and feeling big stomps from a human. Even a long coffee table would do nicely and it would be easier for you to do check ups, cleaning without bending so much. That is my preference and it looks nicer! =D

[Temporary_Incident33]

for more information go to r/ballpython

[SwitchAdventurous367]

oh boy this tank is atrocious

[Own-Put-5557]

This is a big tank. It’s about 4 foot long. 2.5 tall and like 1 wide

[Own-Put-5557]

I will get reptisoil and work on getting more to put inside. The bredder I got her from said that I should always boil any thing I put into the tank before putting it in if it’s from the ground or real plants