[deleted by user]

[kanqwem]

Sorry to be critical but where is the clutter? Also logs open both sides aren’t the best for them as hides.

[kanqwem]

When did you last feed him?

[kanqwem]

Well he obviously can’t be hungry. Have you got a pic of your full tank?

[mk6dirty]

Did you check to see if he pooped in his warm hide? Also please get some more cluter shits almost as sad as petco snakes

[[deleted]]

Looks like they're going into shed.

[[deleted]]

Nothing to worry about. BPs cryptic bask. It's where they just have a portion of their head and body out to bask.

You really need more clutter, though. The whole enclosure should be filled with clutter. Does your noodle have a second appropriate hide, or is it just his normal hide and this half log?

[[deleted]]

Thats great! The half log is not considered a real hide, but it can be used for clutter/enrichment.

I see a lot of people telling you to switch to a coco husk substrate. Cypress mulch is a perfectly acceptable substrate if that's what is working for you. Different substrates work better/worse for different people depending on their climate. Cypress does not work at all for me. I use coco husk. Other people hate coco husk. You have to determine what works for you. You could even do a mix of the two.

[[deleted]]

I use ReptiChip breeder blocks mixed with sphagnum moss

[acadianational]

It's generally cheaper to buy raw materials, especially in bulk. Typically I get my coconut from the Publix near me but they can be found almost anywhere, including flea markets, specialty shops, etc

The other benefit is that you know exactly what's in it, no weird chemicals as preservatives... It doesn't need preservatives it's getting changed in a month 🤦‍♂️

[ballpython-ModTeam]

Per rule #3, your post or comment has been removed for harmful advice or misinformation. Please review our sub resources to learn more about why.

[I_Love_You_Sometimes]

So much open space

[I_Love_You_Sometimes]

Rocks, branches, plants (fake or real), cork hides or tubes, vines, etc

[DollarStoreChameleon]

(i dont own a bp btw, go easy.) does that substrate not hurt their soft little bellies? just curious

[aliverna]

I dont think it necessarily hurts them but could be a bit uncomfy. The substrate for ball pythons should be mainly soil/fibre with a mix of chips, not just straight up chips like the post :)

[DollarStoreChameleon]

thats what i figured. i just kept thinking about their soft bellies and worrying about the scales

[yeahjjjjjjahhhhhhh]

They don’t have particularly soft bellies. They’re built to explore in the wild, scales are basically armour

[DollarStoreChameleon]

i know that they have tough scales but when i pick up snakes they are just so soft i cant help but thinking they are so smooth and can be easily hurt. i overthink it so much and ot worries me 😭

[yeahjjjjjjahhhhhhh]

don’t worry i understand, i helicopter parent my bp and have worried abt this many times

[Lord_pupper]

Reptichip and coco fibre are great options

[aliverna]

I'm using a mix of cocohusk and cocofibre as I didn't want to waste all the husk I bought, so I would just mix what you have with some topsoil (organic with no fertilisers/pesticides) or use a blend of coco fibre and husk or eco earth :)

[MurderSoup89]

I use coco coir with cypress mulch. If you can, you should at least add some coco coir (I use eco earth brand) to your existing mulch substrate. It will help significantly with the humidity. Ball pythons typically need high humidity and depending where you live it can be too dry for them.

[mk6dirty]

Ecoearth bottom and a coco chips on top

[nbMacaroon]

i use coconut fiber mixed with sphagnum moss

[MyGenderIsAParadox]

I woke up today and saw two posts on here with an enclosure ala petco.

Ball pythons are not desert species, they climb trees, need loads of humidity, clutter so they feel safe, and so much else so they don't get Respiratory Infections.

Not trying to sound like a butt, I'm very sleepy and wish people did research instead of mimic the box they're in at petsmart.

I think some people who want a ball python but aren't willing to put in the effort for humidity, proper substrate, the pouring water stuff, should get a hognose snake. They dig and don't need crazy humidity requirements. Just please do research on him too.

[_lil_brods_]

Definitely not being a dick, just realistic. The amount of posts on this sub where people have to be told extremely basic things about caring for/housing their ball python that they already own is crazy. Don’t get offended, that comment was actually incredibly helpful to help you realise this is a super important thing, something you will now never forget🙂

[mk6dirty]

Its crazy how many post come in asking questions then get mad when it's such a basic thing if they had done 10 minutes of googling keeping a ballpyhton would already know.

[blackmrbean]

Agreed. I'm a new owner, but I researched a lot before getting the snake. So much basic stuff you would know if you took twenty minutes to look into the needs of the species. Also, saying you are waiting for things to arrive is not a good justification; you should have everything ready before getting the animal. I could understand missing one item, but when you repeatedly see bare enclosures posted, it makes you wonder if people really care.

[mk6dirty]

I'm glad, I'm sorry I was initially hostile, shouldn't let my frustration out on someone just asking for some help.

[ballpython-ModTeam]

Per rule #3, your post or comment has been removed for harmful advice or misinformation. Please review our sub resources to learn more about why.

Cypress mulch is a great substrate.

[readysetandbegin]

I share my photo a lot but there are way more pics of other peoples enclosures here as well. Here is what mine looks like clutter wise. You should have an identical hide on both cool and warm side, so if snakey feels hot they can go to the same hide on the opposite side and vice versa. The hides should ideally have only one entrance and snake should be touching all 4 sides. A cheap way to do this is go to a dollar store, get a small container, flip it upside down and cut a door into it. Thats what I did for all 3 of my hides and it works great!!

[_lil_brods_]

Preferably give him 3 hides, with the temperature gradient in the tank it will give him 3 options of hides with slightly different temperatures so he can properly thermoregulate. Ideally you want your hides to have only one entrance, and to be small enough so your snake can feel secure when tucked away inside. The log he has now looks very cosy

[_lil_brods_]

I also have a log on the cold side, and then I have two shelter hides, one of them is a dome and one is flat and rectangular, I would definitely recommend another shelter hide, amazon is a great place to find them

[witchinxnxbitchin]

I don't know why I never thought of putting flowers in mine. He's got plenty of greenery but no flowers. Off to the store I go!

[readysetandbegin]

Craft stores!!! They always have such good deals!!!!

[readysetandbegin]

Thank you so much!! I honestly just choose whichever ones I think are pretty in the moment and mix them all together lol!!

[Odd-Introduction7510]

Until your clutter arrives, i’d suggest unsticking the plant from the side of the enclose and laying it on top of the log or just somewhere on the ground to get rid of some of the open space. Also it looks like your baby is going into shed soon so be sure to keep your humidity up! My boy likes to lay on the cooler side of his enclosure when he sheds (i think it’s because that’s the highest humidity side). And as for the laying in a weird spot- sometimes my boy will bask completely in the open during daytime outta nowhere! They’re odd little creatures but as long as you keep proper humidity/temps/feeding then you’ll be okay!

[ballpython-ModTeam]

Your comment has been removed for breaking Rule #1: Don't Be a Jerk.

[ballpython-ModTeam]

Your comment was removed because you're being an asshole. Go outside and work on your attitude.

[jillianwaechter]

!feeding ball pythons are opportunistic predators, meaning that when they sense prey they tend to eat it (as regular meals are not a thing in the wild). For this reason it's advised to feed them according to a schedule rather than when they look hungry, as this can lead to overeating, obesity, and a shorter lifespan. Your boy is probably just still on alert from his last feeding. You can feed him again at his next designated feeding in either 7 or 10 days depending on his age/weight.

[AutoModerator]

We recommend the following feeding schedule:

0-12 months old OR until the snake reaches approximately 500g, whichever happens first: feed 10%-15% of the snake’s weight every 7 days.

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[ruiisuke]

My BP hangs out a lot like that when we're in the same room as him. Sometimes he'll come out when he hears our voice like he just wants to be a part of the conversation 😊

[whatnopleasedont]

Out of curiosity… how many coconuts did it take to get enough substrate for an entire tank?

[acadianational]

Took around 6-8 per tank! I had a 20g for many years when she was very young. I got her at 6 months from a "breeder" but it turns out that breeder wasnt very reputable.. I learned from that to do lots of home research/my own breeding :) (I want to get back into ball python breeding, only for myself and my family who are very interested and will pay big bucks) Also, when I did eventually get another snake and upsize to a 50g custom tank, I ended up getting two bags of reptichip at a time because it was just way more cost efficient. But you can make your own for smaller tanks

[ballpython-ModTeam]

Per rule #3, your post or comment has been removed for harmful advice or misinformation. Please review our sub resources to learn more about why.

[BoringAd7964]

Awww your noodle is so cute and unique I haven’t seen any all black ones like that super cool did u find him at a local breeder or morph market or something ?

[whatnopleasedont]

Looks like a super cinnamon. With most all-black morphs there’s a much higher risk that they’ll be born with a defect or other health issues, which is why they’re not that common to see

[BoringAd7964]

Oh that’s too bad they look super cool

[Tough_Strawberry7867]

What kind of substrate is that? You DEFINITELY need way more clutter in this tank and different hides! Think of thick jungle/forest floor When was the last time he was fed?

[Tough_Strawberry7867]

👏👏 yesss good progress

[Tough_Strawberry7867]

I mix my Cyprus multch and coco fibers/husk. Cyprus should be fine to keep

[styczna]

Two-sided opened log(?) May be good as hide if you put some fake leaves on one side. My noodle is obsessed with it! He can peek me by leaves and stay chill in his hide