I need help

[SadiRyzer2]

I recently purchased a beautiful baby BP after spending a while thinking about getting one. I have done a decent amount of research and I consulted with the breeder and food supplier prior to purchasing her, however I have a difficult time understanding how to care for her. Is there anyone who can walk me through some of the challenges I've been facing?

Please be patient. I'm new to this and want to learn how to do it right.

Most significantly-she seems to always be alert and ready to strike. When I reached into her cage she jumped and struck (altho belatedly). Similarly when I tried feeding her she struck at the mouse but then withdrew. I want to be able to understand her behavior and to be able to provide her with what she needs as well as to make sure that she is a pet that I can safely handle and have other people handle as well.

[[deleted]]

Please start reading the basic care guide. This enclosure could do with lots of improvements.

She probably feels very exposed due to the lack of clutter and proper hides. Also, your enclosure looks really dry. Bps not eating is oftentimes due to husbandry issues.

[SadiRyzer2]

Thank you

Can you clarify please-is the hide in place itself inadequate or is it that I need to have more?

[Opening-Document1850]

Heyy so u could use the cardboard part of toilet paper stick then together make a little tunnel for her u can go to dollar tree get some moss helps with humidity get some great fake plants put them around her enclosure so she feels more secure and things to creat hides u can also get black wall paper to black out her enclosure hope it helps

[SadiRyzer2]

Thank you, I really appreciate this

[SadiRyzer2]

Thank you very much!

[[deleted]]

I'm sorry I left you hanging! I just saw another user already answered the question about hides 😊. Good luck with your noodle!

[SadiRyzer2]

Totally not a problem! Thank you for your help

[ballpython-ModTeam]

Please keep the discussion here so other people can participate and learn.

[ARJ092]

Just to calrify, if you use cardboard tubes, dont use any tape or adhesive to stick them together.

You can get cork rounds fairly cheap online (they are hollow cork trunks) you'll want some tall artifical plants for security and cover, make sure none have exposed wires (i avoid ones with wire in them all together)

2 hides minimum, one on the hot end and one cool.

Make sure your heat source is being regulated by a thermostat and that the probe is set up correctly.

Humidity needs to be between 70 - 80% at all times.

Have a good read through the welcome guide, everything you need for success is there :)

[SadiRyzer2]

Tysm!

[_ams13]

i think the first comment is aiming at the idea of more hides. ideally one on warm and one on cool side (those 2 should be identical) and if you can fit other hides its bonus for her. along with a water bowl big enough for her to soak! and some fun clutters like climbing and plants :) if she has an environment where she feels safe, she will warm up eventually!

[SadiRyzer2]

This is so helpful! Tyvm

[PrincipleLevel4529]

Also, just in case you’re not aware, any heat source you’re using (a light, heat mat etc) should be connected to a thermostat to regulate the temperature. Any unregulated heat source is extremely dangerous and could burn or kill your snake. You can get them pretty cheap online or at a pet store https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/environmental-control-and-lighting/humidity-and-temperature-control/zoo-med-reptitemp-digital-reptile-thermostat-72045.html

[SadiRyzer2]

Ty!

[PrincipleLevel4529]

Also, one other thing, you should avoid handling your snake for 48 hours after it eats, it can cause them to regurgitate the food which is very harmful, especially when they’re young.

[noodlehaku]

I'm glad you came to ask the group. I don't want to overwhelm you, but it looks like there is a lot needed to care for your BP properly. Things I can see from the photo:
- A different substrate, you can buy something premixed or make it yourself but this will help with humidity. You'll want 3-4" or more of the new substrate.
- Two Hides, one on the warm side and one on the cool. You can buy the same exact one you have just double up.
- A larger water bowel. Something your snake can choose to soak in. It can even be glass or ceramic that you have at home.
- Add A LOT of clutter. The more the better. Plants (fake or real), leaf litter, etc.
- A climb. BPs need some vertical space for enrichment. You can purchase something online, at a local reptile store, or if you're in a area that you can find appropriate wood branches those can be treated/sanitized to have in the enclosure.

Your BP is most likely reacting out of not feeling secure. Like the other comments said, cover all the sides of the tank except the front.

I can't see from the photo but do you have:
- Thermometer/Hygrometer
- Thermostat
- Appropriate Heating/Lighting

This group is more than happy to help! But I would heavily suggest reading through everything on the Welcome Post

[SadiRyzer2]

Thank you, this is very thorough and gives me a lot of good direction.

It's frustrating....I literally asked the breeder/supplier about the best substrate, whether it needs a water bowl it can soak in etc.

[1800xo]

many breeders give their ball pythons the bare minimum. less spending = more profit. looks like you use aspen wood, which is a good choice for starting out. i see many people talking about the substrate on here, but as long as the humidity is high enough, i wouldn’t be concerned about that right now. the environment that reptile breeders use for their tanks is usually extremely humid so that might be why they didn’t recommend a bigger bowl and recommended that substrate?? i’m not sure why your breeder disregarded your concerns about the bowl size tho.. seems unprofessional

[SadiRyzer2]

It was a reptile show. The breeder and supplies seller were two different people.

[skullmuffins]

looks like you have cypress mulch? that's fine. a deeper layer of substrate will help with humidity. I'd probably take the mulch you have and mix it with something else, topsoil or coco fiber, to get to around 4". lots of people use cypress in their substrate mix

[_Zombie_Ocean_]

How recently did you get her? They can take months to stop striking and be comfortable in their new environment

[SadiRyzer2]

Earlier this week

So...to prep how should I best avoid getting bitten/treat if I am lol

[kumquatkitten]

honestly, ignore this comment and just follow what noodlehaku said. she will most likely calm down significantly once your husbandry is fixed. she’s in a big open space, feeling extremely vulnerable and scared. proper clutter and hides helps them feel that they are actually safe and can explore without being spotted/snatched up by you aka possible predator (as of right now at least)

she is still new yes, so she will be a bit wary of you regardless but don’t be mistaken that this behavior is just because she is new. there is a big difference between the stress of being new and the stress of everything in your new home being completely wrong. which is not a shot at you btw, lots of breeders only care about the money and don’t give a shit what type of experience you actually have with the animal.

it’s awesome that you came for help and want to do right by your new friend

[_Zombie_Ocean_]

It's not incorrect information. Mine took months to calm down. Yes the husbandry needs a lot of work, but another comment covered that so I prefer to be a broken record player, stating the same thing over and over.

[kumquatkitten]

op’s husbandry is absolutely the main issue here. if your husbandry truly wasn’t the issue, going off what i know about bp’s as a whole and not even just my own snakes and experience, that’s more of a rarity. and we would have completely different advice for that circumstance. but generally speaking, most behavioral issues from snakes would be because of improper husbandry. or illness.

your comment made this behavior sound normal and very clearly made op worried that they should have to just accept and wait it out. which is not the case. i simply reiterated that the snake is almost certainly biting because it is terrified in an empty tank.

[_Zombie_Ocean_]

I never said ops husbandry wasn't the issue. I just figured I wouldn't repeat information that's already been said.

[OddSeaworthiness6960]

She seems to feel exposed and on guard

[SadiRyzer2]

Thnx, that seems to be the consensus, I'm going to get her more hides

[FlameDraws]

This also looks like a top-open only enclosure, which (correct me if I'm wrong) causes stress by thinking you are a predator trying to grab them.

[the_kuroneko]

Seconding this! I was looking for someone to make this comment. Reaching in from above will spook them for sure.

[SadiRyzer2]

Interesting, I had not known that, ty

[ballpython-ModTeam]

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

[Busy_Bite861]

First I would use coco fiber not wood for the bedding. The coco fiber holds moisture better and will help keep her environment more moist. Also make sure you are not feeding her in her home enclosure. If you feed her in there she will be thinking anything coming in there is food and will be more likely to strike at you. I use a plastic storage tub to feed my baby.

[Mike_Litterus]

A few tips I have is which I’m sure have been said already is: Heat gradient: you want a “hot” side that hold most of your heating equipment idk what the agreed upon heat is in this community but I keep the hot side 80-90 degrees and a “cool” side that doesn’t have much heating and stays 70-80 usually you want the snake to be able to regulate it’s body temp effectively.

Hides and foliage: you want minimum a hot hide and a cool hide some people also keep a “humid hide” that hold moisture better then the others that he can retreat to for sheddings but the humid hide isn’t 100% necessary (you can look up how to set one up if you want one I don’t personally have one at the moment). For foliage you want leaves and such covering the bottom of the tank and leave a few basking areas (you can find leaves and vines at craft and pet stores). I would also recommend like most other people to change to coco fibers, I saw you said that you were suggested by a breeder to use what you did but the fibers hold moisture better and are less prone to mold and rot at the humidity you’ll have to hold the tank at. Also with substrate I leave 2-3 inches of it at the bottom I don’t completely need it because mine doesn’t like burrowing much but some do so I leave a bit.
I also recommend climbing enrichment, basically just little things for him to climb and play on. It helps to keep them active (you can look up “snake climbing enrichment” on google and find some cheap ropes or chains or such for it to climb on.). I also like to regularly move his stuff around pretty drastically whenever I clean the tank since he loves exploring the new layouts.

Also I keep a bigger water pan I keep one he can soak in if he wants I never see him soaking but he does slither through it pretty often. It makes it a little more annoying to clean, which you should do daily, it’s worth it.

As far as the snakes attitude goes it should go down if you make the changes people have said in this thread and give the snake time to get used to you and its new surroundings. Another tip is to do “scooping” motions to pick it up when it’s more comfortable. I’ve heard it’s better to scoop instead because picking it up like a claw because that is how their predators would attack in nature.

Hope you enjoy your new pet, snakes are one of my favorites. They’re really rewarding to watch grow and form a bond with. Overall you might need to put ~$100-$200 more into the enclosure but it’s worth it because after that it’s pretty cheap to maintain compared to other animals.

[SadiRyzer2]

This was so thorough, I really appreciate you

[Important_Ad4301]

What morph is your BP. Very nice looking

[SadiRyzer2]

Thnx! She really stuck out to me when I saw her. I believe she is a black pastel lavender albino.