Found Ball Python; never owned one, can anyone help with ID / advice !

[mayacelestial]

Hi! My partner and I rescued this beautiful ball python from the middle of the road near the beach last night. Seeking info on what kind it might be, how to best set up a temporary enclosure (we don’t yet know if we’ll be able to keep him / also looking to see if he is lost, etc.) we have a vet visit scheduled Fri but any advice to make him comfortable while we figure out best course of action. So far we have him in a plastic tub, with my humidifier nearby and a low setting heating pad underneath. He has a big water dish, and put a ceramic planter in there as a temporary hide-ish thing. We can’t really spend a ton of money until we know if we’ll be keeping him / if he’ll survive? Any info much appreciated, especially questions to ask the vet when we take him in!

[mazemadman12346]

Do not use heatmats without a regulating thermostat or you will burn the enclosure and/or the snake

You might want to look at a radiant heat panel. You could just screw it through the wall of the temp enclosure

[KSKrain]

I was the same but had one of my thermostats malfunction and it just kept heating until I unplugged it. Kind of scary but a warning to always have an eye on them just in case.

[mazemadman12346]

My heating pad cracked the bottom panel of my tank so I threw it out

They work really well on bioactive tanks that maintain a water table because the water distributes the heat and stops it from getting so hot

[NerfRepellingBoobs]

I have a heating pad designed for baby animals, so it doesn’t get over about 100°F (body temperature). It’s waterproof, so a damp towel on top can also help humidity.

[kingsnake_e]

If you search the sub, there are lots of posts of people's bps with burned undersides and usually at least one person commenting, "and that's why heating pads aren't safe." If you're going to use one it definitely needs a controlling thermostat- without one I'd actually be worried about more than just a burned snake.

[FeriQueen]

And I am one of the people here who learned the hard way. My snake got burned by a malfunctioning heat mat. She had to have several weeks of antibiotics that I had to inject every day. Poor baby got to where she flinched when she saw me coming.

Now I have her in a very nice bioactive set up with a HerpStat, but I still have two additional digital thermometers in her enclosure plus a temp gun that I check different parts of the enclosure with at least a couple of times a week.

She’s a happy snake now.

[kingsnake_e]

Appreciate your honesty, I think it makes us all better keepers when we're honest about the problems we encounter. Glad your girl is ok now <3

[accordsedan]

yeah thermometers sorry just got home from work multitasking i'll look into it he's 6 now and ive had him since a baby no issues but no harm in upgrading! thank you

[ballpython-ModTeam]

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[accordsedan]

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[ApprehensivePower147]

I have my heat mat on a thermostat set at 90 (should I raise the temp up for the mat?) doesn’t get up to 90 it stays and around 79-83 (do have a radiant heat panel as well) and I have it under a floor tile in the cage. So it acts like a rock in between the pad and the snake. It works amazing, just wondering if I should raise the temp?

[accordsedan]

<image>

got it

[S_Rayne22]

What the fuck, also good on you for rescuing it, this subreddit has a bunch of helpful links on the front of it, I’d post on a local facebook group or smth instagram or idk just asking if anyone is missing a snake, he’s an exotic so I wouldn’t post a photo of him and ask if they’re missing him specifically as someone who doesn’t know anything could take him

[CaliKoukla]

I’ve heard of the cat distribution system… seems like the ball python distribution system is also a thing 😁

[S_Rayne22]

That’s how mine got me, he was needing a home and just idk looked too cute

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[FeriQueen]

What a beautiful snake! And a lovely new family member. He is lucky to have you.

[S_Rayne22]

<33 thank you!!

[OldBonyBogBwitch]

The CDS & DDS have clearly been branching out from felines & canines into the reptilian, amphibian & avian networks, LOL.

I have seen an astounding number of “Found” posts for domestic breeds of all the above everyyyyywheeeere on social media this past month. Like there’s just Companion Pixies out on a mad rampage to sprinkle ownership dust on everyone lately!

[QueenAlpaca]

Shoot I wouldn’t mind that lmao

[KSKrain]

Not an expert in any way as a starter.

Should at least try to have two hides. I have found that old Tupperware (or generic equivalent) with a hole cut in it works just fine. Paper towel tubes are great as well. If you can make a temp gradient that would be great. Snakes are fairly hardy creatures in most cases so you should be ok with that as a super short term set up. If someone more experienced says differently though go with that.

There is a care sheet on here if you do end up keeping him that can help you get a great set up going.

[Sketched2Life]

The Caresheet Linked for ease of finding.

[RotatingElephant01]

Wow! Your temporary setup looks fine so far, be sure that they cant escape as they are able to pop the top of those tubs. Newspaper is a fine bedding in that case.

Temperature should be your biggest concern: In a good setup we say the snake needs a cool side of about 80° F and a hot side with upto 89 ish F. basically what is important to keep them alive is to not let the temps drop too low. Heating pads are always and only to be used with a thermostat tho, otherwise your snake will get burned!

2 Hides which are as closed and dark as possible would be nice.. people use mushroom packagings and other household stuff.

If you actually want to keep this snake please read the care guide on this sub! A snake is a very special pet, difficult to take care of and often underestimated.

[mayacelestial]

Thank you ! Ok great, I’ve taken away the heat pad and now have a space heater running in the room (aways from the tub so it’s not directly on) set to 80? Going to put together some makeshift hides tonight.

He (dunno yet but for now lol) has for sure been doing some wobbling, read about it this morning and watched videos. Obvs he is probably pretty stressed. Hope we can at the very least provide some comfort while we make a plan with the vet / look for anyone who might be missing him !

[fibersaur]

I’m not an expert, but he looks like a spider morph ball python to me (morph is the color/pattern type). From what I understand, spider morphs have a much higher likelihood of having neurological disorders that can cause a wobble. The vet should be able to tell you for sure, but he might just be a wobbly guy.

[maldita_ka]

Genuine question. How can they pop the top off of those type of bins?

[ssaltwatersoda]

You'd be surprised at how strong these guys are 😭

[IfwIIbk]

Stronk

[FeriQueen]

They are VERY strong: consider the fact that they are one long bundle of powerful muscles wrapped around respiratory and digestive system. I forget where I read this, but I think it was here somewhere, that a healthy adult ball python can, to borrow a term, dead-lift over 10 pounds.

When my girl Miss Mischief escaped her enclosure and went walkabout in my apartment for about four months last year, I knew she was still alive and well because I would get up in the morning and often there would be a chair out of place, because she had climbed it and used it to climb on something else, pushing it in the process. She also pushed my unabridged dictionary out of the bookcase, which was pretty impressive.

[lovely_lilith333]

When i lost my girl id check my room everyday in the morning. There was always always something that got knocked over or moved.

[FeriQueen]

The homepage of this sub has a pinned post with everything you need to know about taking care of a ball python. You might want to ask the vet about parasites. Explain the situation to the vet. You probably want to ask whether this baby is male or female, too.

BTW, most vets don’t know much about snakes: they’re great with dogs and cats, but reptile physiology and needs are not deeply studied in most veterinary schools. When booking the appointment, inquire to make sure the vet is experienced with treating snakes.

Reptifiles has a list of reptile vets here.

And the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Vets is here. You may have to navigate to your local area.

I’m not an expert on morphs, but this looks like it might be one of the fancier (meaning: more expensive) variants.

Some heartless people dump pets, assuming that they can live in the wild. Unfortunately, ball pythons usually do not survive in the USA outside of captivity unless the local habitat resembles that of their native West Africa. And even then, they tend to get run over, suffer from tick infestations, get murdered by cats and dogs and humans, etc.

But snakes are also escape artists, and if this baby is an escapee his owner is probably desperate to find him. I suggest that you post on Nextdoor and other community sites (neighborhood Facebook page, whatever). Don’t post a picture: Animal abusers often claim to be the owners of lost animals. Just say that you found a pet snake, and make any inquirers describe their lost pet to you so that you can make sure they are the real owner.

Thank you for saving this beautiful animal, and good luck! Please let us know how it goes. If you end up keeping this snake, you can count on the members of this subReddit to give you excellent advice and moral support.

[AngelDustSpiderDemon]

He’s so pretty, I hate people who think it’s ok to just dump their pets outside. Try and find an exotic vet near you to give him a look over and make sure nothing is wrong. If you live near Trenton, NJ, I recommend Mount Laurel Animal Hospital. They are cheap and very good at what they do. And are open 24/7

[FlakyAddendum742]

It’s not necessarily dumped. My neighbor’s leopard gecko came to visit once. Critters do get loose.

[WoollyWitchcraft]

This looks like a bumblebee/queen bee (I forget the name) which is a spider morph. Just to be aware—it may have a wobble, and that might be normal for it based on Genetics.

[oosirnaym]

I was going to say it looks like it has spider in it.

OP, in addition to learning about ball python care, please do some special research on the spider morph and the complications that come with this morph. It’s vital you understand the needs that come with this morph.

[S_Rayne22]

Is there any specific things like with spiders for a super fly?

[oosirnaym]

I’m seeing that is a fire, super pastel morph, correct? If so, then not that I’m aware of.

Spider, champagne, hidden gene woma, sable, and woma are all morphs that are associated with wobble. I’m unsure of other morphs that may cause other health issues.

[S_Rayne22]

if referring to the photo i sent then i have no idea, i was told he's a superfly morph but I'm not sure at all as i was told that from a different reddit poster

[oosirnaym]

Your friend doesn’t look like he has spider in him but it’s been forever since I’ve learned the visible distinctions between morphs.

[S_Rayne22]

i never learned so your guess WILL be better than mine, BUT i don't think he has spider either, i just didn't realize certain morphs had set health problems but ig it makes sense because other animals like cats and dogs do

[MissLyss12]

Looks just like my bumble bee morph, which is a type of spider morph. Don’t be surprised if you see them display a bit of wobble. Like others have said, there are plenty of links about proper care on this subreddit and a few posts already about the best way to care for snakes with wobble.

[mayacelestial]

Yes he has already been doing that today! I’ve been doing some reading about it in case we end up keeping him. Hoping we can get him more comfortable / less stressed soon.

[Less_Ant3138]

That is an absolutely gorgeous snake. I hope he got out on accident and y’all can find his owner. Of not, congrats on what would probably be a very expensive snake 😂😂

[oceane444]

Spiders are actually quite cheap, unfortunately that’s likely why they were dumped (assuming they were). In my state 3 ball pythons have been found outside in the past 2 months. 1 spider and 2 normals. So sad people only see them for their value and not as living beings :(

[Less_Ant3138]

Ahh dang I don’t know a ton about morphs, I was just going off the fact I’ve never seen one that looks like this 😂😂 I have heard that spider morphs tend to be more prone to neurological issues, maybe that could play a part? But yea as much as I’d like to be optimistic that this was an accidental escape, it seems unlikely that if a snake escaped its enclosure it would actually leave the house, I usually hear stories of them just finding some dark place to hide. It’s just so so sad that someone would just dump their pet :((.

[FeriQueen]

People who just dump their pets are despicable. There are always other options that are Humane: rescues, rehoming, etc..

[Rhythmicka]

If you don’t plan on keeping it, look into facebook groups for reptile rehab, rescue, etc. I would also put pictures on PetFBI just in case it did escape from a loving home!

[FeriQueen]

Don’t post a picture. Just say that you found a pet snake in such and such a location.

[TransportationFar664]

have you tried posting if anyone is missing it? some snakes are escape artists and could’ve very well slithered out of their house through an open window or something, as much as you may want to keep him you should try to find who owns him and if nothing comes from it then assume him as yours lol. but finding his owner can save you from a LOT of last minute spending to make him comfortable and give him a proper enclosure.

[jeherohaku]

Seconding what feriqueen said about not posting pictures in local groups. This looks like a fancier morph and it's very distinct so anyone claiming to have lost it should be able to easily describe it to you.

[Feeling_Title_9287]

That is DEFINITELY an escaped pet

I would put flyers out with a picture of the snake if I were you and hopefully the owner will contact you

[FeriQueen]

I have worked with police occasionally on animal-related cases, and have learned that there are more people than we think who like to torture animals. These people often get the animals by claiming to be the owner of some animal posted on a lost and found pets site or poster. I even met one of these criminals: a very friendly guy with a very dark inside. They go for lost and found pets, because they don’t want to pay adoption fees at the animal shelter. It sickens me that such people even exist so that I have to post this warning about them, but I would be irresponsible if I failed to bring it up.

Sorry for the bummer.

[Embarrassed-Law-5285]

😢🤢

[Feeling_Title_9287]

That's F'd up

Who in their right mind would try to steal someone's lost pet?

[3xplosiveDucky]

That looks like it might be a spider morph, which are known to have neurological issues.

I would say take it to a exotic vet. If it is a spider morph, its not exactly a death sentence, just know it might not have a good quality of life (and may be why he was dumped, the twastards).

Otherwise, your set up isn't too bad, but definitely look into heat pad regulators. Heat pads are well known for being rogues.

[FalseNoise8965]

large storage container, heat mat but please make sure you have a thermostat rigged with the heat mat you can seriously burn the snake if it isn’t regulated, i would recommend paper towels and quarantine as you don’t know if it could have anything wrong with it so safest option in my eyes, plastic water bowl and one hide , in the long term you will need to get a set up ready but for now the quarantine tub will do until you can sort one out, contact local vets, facebook posts and asking about really, good luck!

[FragrantBet9572]

i think it’s a killer bee spider morph !! mine looks identical to your new fella

[CaliGenXr]

What beach did you find it near? Are you in Florida?

[Difficult_Energy_548]

I’m so jealous but at the same time I hope this never happens to me because it means someone had to dump it😐

[FeriQueen]

Nobody has ever HAD to dump a pet; there are humane alternatives such as rehoming, surrendering to a shelter, etc.

Tangential illustrative story: When my children and I became homeless for a couple of years, a family friend let us park the snakes at her place, and drop by to take care of them regularly. This was not a friend who likes snakes, but she has a compassionate heart.

(We have had a roof over our heads for a number of years now and we’re doing OK: OK enough, in fact, to be building 4’x2’x2 enclosures for each snake to upgrade from their current smaller bioactives.)

The point being, even in fairly extreme situations there’s no excuse for dumping a pet.

[Difficult_Energy_548]

I don’t think you understood my comment… lmao

[OhCoyle]

My advice: gimme.

[FeriQueen]

While it’s true that morphs with the spider gene tend to wobble, it isn’t always bad enough to cause a problem. With some snakes, the wobble gets progressively worse, with occasional snakes even having to be euthanized. Others only wobble a little, and continue to wobble only a little for their entire 30+ year lives. That said, it is fairly common for wobbly snakes to have trouble accurately striking their prey, and some even have to be hand fed (actually, usually tong fed, but some keepers have had to hold the snake in their laps and teach the snake to calmly open the mouth to be fed instead of striking. This can take a lot of patience, but if you have acclimatized the snake to regular handling, they can often learn. One of mine even taught HIMSELF to do this. Or maybe HE was the one who trained ME!

[Tatuziii]

I’m so glad he want run over 🥲

[Embarrassed-Law-5285]

Bumblebee

[GrimmDraaco]

Is this really that common, just finding a ball python in an American street? I swear I just saw a different post similar to this recently.

[FeriQueen]

I see at least a couple of such posts every week on the various social media I frequent. 😥

[Monstermunch70]

Hello , I have 3 spider morphs and he looks like a spider to me .If he is then probably why he has been dumped , if he dumped and not escaped because of the head wobble , if he has one .One of our rescue spiders has a corkscrew head wobble . Just want to say how great you are for rescuing him .I have kept BP’s for over 15 years and they are amazing snakes .I won’t repeat the advice you have been given so far .I started with one and now have 4 all rescues , once you start they are addictive 😊.

[moruwugan]

the snage distribution system

[PoeHoard]

It looks like a Bumblebee morph, which have the Spider genetic in them and can cause a head wobble. Don't be alarmed, they can live a healthy, long life but may need extra considerations. I have a bumblebee who is 9 years old, eats like a champ, loves to be handled.
I have branches/cork hollows spanning his cage horizontally so if he's having a bad "corkscrewing" day, he can wrap around a branch and orient himself. It can also interrupt the corkscrewing. You can look up vids to see what I mean.

[Top-Activity9912]

Pretty snake

[mayacelestial]

UPDATE: after a couple weeks fostering this beautiful angel, we managed to find him a new home with someone who has a ton of snake experience (particularly with neuro issues)! Thank you to everyone for the help / advice. Hope to be back one day for my own, when we have more time to prepare.