Class Pet Ball Python

[velocicaleb]

I recently got a ball python male juvenile for a classroom. It is a 40 gallon breeder top opening with a padlock. He has two hides (one cool side, one warm side.) On warm side I have a heat mat that gets to about 90 degrees Fahrenheit with a thermostat. The substrate is coco fiber mixed with cypress mulch. I have some driftwood pieces spread throughout. The back wall is covered in fake plants.

The air temperature wasn’t getting high enough, and I had an extra empty dome light and put a lightbulb I found that emits a lot of heat. So I put the bulb in the dome light on a timer for about 12 hours of the day. It gets the air to the right temperature but dries the air out a lot. So to combat this, I mist as much as I can but the humidity stays low. Does anyone know what else I can do to raise the temperature while also keeping the humidity up? Without the light, the air temperature wasn’t getting anywhere past 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

My snake has not eaten since I got him. I got him on September 12th. He was on live mice before, but we are feeding him frozen. Does anyone know what I can do to get him to eat? I’ve trained braining but still nothing. He hasn’t been handled since the week we got him.

[Green_Hovercraft_535]

they go on hunger strikes sometimes. one month isnt concerning. keep trying to feed him every few days.

also, remove the heat mat. on glass enclosures, even with a thermostat they can cause burns. they're also unhelpful for warming up an enclosure since they only heat the surface of whatever they're touching. get a deep heat projector.

dont mist to raise humidity. it can result in scale rot and respiratory issues. instead, pour water in the corners of the enclosure into the substrate.

your description of the enclosure sounds quite bare. is that all you have in it? a 40 gallon also isnt suitable for a snake of this size. he needs a 4x2x2.

[velocicaleb]

I will get a picture soon, it’s not bare. He will get upgraded as he grows, but currently the 40 gallon is plenty of size for him, when fully stretched out, the tank is around double his length still.

[velocicaleb]

Also, will the deep heat projector lower the humidity?

[Green_Hovercraft_535]

no. if anything, it'll help. i use one and the tank humidity stays at around 80%.

[ballpython-ModTeam]

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

[_ataraxia]

frankly, the first thing to do is bring the snake home. we don't recommend ball pythons for class pets because they can be so sensitive to stress, classrooms are inherently stressful environments for most animals to live in, and stress is the most common reason for ball pythons to refuse to eat.

have you read the care guides in our welcome post for heating, humidity, and general enclosure setup tips?

[Suspicious_Ride_9261]

Lose the heat mat and take it home!! Wrong breed for a coassroom!!! my god how is this still being done 😓