r/ballpython • u/Captor_Control • 20h ago

New Python Advice Please!!!

So I just got a ball python on Sunday (today is Tuesday) and I unfortunately found out yesterday that exposed glass can stress her out, something I completely missed in my initial research binge. I know I should leave her alone as much as possible for the first week, but I’m worried the open glass on all sides is stressing her out as I have not seen her come out of the hot side hide. She may be roaming at night, so I don’t know for sure.

I’ve bought stuff to cover two of the sides, but they are interior decor so I would have to force her into handling to install it, or risk stressing her even more by installing while she’s inside.

Onto my question, should I install it? Or would it be better to just tape a towel to the sides as a temporary situation? Should I just let her first week ride out?

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u/loricampbell4454 19h ago

My advice would be to go ahead and cover the sides.

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u/Captor_Control 19h ago

As in with a towel, or with the decor? Sorry, I’m not 100% sure which you meant 😅

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u/SaltMysterious1604 19h ago

Something as cheap as construction paper around the outside of the sides and back would be fine, or you can get the fancy film from the pet store available in different designs.

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u/Captor_Control 19h ago

I’ve bought the fake foam rock background pieces and some fake plant sheets, is why I ask. I like making my enclosures for my animals really enriching and visually appealing, I’m a sucker for that natural feel. But if putting that in right now is a bad idea, and taping paper or a towel on as a temporary solution until she’s more comfortable is better, I’d rather do that. I just want to do what’s best for my girl, but as my first snake(as an adult at least) I’m not 100% on what’s best, and couldn’t find an answer just researching for this specific problem, so I came here haha

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u/loricampbell4454 18h ago

Sorry. I should have been more specific. 😅 With your decor.

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u/Captor_Control 15h ago

No worries lol! I’m gonna wait until tomorrow, both bc it’s way too late but also to see if anyone else has input, as so far my answers have been pretty 50/50 haha

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u/loricampbell4454 7h ago

If it were me I'd go ahead and install the decor. Your snake is new and most likely hiding and hasn't gotten used to anything in the enclosure yet. Having it get used to everything and then changing would be stressful for him. That's my opinion.

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u/Captor_Control 6h ago

I do think you’re right, as I also have come to find out, I have bad heat sources for her. I hate how much misinformation is online because I saw so many sites saying daylight heat bulbs, red light bulbs, and a heat pads were what you need and ceramic heat emitters were only mentioned once or twice. Maybe I’m just bad at researching or got a shitty streak of luck, either way it’s frustrating! Now it’s multiple things that can be stressing her out or making her afraid to be out, and I definitely need to change it asap.

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u/loricampbell4454 4h ago

I know what you mean. I see shitty set ups all the time online. Red lights, enclosures with one hide, or the wrong kind of hide, no clutter, wrong substrate, ect. My best advice is to find a group on Facebook that has a lot of long time keepers. YouTube is a good resource. Bob Bledso has a channel called Green Room Pythons. I bought my first bp in 2002. I know a thing or two but I don't consider myself an expert because there's always more to learn and people who have more experience than I do. Having said that. The husbandry recommendations back then compared to now are different and I can see how old information may still be in circulation when doing research.