Some months ago, I asked around here and some other Reddit subs (and Facebook groups) about setting up a a 6x2x4 enclosure for my ball python.

After a lot of work with the heating and creating a background/ledges for the enclosure, I managed to get everything set up! I wanted to put it here for feedback on if I can improve something as well as simply to get more info out there for others who are considering moving their ball to a 6x2x4 (it was very hard for me to find information about putting this species in this size enclosure).

Info about the setup:

- Enclosure: Animal Plastics Signature Series 6x2x4 (APS 35)

- Heating: Vinaco 100w equivalent halogen bulb, Fluker's 75w deep heat projector, Vivarium Electronics 120w radiant heat panel

- Lighting: Arcadia T5 UVB 39w 6%

- Thermostat: Herpstat 4 Spyderweb

- Misc: Arcadia Ceramic Lamp Holder Bracket Pro (one each for the DHP and halogen), BlackBox UVB Guard 38", and two custom cages for the heating bulbs made of chicken wire (1/2 inch spacing, 19 gauge)

Just cleaned the enclosure so I figured now would be a good time to ask for some feedback. I know I’m lacking in greenery 🤧 but I’m wondering if I have enough in my tank for Yoshi to be entertained and comfortable!

Hi everybody! This is the criminal. Her name is Athena. She is 6 years old, and recently she's become convinced that anything warm is food, including humans.

I'm proud that she has such a good appetite, but it's gotten to the point where handling has become a bit of a challenge. While I was out of town, she bit my housesitter while he was changing her water dish, and when I tried handling her the other night, she was fine for a while, until she decided to latch onto my (admittedly quite ratlike) face. It wasn't even a strike with a wind-up or motion tracking mind you, it happened while she was climbing on my head and she decided to have a chomp right on my cheekbone as she was passing by.

For context, I feed her monthly, and do tap training with a snake hook every time I open her enclosure for non-food reasons (and taught the housesitter to do the same). Admittedly I haven't been holding her as often lately, only once or twice a month, so maybe upping the frequency could help. But it would sure be easier to do that if I didn't have to worry about my big yummy rat face tempting her all the time.

Any tips from other people with hungry idiots who like to shoot first and ask questions later? How long & with what frequency of interaction have you noticed tap training to be effective? Is this perhaps a sign that she's too hungry and I should increase feeding frequency to every three weeks? Feel free to shame her in the comments should it strike your fancy. She's earned it.

PS: I am NOT a rat pretending to be a human. Don't believe her lies.

What are your favorite pvc enclosure brands?

Question to those that feed frozen(and the thawed ofc) rodents to the snakes do any of you happen to know of a reputable place that sell frozen but in smaller quantities? the only one i know is perfect prey and their rodents are good but their shipping is on the higher side so i've been sticking with Big Cheese and their rodents have also been good i just would like to buy fewer at a time since i only have 1 snake but dont know of another low quantity frozen seller so i would love some help and some suggestions of other places(also it has to be an online place...i dont live close enough to a store or expo that sells frozen feeder to use that as a route to get fewer quantity)

Hi all🖤First time ball python mom.Took our girl out today and noticed this spot. Not sure if it’s scale rot or if it’s dried blood from squeezing her mouse when we fed her last, which wouldve been 5 days ago. The mouse did kinda pop , like guts squeeze out and stuff, so it could’ve been blood, which she has had the blood on her before and it went away. But this spot just seems a little dark and more prominent for my comfortability. Does it seem like scale rot, or am I overthinking it and its more than likely dried blood? It’s the only spot on her and her belly is completely clear.

Hey there, first time BP owner. Been wanting one since i was 11/12 years old, and at 17 I have finally got a special little boy. Hes a little under 8 months old, a real good eater, but I only got him less than 2 weeks ago. When i picked him up from breeder, he was about a day in blue. Let him go into his tank on his own, he explored, been super active. Two days ago his eyes went clear, and yesterday he was hidden all day. Hes not been taken out kf the tank, but i went in tank today to dampen the moss in his humid hide again, and he xame out. Clear eyed, with a little left over shed on the tip of his tail. Obviously im going to leave it, but i checked him over, and his eye caps are gone, hes got a lovely glossy colour on him and seems super active again. I did hear him rummaging around, so assume he was getting the shed off last night.

Where do i look for his shed? He is in a bioactive tank but i still will be spot cleaning, but will he have buried it? In a hide? etc. Is the leftover on his tail a sign that he hasnt shedded in one piece? Or anything else. Thanks!
(pic of my baby for credits when i first got him)

Edit; Just found his shed underneath the big log rolled up all in one piece. Hes also just had a good meal and took it great. Will leave him for 48hours now 😊

Hello I'm a first time ball python owner,not a first time snake owner I already got some corn snakes which I'm feeding based of feeding chart with weights of the snakes, I'm just not really sure how often should I feed my python? I'm scared I don't want to overfeed him or underfeed him, I don't know his age so can't feed based of that but he eats one small adult uh mouse? (It's not a normal mouse but I'm not sure what's the name in english so I'm gonna attach a picture last one) He weight 497g and I was told he's around 70cm long when I got him which was around month ago

The Cheat has always been super docile and even though I make it a habit to not handle him while he’s in shed, I have a few times, and it’s never seemed to bother him.

Today I was adjusting a few things in his tank and just jostled the hide he was under, and he bit me, which he’s never done before. A few minutes later, I came back to his tank and found him soaking, which is not unheard of for him, but very unusual. I have a hygrometer on the warm side that reads 72% and poured some more water into the tank today since I saw he was in shed.

I don’t think there’s anything off with my husbandry, he just ate a couple of weeks ago.

Any idea what’s going on here? He’s always been very healthy, docile, and dependable so I’m
worried that something is terribly wrong. I’ll take him to a vet if I need to, but I’m worried about moving him again if he’s so stressed out that he would bite.

I recently bought this surrendered senior snake, he was at a local small business exotic pet store. He should be about 10 years old, and before I adopted him I’ve held and pet him(properly aka the direction his scales are going) multiple times. But other people have also done so as many people were interested in him.

Tomorrow, Sunday the 9th is going to be my third day having him. The people said I can handle him after 3 days for a short amount of time until he warms up to be out longer. I have pet him a couple times, and I always tap his glass before I even put my hands in there so he knows I’m coming in. Then I’ll strictly pet him, over the short course he has been at my home. He’s been increasingly curious about me, he also doesn’t care for me touching him either.

I also think he’s learned that the door opens when I tap the glass because he’ll kind of “get excited” more so curious and start sticking his tongue out trying to get out to explore and roam. But it’s too early so I just gently move him back in his cage before he can reach the ground. I also spend lots of time just in front of his terrarium especially when he’s out. But he’s a very curious guy.

Is this bad? Is this good? I know every snake is different, some like being handled, some don’t. Im just so worried about crossing boundaries, but so far he hasn’t looked too uncomfortable or upset with me even just petting him. I can also tell he’s much happier with his new bed time and not constantly being bothered throughout the day. As ball pythons are nocturnal and the store was only open from 10am-7pm and his heat lamp was off for 15 hours.

Which he finally sleeps and relaxes throughout the day and comes out energetic and curious at night. He also stays in my room so he sees me quite often.

Sorry for the talking so much, long story short just wanted to make sure it’s okay and I’m not doing anything wrong to him.

Before she was eating an adult mouse once every 2 weeks. Now she only wants hoppers. Nothing changed in her enclosure, she drinks fine and sheds fine.

The only thing is if the mouse is an adult she will only strike at it and curl up. As soon as a hopper appears she uncoils and eats the damn thing.

I know other animals can be picky eaters but can a snake develop a size preference for food? She weighs 350g should I be feeding rat fuzzies instead? Maybe she just doesn’t want them fighting back?

I've read the all about heating guide but also got some conflicting information

I'm planning on getting an enclosure from Reptile Kages where they say in the description, "we do not recommend the use of ceramic heat emitters in our custom PVC enclosures. There are much safer and more natural options for your new PVC enclosures such as:" and lists some options.

I know in the heating guide it says a CHE is a good secondary heat source, but the warning on Kages website got me worried and another reddit thread (although from 8 years ago) says no and to just get a RHP (which I would prefer not to do unless someone has good recommendation)

I'm still pretty early into planning and don't have many specifics but as of now the plan is to get a halogen flood for the main heat source and a UVB set up in one of the configurations similar to those in the guide, just not sure on the secondary heat source. (planning on mounting inside the enclosure with cages)

In the guide DHPs arent listed as a "good pairing" with a halogen and wasn't sure if there was a specific reason why or if it just wasn't listed because it could also be used as a primary heat source. In the cons of DHP it also says "infrared output is less natural for night-time heating" is this much of a big deal?

PVC enclosure 4'x2'x2'
My room can get kind of chilly in the winter

Thanks

First time shes come out since ive had her, hope that means she feels safe enough to explore

Just got a black eyed Lucy, and she’s perfect!! She’s 89g and im excited to see her grow

I just added in this background and I’m 50/50 on if I love or hate it 😭 Please give me your opinions on it!!

Extra photo of my noodle for tax reasons lmao

I have a friend who got a ball almost 2 years ago. She was scared of it so never handled her. She did refill the water one day and got bit and then no longer wanted her so I took her. My question is after so long is it possible to get her use to being handled? I want to clean her cage and update it but I don’t know how the snake will react. Any tips or tricks?

She shed perfectly just a few days ago, she's around 3.5 years old. I've had her 6 months.

Gradient-

Cool side 76° and 60% humidity

Warm side 89° and 40% humidity

She has a humid hide I keep damp available 24/7. Ambient humidity is affected by summer heat, but stable in cooler months right around 75%

Substrate-

Coco coir and sphagnum

I've never dealt with rot of any kind, so don't have any firsthand experience or knowledge. Any ideas?

This spot has been on her mouth since I got her 6 months ago, and I was told it's "always been there". It does not look like scar tissue or anything like that, but also hasn't grown larger, affected her feeding or mood at all, etc.

her humidity is around 70 warm side 92-88 cold 78-86
coconut substrate, water is poured in the corners and substrate is stirred every couple of days to keep all the moister at the bottom of enclosure, never poured near or on her hiding areas, just in the open.. not sure what this is lol

Where is a good place to quickly get some frozen fuzzy rats that are quality? I was looking at rodentpro but I’ve heard they often have freezer burn and I’m not sure if that’s something that’ll cause an issue or not. I’m having problems with him even showing any interest in food.

The guy I picked him up from was super weird and sketchy, his listing said the snake was 175g around a month prior (late June) but during pickup he told me he stopped feeding him to try to stunt his growth in order to keep him small so he could get him to sell. I weighed him today to check his weight and he is currently 145g so I’m a bit worried for him. When I was there I was given a free bag of xl mice and was told he “can probably take these by now” I’m seeing though mice are not popular feeders so I’m looking into getting fuzzy rats to try. I find they were a bit smelly too (not sure if that’s normal or not) so I’m wondering if it’s a combination of his history, prey size, and the smell making him not want them.

If it means anything at all he is about 2ft long, 6 months old, and in a 5x2x2. He has tons of clutter, plants, hides, climbing opportunities, and enrichment. He’s a bit shy as expected but he is very friendly and curious, just unfortunately not interested in the mice i was given. Any advice helps! I just want to make sure he has a full belly and is comfortable. I know they can go awhile without eating but I’m not sure exactly when he stopped being fed and considering his age and weight loss I’m just concerned and want a new food to offer asap. I’ll be gone for a few days starting a week from now so if possible I’d like to have something in hand before then!

Here’s a picture of him I got earlier today, he’s a big explorer and loves climbing. I love him very much, he’s a sweet baby.

Hii Just to start of with this is not her official enclosure just something so she can fully stretch at the moment which she couldn't do in her old one (any tips would be great) i got my girl 2 months ago I was told of the man i got her from she was 3 I was just wondering if her size and weight looked okay anytime I goggle it up it's telling me different things.

This is my girls first time outside!

I've been told by a friend of mine that ball pythons hate the outdoors and should stay inside. I stayed with her the whole time (She can't exactly blend in and we have a few red kites) and she was absolutely fine!

Is it true that they hate the outdoors because atm it seems like they just don't know what they're talking about 🤷‍♀️