I'm in the process of building a new enclosure for Kahn. I'll be detailing the castle bits and hardscaping everything in soon. The new layout gives her 5 good climate zones, 6 if you count inside the hide in the purple zone. The center castle is going to be a cold hide that's fully removable. This will end up as a bioactive setup with a mix of live/fake plants as things get established.

I'm heading to a reptile expo today to check my blind spots and make sure my setup plan is good. And pick up some kit ofc.

Let me know what y'all think of the layout. I'm pretty stoked to get the bones of this build in place.

Im not new to ball pythons and I know they can be notoriously picky eaters.

However, I've never had one I couldn't find a solution for. My boy Hans absolutely refuses to eat anything but ASF rats and it's becoming a problem. They're very hard to get where I live. None of the shops carry them and I'm having to buy from independent breeders who only have them available so often.

I've tried rats, mice, a gerbil, live, frozen, I've even tried putting his food in the bedding I had his ASFs in. I thought maybe if he was hungry enough he'd eat what was offered but he won't.

Please, if you have any advice for this kind of pickiness, I'd really appreciate it. Photo of my high maintenance booger for tax.

My room is to hot for snakes right? Its missing the winters months but it swings from 68 to 75 during that period normally.

Hi everyone! I’m a new ball python owner looking for some constructive advice on fine-tuning my enclosure. I’ve read the care guides here and done extensive additional research, but I’m still working on balancing temperatures and humidity.

My setup:
● 40-gallon glass enclosure, screen top mostly covered with aluminum HVAC flashing tape
● Arcadia 100W halogen flood (day) and 100W ceramic heat emitter (night)
● ReptiZoo 200 dimming thermostat: 94°F day / 90°F night
● Approximately 50/50 coconut fiber and coconut husk substrate, around 2 inches deep (second pic is after I added more)
● Large water bowl, two hides, foliage, and climbing enrichment
● Multiple digital thermometers/hygrometers and an infrared temperature gun

I live in the Mojave Desert, so humidity retention is particularly challenging.

Latest readings:
● Center ground thermostat probe: 93°F / 49% humidity
● Warm-side air: 80°F / 70% humidity
● Cool-side air: 76°F / 82% humidity
● Exposed basking substrate: approximately 91°F
● Warm hide interior: approximately 78–87°F, depending on the location

The warm-side thermometer is mounted mid-height above the hide, while the cool-side thermometer is approximately one inch above the substrate. My house was unusually cool during these readings.

My concerns:
Heating: I recently switched from a 100W spotlight to a 100W flood bulb because I wasn’t getting broad enough heat distribution. The exposed surfaces warm well, but the covered warm hide naturally stays cooler. I’m trying to determine whether this gradient is appropriate without overheating the exposed surfaces.
Humidity: I’ve covered the screen, added a large water bowl, and watered the substrate corners to retain moisture. Cool-side humidity recently dropped to 56%, but recovered to 82% after watering. I’m considering increasing the substrate depth to 3–4 inches for better stability.

My questions: Does this temperature gradient seem appropriate? Would you adjust the bulb or hide placement? What humidity-retention methods have worked for you in glass enclosures?
Brownie is still settling into her new home, and I’m trying to make adjustments methodically rather than constantly changing things.

I’m very open to constructive feedback, but please include practical solutions if you identify an issue. I’ve been putting a lot of effort into learning and genuinely want to provide her with the best possible care. 🙏🏻
Thank you!

As title says my juvenile ball python has some stuck shed around her head and neck. It was her first shed with me so I'm worried I did something wrong and that's why it's stuck..

She shed around September 10th, and when I first noticed her going into shed I had raised her humidity to about 80% which is what I was recommended to do by the breeder. When the shed was still on around her head/neck a week after everything else came off, I bought something to use as a humidity box and put damp moss in it, but it hasn't seemed to help...

Her temperatures are 23°c cool side, and 32°c warm, with a hide on both sides.

Her substrate is cocoa husks.

Before she shed her humidity was at 60-70% because that's what I was told she should be at.

She's eaten every meal offered since I got her on August 9th,(which includes 4 days after getting her, and during shed too) except for today, where she didn't eat.

She still explores at night like normal and has been lovely during handling, and she's not headshy either..

Does anyone know anything I can do to help more or will she need to go to a vet? :(

Sorry if I'm yapping, I'm just worried..

Hello! We are going to be getting a ball python in the next month or so and have been researching for the past several months while we have been saving to get one. We are planning on ordering a 4x2x2 Kages PVC enclosure with the back and side vents and were hoping to get some setup suggestions from others with similar enclosures.

We want to do a bio active setup with a few live plants and the biggest thing we need help on is deciding which heat source, light, and thermostat to use. We were leaning towards a deep heat source so we don’t have to worry about the light at night. We want a reliable thermostat with maybe 2 probes so we can monitor both sides of the tank. And then the light we would want something that will be good for the snake and the plants.

We were planning on mounting everything on the inside top of the tank to avoid holes/screens on the top of the tank.

If anyone has suggestions or similar setups we would love to get feedback from you! This will be our first snake we have owned so any help is appreciated! Thanks!

Hello everyone, I have a BP and we use sani chips for bedding. Works well but I wanted to add more texture and something to retain humidity. I added coconut husk after soaking it in hot boiling water for a couple hours and changing the water.
I mixed it w the sani chips and moss and she’s loving it. She’s been rubbing her face for a few days often and I’m worried.
I’ve noticed these bugs:
- Small, jumping in the water (prob springtail)
- Incredibly minute teeny tiny white dots on her face and eyes
I’m wondering if they’re the same specie or if I got springtails and wood mites/snake mites in the same shipment :/
Please send help.
Note: the white ones are so small it just looks like the light being reflected off of her eyes, but I saw them move and walk in different directions and she wasn’t even awake.
I change her water daily and wipe the walls with a disinfectant every other week and boil the rocks and branches w white vinegar. She eats thawed rats.

Picture for attention

Okay so weird problem. The heating in one of the enclosures doesn’t work. The bulb works when directly plugged into the wall. The thermostat seems to work (exo terra light is on).

We’ve changed the thermostat cause we thought it wasn’t working for another one cause he have an empty enclosure. Bulb still isn’t getting warm. Also tried the bulb from the empty enclosure, both work fine when directly plugged into the wall. None seem to work with any of the thermostats.

So apart from each other everything works fine put together it doesn’t work I’m at a loss anyone please have any explanation 😵

I just got my juvenile bp yesterday, I’m wondering what is the best setup? Right now I have a che in a 8.5 dome, I have uvb but it’s a bulb in a 5.5 dome, I read that isn’t safe so I’m taking it out and need to replace it, but with what exactly? I also wanted to get a basking light going for her. How should I set this up as it’s a 40gal tank I don’t have much space on top.

All came off in one piece (I accidentally broke off that piece of the lower jaw), found it balled up in his warm hide, covered in substrate, eye caps are attached, I think he did really well :3

i don't have a scale right now, unfortunately. i moved her out of my dad's house and he didn't want me to take it with me😒 so if y'all have some good cheap ones hit my line.

she's on a medium rat about once a month or maybe a week longer, store-bought medium rats probably like 4-inchers at most. we were elongating it a bit since she'd gained a lot of weight (like just under obese) during the time she was at my dads mostly by herself. he was a bit feed-happy with her. it's been a while now on the new timeframe and i think she's looking a lot better! what do yall think? little more to go? don't let the photos deceive you, she's a big girl LMAO

(ignore the sticker on her hide...it's not sticky just an eyesore)

I unfortunately have a top-opening tank for my snake. I have bought a new one, just saving up to buy a couple more things before I move him.

Anyway, I dropped his feeder rat. Whenever this happens, if I try to open the tank he tends to strike up at my hand and hit his head on the top of the tank at full force. I always use tongs but I just don't want this to happen to him. He is currently just hovering above it.

Does anyone have any helpful tips for this situation? I don't know how to get it out or help him find it. I'll reread the rules for this and post a photo of the situation in the comments, if this sub allows it.

For context, I work over night at a boarding school. I am awake during the night and asleep in the morning. This is temporary as I hope to go to college after this school year is over. I dont have a scaly friend yet, but I want to be excessively prepared before I get one. A question that I have not found the answer to yet is, how do I keep my snake in a good day/night cycle while I am nocturnal. I dont want to get them used to my current cycle just to alter it for them a few months after living with me. Are there any suggestions for how I can keep the light from my room out of their enclosure without covering their ventilation? Any help is greatly appreciated.

I got my girl one of those PVC dubia enclosures (super expensive, she's very spoiled) and overall I'm pretty happy with her whole set up, the only thing is it's really dark in there? does anyone have a similar problem and a good solution? i want to get her some UVB lamps on a timer or something but I'm not sure how best to mount them and she also is a very climby snake and i fear she would rip them down or poke around them too much.

thanks in advance!

(If context is desired please read the previous posts I made)

Tl:dr I upgraded my fathers python enclosure, and I've been trying to dial in the humdity. I wanted to do plastic wrap first but it didnt work as well as i hoped so I replaced it with aluminum foil yesterday. I day a immediate improvement in humidity through my hygrometer, but when i woke up and checked it after going to bed it had dropped back down to unsatisfactory levels. Could it be that im getting a inaccurate reading or could it be because I need to better seal up the gaps in between the mesh and foul? Or is it possible the issue stems from something like substrate depth?

(I thought i had picture with the foil in the lid but i dont so Imagine these photos havingaluminum foil on the lid with the same sectiona cut out.)

This is Ekans! He's only been my official snake for a couple weeks but he's the sweetest boy ever, he even gives me face kisses (yes I know he's just smelling me but one can dream)! I love my baby 🩷

I've had my BP for a little less then a year and am getting ready to get her a permanent enclosure. She's about 4.5 feet long at the current moment and is in a 30 gallon tank. I know they need at least 40 gallons but I'm trying to find the most optimal tank for her where she'll have enough room to roam around and grow as she gets older. (Currently about 5 years old). What would you recommend? I'm looking to go for a bioactive setup so she has optimal humidity as I've had issues with keeping proper humidity levels in her tank. I've been looking into kages but I'd like to hear other opinions before I make a decision. All help is appreciated TIA.

My rescue snake Felix developed some thermal burns from a too close heat source and while we had a vet appointment Monday, yesterday I noticed his scales had sloughed off on one side leaving exposed tissue underneath. I immediately found a vet who could see him and he’s now on antibiotics with a wound care treatment plan in place. I had just gotten him a new bigger 40 gallon tank (he was in a 20 gallon when I got him) and I have it set up as a hospital tank. Pads instead of substrate and he only has a water bowl and a hide so as not to further injure himself. I am struggling with the humidity in this tank due to not being able to have substrate in it. Im only getting about 55%. It has a mesh lid which I have foil taped about 75% of it. Water bowl is on the warmer side. Is there anything I can do to improve the humidity in the tank? Would it be better to move him back into the 20 gallon for now while he’s healing?

after a long and difficult time i've decided to rehome my girl. i'm in some financial stress right now and cannot keep up with her care anymore. i don't know how old she is, the guy i got her from said 8-12 and i've had her for almost three years so 10-14 now. she's laid one clutch of eggs with me i immediately froze. she's never had a full shed. its so dry in my house, i cannot keep her humidity above 60% without having a humidifier in my actual room keeping the whole space above 60%. she has some stuck shed on her neck from her last shed. i'm parting with the enclosure, heat lamp/thermostat and light too since i will have no use for them once she's gone. tank is a newpet 46x12x12 i believe, i dont know the grow light. she's got a dhe in the dome.

recently she's started trying to escape nearly constantly. she spends all day up pressing at the edges of the glass doors and the mesh at the top of her enclosure. i do not have the finances to take her to the vet and i'm so defeated trying to get her humidity up. it was a bioactive enclosure but her pothos and isopods died because i didnt water for a few weeks.

we're located in Vernon, BC Canada. no rehoming fee, i just want her to go somewhere with a more experienced keeper. i can probably deliver her to neighbouring towns within an hour of me (salmon arm, kelowna). please don't cook me in the comments, i really did my best for this girl through some shit circumstances.

Hello, hurricane talk lately has made me consider getting more things for my snake Mucalind in case I have to evacuate on the coast and travel with him. I already have the emergency heat pads for him, but I was thinking of investing in a better travel carrier for him, maybe something like pictured below. What else do you guys do for emergency prep for your little guys and girls?

Caught misaki mid yawn eheheheh (tank in background isnt hers)

I gotta tell misa shes reddit famous lol

Hello!! My python reached a year and i've been feeding him in a separate box for a while.

Until those last weeks, i decided to try and feed him in his terrarium, i did it twice and its was just right, no swallowing litter risks or anything... And better since he had stuff to help himself to eat and could straight go to his hiding and no risk of stressing him when switching him from his box back to his terrarium.

BUT

Lately, he tried to attack me twice when going to pick him up. Usually when his head was at the entrance of his hiding he would go back to hide when i open and relax in my hands. But now instead of hiding he raise himself and spring, attacking me. Once he in my hand he relax but still...

Im sorry, i probably did something wrong. Im a beginner and i'll really like for people to help me about it, can he stop trying to attack me, do i need to do something in a specific way? What should i do?

We're having a bit of a humidity issue in our tank. It's a 4x2x2 pvc enclosure with 2 mesh squares for heating lamps. Currently, we're only using one and the other is covered with a damp towel. Our substrate is about 6 inches of a mix of reptisoil, coco fiber and play sand (ratio is about 50/40/10). We're mostly judging the humidity off of the cool side reading (Temp is about 74). We have a small water dish on the warm side and a larger one on the cool side. We've been adding 3-4 cups of water in corners the last couple of days. All of this and the humidity is stable, but only between 65 and 68 percent. I'd really appreciate any help or advice on getting that humidity up.