Overly active new baby ball python?

[Felidray]

Hey there! I hope I'm posting in the right place.

Now, I may just be a concerned new baby owner - i only got my python 7 days ago, but I just wanna make sure he's okay and he isn't doing this because he's not thriving.

The first few days he was naturally curled up in his hide and I didn't see him much. He shed and pooped 2 days ago and had a perfect shed. The breeder said he was last fed 9 days ago. I offered him a mouse yesterday that he took and strangled but then let go and left without eating it. I have a feeling it was because of my own inexperience and he got spooked, so I'm trying again in a few days. But the thing I think is so strange is that the last 2 days since he shed, he's been very active. Today, he's been moving around his tub all day, even during the daytime. He stretches towards the lid constantly, going from one end to the other. He 'boops' the lid with his nose constantly and even stretches up and backwards so he's hanging upside down for a bit. He has done this today for many hours without pause, even falling over and bumping into things in his efforts. Is he just exploring? Getting to know his new home? Or is he searching for a way out because he's not thriving? For all I know, I could just be an overly protective new mother hen.

Here's some general info!

He's a 2½ month old male lesser, about 55-65 cm long I think (I haven't really handled him yet to allow him to settle in without stress).
I'm keeping him in a plastic tub that is 72(l)x40(w)x20(t) cm (31 litres).
He has a hide that's maybe a tiny bit too big, but it was what the breeders at the expo advised me to get.
Underneath his hide is an under-tank mat heater and I have a thermostat set up with a probe that keeps the temperature in the warm end at 88-90 F. In the cold end is his water bowl and the temperature there is at 78-80 F.
The cold end has a tendency to get foggy with condensation on the sides and lid and it needs a bit more ventilation, but I wipe it down with paper towels every day to prevent water droplets from gathering on the inside. The reason why I haven't made more ventilation holes yet is because the online store where I ordered my hygrometer delayed my order and I won't receive the hygrometer for another 4-5 days or so so until then I'd rather keep it a little too humid than a little too dry.
Now, the box is clear plastic, but I keep the curtains drawn most of the day and the door to the room is often closed, leaving him undisturbed for most of the day. When I'm in there, it's just to sit at my desk and there's hardly any activity in the room.
He has only been taken out twice very briefly to avoid stressing him (a few minutes both times and kept quiet in a transport box) when I had to install the thermostat probe and clean out his poop.

Any thoughts?
Thank you!
Zee.

[PitOnTheProwl]

What is the weight?

[Felidray]

I haven't weighed him yet since I wanted him to de-stress without being handled. I did just check the temperature inside his hide though and it read 95 F. That's too high right? It's weird cause I have the thermostat probe inside the hide and it's been regulating in there as if the temperature is 90, not 95. I just turned it down a bit. He pushes the thermometer around when he moves and it often ends up in front of the hide entrance, although he's perfectly able to push it out of the way. Could that be bothering him?

[PitOnTheProwl]

[Felidray]

Ooooh! My thermometer doesn't have a probe but I do lay it as low under the substrate as I can. My only question is, the thermostat can only regulate up to 95 F. So if that's the warmest it'll allow the mat to go, won't it be too cold inside the tub, since it has to heat through plastic? The tub has a slightly ridged underside so the mat can't lay completely flat against the plastic and I'm worried it won't be able to heat it enough.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Try providing a smaller tub if the animal is 2 months old try finding something about 34.6cm L x 21.0cm W x 12.4cm (13 5/8" L x 8 1/4" W x 4 7/8" H) and keep it in that size tub until it is about 200/250 grams.

This right here is generally how hatchlings are kept by breeders and they tend to do better in this type of setup until they are around 200/250 grams.



Temps no higher than 86/87 on the warm side

Aspen bedding

and if necessary a small plastic flower pot saucer (about 6 inches wide) as an hide, just like this.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Your temps inside the tub will be different from what your thermostat is set to. That is one of those things that varies from home to home.

[Felidray]

Alright! I can do that. Should I begin switching things around now while he's this active or wait a few days and give him a chance to calm down first? I have only had him for 7 days. And I was thinking about trying another mouse tomorrow cause then it'll be 10-11 days since he last fed, but should I wait with that too?

Pitontheprowl: I just worry that I cant get the temperature high enough, though. But I'll try it out!

[Stewart_Reptiles]

If he has not settled now after 7 days something is off, switch now to get him on track and give him another 7 days to settle you should see some improvement.

[Felidray]

Thank you! He was in shed when I got him so I figured that's why he was hiding so much the first 4-5 days until he shed and was generally grumpy. He started acting like this once he had shed. I'll drive out and get the new stuff in the weekend. Thanks a lot!