Behavioral And Humidity Questions

[whitefang245]

I've had my ball python for about two months now, and she acts a bit strange compared to most of what I've read. She's only balled up on me while I held her twice since I've got her, but most of the time, she holds her head in the S shaped striking position for a good long while, and even when she gets out of it, seems to freeze up a lot. She also hasn't had a shed yet, and eats regularly and readily once a week with no issues.

I also need some humidity tips. The room they're in is room temperature, sometimes hotter or colder depending on if I cover the vent or at night when I sleep in there. I have moss stationed in various locations in the cage and spray it regularly with a water bottle, but the humidity never seems to get higher than 45 and usually stays at 40-41 even when the room is hot. The temperature of the tank stays between 75-85 most of the time. I can post a picture of the enclosure if someone wants to assess it for me, as I want her to feel safe and secure.

[redshepherd]

I'm assuming you have her in a glass tank? Coco husk or coco fiber substrate retains humidity very well. Aspen is a drying substrate.

If you have a screen top, you can also cover most of the top with a wet towel. It'll help, just not look pretty.

Two of my ball pythons never ball up- I've never seen it in their life, even when they were a hatchling.

How often are you handling her? There is a "too often", depending on the individual snake, which creates more stress for the bp. Handling just 10~20 minutes a day, a couple days a week, is even fine. If she's a hatchling, they are just more scared and defensive, but will naturally become calmer and easygoing as they mature.

feel free to post pics of the enclosure!

[Snizards]

I agree with redshepherd. Balling up or not balling up isn't a big deal. Some snakes do and some don't. Another way to keep in humidity is to lightly mist the tank and then cover the top with tin foil. I'm currently using paper towels over half the top of my tank, I spray them once in the morning and again before bed, it keeps the humidity between 60-70%.

Also, you said the tank is between 75-85? That's fine for ambient temps but your snake also needs to have a "hot" or "basking spot." The temperatures on this spot should be around 88-91 degrees and cover about a quarter of the tank. If you don't have a hot spot for your snake they can become sick and have trouble digesting meals. You can create a hot spot by buying an under tank heater and a thermostat to set the correct temperature for your snake. You can buy both of these on Amazon.com for under $100. Search "zoo med under tank heater" and "Hydrofarm Jumpstart Thermostat".

If you already have all of this set up, sorry, I just thought it was important to mention

[mom_of_bananachip]

WhiteFang, glad that you posted your question. I also have a young BP, 3 months, and she behaves the same way. With all the feedback, I am more confident now knowing her behavior is normal.