Hidebox...maybe...

[Myenia]

I just got my first ball python Sunday at a reptile show in Arlington. She's wonderful. But, she seems to have one odd querk that I hope someone can either explain or tell me how to fix (if its a problem). She doesn't use her hide box! She has a half-log and a piece of grapevine (? I think), but she rather sleep out in the open on the bottom or occassionally partly draped over the half-log. The only explaination I can think of is that she doesn't feel the need for the privacy...she ate no problem the day I brought her home, with me watching, and almost never curls up in a ball out of shyness.

[Jenn]

Congrats on your new BP!!! Could you give us just a little more info? What's your set-up like, temps humidity etc...

[MiniJ83]

Usually they won't use their hides when they feel insecure...not if they "don't feel the need for privacy". He needs more hiding options. Those half logs don't make very good hides.

[Myenia]

Congrats on your new BP!!! Could you give us just a little more info? What's your set-up like, temps humidity etc...

Temps are about 88/80 during the day, 76/80 at night, humidity is about 60, she has a water bowl, a half-log, and a foot long piece of grapevine (or is it grapewood?). The astroturf type stuff is on the bottom. I plan on getting her a 30 tank in about a month or two (shes only about 15 inches right now so I see no hurry), and at that point getting an additional water bowl and some more wood/stuff. The half-log was suggested to me by alot of very snake-experienced friends of mine...are these really not a good idea?

[Rapture]

It's one thing to be snake experienced and it's another to be ball python experienced. Most ball pythons are very shy and prefer a very small, secure, dark hide... actually if you can give it at least two hides and make sure there's not a lot of open space in the rest of the enclosure that would be best.

[Spaniard]

You'll want something that encloses the snake completely. Such as:

http://www.reptilebasics.com/Hide-Boxes-p-1-c-282.html

Alot of people use dark colored plastic bowls and cut out an entrance for the snake. Some people use clay pots, there are a lot of alternatives but the main point is to keep out light and have a hide the animal feels snug and secure in on all sides.

[Samuel]

Temps are about 88/80 during the day, 76/80 at night, humidity is about 60, she has a water bowl, a half-log, and a foot long piece of grapevine (or is it grapewood?). The astroturf type stuff is on the bottom. I plan on getting her a 30 tank in about a month or two (shes only about 15 inches right now so I see no hurry), and at that point getting an additional water bowl and some more wood/stuff. The half-log was suggested to me by alot of very snake-experienced friends of mine...are these really not a good idea?

your temps are a bit low ..

Is their a temp gradient?

[Myenia]

Ok, I'll get another, tighter hide in there. Though, the people who had given me advice are ball python and redtail owners. I'm not sure what you mean by a temp gradient though...if I have a warm and cold side, doesn't that mean there'd have to be a gradient?

[Samuel]

Ok, I'll get another, tighter hide in there. Though, the people who had given me advice are ball python and redtail owners. I'm not sure what you mean by a temp gradient though...if I have a warm and cold side, doesn't that mean there'd have to be a gradient?

I am a tard.



I would still bump the temps up a few degrees each ..

[rabernet]

I plan on getting her a 30 tank in about a month or two (shes only about 15 inches right now so I see no hurry),

You've got a couple of years before she'll need a 30 gallon aquarium. Ball pythons like small, tight, snug enclosures. For a baby that small, a 30 gallon tank will overwhelm her.

As for the reason she's not using the 1/2 log hide - they make horrible hides for ball pythons. Ball pythons like to be touched on all sides by their hides.

Here's how I set up baby ball pythons:

15 quart tub:


On the right are my hides of choice now - plastic flower pot saucers with an entrance soldered in it:


That's what we mean by snug and tight - there really is a baby in there:




This baby today: