New home, new tank!

So I just moved to Arizona from South Carolina. I would like to start out by saying shipyourreptiles.com was so amazing in transporting my snake. I wasn’t able to bring her in the plane but I found a website that could safely ship my Ball Python. The best part was that it shipped overnight. She got to my new home before I did!! (Luckily I had my family there waiting for her to arrive, just in case). It was fast, efficient, and easy. The shipping cost was a bit high, but I was more than happy to pay knowing that my snake could get there safely and in one piece.
Anyway!! I had to leave her entire setup in SC and was very disappointed to do so (especially with how expensive everything was!) but I gave it all to a friend who was adopting her own reptile. When I arrived in South Carolina, the very first thing I did was check on her to make sure everything was okay! She pooped and peed a bit from the stress of the travel, but what animal wouldn’t? So I gave her a quick bath to clean her up and get her back to a reasonable temperature, then I headed STRAIGHT to Petsmart. I didn’t even unpack!
I got myself a kit for around $250: a 40 gallon tank with front facing doors and a styrofoam rock background, two heat lamps, two water/ food bowls (which I don’t use) and a carpet. I ended up also getting: two pieces of driftwood, a faux plant, one bonsai hide, one rock hide, one rock water dish, and a faux vine.
So far, she has not stopped exploring. She is ALWAYS looking for new places to go! I’m a little surprised at how active she is but I’m definitely pleased that she more comfortable in her new environment. It makes me happy to know that she’s happy.
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Hey, I'm in SC myself! I moved from San Diego, CA in 2016. Enjoying the humidity? Hehe.

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Wow ... that's a stunning set-up !!!

So nice to see when so many plump for those plastic tubs ...

As you've noticed when you give Royals something to climb over and around they will be pretty active in the evening.

Mine climb in the evenings and they've been in their setups for years so they are not simply exploring a new habitat ..


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The set up looks very nice and appealing to the eye. I don’t want to rain on your parade and I am so glad that the snake was shipped for you !

i literally just set up something similar barely a week ago so here are my pointers if you’d like. The background lasted maybe a few hrs for me as my new dude was hell bent on getting behind it and wedges on in it and stuck. I don’t know how the one you have works or wedges to the back but even when I thought I had it all protected, bam he was there again and I pulled it out.

You didn’t mention any under belly heating... did you grab a oad or something for under the tank ? Are those heat lamps on thermostats controlling the output.

As cool as as it is to see them roam all around. I quickly found out and was told the animal is stressed. The basic saying a hiding ball is a happy ball is true. Like the poster above said. Them moving at night is true and cool and yours will with all you have provided but during the day is because it has to adjust. I was like oh my man is different he’s active but no he was stressed and confused and it took him about two days to learn the lay of the land and settle. Now I never see him in the day but at night he’s his climbing self.

Good luck and and I hope yours settles soon !!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phillydubs

The set up looks very nice and appealing to the eye. I don’t want to rain on your parade and I am so glad that the snake was shipped for you !

i literally just set up something similar barely a week ago so here are my pointers if you’d like. The background lasted maybe a few hrs for me as my new dude was hell bent on getting behind it and wedges on in it and stuck. I don’t know how the one you have works or wedges to the back but even when I thought I had it all protected, bam he was there again and I pulled it out.

You didn’t mention any under belly heating... did you grab a oad or something for under the tank ? Are those heat lamps on thermostats controlling the output.

As cool as as it is to see them roam all around. I quickly found out and was told the animal is stressed. The basic saying a hiding ball is a happy ball is true. Like the poster above said. Them moving at night is true and cool and yours will with all you have provided but during the day is because it has to adjust. I was like oh my man is different he’s active but no he was stressed and confused and it took him about two days to learn the lay of the land and settle. Now I never see him in the day but at night he’s his climbing self.

Good luck and and I hope yours settles soon !!

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Yes, I have an under-tank heating pad that runs 24/7. I also have a 12/12 hour day and night lamp. She is only active at night and I very rarely see her during the day. I have the foam pretty tight in there and she hasn’t showed any interest in foam itself or getting behind it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by toriwixom

Yes, I have an under-tank heating pad that runs 24/7. I also have a 12/12 hour day and night lamp. She is only active at night and I very rarely see her during the day. I have the foam pretty tight in there and she hasn’t showed any interest in foam itself or getting behind it.

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That’s good! Mine was stressing me out and it was the first day and my first ball so I pulled the thing out. Sounds like yours is better made or a better fit than mine was!!

Are you using thermostats. I know that’s another thing that is a must so just making sure cause without regulation it can be scary !


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phillydubs

The set up looks very nice and appealing to the eye. I don’t want to rain on your parade and I am so glad that the snake was shipped for you !

i literally just set up something similar barely a week ago so here are my pointers if you’d like. The background lasted maybe a few hrs for me as my new dude was hell bent on getting behind it and wedges on in it and stuck. I don’t know how the one you have works or wedges to the back but even when I thought I had it all protected, bam he was there again and I pulled it out.

You didn’t mention any under belly heating... did you grab a oad or something for under the tank ? Are those heat lamps on thermostats controlling the output.

As cool as as it is to see them roam all around. I quickly found out and was told the animal is stressed. The basic saying a hiding ball is a happy ball is true. Like the poster above said. Them moving at night is true and cool and yours will with all you have provided but during the day is because it has to adjust. I was like oh my man is different he’s active but no he was stressed and confused and it took him about two days to learn the lay of the land and settle. Now I never see him in the day but at night he’s his climbing self.

Good luck and and I hope yours settles soon !!

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To be fair Royals being nocturnal will , of course, hide away all day but if they're provided with branches , hiding places created by thoughtfully placed pieces of bark then Royals will happily spend some time each evening climbing and exploring ... it doesn't mean they are stressed


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by toriwixom

Yes, I have an under-tank heating pad that runs 24/7. I also have a 12/12 hour day and night lamp. She is only active at night and I very rarely see her during the day. I have the foam pretty tight in there and she hasn’t showed any interest in foam itself or getting behind it.

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If she did ever manage to get behind it you could simply hot glue it tight to the back panel ..


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

To be fair Royals being nocturnal will , of course, hide away all day but if they're provided with branches , hiding places created by thoughtfully placed pieces of bark then Royals will happily spend some time each evening climbing and exploring ... it doesn't mean they are stressed


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Sorry maybe my response came off wrong. I totally agree. My guy does the same and climbs all night. I meant the exploration as soon as it was moved and the activity as it settles in.

My guy took two days to settle and was uneasy.

Now he’s hiding all day and at night he climbs all over.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phillydubs

Sorry maybe my response came off wrong. I totally agree. My guy does the same and climbs all night. I meant the exploration as soon as it was moved and the activity as it settles in.

My guy took two days to settle and was uneasy.

Now he’s hiding all day and at night he climbs all over.


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No worries , lovely to hear how he is :)

I'm constantly in defence mode and it just gets my back up when I read people say that they just need a plastic tub with a hide and a bowl of water because they don't do anything but sleep in their hides....