New member and my new enclosure

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Originally Posted by Vegan.Hiker

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https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...02ea1e88e.jpeg

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Beautiful snake! But about this hide (above ^ ^ ^ ): it's best to avoid leaving gaps that a snake might get stuck in...you'd think snakes would know better than to enter
something they can't fit all the way thru, or are able to back out of, but you'd be surprised- & even if you're there to help, they don't always avoid injury. So just a suggestion.

I apologize for all of the posts and for not being able to figure out how to edit the original post to put them in the right spot. I know I posted way too many pictures already but it wouldn't feel right to post a few of my other kids...

Lucy my German Shepherd / Smooth Collie rescue

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...66e4ecd76.jpeg

Joey my beagle / shepherd mix

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...c042b0006.jpeg

My cat Tommy

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...ead97890a.jpeg

Me and my backpacking buddy Lucy

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...7108db10c.jpeg

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Beautiful snake! But about this hide (above ^ ^ ^ ): it's best to avoid leaving gaps that a snake might get stuck in...you'd think snakes would know better than to enter
something they can't fit all the way thru, or are able to back out of, but you'd be surprised- & even if you're there to help, they don't always avoid injury. So just a suggestion.

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Thanks for that insight! I think I did read somewhere that it is possible for a snake to get fatally caught in a tube that is larger than their girth even. I will take it out and examine it as soon as I finish typing this. I’ll adjust it, or remove the mopani altogether if anything looks remotely close to her being able to get stuck. This picture is from several months ago during the build so I don’t think the mopani was actually affixed yet since i don’t recall any gaps as large the one in that picture. I believe I flipped it over because it did fit rather flush in the end. Ultimately, her safety comes first so I’ll inspect and adjust if questionable at all.

Thanks for pointing that out!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Beautiful snake! But about this hide (above ^ ^ ^ ): it's best to avoid leaving gaps that a snake might get stuck in...you'd think snakes would know better than to enter
something they can't fit all the way thru, or are able to back out of, but you'd be surprised- & even if you're there to help, they don't always avoid injury. So just a suggestion.

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I took the hide out to examine. Although the gaps weren’t nearly as big as that picture indicated I removed the mopani from the top just to be on the safe side. It’s only purpose was to give her a little more to explore since she seems to a bit of a climber, but obviously her safety comes first.

Thanks again for spotting that.

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Originally Posted by Vegan.Hiker

I took the hide out to examine. Although the gaps weren’t nearly as big as that picture indicated I removed the mopani from the top just to be on the safe side. It’s only purpose was to give her a little more to explore since she seems to a bit of a climber, but obviously her safety comes first.

Thanks again for spotting that.

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You could also do something like stuff sphagnum moss and super glue between the gaps, if they're small enough, or something else along those lines to fill the gaps.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Vegan.Hiker

I took the hide out to examine. Although the gaps weren’t nearly as big as that picture indicated I removed the mopani from the top just to be on the safe side. It’s only purpose was to give her a little more to explore since she seems to a bit of a climber, but obviously her safety comes first.

Thanks again for spotting that.

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I was going to suggest that (like wnateg) you could also just fill the gap. Many things work & blend in, including aquarium silicone sealant. I had some nice driftwood that had a snake-size hole in it...I glued a cork into the hole (the color blended well with the wood). We have to learn to "think like a snake" sometimes...they love to crawl thru things because they're always in search of something to grab onto (into) for traction. We just had a thread about someone's BP that decided (after a year or 2 of just living with it) to crawl into & get stuck in the eye-socket hole of fake skull decoration- it was challenging to get the snake out, to say the least, but it was lucky to get by with only minor injuries.

Just make sure that the glue you use is safe (non-toxic) when dry- aquarium silicone sealant is one such option.

Loved the pics of your fur-babies (they look very happy too- not surprising)...many of us have pets beyond snakes.

This setup is gorgeous and your bp looks very healthy and happy. Well done!!

Thanks wnateg and Bogertophis. I thought about spraying some expanding foam in there as well but that piece of mopani wasn't really serving any purpose for Rosie or for me aesthetically (seemed like a better idea in my head), so I felt better just removing it altogether last night. The important thing is that I again learned something valuable here that'ill help me keep her happy and safe in the years to come. I did see the other thread where the bp got caught in the eye socket of the skull decor but in all honestly didn't put 2+2 together that my hide could also pose the same danger.

Also thanks for the nice words O'Mathghamhna!

A few pics of Rosie I snapped today.

[IMG]https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...66a995cb8.jpeg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...abc9008e7.jpeg[/IMG]