concerned new BP owner

Hi yall

Let me just start off by saying how excited and happy I am to join this community! I am currently the new owner to a 11 month old banana (Coral glow) BP named Koro. I have read a lot and done my research but now that I have officially had him for a week a lot of questions and concerns have popped up! That's where I need yalls help. I am afraid I got a really aggresive guy on my hands because he always seems angry and pissed off. I just walk by his cage or even sit 5 ft away doing other activities in the room and he will strike at the glass! He always strikes, I don't know if it's just because he is so new to the cage, my room, and my personal presence or if it is just because he is very aggresive. I don't really know what's normal but I think it is pretty safe to say him striking constantly isn't too normal. For a little I thought it was because he hasn't eating and then I try to feed him and he wants nothing to do with the rat, he rather watch me and strike at me. Is it because I am not giving him enough space and time to adapt to his new home and surroundings? What am I doing wrong? Is it him or me haha

sinsecrely,
new BP owner who just wants some love from her snake lol

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Originally Posted by Krysta893

Is it because I am not giving him enough space and time to adapt to his new home and surroundings? What am I doing wrong? Is it him or me haha

sinsecrely,
new BP owner who just wants some love from her snake lol

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first thing's first: WELCOME!
:welcome:

as i'm sure you know, "aggressive" is a word not often associated with ball pythons, so something must be off.
okay, so we're going to need to learn a bit more about your snake and your husbandry before anything: what is the size of the enclosure? i'm assuming it's a glass enclosure, so are 3 out of the 4 sides covered? how much does the snake weigh? what type of prey do you have to offer? does the enclosure have decorations? what are you using for hides? what are you using for heat? how are you regulating your heat source(s)? did the snake come from a pet shop or breeder? also, how does the snake react when you hold him?

answering these questions will help us help you, and pictures always help!

I will post a photo of the tank in a few moments but for now I can describe it! It is a 20 gallon glass tank with one side covered with a terrain photo ( I wanted to cover 3 sides but I didn't realize how small the one I purchased was). I have a rock cave that sits on top of a heating pad on the right side of the cage and this is where my BP spends most of its day. On the other side I have his water bowl a log and then two fake plants for more covering. I also have a lamp above but I don't know much about bulbs and have had multiple different people tell me different things so for now it is your generic blue bulb. I also have to thermometers on opposite sides of the tank.

I got him from a pet store where the owner new a well known local breeder and he personally got this snake for me. I haven't been able to feed him because he won't eat but the pet store clerk told me he will eat rats which I tried and no take. I don't know how much he weighs but I have been told he is a big boy. I also haven't been able to handle him that much because of how much he strikes, but when I do finally get him after all the strikes he balls up as tight as possible and hides his head as deep as he can in the center. I don't know if I am doing something wrong but I really just want him to be comfortable with me! Its driving me crazy.

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

first thing's first: WELCOME!
:welcome:

as i'm sure you know, "aggressive" is a word not often associated with ball pythons, so something must be off.
okay, so we're going to need to learn a bit more about your snake and your husbandry before anything: what is the size of the enclosure? i'm assuming it's a glass enclosure, so are 3 out of the 4 sides covered? how much does the snake weigh? what type of prey do you have to offer? does the enclosure have decorations? what are you using for hides? what are you using for heat? how are you regulating your heat source(s)? did the snake come from a pet shop or breeder? also, how does the snake react when you hold him?

answering these questions will help us help you, and pictures always help!

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I will post a photo of the tank in a few moments but for now I can describe it! It is a 20 gallon glass tank with one side covered with a terrain photo ( I wanted to cover 3 sides but I didn't realize how small the one I purchased was). I have a rock cave that sits on top of a heating pad on the right side of the cage and this is where my BP spends most of its day. On the other side I have his water bowl a log and then two fake plants for more covering. I also have a lamp above but I don't know much about bulbs and have had multiple different people tell me different things so for now it is your generic blue bulb. I also have to thermometers on opposite sides of the tank.

I got him from a pet store where the owner new a well known local breeder and he personally got this snake for me. I haven't been able to feed him because he won't eat but the pet store clerk told me he will eat rats which I tried and no take. I don't know how much he weighs but I have been told he is a big boy. I also haven't been able to handle him that much because of how much he strikes, but when I do finally get him after all the strikes he balls up as tight as possible and hides his head as deep as he can in the center. I don't know if I am doing something wrong but I really just want him to be comfortable with me! Its driving me crazy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Krysta893

I will post a photo of the tank in a few moments but for now I can describe it! It is a 20 gallon glass tank with one side covered with a terrain photo ( I wanted to cover 3 sides but I didn't realize how small the one I purchased was). I have a rock cave that sits on top of a heating pad on the right side of the cage and this is where my BP spends most of its day. On the other side I have his water bowl a log and then two fake plants for more covering. I also have a lamp above but I don't know much about bulbs and have had multiple different people tell me different things so for now it is your generic blue bulb. I also have to thermometers on opposite sides of the tank.

I got him from a pet store where the owner new a well known local breeder and he personally got this snake for me. I haven't been able to feed him because he won't eat but the pet store clerk told me he will eat rats which I tried and no take. I don't know how much he weighs but I have been told he is a big boy. I also haven't been able to handle him that much because of how much he strikes, but when I do finally get him after all the strikes he balls up as tight as possible and hides his head as deep as he can in the center. I don't know if I am doing something wrong but I really just want him to be comfortable with me! Its driving me crazy.

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https://ball-pythons.net/forums/webk...75af/imagejpeg

Do you have a thermostat regulating the under-tank heater?

Also it wasn't clear in your post, is your under-tank heater inside the tank or stuck to the underside of it?

Do you have a hygrometer? Ball pythons have to be humid.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Krysta893

I will post a photo of the tank in a few moments but for now I can describe it! It is a 20 gallon glass tank with one side covered with a terrain photo ( I wanted to cover 3 sides but I didn't realize how small the one I purchased was). I have a rock cave that sits on top of a heating pad on the right side of the cage and this is where my BP spends most of its day. On the other side I have his water bowl a log and then two fake plants for more covering. I also have a lamp above but I don't know much about bulbs and have had multiple different people tell me different things so for now it is your generic blue bulb. I also have to thermometers on opposite sides of the tank.

I got him from a pet store where the owner new a well known local breeder and he personally got this snake for me. I haven't been able to feed him because he won't eat but the pet store clerk told me he will eat rats which I tried and no take. I don't know how much he weighs but I have been told he is a big boy. I also haven't been able to handle him that much because of how much he strikes, but when I do finally get him after all the strikes he balls up as tight as possible and hides his head as deep as he can in the center. I don't know if I am doing something wrong but I really just want him to be comfortable with me! Its driving me crazy.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Do you have a thermostat regulating the under-tank heater?

Also it wasn't clear in your post, is your under-tank heater inside the tank or stuck to the underside of it?

Do you have a hygrometer? Ball pythons have to be humid.

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The UTH is stuck inside the tank and no thermostat regulating it I didn't really know of this, yes I have a hydrometer too thou!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Krysta893

I will post a photo of the tank in a few moments but for now I can describe it! It is a 20 gallon glass tank with one side covered with a terrain photo ( I wanted to cover 3 sides but I didn't realize how small the one I purchased was). I have a rock cave that sits on top of a heating pad on the right side of the cage and this is where my BP spends most of its day. On the other side I have his water bowl a log and then two fake plants for more covering. I also have a lamp above but I don't know much about bulbs and have had multiple different people tell me different things so for now it is your generic blue bulb. I also have to thermometers on opposite sides of the tank.

I got him from a pet store where the owner new a well known local breeder and he personally got this snake for me. I haven't been able to feed him because he won't eat but the pet store clerk told me he will eat rats which I tried and no take. I don't know how much he weighs but I have been told he is a big boy. I also haven't been able to handle him that much because of how much he strikes, but when I do finally get him after all the strikes he balls up as tight as possible and hides his head as deep as he can in the center. I don't know if I am doing something wrong but I really just want him to be comfortable with me! Its driving me crazy.

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first: pet stores and their employees are terrible sources for information. i would not rely on the average pet store employee for advice or knowledge unless i was proven otherwise.

it sounds to me like the snake might not be comfortable with your husbandry. what type of thermometers/hygrometers are you using? what is your temperature and humidity at currently? what is the temperature of the enclosure floor above the heat pad? is the UTH (under tank heater (heat pad)) connected to a thermoSTAT?? ALL heat sources MUST be regulated by a thermoSTAT or a lamp dimmer/rheostat. if the UTH is not regulated, PLEASE unplug it until you can get a thermostat or rheostat (a thermostat is far superior to a rheostat which should only be used in a room with a consistant temp). a UTH can reach 140° easily and burn/possibly kill the snake.

please read through this enclosure set-up guide and make sure you have everything you need and that it is set up correctly. once you do that you should see a change in the behavior.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Krysta893

The UTH is stuck inside the tank and no thermostat regulating it I didn't really know of this, yes I have a hydrometer too thou!

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a UTH does not go inside!!! it says so in the instructions. you have some work to do. PLEASE read through this tank set up guide!

You need to be figuring out the temps for everything. I didn't realize how much temp check I needed to being doing and when I first got everything set up I tried feeling the UTH (under tank heater) through the glass with my finger and if waS BURNING my hand! Obviously I had substrate but that didn't seem right! That moment I realized how much I needed to get and figure out and I spent the next two days getting all my temp check things and new, reliable heating stuff.

Ball pythons don't need lighting, a ceramic light emitter will be great, and I think 75W is good for the 20 gallon. You can find them at Petco I believe and they will tell you for what gallon tank it works for. Make sure to get a CERAMIC heat lamp to hold it. For light, natural light from your window will be good!

Get an AcuRite digital thermometer/hygrometer. Always check temp and humidity.

Get a temp gun to check eat sides.

A weight scale to check his weight.

A mister has been very useful to me (it's easier and quieter than a normal spray bottle, which my snake was scared of).

Have identical hides on each side (hot and cold), preferably caves ones that he will fit tightly into.

It's okay if it's crowded, they like that.

I have two identical fake plants on each side and my snake LOVES them, so you can try that too!

I bought black foam board paper and cut and taped them in a way that encased the three sides of the enclosure, but I can move off or on (easy for cleaning)

I even have a notebook with tips and tricks I am learning, as well as a way to log his eating, cleaning cage, sheds, weight.

I've only have mine for a week but I wanted to share some of the wonderful stuff I've learned from this site!

(Sorry if there are typos, I typed this out from my phone lol)

Also I meant ceramic HEAT emitter (CHE), not light lol. You'll figure things out, just keep researching and taking notes! There must be something the lil guy is upset about

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

a UTH does not go inside!!! it says so in the instructions. you have some work to do. PLEASE read through this tank set up guide!

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I have ave spent the last 24 hours fixing all my mistakes, he seems a lot more active in the cage but still continues to strike at us like crazy! I am hoping him re adjusting to the new tank over a week or so will help but I'm really concerned about his aggresiviness. Thank you for all our help!

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Originally Posted by crosskira

Also I meant ceramic HEAT emitter (CHE), not light lol. You'll figure things out, just keep researching and taking notes! There must be something the lil guy is upset about

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Thank you for all your tips I have made the changes and hope to see some decent results, he continues to strike thou.. wish me luck lol

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Originally Posted by Krysta893

I have ave spent the last 24 hours fixing all my mistakes, he seems a lot more active in the cage but still continues to strike at us like crazy! I am hoping him re adjusting to the new tank over a week or so will help but I'm really concerned about his aggresiviness. Thank you for all our help!

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awesome!!!
so now: what are you using for a thermostat? and what are the temps/humidity at now for ambient and floor temp, and how are you measuring those temps?

it will take a week of NO handling and no feeding for him to be adjusted. just keep us posted!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Krysta893

Thank you for all your tips I have made the changes and hope to see some decent results, he continues to strike thou.. wish me luck lol

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You're welcome! And I agree with the other post. Keep checking temps and humidity but give him a week and see what happens. Let us know how he's doing!

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

awesome!!!
so now: what are you using for a thermostat? and what are the temps/humidity at now for ambient and floor temp, and how are you measuring those temps?

it will take a week of NO handling and no feeding for him to be adjusted. just keep us posted!

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One men of those thermostats you get from petco by Zilla or something, which when I looked at the heating pad before I unplugged it and plugged it into the system it was at 110 (terrible!!!) and now it hasn't even gone past 90 since it's been plugged into the thermostat. For some reason thou it just stays around 85. My current temps are on the colder side and I'm having trouble getting them up. The cool side of the tank is 75, the warm side is 84 and the heating pad is 86. The humidity is always between 40-60%. I have both gauges on oppposite sides of the tank close to the floor and then I also have a laser pointer one so I can test direct spots.

Update: he still hasn't eaten either.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Krysta893

One men of those thermostats you get from petco by Zilla or something, which when I looked at the heating pad before I unplugged it and plugged it into the system it was at 110 (terrible!!!) and now it hasn't even gone past 90 since it's been plugged into the thermostat. For some reason thou it just stays around 85. My current temps are on the colder side and I'm having trouble getting them up. The cool side of the tank is 75, the warm side is 84 and the heating pad is 86. The humidity is always between 40-60%. I have both gauges on oppposite sides of the tank close to the floor and then I also have a laser pointer one so I can test direct spots.

Update: he still hasn't eaten either.

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he'll want to eat once your husbandry is correct, which you're on your way to doing.

okay, for the thermostat just adjust it to a higher temp and monitor the floor. that brings me to my next question: how are you monitoring the floor of the enclosure over the UTH; how do you know it's at 85°? do you have an IR temp gun? if you don't i highly recommend you get one; they're invaluable in this hobby for the peace of mind they bring. EDIT: you do have one, i misread your post. sorry!!!

for humidity: is the top of the enclosure a mesh cover? cover all of it with tinfoil and cut out a hole for the lamp. you can take a hand towel and soak it, ring it out so it's not dripping and lay it over a hide. this will boost your humidity for about a week before you need to soak it again.

for cool side temps: i'd ditch a bulb and get a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) with a ceramic fixture dome. get one that has a rheostat built in (or just get a rheostat/lamp dimmer for it) and adjust it accordingly. a CHE is better at not sucking the humidity out but there will be some humidity loss with it.