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  • 01-25-2022, 10:48 PM
    Bayalicious
    Ball python behavior change
    Hello there,
    So I have some concerns which might not be a big deal or not so that's why I am asking.
    My girl Luna has been in her 48x17x17(50-75g equivalent I'm not sure) glass tank since September. Before that she was in a 20 gallon tank. When she was in her 20 gallon she was active every night. She would be zooming around her tank and climbing on her bamboo branches and lizard lounger. She seemed to always want to try and get out and wonder around. That's the times I would play with her and get her out because she was active. Maybe that was her being in stress I am not sure. But now that she's been in her bigger 4ft tank I never see her out and about even at night. I have a camera set up in her tank so I can see her when she comes out. I rarely see her out and sometimes when she switches hides and that's it. I'm wondering if she is stressed out from having a bigger enclosure or was she stressed in the 20 gallon tank.
    For reference she was in the 20 gal from when I got her 160g to around 400 grams when I put her in the bigger tank. She's now 730g and about 3 1/2 ft.

    I've included some photos of her tank now and the old 20 gal. And a photo of the lady in question. I've always had lots of clutter and hides. She has 5 different hides in her tank now. I know a hiding ball is a happy ball but I just wanted to make sure I'm doing everything right.
    Thanks in advance for advice!https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...6e8589dcc8.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...5c1a0213a3.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...dbdd24d5c9.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...1242d09f75.jpg

    Sent from my IN2025 using Tapatalk
  • 01-25-2022, 11:11 PM
    Homebody
    Re: Ball python behavior change
    I wouldn't worry, but covering the sides may make your bp feel more secure and make an already lovely enclosure even more beautiful.
  • 01-25-2022, 11:19 PM
    Bayalicious
    Re: Ball python behavior change
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Homebody View Post
    I wouldn't worry, but covering the sides may make your bp feel more secure and make an already lovely enclosure even more beautiful.

    Okay great, I was just second guessing myself. She's very active when I take her out of her tank. I do plan on getting more poster board to cover the back and sides! Thank you.

    Sent from my IN2025 using Tapatalk
  • 01-26-2022, 10:49 AM
    Malum Argenteum
    Re: Ball python behavior change
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Bayalicious View Post
    48x17x17(50-75g equivalent I'm not sure)

    (L x W x H in inches)/231 = gallons.

    So, 60 gallons volume. Volume is just a rough estimate of how much usable space there is for a given species, of course, so the specifics of the dimensions matter as well (and probably matter more).

    I just wanted to get in my one math for the day. :)
  • 01-26-2022, 11:01 AM
    Bayalicious
    Re: Ball python behavior change
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Malum Argenteum View Post
    (L x W x H in inches)/231 = gallons.

    So, 60 gallons volume. Volume is just a rough estimate of how much usable space there is for a given species, of course, so the specifics of the dimensions matter as well (and probably matter more).

    I just wanted to get in my one math for the day. :)

    Thank you for that [emoji23]I'm horrible at math. It's odd dimensions compared to a 75 gallon or a 50 so I was guessamating. It's actual dimensions is 48.5 long, 16.5 wide and 17.375 tall. It's a weird sized tank compared to store bought ones. I got it cheap for $25 on FB marketplace from a old guy who got covid and couldn't take care of his snakes anymore.

    Sent from my IN2025 using Tapatalk
  • 01-26-2022, 11:42 AM
    Bogertophis
    Re: Ball python behavior change
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Bayalicious View Post
    ... I got it cheap for $25 on FB marketplace from a old guy who got covid and couldn't take care of his snakes anymore.

    Sent from my IN2025 using Tapatalk

    :( I hope he found good homes for them. :snake:
  • 01-26-2022, 11:42 AM
    Bayalicious
    Re: Ball python behavior change
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
    :( I hope he found good homes for them. :snake:

    He did! He gave them to a rescue. He was very sweet. He had alot of kingsnakes and corns. [emoji4]

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  • 01-26-2022, 11:51 AM
    Bogertophis
    Sounds to me like your new snake is just shy about "that big scary world out there"- very normal, considering that predators are after them too, in the wild. I agree with covering the sides & back, & just be patient- once he gets used to his new place, I think he'll love it! He's most likely to explore at night (in the dark) also.
  • 01-26-2022, 11:58 AM
    Bayalicious
    Re: Ball python behavior change
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
    Sounds to me like your new snake is just shy about "that big scary world out there"- very normal, considering that predators are after them too, in the wild. I agree with covering the sides & back, & just be patient- once he gets used to his new place, I think he'll love it! He's most likely to explore at night (in the dark) also.

    I've had her since July 2021, she's been in the new tank since September so about 5 months, I would have thought she'd be used to it by now. She was always super active in the 20gallon tank I have videos of me opening the top and her crawling onto my arm and exploring her tank. Maybe she's just happy sitting in her hides now. I will get some poster board to cover the sides of her tank today and see if it makes a difference but I figured at night it wouldn't make a difference and she still doesn't move around much. Normally I would find her curled up on her branch or along the top of the tank somewhere.

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  • 01-26-2022, 12:12 PM
    Bogertophis
    Hmm, that is kinda strange after this long. :confusd:

    Have you double-checked her temperatures? What kind of heat? Is it possible that the only place she feels warm enough is in a hide? I ask since it's much harder to heat all that space, & this is now winter.

    Her set-up looks very well thought-out- more than enough cover, I'd say, & if I was a snake, I'd happily move in. ;) How is her appetite? Is it possible she's not feeling well for some reason?
  • 01-26-2022, 12:30 PM
    Bayalicious
    Re: Ball python behavior change
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
    Hmm, that is kinda strange after this long. :confusd:

    Have you double-checked her temperatures? What kind of heat? Is it possible that the only place she feels warm enough is in a hide? I ask since it's much harder to heat all that space, & this is now winter.

    Her set-up looks very well thought-out- more than enough cover, I'd say, & if I was a snake, I'd happily move in. ;) How is her appetite? Is it possible she's not feeling well for some reason?

    Her temp on her hot hide is 90, the ambient on hot side ranges from 83-85. Cool side stays at 80-78. I use a 100 watt DHP on the hot side and 50 watt DHP on the cool side. I live in San Diego so it doesn't get too cold thankfully our house stays around 70 degrees.
    I try to keep the humidity around 55-60%.
    She bounces around to three different hides one on the hot side and two on the cold side that she likes. I think the other two hides are just too open or too big for her liking. She spends most of her time on the cool side when she's not eating. After she eats she likes to stay in her hot side hide for a couple days.
    She's a great eater never missed a meal. She is very food driven so thats amazing.
    Only thing really medically wrong is her misaligned jaw, (I've posted about it before) she gets her lip stuck on her teeth and I have to open her mouth and get it unstuck every couple of weeks.

    Maybe she was just stressed in the 20 gallon because she would be I guess what you would call glass surfing alot.

    Oh I forgot to add I have a heat mat under neath the hot side. I can't see the wattage because it's covered in HVAC tape. But everything is on a thermostat.

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  • 01-26-2022, 12:45 PM
    Bogertophis
    I can't think of a thing that's wrong with your set-up. :gj:

    Only guess I can make is that because you've had to fiddle with her misaligned jaw now & then (on a fairly regular basis, actually), she's choosing to hide more like a wild snake would -to avoid this & not understanding how helpful you are- & because she "can"- her home now has way more options for hiding. Thanks for reminding us about her mouth issue- I think it's very relevant, but unfortunately, not much you can do differently that I can think of.

    To put it in human terms, if every time I came out of my house, I ran into my dentist, I might stop coming out too? :rolleyes:
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