New Snake Owner... Some Questions

First off, let me prefeace by saying that the acquisition of a ball python as a pet is not something I did lightly or on a whim. I debated this over and over in my head for about 6 months, during which time I read as much as I could find. When I finally decided to go ahead and take the plunge, I took the advice of a local breeder for my first set-up, even though everything I have read suggested some things differently. Well, I have since straightened everything out except the temperature/humidity issue. I understand this is the most important issue, so I figured I would ask here instead of the local breeder.

First off, my set-up:

10GAL w/mesh lid, 2 hides, water dish, 2 thermometers, aspen substrate bedding, heat lamp w/red infared 75W bulb.

Ok, I have covered 3 out of the 4 of the sides of the tank with cardboard. I have a thermometer on the cool side and a stick-on (I KNOW!) on the warm side. The water dish is dead center. She has nothing to climb on though, and that concerns me...

Here is what I have noticed, and some questions following...

- She never uses the hide on the heated side, even if I change the side the lamp sits on top of.

- The temps as measured are 78-81 cool side, 88-92 warm side. (Not accurate I know, but the best I can do for now. I am purchasing 2 probe thermometers on Wednesday.)

- She is hardly ever active, except when I take her out. Then it takes her about 5 minutes or so to adjust to being handled, then I can't get her to sit still.

- When I touch her to get her out, she is always almost cold to the touch.

- She ate exactly 1 week after I brought her home, with no issues. She is eating F/T sub-adult mice.

- She pooped the day after I brought her home, but hasn't since, even though she ate on Monday the 22nd. I have not noticed and urates or urine either.

- Her noticable bulge from feeding has been gone since about the 23rd-24th. I weighed her today, the 26th, and her weight is 125g.

- She has not shed since I got her. However, I noticed several extremely dry spots where it looks like there are dead scales(?). Does that make since? The worst spot looks like a scar from a cut or something similar.

- She is not as head shy as what I have read suggests she should be. Not sure if this matters. I take her out and handle her at least everyday except the day after she fed.

Now, the questions...

Besides the thermometer/thermostat problem, is there anything I could/should be doing better habitat wise? Should I cover the mesh with aluminum foil and duct tape to help with humidity? Or perhaps use a moist towel, even though I heard this can cause bacteria and mold?

Can I add/change her tank without freaking her out? I would like to add a piece of driftwood for her to climb on, maybe with some fake greenery to hide in. I was also thinking about possibly using an old tv stand to convert into a custom built cage... any thoughts?

What can I do to make her more comfortable, as in enough so that she will start "coming out to play" as it were?

Ok, sorry about the long post, but I know you guys can help me.

There are some pics of her in my gallery...

Thanks in advance for all the help here!

to get the ball rolling, i'll help answer some of your questions first:

If you are using an infared lamp as your primary heat source, i'm going to guess that your humidity is very low. foil or some heavy plastic ( used for window covering) will help retain some moisture. when you buy the new thermometers, make sure you have a digital humidity guage.

you should be able to add some items without bothering her too much. if you are completely gutting the tank and rearranging things often, that could get stressful on her.

lastly, you need to realize that a happy ball python is one you don't see in the day. they are nocturnal by nature, and no matter what kind of environment you set up, you can't fight biology. that being said, there are some snakes out there that seem to be perfectly content to cruse around the tank often, but this is unusual. if she is eating, pooping, shedding and hiding, she is most likley happy.

i'm sure other members will have some valuable input for you also.
:welcome:

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Originally Posted by gotballs?

- She is hardly ever active, except when I take her out. Then it takes her about 5 minutes or so to adjust to being handled, then I can't get her to sit still.

- When I touch her to get her out, she is always almost cold to the touch.

Now, the questions...

Besides the thermometer/thermostat problem, is there anything I could/should be doing better habitat wise? Should I cover the mesh with aluminum foil and duct tape to help with humidity? Or perhaps use a moist towel, even though I heard this can cause bacteria and mold?

Can I add/change her tank without freaking her out? I would like to add a piece of driftwood for her to climb on, maybe with some fake greenery to hide in. I was also thinking about possibly using an old tv stand to convert into a custom built cage... any thoughts?

What can I do to make her more comfortable, as in enough so that she will start "coming out to play" as it were?

Ok, sorry about the long post, but I know you guys can help me.

There are some pics of her in my gallery...

Thanks in advance for all the help here!

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It takes about 5 mins for my snake to get used to being handled so that's nothing different. If he's been on the cool side of course they're gonna feel a lil cold. They are cold blooded even if I get mine out of the warm side hide he'll be a lil cool to the touch or luke warm. You should really get a Under Tank Heating pad.

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Originally Posted by gotballs?

First off, let me prefeace by saying that the acquisition of a ball python as a pet is not something I did lightly or on a whim. I debated this over and over in my head for about 6 months, during which time I read as much as I could find.

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Welcome to BPNet! It's really wonderful to see someone who took the time to really think about whether a snake, specifically a ball python, was the right animal to purchase prior to putting down there money. Good for you. :)

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10GAL w/mesh lid, 2 hides, water dish, 2 thermometers, aspen substrate bedding, heat lamp w/red infared 75W bulb.

Ok, I have covered 3 out of the 4 of the sides of the tank with cardboard. I have a thermometer on the cool side and a stick-on (I KNOW!) on the warm side. The water dish is dead center. She has nothing to climb on though, and that concerns me...

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The 10 gallon is a nice starter home for a small bp. Since she's only 125 grams she'd be an 08 hatchling and likely no more than 3 to 6 months old or thereabouts. You didn't mention where you purchased her so I'm unsure if she's actually a she or if you have an actual hatchdate.

The only issues with your enclosure would be the way you measure your temps and the issue of things to climb on. Ball pythons aren't really much for climbing. The younger ones might climb a bit but really they basically suck at it and tend to tumble off stuff. They are ground snakes and tend to be quite happy if they have hides to tuck up in to. If you do add in any branches from the pet store, make sure they are the kind designed low and very sturdy so they don't tip under a bp's weight.

To monitor temps and humidity you might want to consider picking up an Acu-Rite (WalMart $10.00 or thereabouts plus one AAA battery). This is what it looks like....

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...g/Acu-Rite.jpg

Place the actual unit on your cool side, standing or secured (not with tape) at substrate level, run the thin probe cord over to the warm side and tuck the probe just inside the warm side hide, bury the probe cord or run it out and back into the tank to keep it out of the way. Push a few buttons until you get the reading that says...IN, OUT, HUMIDITY.

IN is what the actual unit is reading (your cool side, substrate level temp reading)

OUT is what the probe is reading (your warm side, inside the hide at substratre level temp reading)

HUMIDITY, again read by the actual unit and is your ambient enclosure humidity

Aim for 80-82 cool side, 90-92 warm side, 50% humidity

Acu-Rites aren't perfect but for $10.00 they are a decent option.

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- She never uses the hide on the heated side, even if I change the side the lamp sits on top of.

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The temps may be too great under the lamp. Are the hides the same construction and size or are they significantly different? Does she use the other hide at all?

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- The temps as measured are 78-81 cool side, 88-92 warm side. (Not accurate I know, but the best I can do for now. I am purchasing 2 probe thermometers on Wednesday.)

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See my suggestions about an Acu-Rite.

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- She is hardly ever active, except when I take her out. Then it takes her about 5 minutes or so to adjust to being handled, then I can't get her to sit still.

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They aren't a very active snake. We've got over 40 ball pythons in the house from small 08 hatchlings up to large adult female breeders. During the daytime it's pretty rare to see any of them outside their hides. Even at night some of them just come out for a slither than go back to lazing in their hides and occasionally looking out the "doorway".

Remember to allow this little bp lots of time to adjust to you and her new home. She's a nervous baby snake so be slow with her and don't overhandle.

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- When I touch her to get her out, she is always almost cold to the touch.

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If she's not utilizing her warm side, that's not surprising. She does need to thermoregulate properly though so that needs addressed.

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- She ate exactly 1 week after I brought her home, with no issues. She is eating F/T sub-adult mice.

- She pooped the day after I brought her home, but hasn't since, even though she ate on Monday the 22nd. I have not noticed and urates or urine either.

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She'll poop when she's ready and if she has enough food and water in her to create feces. What did she eat as far as prey (size and type)?

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- Her noticable bulge from feeding has been gone since about the 23rd-24th. I weighed her today, the 26th, and her weight is 125g.

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You don't want a huge bulge from feeding but even the normal thicker just fed look should disappear within 24 to 48 hours.

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- She has not shed since I got her. However, I noticed several extremely dry spots where it looks like there are dead scales(?). Does that make since? The worst spot looks like a scar from a cut or something similar.

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She may have some stuck shed. Hopefully not a scarred up baby (poor thing). Here's a couple of fantastic threads to help understand and deal with the shed cycle. Snakes of this age generally shed about every 4 to 6 weeks or thereabouts.

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=74289

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=43403

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Besides the thermometer/thermostat problem, is there anything I could/should be doing better habitat wise? Should I cover the mesh with aluminum foil and duct tape to help with humidity? Or perhaps use a moist towel, even though I heard this can cause bacteria and mold?

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Personally I'd ditch the lamp because they just suck the humidity up and with a glass tank/mesh lid you are already fighting that issue. Contact Rich at Reptiles Basics (tell him BPNet sent you) www.reptilebasics.com (there's a phone number there or email him). Tell him what your setup is, the rooms temps this tank is exposed to and so forth, he'll set you up. Even with shipping you'll be far better off than those stick on undertank heat pad things most pet stores sell.

You can cover some of that mesh (leave room for your lamp and some ventilation) with a piece of plexiglass or just some of that self-sticky Glad wrap. Just make sure that anything you use never has tape that gets inside the enclosure. Snakes and tape never mix well.

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Can I add/change her tank without freaking her out? I would like to add a piece of driftwood for her to climb on, maybe with some fake greenery to hide in. I was also thinking about possibly using an old tv stand to convert into a custom built cage... any thoughts?

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Make changes that she needs, not you need. At this point you want her to settle in, be happy and eat for you. If you fiddle too much with doodads you may freak her out (babies are more easily stressed). I'd say focus for now on changing only what must be changed in order to make her enclosure right for her.

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What can I do to make her more comfortable, as in enough so that she will start "coming out to play" as it were?

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Make her enclosure setup as right for her as you can. Feed her well (what is she eating by the way), give her time to settle in. You've only had this very young snake a relatively short time. These snakes require tons of patience, everything is slow with them so just give it time. You have a good 20 years or more of friendship with this animal. For now remember she is a baby really so just go slow, set down simple habits and patterns she can learn to recognize and you'll both do just fine. :)

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Originally Posted by gotballs?

What can I do to make her more comfortable, as in enough so that she will start "coming out to play" as it were?

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I adopted my bp on Thanksgiving 2007, 11 months later I have yet to see her out in the daytime. Sometimes I think the upside down bowls I use for hides are really my pets, I mean she never comes out during the day.

I handle her once a week & enjoy it the most I can, it makes it all worth it to me. But she goes right back in her hide after that.

Between 1am-4am she is very active tho, I cram that viewing time for all its worth.

OK... time to clarify... Her hides are different. She has no preference that I can discern. She is an equal hide user. LOL... just depends which one is not on the warm side. However, she was using the warm side hide for about 15 minutes, which leads me to believe that the temps are WAY WRONG, and that is being corrected in a couple of days. Sometimes, she won't even use the hides at all, just lays around in the front of the tank. As far as her sex, the seller "popped" her... She never really ever comes out, and I wonder if it is because of the heat lamp?

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Originally Posted by gotballs?

She never really ever comes out, and I wonder if it is because of the heat lamp?

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If she was constantly out and roaming around her tank that would be cause for concern. I was suprised at how little they are out and about too. I have an 08 and I hardly EVER see her. She occasionally moves from one hide to the other, but that is about it unless I just fed her or handled her (sometimes she gets a bit active and explores her tank after something exciting happens).

Get used to it! It is disappointing but it is reality.

Ok... Got the acu-rite from wal-mart---> Man was I surprised at the difference. The humidity is running around 63-68%. I have changed substrate to coconut husk with sphagnum moss mixed in. I also changed out one of her hides from the ceramic half log to a hollowed out coconut shell. She is still using the plastic cereal bowl though, for some reason it is her favorite. I added a piece of driftwood wrapped with some plastic vine I picked up from wal-mart out of their craft section. I also added an XS(about 4") UTH, and dropped the infared red bulb down to 60W.

I am using about 2 inches of substrate. The out probe of the acu-rite is taped down to the bottom of the tank, right in the middle of the UTH (which is attached to the underside of the tank, covered with aluminum foil and black duct taped into place). The actual acu-rite meter is sitting in the far opposite front corner of the tank. I spray painted some cardboard black, and taped it to the back and sides of the tank. I also made a cover insert out of aluminum foil (4 layers) and black duct tape, to place between the cover and the tank top opening. I cut a hole in it for air and to place the heat lamp on.

The tank is currently reading around 78* on the cool side, and 95* on the warm side. As I said, the humidity is sitting around 63-68%. I am misting the cage with warm water 2-3 times a day as well. The water dish is sitting in the middle, closer to the warm side.

Now... some more questions-

How much heat does the substrate actually absorb? If the probe is reading 95*, about what would the temp be on top of the substrate?

Why can't I keep the humidity higher? I think she is getting ready to shed, and I want the humidity up to help her as best as possible.

Should I put the 75W bulb back in, in an attempt to try to raise humidity, and also bring up the cool side temp closer to 80-82*?

I will try to get pictures of the tank tonight or tomorrow.

anyone?

I have always heard that overhead heat sucks the humidity out of the enclosure. And maybe try covering the top with a damp towel, of course leaving some air flow, to help raise humidity for shedding. ;)

If your using a glass tank you might want to add a humid hide for him. You can make these out of a small tupperware container. I made one from a recipe box:

http://www.fyberdesigns.com/pics/humidhide.jpg

Just add some moist moss in it. I’ve never had any shedding problems using this method. Hope this helps!

that is a cool idea using the the box like that...

Since this is sort of a new snake owner thread I thought I would put in my two cents, since I am a new snake owner as well....here's the basic set up for my ball.

45 gallon tank
2 heat lamps
large water dish
big hiding place
currently the temp on the hot side is reading around 88 and the cool side is about 85.

my question is:
my ball is constantly curled up in one corner of the tank. I've handled him a few times and fed him today(thursday). I just wondered if anybody knew why my snake was constantly in the corner.

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Originally Posted by Basketball303

Since this is sort of a new snake owner thread I thought I would put in my two cents, since I am a new snake owner as well....here's the basic set up for my ball.

45 gallon tank
2 heat lamps
large water dish
big hiding place
currently the temp on the hot side is reading around 88 and the cool side is about 85.

my question is:
my ball is constantly curled up in one corner of the tank. I've handled him a few times and fed him today(thursday). I just wondered if anybody knew why my snake was constantly in the corner.

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On the corner in the cool end or warm end?
If in the cool end he may be too hot and trying to shed some heat. Glass is probably cooler than everything else.
Im not very experienced in BPs, but this would make sense

I have mine in sweater boxes, but I just give the bins a very good spray-down with water from a spray bottle once a day when they're opaque. It's generally completely dry again by the next day, but it raises the humidity level, so I don't get any bad sheds. They're not damp long enough to cause any problems. That should work the same way in a tank.

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Originally Posted by Basketball303

Since this is sort of a new snake owner thread I thought I would put in my two cents, since I am a new snake owner as well....here's the basic set up for my ball.

45 gallon tank
2 heat lamps
large water dish
big hiding place
currently the temp on the hot side is reading around 88 and the cool side is about 85.

my question is:
my ball is constantly curled up in one corner of the tank. I've handled him a few times and fed him today(thursday). I just wondered if anybody knew why my snake was constantly in the corner.

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How big is your snake? If you read the stickies on this forum (which I highly highly recommend) you'll see a few things you might want to switch up. I'm by no means an expert, I'm a newb too. These stickies are so helpful. In general, a smaller snake does not need, or want that big of an enclosure. 2 tight hides are recommended, the temp gradient is usually about 80-82 cool side and 89-93 warm side, generalizing a lot of different suggestions. Read the stickies, I promise they'll help.

I agree. 45GAL tank is WAY too big for a BP. And the temps need to be as close to correct as you can get them.

On a note about my baby... Her first shed with me was PERFECT! I found the shed all balled up in her hide. I wondered why she had not been out at all in 2-3 days... I guess I know now!

Does anyone have any answers/suggestions regarding my warm side temp question? The one about the heat dissapation/absorption ability of the substrate?

Thanks guys! You have all helped me tremendously!

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Originally Posted by Bart

If your using a glass tank you might want to add a humid hide for him. You can make these out of a small tupperware container. I made one from a recipe box:

http://www.fyberdesigns.com/pics/humidhide.jpg

Just add some moist moss in it. I’ve never had any shedding problems using this method. Hope this helps!

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how did you get a perfect circle cut out in the side of the box without the plastic cracking?

I use a hole saw with fine teeth. I also do this with a drill press very slowly.

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Originally Posted by Basketball303

Since this is sort of a new snake owner thread I thought I would put in my two cents, since I am a new snake owner as well....here's the basic set up for my ball.

45 gallon tank
2 heat lamps
large water dish
big hiding place
currently the temp on the hot side is reading around 88 and the cool side is about 85.

my question is:
my ball is constantly curled up in one corner of the tank. I've handled him a few times and fed him today(thursday). I just wondered if anybody knew why my snake was constantly in the corner.

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Your issue right there is the BIG hiding place.
You need TWO IDENTICAL hides for your BP. One for the cool side, one for the warm side. The size of the hides should be just big enough for the snake to fit into. No spaces.
UTHs are a better idea than heat lamps. I've had my first BP for about a month but I'm not having any problems.
Assuming the fact that your BP is a baby, a 45 gal is WAY too big. The smaller the tank, the better security they feel. A 10 gal for a baby is perfect. Rule of thumb: the tank length should be at least 2/3rds of the snake before you upgrade.
Hope this helps

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Originally Posted by Basketball303

Since this is sort of a new snake owner thread I thought I would put in my two cents, since I am a new snake owner as well....here's the basic set up for my ball.

45 gallon tank
2 heat lamps
large water dish
big hiding place
currently the temp on the hot side is reading around 88 and the cool side is about 85.

my question is:
my ball is constantly curled up in one corner of the tank. I've handled him a few times and fed him today(thursday). I just wondered if anybody knew why my snake was constantly in the corner.

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I'm going to be a bit blunt here.
If your snakes a baby, get a 10 gallon. If it's an adult get a 20.
BPs don't need to soak, so a large water dish is a waste of space, a small one is fine.
Replace the heat lamps with a UTH on the warm side with a thermostat or rehostat, and the temperatures will be much more controlled and accurate. They need to be upped.
Measure your humidity around 60%, which is very difficult with that size of a tank.
Get two identical hides that are the same size as your snake.

Also make sure he's on the proper bedding (such as aspen or newspapers or papertowels).

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As for the OP.
You seem to know things pretty well for being a new snake owner. The substrate can make a difference of 2-3 degrees, so 95 is perfect under the substrate. Through the glass it can be 10 degrees sometimes.
Generally, your setup sounds pretty good. You can keep a lamp as long as the humidity is alright and you have a dimmer so it doesn't affect the temperatures much (except if you need better ambient air temperatures, which it can help). If he's still cold to the touch because he likes a specific hide and refuses to thermoregulate, then switch the hides, and have his favorite on the warm side.

Good luck! :gj:

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

As for the OP.
You seem to know things pretty well for being a new snake owner. The substrate can make a difference of 2-3 degrees, so 95 is perfect under the substrate. Through the glass it can be 10 degrees sometimes.
Generally, your setup sounds pretty good. You can keep a lamp as long as the humidity is alright and you have a dimmer so it doesn't affect the temperatures much (except if you need better ambient air temperatures, which it can help).

Good luck! :gj:

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Thanks! I really did a lot of research, asked tons of questions, and read 2 or 3 books before I finally took the plunge. I think I debated about 6-7 months before finally committing myself. Although, I did kind of go against alot of what I had read and heard with my initial set-up. However, it is now all fixed, and soon Tabitha will be moving into a new 20L tank!!!

When I got my baby ball I put him in a 20L tank with plenty of cover and he adjusted in about a week which seems normal. He eats, sleeps, poops, and thermo regulates just fine and has since I got him. IMO a 20L is more versatile and lasts longer for someone that doesn't want to change tanks a lot.

Thanks for being blunt...I want the most direct answer that I can get, after all it's a living breathing animal I'm caring for. Now here's my next question, if I were to get a female ball and put it in the same tank will that compensate for some of the space or is that just a bad idea all around? You guys are awesome, thanks for the clarification on my questions.

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Originally Posted by Basketball303

Thanks for being blunt...I want the most direct answer that I can get, after all it's a living breathing animal I'm caring for. Now here's my next question, if I were to get a female ball and put it in the same tank will that compensate for some of the space or is that just a bad idea all around? You guys are awesome, thanks for the clarification on my questions.

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I wouldn't recommend housing two snakes in the same tank

I do have aspen bedding in the tank and I am currently working on getting some humidity in there. Is there any problem with a mesh wire top when it comes to humidity, from what I've read, I basically just need to get wet moss or some sort of water substance in there to create humidity.

I do have aspen bedding in there for him. And just a few clarification points, the hide is the typical upside down log that measures about 5 inches long and about 3-4 inches wide. He has gone in there before and seems very comfortable. To create humidity I understand that I basically need some sort of water source in there, does a wire mesh screen matter in this process? I don't think he's a baby baby, right now he's about 1.5-2 feet long, and from what I've seen at the local reptile shops, he's definately bigger than the baby balls they have there. And I'm pretty sure he's getting ready to shed.

Your going to have to cover the screen top to keep your humidity at the correct level. To help, use the moist moss in a humid hide.

To answer both your questions...
a water dish is necessary regardless if it's for humidity levels or not.
You can use a towel (folded, doesn't have to be damp) or plexiglass or some sort of fairly solid object to cover 2/3 of the tank top to help keep in humidity. Use a spray bottle to mist the tank (warm water) once a day to help keep humidity levels at a normal range.
If absolutely necessary, you can put the water over the UTH area or under a heat lamp but here's two downsides: warm water = breeding ground for bacteria, evaporates the water faster which means absolutely necessary frequent water changing.
Hope this helps =]

Is it normal for a ball to burrow? I woke up this morning and he's under the substrate. Let me just say one more time, you guys are awesome, thanks

Honestly, I thought his entire setup sounded great--if the snake likes the plastic bowl, just get another plastic bowl. Humidity was great, temperatures were fine.

If the snake is eating in a 45 gallon tank, then questions of the snake's security are completely moot--go to town decorate it, and enjoy.

Ball pythons are individuals. If yours is happy in a huge cage, and you can keep the environment of the cage clean and at the correct temperature and humidity, there's no need to buy a different cage.

It's true that some ball pythons refuse food and are unhappy in large cages. It's also true that some ball pythons refuse food and are unhappy in cages that they feel are too small--including the same size cages other ball pythons prefer -- I have 2 snakes in my collection like that. Many ball pythons just plain don't care about the size of the cage as long as they have a hidey-hole.

Ok, here we go. :]

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Originally Posted by Basketball303

Thanks for being blunt...I want the most direct answer that I can get, after all it's a living breathing animal I'm caring for. Now here's my next question, if I were to get a female ball and put it in the same tank will that compensate for some of the space or is that just a bad idea all around? You guys are awesome, thanks for the clarification on my questions.

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No problem, but two snakes in an enclosure is a bad idea for a huge multitude of reasons. So that's a big no.

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Originally Posted by Basketball303

I do have aspen bedding in there for him. And just a few clarification points, the hide is the typical upside down log that measures about 5 inches long and about 3-4 inches wide. He has gone in there before and seems very comfortable. To create humidity I understand that I basically need some sort of water source in there, does a wire mesh screen matter in this process? I don't think he's a baby baby, right now he's about 1.5-2 feet long, and from what I've seen at the local reptile shops, he's definately bigger than the baby balls they have there. And I'm pretty sure he's getting ready to shed.

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Log hides are very insecure for ball pythons. If you can, get a hide with one opening that is round or square and tight. Log hides are also usually, too large for the snake to be comfortable.
You always need to have a water bowl with fresh water present.

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Originally Posted by Basketball303

I do have aspen bedding in the tank and I am currently working on getting some humidity in there. Is there any problem with a mesh wire top when it comes to humidity, from what I've read, I basically just need to get wet moss or some sort of water substance in there to create humidity.

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To help humidity, you can tape down some foil to the outer top of the screen. Make sure none of the tape ever comes in contact with the inside of the enclosure, as it can adhere to the scales and rip them off.

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Originally Posted by Basketball303

Is it normal for a ball to burrow? I woke up this morning and he's under the substrate. Let me just say one more time, you guys are awesome, thanks

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Ball pythons burrow if they are insecure, this is probably because your hides are insufficient, but generally it's not an issue.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Honestly, I thought his entire setup sounded great--if the snake likes the plastic bowl, just get another plastic bowl. Humidity was great, temperatures were fine.

If the snake is eating in a 45 gallon tank, then questions of the snake's security are completely moot--go to town decorate it, and enjoy.

Ball pythons are individuals. If yours is happy in a huge cage, and you can keep the environment of the cage clean and at the correct temperature and humidity, there's no need to buy a different cage.

It's true that some ball pythons refuse food and are unhappy in large cages. It's also true that some ball pythons refuse food and are unhappy in cages that they feel are too small--including the same size cages other ball pythons prefer -- I have 2 snakes in my collection like that. Many ball pythons just plain don't care about the size of the cage as long as they have a hidey-hole.

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All ball pythons contain a very similar mentality, and aren't really happy or unhappy, but stressed or not stressed. The difference, is that some snakes will eat even when they are stressed.
A 45 gallon, in general, is an issue not just for the snake, but for husbandry. You need to fill that with lots of plants, tons of substrate, cleaning it is a pain, and the poor thing probably won't be able to find it's hides because theres so much room.
Not to mention, it is more than difficult-impossible to keep the humidity and temperature ranges proper. Unless a snake requires a tank that large, I wouldn't even want to go through the trouble of having it.
It's also very heavy. ;)

I bought an acu-rite thing from Wal-Mart and have been keeping the humidity around 62%, the highest it's gotten is 70%, but from what I hear, it's still fine. I'm working on building a humid hide for him. Does it matter if the log hide is backed against a wall? I bought a black heat light to simulate night/day for him. Since I bought the acu-rite, I have seen him out a lot more at night and having a lot more fun. We had a little accident last night, I was watching TV with him on my stomach and he peed and pooped all over me, oh what an experience that was, LOL.