My ball python doesn’t seem happy

[Katlyn]

Hi everyone! I recently got my first ball python and I have been doing so much research! He is a hatchling pretty small. I haven’t fed him yet because I got him 3 days ago and I read 3-5 days maybe even a week was good to wait for him to get used to his new environment. I have a heating pad underneath my 20 gallon tank, and a red light over it on a light stand to maintain the air temp at 90 on the hot side and 80ish on the cool side. I do have a device that controls the temperature of the heating pad and light and turns them off when it gets too hot.
My snake keeps trying to escape his terrarium, then when he sees us, even when his head is up against the top of the glass, he will stop moving and just stay still. We go away and sometimes he’s still trying to escape and sometimes he balls up VERY tight between one of his hides and his water bowl. He doesn’t use his hides at all, maybe once. That’s bad right? I’m going to try to feed him today, I read maybe he’s hungry? So he is searching for food? I have f/t fuzzies for him. Is one enough? Is it bad he keeps climbing the walls and not using his hides? I’ve tried changing the hides up. Please help, I just want him to be happy. I am very passionate about snakes and I want this to work out.

[Bogertophis]

Welcome aboard... Without seeing what you're using for "hides" it is hard to say whether or not they are adequate: many snakes (including BPs) want to feel
"back pressure", in other words, feel like they are snug inside a cave where a predator cannot sneak up on them. So those half-round tree bark tunnels sold in
stores are nice as cage decor, they don't work as hides...they are too open. Hides should have only one doorway & be slightly larger than the snake (if the snake
is curled up); you can often improve hides that are a little too big by crumpling paper (towels or other clean paper) and stuffing some inside so the snake feels
more snug. Just remember that even if his hides are perfect for him, everything is still new & frightening from his viewpoint. He is still trying to figure out how he got here...

New homes are scary & stressful for ALL snakes. They learn their way around in the wild & they don't understand when their whole world changes abruptly...he may
be trying to find "his way home" to familiar turf. It may help to cover the sides & back & some of the front (bottom part) of the glass so his "view" is minimized for
now. Also, since BPs need to be warm & tanks don't hold heat very well, you can improve the situation by actually insulating the glass, instead of just using dark
paper to cover the sides. Many things work easily- corrugated cardboard, poster board (white or black, the kind with a foam core sold in Walmart & craft/school
supplies, a bit less than 1/4" thick), even self-adhesive carpet tiles, or packing bubbles (the kind in sheets- this allows light thru but reduces vision).

It's also possible that he is hungry: when was he last fed? Your f/t fuzzies are mouse fuzzies? or rat fuzzies? BIG difference. Most BPs are big enough to eat a
f/t mouse hopper, but no harm starting small...he may refuse anyway, as it might not be hunger you're seeing, but stress/fear. Avoid handling him until he
has fed easily for you at least 3 times, for best results.

Again,

[Jasmijn]

I think he’s okay, he probably just needs a bit of time to adjust and he may not use his hides at night/afternoon/early morning because they’re nocturnal. I would feed one f/t prey depending on what size your snake is. I wouldn’t worry, sounds like you’re taking good care of your snake my snake doesn’t use his hide the whole day either, he pushes it away and goes inbetween the glass and his hide As long as he does not appear sick at all he’ll be a happy snake, hope this helps

[Jasmijn]

If he does not eat right away when you offer it at night try leaving it in the tank overnight, he may feel safer eating it when noone is around at night

[Dylan_]

You have a thermostat hooked up to heating pad?. If so make sure the probe is sandwiched between the glass and the heat pad. i made the mistake of doing that and ive took mine off 2 times now. i decided this time i was putting foil tape on the adhesive side. so i can just move it whenever i want now. Also mine would hide all the time and when i entered the room would bolt for the first hide it seen. Now it will come out st night and i can stand right beside it sfter about a konth and it just does its thing without a care in the world. It takes time for them to learn your not a threat. Im actualky transfering mine from a glass tank to a tub tn or tm for a few reasons. Less work to clean easier to maintain humidity. Im ditching my heat lights and putting a space heater in. I just got another all python the other night shes about 2 years old and alot and i mean alot bigger theb my 7 month old. Dont got room for a massive enclosure anymore cant have 2 massive enclosures setup lol. Thats my reasoning. Anyways if you block most of the top off with aluminum foil and tape if u have a mesh top (never put tape inside enclosure) that will help with heat and humidity trapping as well. As for feeding it took mine almodt 2 weeks before she/he would accept a meal. A happy ball python is a hiding ball python btw. If its wandering the cage it could be stress related or it could possibly be eating. Make sure you have the right size hide and 2 of them. One on cold 1 on hot. Also make sure temps are good basking spot at the glass not on substrate should be about 90. Cool side should be no lower then 75 u want it higher then that about 78 atleast 80 is goal but never below 75. Sorry for such a long paragraph lol

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[Dylan_]

I made the mistake of not sandwiching the probe between glass and heat pad i mean.

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[Katlyn]

The probe specifically says not to be placed under the tank and not in direct heat source. It controls the lamp and the pad.

[Dylan_]

What thermostat are you using?. And when the thermostat probes are inside the enclosure the snakes can move them or pee on them causing false readings and over heating heat pad and burning your snake

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[Katlyn]

What thermostat are you using?. And when the thermostat probes are inside the enclosure the snakes can move them or pee on them causing false readings and over heating heat pad and burning your snake

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I don’t have the exact name of it I’m at work, but I got it at Petco for like 60-70 bucks. It keeps the air temp 90. It’s in the corner and the snake hasn’t even been close to over there yet. I guess the better question is what SHOULD. I be using? Money isn’t a problem I just want the best place for him but changing tanks is not an option.

[Dylan_]

I don’t have the exact name of it I’m at work, but I got it at Petco for like 60-70 bucks. It keeps the air temp 90. It’s in the corner and the snake hasn’t even been close to over there yet. I guess the better question is what SHOULD. I be using? Money isn’t a problem I just want the best place for him but changing tanks is not an option.

I use 2 different kinds. since getting online isnt much of an option for me. i know the better ones u get online. but i use a zoo med thermostat 600w and a exo terra thermostat 300w. But i dont think it matters what thermostat you get and ambient tempature should not be 90 thats to hot. Id drop thst to 80 low 80s. Your basking spot should be 88ish 90 the rest should be low 80s. The thermostat will only control the 1 device seeing ad you need to hook the probe sandwiched between heat pad and glass. Unless you have one that has 2 probes. Otherwise you will need another one to control your lamp as well.

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