Nippy new ball python

[Taying]

I purchased a 5.5 month old ball python 3 days ago and it’s been striking since day one. I have it in a 20 gallon tank with a warm side at 90-95F and a cold side around 75-78F. He has hides on the cool side and the warm side. I change out the water daily and mist a few times a day to keep the humidity up, but every time I enter the tank to do this my BP gets nervous and will strike at me from time to time. I know BPs require some time to adjust to the new habitat before handling so I’m not going to handle for a bit more and after he has had a meal.

The previous owner fed him last Thursday so he has a couple days before he’s due for another meal and he said that he may start to shed soon. The prev owner also said this BP was shy but never struck out, but it’s concerning that he has struck so often since I have had him. Is this normal for a BP of his age and is he likely to grow out of it as time goes by with regular handling? Is there something I can do differently? I don’t want to stress him or give him a reason to feel threatened.

[Aerries]

Leave him alone for at least a week, let him settle in to his new enclosure.


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[Taying]

Leave him alone for at least a week, let him settle in to his new enclosure.


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Yes, that is what I’ve planned on doing. Should I wait to change out his water/mist only when he’s hidden away so that he won’t feel threatened by me?

[CALM Pythons]

You leave a snake alone for a week min because they are stressed in the new environment. Unless he pisses all over i would let him be. If you have to mist that often to keep the humidity up you need to insulate 3 sides of the tank and put something over the top to hold the humidity. Also get a larger water bowl, a large dish will take care of that most of the time once you cover the top and put something around the 3 sides of the glass. Check the husbandry section on tank set up. It gives idea about how to help with this. Congrats on the new Ball.


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[Taying]

You leave a snake alone for a week min because they are stressed in the new environment. Unless he pisses all over i would let him be. If you have to mist that often to keep the humidity up you need to insulate 3 sides of the tank and put something over the top to hold the humidity. Also get a larger water bowl, a large dish will take care of that most of the time once you cover the top and put something around the 3 sides of the glass. Check the husbandry section on tank set up. It gives idea about how to help with this. Congrats on the new Ball.


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Thank you! I have a large water bowl and the top of the tank has been covered. The back wall is foam and I’ll be getting foam to cover the other two sides. I’ve read up on it and some recommend insulating the outside, other recommend the inside. Would insulating the outside help with humidity?

i also am using coconut fiber which I know will suck up any moisture. It’s about 1.5” deep right now, should the depth be less to help with humidity?

[Shayne]

Thank you! I have a large water bowl and the top of the tank has been covered. The back wall is foam and I’ll be getting foam to cover the other two sides. I’ve read up on it and some recommend insulating the outside, other recommend the inside. Would insulating the outside help with humidity?

i also am using coconut fiber which I know will suck up any moisture. It’s about 1.5” deep right now, should the depth be less to help with humidity?

I had problems with humidity as well. I covered 3 sides on the INside with decorative foam boarding and also reduced the coconut substrate from 1 1/2" to 1/2". It worked. Humidity stays between 55-65% and I never mist.

[CALM Pythons]

Thank you! I have a large water bowl and the top of the tank has been covered. The back wall is foam and I’ll be getting foam to cover the other two sides. I’ve read up on it and some recommend insulating the outside, other recommend the inside. Would insulating the outside help with humidity?

i also am using coconut fiber which I know will suck up any moisture. It’s about 1.5” deep right now, should the depth be less to help with humidity?

Sounds like your doing good. Im surprised the humidity is low. Im not familiar with wood substrate I just use craft paper in all my enclosures but i know 1” is standard. Maybe the way its being heated and its suck a small tank that its drying out quickly. Ive never used anything smaller than a 40gal breeder. As far as insulating the inside ive never heard of that. I do know people that have used decor on the walls on the inside like foam and painted like rocks but never for humidity or insulation, thats always outside the tank. I think you probably have a hard time because of the amount of heat you need and you’re putting into a smaller tank. I thought you said you were using a 20 gallon, If that’s so your water bowl can’t be that big. My Bowls are 5qt. (12” wide Circumference and about 6” deep)


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[Shayne]

Sounds like your doing good. Im surprised the humidity is low. Im not familiar with wood substrate I just use craft paper in all my enclosures but i know 1” is standard. Maybe the way its being heated and its suck a small tank that its drying out quickly. Ive never used anything smaller than a 40gal breeder. As far as insulating the inside ive never heard of that. I do know people that have used decor on the walls on the inside like foam and painted like rocks but never for humidity or insulation, thats always outside the tank. I think you probably have a hard time because of the amount of heat you need and you’re putting into a smaller tank. I thought you said you were using a 20 gallon, If that’s so your water bowl can’t be that big. My Bowls are 5qt. (12” wide Circumference and about 6” deep)


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Where did you see "wood substrate"? Maybe I missed something. Or is that what coconut fiber is AKA?

[Taying]

Sounds like your doing good. Im surprised the humidity is low. Im not familiar with wood substrate I just use craft paper in all my enclosures but i know 1” is standard. Maybe the way its being heated and its suck a small tank that its drying out quickly. Ive never used anything smaller than a 40gal breeder. As far as insulating the inside ive never heard of that. I do know people that have used decor on the walls on the inside like foam and painted like rocks but never for humidity or insulation, thats always outside the tank. I think you probably have a hard time because of the amount of heat you need and you’re putting into a smaller tank. I thought you said you were using a 20 gallon, If that’s so your water bowl can’t be that big. My Bowls are 5qt. (12” wide Circumference and about 6” deep)


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My water bowl is 7” x 8.5” and 2” deep. I bought that was big since that’s how eco terra identified the size, my bad!

Ill try to insulate the outside before insulating the inside, but I’m not sure how it helps with humidity. To me, it makes since with heat since heat can escape through glass, but water doesn’t travel through glass so the reasoning behind it is strange to me.

[CALM Pythons]

Where did you see "wood substrate"? Maybe I missed something. Or is that what coconut fiber is AKA?

Coconut fiber/Wood Chips/Reptichip etc..... ive never used anything but Kraft/Butcher Paper myself. But I just looked back and see that it is a 20 gallon you’re using so any kind of overhead heat like a CHE /Lamp is going to ddry the-heck out of it. I have a tank that I use for quarantine and I put a heat mat underneath the tank where the water bowl is making the water evaporate and that certainly helps. Went from 45% to 58-60%.
You didn’t say how you were heating i dont think.


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