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  1. #1
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    Paper towel substrate question


    I have a two year old ball python who is at least 1600 grams who for two years of his life has been used to living in tubs on paper towel substrate. I recently switched him from a tub to a glass enclosure, I’m still using the paper towel substrate (2 layers). For the first couple of weeks he was just being normal and slithering around getting used to everything ( he did go off feed a couple times) which I expected.

    But my question is now that he’s more comfortable he has been moving the paper towel all over the place in his enclosure. I’m even finding him lifting the second layer of paper towel and hiding himself underneath.

    Should i just use a single layer? What are some ways to keep the paper towel down so he won’t really move it all over the place?

    im really not wanting to use loose substrate but at this point I may have to because I feel like I’m wasting paper towel by changing his almost every other day ��.

    any tips or tricks you guys have will be very appreciated!
    Thanks
    Last edited by Shke0; 07-21-2019 at 11:04 AM.

  2. #2
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    How are you heating his enclosure? I ask because if it's UTH, maybe he's just trying to get closer to the warmth...?

    Never use tape or other sticky items to hold paper towels in place...trust me on this, the humidity & warmth will loosen the tape, your snake will rub against it some
    night when you aren't looking, & then he'll cement it firmly to himself by using his heat source. So just don't...

    It's asking an awful lot of paper towels to lay flat while a good-sized snake cruises over them, & forget it when the snake actually wants to get under them. They might
    stay down if you have heavy things in all 4 corners, but snakes are adept at moving those too. You need some real substrate or something stiffer (like the textured or
    corrugated wrapping papers available from such places as Uline.com). I use layered paper towels in most of my cages, but with a mix of shredded paper & Carefresh
    over top, & very few of my snakes ever destroy that...BUT, I'm not keeping BPs and this substrate mix is too "dry" (hygroscopic) for BPs, as they need humidity. There
    are better things for BPs...various coco-husk products & even orchid bark are what most like. OR, if you want to keep using paper towels, try layering it on the floor as
    before, but then taking some towels & cutting or tearing them into strips & tossing like a salad, for fluff he can easily hide in over top of the bottom layered towels.

    Honestly it sounds to me like he doesn't have adequate hides...is that a possibility? If hides are too big or too open, snakes don't feel secure & try for anything they can.
    He is now in a bigger cage with a view (glass!) compared to the privacy he had in a tub, so you might also try covering the sides & back, even part of the front glass with
    dark paper or scenery. While you're at it, it's easy to add an insulating layer of various suitable materials so the heat stays in the cage better thru cold months.
    If you doubt that this is a privacy issue for him, try temporarily covering most of his tank with a beach towel, & see if he still digs under the towels.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 07-21-2019 at 11:22 AM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  3. #3
    bcr229's Avatar
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    Switch to newspaper. Paper towels are light and textured so it's easy for your snake to "redecorate" his enclosure. I use newspaper even with my retics and it stays put.

    If you're worried about the ink, call the office for your local paper and ask if you can buy/have an "end roll". For one ball python it should last a long time.

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