So I acquired a hatchling ball python on Tuesday 9/1/2020. I apologize in advance for the short essay, but I figure it might be more valuable in helping you understand the situation.

I live in South Texas so the climate is generally pretty warm here. His enclosure is a 15 quart sterilite tub with two rows of holes on the long ends, and 4 rows on the locking lid. Substrate is Eco Earth. Temperature is provided by a small UTH on one side, with a thermostat set to 89.5F. Temps never vary more than ~1F. It is measured by a large metal probe, drilled into the side about a half inch over the plastic. It is very difficult to budge. Substrate is average about 1 inch in depth, depending on how the snake pushes it around. Ambient temps are room temperature, which here is about low 80s. I verify temps by a analog thermometer (which reads a couple degrees high) and a temp gun. Low side reads approx 82. Humidity averages low 60%. Hides are on both side, though the cool side high does not sit flush due to a tight squeeze by the water bowl. I’m planning on downsizing the water bowl. The hide boxes are not the same design. There is also some fake plants to block out the sides where most foot traffic occurs.

The snake strongly prefers to stay in the warm side hide. He will briefly come out in the late afternoons sometimes to lay on the cool side, but does not use the hide. He does cruise the enclosure at night starting around 2200 or so. If he sees movement outside the enclosure he will stop moving until he feels it is no longer being observed. He is defensive and will make defensive strikes when I had to move him to clean up some urates. That is the extent of my handling of him. Besides providing water, cleaning up and putting things back in order, or taking measurements with the temp gun, I try to stay out of the enclosure.


On day 4 of him, I had observed him sitting in the warm hide with his head poking out. I decided to thaw a frozen mouse hopper, warmed up with a blow dryer, and offered it to him. He immediately took interest, followed it but got spooked out and retreated back into the hide. I tried waving it on tongs in front of his hide but me made a couple of defensive strikes and did not coil. I took back the rodent and discarded it after that. I figure the mouse may not have been warm enough, and he may have got sight of me looming over him and that intimidated him.

The breeder had him on live hoppers before, so I’m not terribly surprised he refused the F/T. My question is should I wait until next Friday 9/14 to offer a live hopper or attempt a live feeding on Tuesday 9/11. Also is there some other aspects of husbandry that I may need to change?