He has the short, wider head versus the elongated-ish head and has a VERY short tail. Also he has quite large spurs. I am planning on taking him to a local herp store (luckily I have two right down the street from me- one being the one that the girl actually got the ball python from) and having them check the sex. I'm scared to try.

Here is a picture of the whole tank.



He is only 3 feet (and already four years old) so I'm not thinking he is going to get too much longer- but I could be wrong. I'm thinking about a 36"L x 18" W x 12"H. I just don't like how tall the 50 gallon is. I am a short girl, therefore having me reach in that tank is suicide each time, hahah. Do you think 12" is too short of a tank for a ball python? I really want to make it a comfortable, safe environment for him. They also only have him with a red light. I plan on getting another light soon and having a white light as well. I just don't want to change too much at once.

Also, one other question: my previous ball python I always fed in a separate enclosure. It also had a hide in it and was still comfortable for the snake to sit in for a couple hours. I did this because I'm scared to death of getting striked at every time I stick my hand in the cage. . . Well the previous owners fed this snake in his enclosure, so when I open it he gets in a 45 degree angle looking like he wants to eat my hand. Do you think it would be bad if after time I switch him over to eating in a separate enclosure . . . so that he doesn't think every time I stick my hand in there he is getting fed??

The people who previously had him, had him for almost all four years of his life (give or take a couple weeks) and told me that since they got their dog they haven't been able to handle him as much. So, he hasn't been handled a lot for a good few months.