What the heck is he doing?

[Blitzjg]

I just got this baby today he's about a month old, he's been pretty nippy and in strike position since I put him in his cage. A couple hours ago he started exploring and moving about the cage and just now I found him like this. Is this reasonable behavior given that it's his first day in my place?

[Bob Gunter]

Not sure, but he's probably use to being in a little shoe box in a rack system. Do you have a hide for him? I can't tell.

[pigfat]

Baby balls can be aggressive. It's under a lot of stress moving to a new enclosure. I can't tell if you have hides or not but you need two in your tank, one on hot and one on cold side. Also, are you measuring your humidity? A ball python that's roaming around usually means they are stressed. Give it several days to settle in before you try handling again.

[Blitzjg]

Yeah I have two nearly identical plastic hides I made him, he hasn't used them yet.

Attempting to keep track of humidity. I have a Combo analog hygrometer thermometer. I'm still adjusting the humidity right now I have a damp towel on top and it's a little high, about 70.

[dr del]

Hi,

I'd say he was just exploring.

I'd also replace those with a good digital measuring device ( with a probe ) - those are basically giving you an incorrect reading miles away from where the snake will actually be 90% of the time.


dr del

[PitOnTheProwl]

He is getting into "tank destruction" mode. Mine use to more everything around all the time.
He might also be trying to remove those analog gauges because they don't work properly.
Digital is the way to go.

[DooLittle]

He's just checking out the new digs. Perfectly normal. But yes, as everyone else has said, those gauges are terribly inaccurate.

[kameo37]

The thing that I see in the photo is that you have your UTHs on the back of the tank? Maybe he's trying to get warm? I would put the UTHs under the tank.
At least, I think that's what I'm seeing? I noticed the white probe cord from a digital thermometer hanging down on the right side into the middle of the tank and I thought that was odd...but then I saw the black square.
Also, you will need a thermostat to regulate the heat coming out of those UTHs...you don't want to burn that sweet baby.

[Inarikins]

No, I think that's black paper to block out some of the view. Those hides look terribly open, though...

[Blitzjg]

Yeah that's foam board for security, I do have a digital temp probe on the other side. I wasn't sure (and still am not) what hygrometer to get so I just got that as a temporary.

I had the hides cut with a smaller entry hole but they looked too small so I cut them bigger than his largest part.

I haven't put in my UTH yet because I won't have a thermostat til next week.

For the hides, I got these cheap plastic bins I found at the grocery I figured I could cut them into decent hides. I bought two extra just in case. Here's a pic of them before cutting, how can I make them into better ones?