What are some ways to reduce stress?

[Gio]

To give you an idea of how a hide should be compare to a snake, imagine a turtle, well the snake hide should fit a snake like a shell fits a turtle. Hides need to be snug with all sides touching your BP's body.

To reduce stress 90% of it will be husbandry related. Assess your husbandry based on your snake size and do the necessary changes.

Also if you feed fuzzy mice those are too small as BP are started on hopper and quickly move through sizes.

THIS ^^^^^

And I think Deborah will agree, that if you set up very close to what the breeder had the snake in prior to you taking possession you'll reduce a lot of stress.

The more I study my son's royal the more I appreciate the species. I used to consider them boring, but the reality is these snakes are extremely successful because of their natural instincts. They are the smallest pythons on the African continent and they know their limitations. They are NOT to big for predation, therefore they hide and emerge when they want to eat and then cleverly go back into hiding.

I think a lot of folks mix up INSTINCT with perceived intelligence. Just because one snake is more active than another doesn't mean it is any more intelligent.

Whoa,,, I ran out of breath on that rant, but it relates to why a snake like this will become stressed faster than another. They NEED to hide based on their evolutionary history.

Anyhow, if you are looking to reduce stress, contact your breeder and find out how the snake was kept prior to your purchase. Replicate the environment and then slowly introduce items as you go. Handling often is a no no at least for a bit.

Royals can be the best first snake or the worst depending on your understanding of them and your willingness to adjust your wants and needs to that of the snake's.