Killer bee

[steelerandrew]

So, I just bought my first ball python. The person I bought it from called it a killer bee morph and said it was quite rare. Where can I find out more about this morph?

[kxr]

http://www.worldofballpythons.com/morphs/killer-bee/

[tsshields]

why did he say it was rare?

[Stewart_Reptiles]

So, I just bought my first ball python. The person I bought it from called it a killer bee morph and said it was quite rare. Where can I find out more about this morph?

Not quite rare pretty common

[kxr]

why did he say it was rare?

To make a sale

[steelerandrew]

Thanks guys. It wasn't to make a sale as I didn't really care about what kind I got. I just wanted a somewhat semi-mature male ball python for my son that was eating well and had been handled a lot. I also wanted to purchase the snake and his enclosure to make the transition easier for him and less problematic for me. I got a healthy snake that is feeding and has a very nice dispositions, a 30 gallon enclosure, humidifier, light with a day and night bulb, feeding container, decorations, temperature/humidifier gauge, decorations, water bowl, extra substrate and hide for $350. I'm ok with that.

[Rikoku]

Thanks guys. It wasn't to make a sale as I didn't really care about what kind I got. I just wanted a somewhat semi-mature male ball python for my son that was eating well and had been handled a lot. I also wanted to purchase the snake and his enclosure to make the transition easier for him and less problematic for me. I got a healthy snake that is feeding and has a very nice dispositions, a 30 gallon enclosure, humidifier, light with a day and night bulb, feeding container, decorations, temperature/humidifier gauge, decorations, water bowl, extra substrate and hide for $350. I'm ok with that.

1) Ditch the feeding container, feed inside that tank. Don't believe the misinformation that is out there about feeding in tank and biting.
2) They don't need a day and night light but its helpful if your ambient temperatures are a bit low.
3) I see you said "hide" as in singular. Your ball python should have two hides, one in the hot side and one in the cool side. They should touch all sides of your snake with a single opening. You are going to want to make sure the hides are identical so your snake doesn't choose security over thermoregulation.
4) If the tank is a screen top. You should be able to regulate the humidity by covering the top and using a large water bowl, you might have to spray here and there. If you want to use the humidifier, you are going to want to regulate with something like an inkbird.

I don't see you mentioned an under tank heater. Belly heat helps ball pythons with digestion. You are going to want to make sure you have one connected to a thermostat as well to regulate it and make sure that your snake does not get burned.

[steelerandrew]

Thanks for your help. I think the setup is working fine as the male is very healthy and feeding/digesting well and slightly over a year old. I'm not sure that I want to mess with what is working. I did read everything you wrote in care sheets and don't dispute it at all but I'm trying to create as natural an environment as possible for the animal. The enclosure is screened rather than glass, that is why i have both lights (live in Ohio). In a natural environment animals burrow under the ground to get away from the heat (or hide in a cool enclosure), that is why i don't want to use a heat pad under the tank. I think the humidifier is necessary as my whole house furnace is on and can dry out the air and without glass to hold in the moisture in I'm afraid it will drop the humidity level too much. He was extremely active last night and actually curled up on top of his enclosure directly under the heat lamp for a while. I think I will provide a hide on the cool side as you suggested. Thanks for all of the help.

[Mangiapane85]

Thanks for your help. I think the setup is working fine as the male is very healthy and feeding/digesting well and slightly over a year old. I'm not sure that I want to mess with what is working. I did read everything you wrote in care sheets and don't dispute it at all but I'm trying to create as natural an environment as possible for the animal. The enclosure is screened rather than glass, that is why i have both lights (live in Ohio). In a natural environment animals burrow under the ground to get away from the heat (or hide in a cool enclosure), that is why i don't want to use a heat pad under the tank. I think the humidifier is necessary as my whole house furnace is on and can dry out the air and without glass to hold in the moisture in I'm afraid it will drop the humidity level too much. He was extremely active last night and actually curled up on top of his enclosure directly under the heat lamp for a while. I think I will provide a hide on the cool side as you suggested. Thanks for all of the help.

There are a lot of things that you seem to be misunderstanding.

If you have a UTH that's hooked up to a thermostat and set at the proper temperature, it will NOT burn your snake even if he burrows. But it will provide him with the hotspot that he needs.

If the snake is trying to climb or get higher up to get closer to the heat bulb, then he most likely is trying to tell you something.

Yes, identical hides are a necessity in a viv setup such as this.

And also, and probably most importantly... just because the snake was eating and doing well in the reptile store you bought him from doesn't mean that he will do the same in your home. Are the temps in your home the same? Same humidity?

Keep us posted and let us know how he does at his first feeding session. .. and yes, it's much better if you just feed them in the safety of their own enclosure.


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[Mangiapane85]

And also, you mention that "animals" burrow underground to get away from the heat. I don't know of too many Ball Pythons that are "burrowers". Not saying that it never will, but none of mine do. Ever... If you're trying to replicate a BALL PYTHONS natural environment, put a big termite mound inside of its tank w it.


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