Is This Normal Ball Python Behavior?

[SpaceSnakes]

Hi there, everyone!

I recently bought a new BP at my local Repticon. He's a month old, eating on live pinkies and fuzzies, and he's been doing really well! He's been adjusting to his environment, and he even had his first successful feeding for me 3 days ago - gulping down two fuzzies! (I gave him one in the morning, and one in the afternoon)

But I have a question about his recent behavior.

When I first got him, he was doing the normal "New arrival" behavior, roaming his tank, exploring, and he eventually settled down into going into his hides during the day, and coming out and exploring at night.

Ever since I fed him, at night, he has been coming out of his hide, but he goes to the same spot and curls up, making the typical "S" shape with his head, like he's waiting for something. In the mornings, he goes back into his hide, but as soon as night comes around, the cycle starts again.

Is this normal behavior? Is he just basking? Hungry? Stressed? Comfortable?

Here's a little more information about his setup, if it helps;

He is currently in a 10 gallon tank. He has two hides, one on the cool side, one on the hot side (He primarily uses the hot side). The temperatures are always steady, staying between 90 - 92 degrees F on the hot side and 80 degrees F on the cool side. The humidity never strays below 45%, but I try my hardest to keep it at 50% or higher. I cluttered the tank up to make it more comfortable, laying vines, rocks, and other plants along the ground. He has enough room to move around, but it is quite snug. At night, the temperatures drop a few degrees, but they stay relatively high, never going below 80 degrees. His water bowl is an appropriate size, it doesn't take up too much space, but he can still curl up in it comfortably.

Would any of this mess with him? Or am I just being paranoid?

Thank you in advance for your help!!

[JodanOrNoDan]

Review the stickies in the husbandry section on tank setup. Make sure you are utilizing a thermostat. That said, the behavior he is exhibiting usually indicates hunger.

[SpaceSnakes]

Review the stickies in the husbandry section on tank setup. Make sure you are utilizing a thermostat. That said, the behavior he is exhibiting usually indicates hunger.

I forgot to mention my gauges! I do have two gauges, one on each side of the tank. It's a dual monitor, showing the humidity and temperatures at all times.

Do you think I should feed him again tonight, when he comes out?

[tttaylorrr]

I forgot to mention my gauges! I do have two gauges, one on each side of the tank. It's a dual monitor, showing the humidity and temperatures at all times.

Do you think I should feed him again tonight, when he comes out?

i'm going to assume it's an analog/dial thermoMETER/hygrometer. you should get one or two digital ones; $10.
a thermoMETER and a thermoSTAT are two very different things. ALL heat sources MUST be regulated by a thermoSTAT.

that being said, i agree with Jodan above: it sounds like he's hungry. go ahead and try to feed him tonight.

[JodanOrNoDan]

Yes he is hungry. I just re-read your thread. If you are talking pinky and fuzzy mice they are too small. He should most likely be eating rat pups at this stage. The prey's width should be the same size or slightly larger than the widest part of the animal's body. Those gauges you have, if they are the sick on type are probably crap, and there may be other things wrong here too as well, but I don't want to spend time slamming your setup because it always come across as rude and that is not my intention. Please read the sticky threads on husbandry and the ball python care sheet. You absolutely need a thermostat. Just having a thermometer, accurate or not, is not sufficient. Any type of heat source unregulated is a disaster waiting to happen with a ball python.

[SpaceSnakes]

Yes he is hungry. I just re-read your thread. If you are talking pinky and fuzzy mice they are too small. He should most likely be eating rat pups at this stage. The prey's width should be the same size or slightly larger than the widest part of the animal's body. Those gauges you have, if they are the sick on type are probably crap, and there may be other things wrong here too as well, but I don't want to spend time slamming your setup because it always come across as rude and that is not my intention. Please read the sticky threads on husbandry and the ball python care sheet. You absolutely need a thermostat. Just having a thermometer, accurate or not, is not sufficient. Any type of heat source unregulated is a disaster waiting to happen with a ball python.

I will definitely look into getting those thermostats asap!
I will try feeding him again tonight. I will try the rat pup, but have some back-up fuzzy mice just in case. I'm sorry I didn't make it clear that I meat pinky/fuzzy MICE!
Thank you so much for your help!

[Craiga 01453]

Pinky and fuzzy mice are WAY too small. Your snake is HUNGRY!!!

Like the others have said, please familiarize yourself with proper husbandry, proper prey size, etc...

You NEED a thermostat in addition to thermometers.
No offense, we are here to help, but it seems you have a lot to learn. We were all new once too. Read over the stickies on this forum on husbandry, get the proper equipment, get your snake eating the appropriate prey and ask questions if you are still unclear. The stickies are pretty cut and dry and should answer the majority of your questions and set you up for success if you follow them. But the awesome people on this forum are always happy to help.

[Booper]

Also make sure you unplug any heat source with no thermostat, until you can get one. Like said before, they can get REALLY hot and cause horrible burns and even death, and noone wants that.
In regards to prey size, it's pretty much accepted that you should feed prey the same size as your snake's thickest area around, or feed a prey that is 10% of your snake's overall weight (So feed a 10g prey to a 100g snake and so on).

[Sunnieskys]

Whoa. Pinkies and fuzzies. No no no lol. Hatchlings usually start hoppers or adult mice. Move that food size up up up. Lol