Quote Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
I truly wish you had read up (here, on this site) well BEFORE you bought this cage & this snake. A large tank is difficult enough, but one this TALL for a terrestrial
species (as ball pythons are) is all wrong...it makes it very hard to keep it warm enough or humid enough, nor is it easy to make it cluttered enough for a BP to feel
like it is "safe" & hidden. (This tank would be great for an arboreal species, or something like a rat snake, that loves to climb...but it's not healthy for a BP, sorry!)

I don't see where you answered my question as to the size of this BP? (length, age if known?) So that is why I haven't suggested a better size tank or enclosure yet,
but IF you are determined to keep this snake healthy (eating!) I'd suggest that you set up a proper sized tank (or whatever) immediately...since it will take a while
for this snake to de-stress enough to eat for you. Not only was force-feeding this BP a bad idea, but taking it to the feed store & handling it first, or even trying to
feed it in a separate tub at home as I think you tried previously, was almost a guarantee that it would NOT feed on it's own. Handling a snake like this first just destroys
it's confidence & thoughts of food...all it can think of is fear & self-defense. For a BP to want to eat, it needs to feel like it has the "upper hand" over the prey...right now,
he's feeling like HE IS the prey. Do you understand?

So unless you plan to obtain another snake that will do well in this large & tall tank, the best thing you can do is to prepare the proper cage for this snake now, & you
can probably sell this tank to someone working with a species that it's appropriate for. I cannot imagine a BP in a 4 foot tall cage...it's just an awful idea- a mistake.
Great advice! I actually missed that the tank was 4’ tall. That seems insane to me and makes me wonder if your measurements are correct. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a glass tank with the dimensions you listed. I’d go to wallmart and grab a ziplock locking bin around 24” x 12” should be ok. If you need to maintain humidity drill the holes on the side not the top. Then get an uth with a thermostat. Once temps are good leave the snake alone for a week before offering food. After that do not handle until he eats 3+ times. So basically you will not be touching your snake for a month or more.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk