Baby ball in 40 gallon tank?

[Jörmun]

For best results a new snake should be housed as similarly to their previous home as possible, & NOT in a large, complex (or bioactive) home. Common sense really...a new home is already terrifying to a snake.

They don't understand why their entire world just changed & many stay restless (not feeding) because they're trying to find their "home". For the same reason, feed exactly what they were fed previously- so if you
don't know (or weren't provided that essential information) by all means ask: rat or mouse? what size? live or f/t (frozen-thawed) or f/k (fresh-killed)???

One reason the enclosure you describe is a bad idea is that IF the snake you chose has health problems (such as mites or bloody stool), it will likely go un-noticed in such a set-up until the snake dies of something
"mysterious" that had you used a plain arrangement* on white paper towels for substrate (so issues show up), you might have been able to save him. *plastic hides & water bowl, any clutter must be disposable

Your tank also is too warm. If you're sure the temps. measured are accurate (& taken where the snake makes contact inside the cage) then lower the cool side by 3*, & the warm side by 4-5*. A snake that is
too warm will also roam a lot, looking for a way out for more suitable temps. A 40 gal. is great for an adult BP, but too much for a "baby" to deal with, assuming you want him to eat?

My advice: start over, make a suitable set-up immediately*, & don't handle this snake (other than to move into new home) until after he has eaten at least 3 times for you (at normal intervals & with no refusals).

Baby snakes of any kind are more fragile & need to "be a snake first" (ie. concentrate on eating & thriving)...remember that anything that picks them up in the wild is a predator about to eat them! Yes they learn
in time that we are safe to hang out with, but your first job as a snake keeper is to realize all snakes (even if captive-bred) are WILD animals first, meaning they depend on their instincts; the less you interfere with
his instincts, the better for his survival. Stress can ultimately kill a snake, so minimize his stress with a correct set-up & no handling until he's established.

*And BPs instinctively hide...they are ambush predators, so your little one should be in a much smaller set up.
If you PM Steward Reptiles (https://ball-pythons.net/forums/memb...ewart_Reptiles) I'm sure she'll re-post her detailed instructions if you cannot find them in threads here.

So i tried feeding him a f/t hopper yesterday, wiggled it and rubbed it against him(he didnt show interest) so ileft it in his little tub over night. He doesn’t want to eat and just stayed balled up. He was delivered to me last friday and his feeding schedule is every friday meaning he wasn’t fed till last last friday. I’m really worried.. he looks a little thin to me.