Here's a little "story" that illustrates just how tight they like their hides...

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=35212

You just about can't get "too small"....even to the point where they are wearing a plastic dish like a hat is sometimes preferred over a roomier hide. If they can feel their bodies touched on all sides, including from above, they are usually pretty content.