Quote Originally Posted by gotballs? View Post
First off, let me prefeace by saying that the acquisition of a ball python as a pet is not something I did lightly or on a whim. I debated this over and over in my head for about 6 months, during which time I read as much as I could find.
Welcome to BPNet! It's really wonderful to see someone who took the time to really think about whether a snake, specifically a ball python, was the right animal to purchase prior to putting down there money. Good for you.

10GAL w/mesh lid, 2 hides, water dish, 2 thermometers, aspen substrate bedding, heat lamp w/red infared 75W bulb.

Ok, I have covered 3 out of the 4 of the sides of the tank with cardboard. I have a thermometer on the cool side and a stick-on (I KNOW!) on the warm side. The water dish is dead center. She has nothing to climb on though, and that concerns me...
The 10 gallon is a nice starter home for a small bp. Since she's only 125 grams she'd be an 08 hatchling and likely no more than 3 to 6 months old or thereabouts. You didn't mention where you purchased her so I'm unsure if she's actually a she or if you have an actual hatchdate.

The only issues with your enclosure would be the way you measure your temps and the issue of things to climb on. Ball pythons aren't really much for climbing. The younger ones might climb a bit but really they basically suck at it and tend to tumble off stuff. They are ground snakes and tend to be quite happy if they have hides to tuck up in to. If you do add in any branches from the pet store, make sure they are the kind designed low and very sturdy so they don't tip under a bp's weight.

To monitor temps and humidity you might want to consider picking up an Acu-Rite (WalMart $10.00 or thereabouts plus one AAA battery). This is what it looks like....



Place the actual unit on your cool side, standing or secured (not with tape) at substrate level, run the thin probe cord over to the warm side and tuck the probe just inside the warm side hide, bury the probe cord or run it out and back into the tank to keep it out of the way. Push a few buttons until you get the reading that says...IN, OUT, HUMIDITY.

IN is what the actual unit is reading (your cool side, substrate level temp reading)

OUT is what the probe is reading (your warm side, inside the hide at substratre level temp reading)

HUMIDITY, again read by the actual unit and is your ambient enclosure humidity

Aim for 80-82 cool side, 90-92 warm side, 50% humidity

Acu-Rites aren't perfect but for $10.00 they are a decent option.

- She never uses the hide on the heated side, even if I change the side the lamp sits on top of.
The temps may be too great under the lamp. Are the hides the same construction and size or are they significantly different? Does she use the other hide at all?

- The temps as measured are 78-81 cool side, 88-92 warm side. (Not accurate I know, but the best I can do for now. I am purchasing 2 probe thermometers on Wednesday.)
See my suggestions about an Acu-Rite.

- She is hardly ever active, except when I take her out. Then it takes her about 5 minutes or so to adjust to being handled, then I can't get her to sit still.
They aren't a very active snake. We've got over 40 ball pythons in the house from small 08 hatchlings up to large adult female breeders. During the daytime it's pretty rare to see any of them outside their hides. Even at night some of them just come out for a slither than go back to lazing in their hides and occasionally looking out the "doorway".

Remember to allow this little bp lots of time to adjust to you and her new home. She's a nervous baby snake so be slow with her and don't overhandle.

- When I touch her to get her out, she is always almost cold to the touch.
If she's not utilizing her warm side, that's not surprising. She does need to thermoregulate properly though so that needs addressed.

- She ate exactly 1 week after I brought her home, with no issues. She is eating F/T sub-adult mice.

- She pooped the day after I brought her home, but hasn't since, even though she ate on Monday the 22nd. I have not noticed and urates or urine either.
She'll poop when she's ready and if she has enough food and water in her to create feces. What did she eat as far as prey (size and type)?

- Her noticable bulge from feeding has been gone since about the 23rd-24th. I weighed her today, the 26th, and her weight is 125g.
You don't want a huge bulge from feeding but even the normal thicker just fed look should disappear within 24 to 48 hours.

- She has not shed since I got her. However, I noticed several extremely dry spots where it looks like there are dead scales(?). Does that make since? The worst spot looks like a scar from a cut or something similar.
She may have some stuck shed. Hopefully not a scarred up baby (poor thing). Here's a couple of fantastic threads to help understand and deal with the shed cycle. Snakes of this age generally shed about every 4 to 6 weeks or thereabouts.

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=74289

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=43403

Besides the thermometer/thermostat problem, is there anything I could/should be doing better habitat wise? Should I cover the mesh with aluminum foil and duct tape to help with humidity? Or perhaps use a moist towel, even though I heard this can cause bacteria and mold?
Personally I'd ditch the lamp because they just suck the humidity up and with a glass tank/mesh lid you are already fighting that issue. Contact Rich at Reptiles Basics (tell him BPNet sent you) www.reptilebasics.com (there's a phone number there or email him). Tell him what your setup is, the rooms temps this tank is exposed to and so forth, he'll set you up. Even with shipping you'll be far better off than those stick on undertank heat pad things most pet stores sell.

You can cover some of that mesh (leave room for your lamp and some ventilation) with a piece of plexiglass or just some of that self-sticky Glad wrap. Just make sure that anything you use never has tape that gets inside the enclosure. Snakes and tape never mix well.

Can I add/change her tank without freaking her out? I would like to add a piece of driftwood for her to climb on, maybe with some fake greenery to hide in. I was also thinking about possibly using an old tv stand to convert into a custom built cage... any thoughts?
Make changes that she needs, not you need. At this point you want her to settle in, be happy and eat for you. If you fiddle too much with doodads you may freak her out (babies are more easily stressed). I'd say focus for now on changing only what must be changed in order to make her enclosure right for her.

What can I do to make her more comfortable, as in enough so that she will start "coming out to play" as it were?
Make her enclosure setup as right for her as you can. Feed her well (what is she eating by the way), give her time to settle in. You've only had this very young snake a relatively short time. These snakes require tons of patience, everything is slow with them so just give it time. You have a good 20 years or more of friendship with this animal. For now remember she is a baby really so just go slow, set down simple habits and patterns she can learn to recognize and you'll both do just fine.