New 20 gallon tank setup for my growing ball

[ScottyDsntKnow]

Still pretty new to herps, have had my 0.1 baby ball for about 6 months now and just this weekend upgraded her from a small 10 gallon tank to a 20 gallon since I have more room now. I hope I'm not doing anything wrong or have it too cluttered but I don't think so and she's much more active now than before.

Items:

-Zilla 20 Gallon glass terrarium $60
-Zoo Med 10-20 gallon UTH $20
-2 large Mac log hides $16
-All Living Things 20 gallon tropical terrarium setup $28
-Doggie dish $6
-Repti Temp 500R Tstat $25
-Acurite digital thermometer $12

Total = $167 but I already had the thermometer and tstat so only $130.



I have the UTH under the hide to the right in the picture for the hotside and another identical hide for her on the other side to cool off. She loves climbing all over the stuff in there and the plants give her some cover to the hide openings for more security. Now hopefully she'll eat better, she's been having issues lately with that but I think its because she was getting too cooped up.

[JeffJ]

those log hides are not ideal for her. she will not feel secure in them they are to open.

[zombie&lemons]

nice very nice wish i could add that much stuff to mine. but with the half logs get ride of them like said in another post bps like dark small hides

[FatBoy]

those log hides are not ideal for her. she will not feel secure in them they are to open.

I agree...an active bp is not always a happy bp. Bps will hide during the day and explore at night. If he is active during the day it is probally stressed out. Setup looks good except the hides. Stress could be coming from that or the move. I would suggest closed hides.

[JeffJ]

I agree, if he isnt eating he is stressed. it could be the hides.

[blackcrystal22]

If the ball is not eating, it could be a couple things.

The log hides are not secure at all, nor are they tight. A 20 gallon may be too large yet for that young bp and it may feel insecure in such a big area. And finally, it doesn't seem that your cage is cluttered enough for a ball python. Add some more fake plants around the sides of the hides for more security. It may not be ready to upgrade yet though. I don't recommend young ball pythons ever being in a 20 gallon for at least 2 years or almost fully grown.

Now hopefully she'll eat better, she's been having issues lately with that but I think its because she was getting too cooped up.

You have the wrong idea. Ball pythons are almost never too cooped up. Its just the opposite. They want a small, cozy, and tight environment. I have most of my juveniles (some over a year old, but that one is small for his age) still in a 15qt tub and feeding regularly. When I moved my original ball who didn't eat for 4 months out of the 20 gallon and into a 15qt, he ate right after settling in.

[MUSTANGGTANDGSXR]

was the tank just setup when you took the pic? that temp of 68 is way to low. you might want to bump that up to 80-85

[ScottyDsntKnow]

I'd just misted it so the temp dropped, the ambient air temp hangs around mid 70s inside the tank usually but can't go any higher since it is in the bedroom. The hotside is 94+ as you can see. When I haven't misted and I check the cool side with a laser it is high 70s right on top of the substrate.

The title is misleading I suppose, she is not really a baby anymore and over 2 feet long at this point. I've only HAD her for 6 months, no idea if she is like 8 months or closer to a year. Probably somewhere in between. I DO have the small half logs left over from before that she can still get into but she gets so squeezed in there I am afraid she gets wedged in there. I work evenings and when I come home around 1 AM, I don't go right to sleep so I'd know if she was out at night. About a month ago she just stopped coming out of her hides at night all of a sudden. For the last 3 nights since I changed out the tank and given her some room she's been coming out regularly, swimming, climbing around and then going back to sleep. She slept all day today and I'm hoping to see her out tonight when I get home from work.

I also don't want to move her back to the small enclosure as I couldn't get a big enough water dish in there for good humitidy levels. Plus she loves taking dunks in it and she couldn't before in the smaller dish in the small tank. I know I am a newb and am probably talking out of my ass but to me she just seems so much happier now. If you all think I should still put a different type of hide in there what should I use? Something from a hardware store like a plant container or painted tupperware or what? I can go get some more fake plants to strew around and whatnot also.

[ScottyDsntKnow]

Also with the feeding thing, she went off feed right around the same time she stopped coming out of her hides. I haven't tried feeding her since I changed her setup but I will tomorrow before I go to work or the next day. Stupid thing only takes mice anyways and only very small ones at that when she will eat. I should have got a boa lol.

[Kaorte]

mid 70's are way to cool for ambient temps. You want to shoot for around 80-85. This could be part of the refusal.

Have you checked your snake for mites? Ball pythons don't soak, so the fact that she is in there often makes me think she might have them.

My snakes RARELY come out of their hides, even at night. They are both excellent feeders. I find that when they are in their hide, that means that they are happy and comfortable in their surroundings. I don't think you should be concerned if she is cruising at night though. She still might be looking for a way out.

How have you been feeding her before the move?
I would still get different hides. The half logs don't cut it. And no, she won't get stuck in them.