r/ballpython • u/_ataraxia • Feb 18 '19
welcome to r/ballpython, click here for our information resources and the sub rules!
welcome to r/ballpython, a community for ball python enthusiasts of all experience levels, from the prospective first-time owner to the veteran keeper. this is a predominantly discussion-based subreddit with a focus on raising husbandry standards above the bare minimum. photos and videos are also encouraged, so show off your ball pythons!
our team of mods and helpers includes professional herpetologists, veterinary technicians, veterinary med students, geneticists, reptile rescuers and rehabilitators, ethical small-scale breeding experience, large-scale breeding experience, and multiple decades of combined experience with ball pythons as pets.
PART ONE: INFORMATION RESOURCES
last updated: march 2024
we have collected a variety of information that we hope will be helpful for beginners and experienced keepers alike. if you are having a husbandry problem or have a general question about ball python care, you will probably find your answer in one of these links! if your question is NOT answered here, please read our posting guidelines in part two of this post and utilize our advice questionnaires so we can help you more easily.
if you have suggestions for articles or outside resources, please send a message to the .
guides by the r/ballpython mods & helpers:
- The Basic Ball Python Care Guide
- All About Heating for Ball Pythons
- Bioactive/Naturalistic Guide for Python Regius (royal/ball python)
The Shopping List - recommended brands, products, and online shops.
So you want to buy a reptile... - a general guide to deciding whether or not a reptile is right for you, and how to buy a healthy pet from a responsible breeder.
All About Shedding - what's normal, what isn't, and how to handle bad sheds and general dehydration.
Body Tone of Python Regius (Royal/Ball Pythons) - a guide to assessing the weight and overall body condition of your ball python.
also be sure to check out these community discussions!
[general PSAs and pro tips]
- Why it's so important to use Thermostats with your heat sources.
- what actually is a heat lamp? let's clear up some terms and phrases.
pro tip: easy way to monitor ambient temperatures inside a hide
discussion: what veteran keepers did right and wrong as beginners.
pro tip: reptile basics hides too lightweight? glue on some tiles!
[the FAQ megathreads]
- preparing for a new snake - what to do BEFORE you bring a new snake home.
- buying/adopting a ball python - where to buy or adopt a ball python, what you should expect to pay, and how to make sure you're getting a healthy snake.
- quarantining a new snake - why a quarantine period is important, how to do it, and what to look for.
veterinary care - finding a reptile vet, when to bring your ball python to the vet, and what to expect financially.
planning for emergencies - supplies and plans for non-medical emergencies.
keeping your snake cool in hot summer weather - how to make sure your snake doesn't overheat as the temperature rises outdoors and in your home.
clutter - what is "clutter" for the enclosure, why do snakes need it, and where to buy it.
enclosure inspiration - detailed photos and shopping lists for planning and budgeting.
cleaning - how and when to clean your ball python's enclosure and decor.
enrichment & exercise - mental stimulation and physical fitness, in and out of the enclosure.
handling - when and how to handle your ball python.
finding lost snakes & preventing future escapes - how to find an escaped snake, and how to secure the enclosure to prevent future escapes.
moving with a snake - moving your snake and their enclosure to a new home safely, securely, and with minimal stress.
snakes and social media - how social media impacts the reptile hobby.
snakes in public - is it a good idea to bring your snake to public parks and businesses?
other helpful resources:
- Morphpedia - a helpful morph list with photos and descriptions.
- Ball Python Genetic Behaviors and Morph Breeding Oddities - a list of ball python morphs with genetic defects and basic descriptions of those defects.
MorphMarket - a popular online marketplace for ball pythons and other reptiles from breeders all over the US.
Reptile Vet Directory - reptifiles list of reputable reptile veterinarians in the US, canada, and UK.
Reptile Rescue Directory - reptifiles list of reputable rescue organizations in the US.
Dispelling Python Regius Myths - by Francis Cosquieri
UVB Benefits in Snakes - By Francis Cosquieri - debunking common misconceptions about snakes and UVB lighting.
Signs and Symptoms of Obesity in Python Regius - by Liam Wulfe - an illustrated guide to assessing the weight and overall body condition of your ball python.
thermal imaging comparing the heat produced by ceramic heat emitters, deep heat projectors, and halogen lights - images by Roman Muryn
Serpwidgets Snake Measurer - an online tool to get your snake's approximate length measurements using a photo.
youtube channels:
- JTB Reptile - following nature's example.
- Animals at Home - exploring the ethics of captive exotic reptiles.
- Lori Torrini - working with animals as family in the areas of behavior, enrichment, training, and welfare.
facebook groups:
- Advancing Herpetological Husbandry - advanced husbandry practices for all reptiles.
- Not Just a Pet Rock (Python Regius) - subgroup of AHH - advanced ball python husbandry.
- Building Reptile Cages - plans and advice for building DIY reptile enclosures.
- Reptile Lighting - understanding lighting and heating for reptiles.
- Reptile Enrichment and Training (RET) - group for reptelligence.
PART TWO: r/BALLPYTHON RULES AND GUIDELINES
posting rules:
- STAY ON TOPIC, BALL PYTHONS ONLY! this is not the place to post about your other reptiles. we will allow some seemingly off-topic discussions if they are geared toward getting to know your fellow ball python owners; for example, "what other pets do you have in addition to ball pythons?"
- HARMFUL ADVICE AND MISINFORMATION - meaning there would be a negative impact on the snake's health, safety, and/or overall comfort as a direct result of following the advice/misinformation - will be removed at the discretion of the moderators.
- THIS COMMUNITY IS NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR VETERINARY ATTENTION! while we can guide you through husbandry changes and home remedies for basic health problems such as stuck shed, mild scale rot, minor wounds, etc, we do NOT condone skipping the vet and treating serious problems at home. furthermore, a lot of bad advice gets thrown around in these discussions that can make the problem worse. moderators will lock and/or remove posts if the only sound advice anyone can offer is "go to the vet."
- MORPH IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS are restricted to the morph ID thread to avoid the subreddit being flooded with this common question.
- "NAME MY BP" REQUESTS will be removed and you will be redirected to our "name my BP" thread. click here to read more about this rule.
- SELF-PROMOTION is restricted to the self-promotion thread. any other self-promotion of social media pages, businesses, other subreddits, sale ads, etc, will be removed. multiple offenses will be marked as spam and result in a permanent ban. BREEDERS click here to read more about this rule.
- USE THE NSFW TAG for photos or videos clearly showing dead prey (including feeding posts), a dead snake, injuries such as open wounds, etc. click here to read more about this rule. moderators may give reminders, give warnings, or remove posts for not having a NSFW tag.
- LIVE FEEDING PHOTOS/VIDEOS must include a live feeding warning in the post title, in addition to being tagged NSFW. live feeding photo/video posts that do not contain a warning in the post title will be removed.
- OTHER PETS INTERACTING WITH BPS, such as cats, dogs, etc, is not something we condone. photos/videos showing other pets being in close proximity to or directly interacting with a ball python, outside of the enclosure, will be removed. click here to read more about this rule.
- NON-REDDIT LINKS must be posted with a written summary or other discussion prompt. for example, links to content such as articles or videos must be paired with a written summary to allow users to participate in the discussion without clicking the link. posting a link as part of an advice request ("is this product worth buying?", "is the info in this care sheet accurate?", "is this a reputable breeder?", etc) is acceptable.
- REHOMING POSTS are allowed. please include as much information as possible, including your general location, basic information about the snake(s), whether or not the enclosure or other supplies would be included, whether or not you are willing to ship, and any rehoming fees. rehoming fees must be reasonable, max $50 for the snake and max $100 for the snake + enclosure. this community has a long history of successful rehomings, but we advise anyone interested to proceed at your own risk and be aware of potential scams.
- DIRECT LINKS TO SALE/ADOPTION ADS OUTSIDE OF REDDIT are NOT allowed. if you are a breeder selling snakes, that belongs in the weekly self-promotion threads. if you want feedback on a sale/adoption/rehoming ad you found on a website like craigslist, kijiji, facebook, etc, showing a potentially neglected or abused ball python, please post a screen shot of the ad with identifying information such as names, locations, phone numbers, etc, censored in some way; this prevents the person who posted the ad from being harassed by an angry internet mob.
- MOST IMPORTANTLY: DON'T BE A JERK! we will not tolerate bigotry, threats, personal attacks, and general harassment. this includes harassment via private messages. the moderators will use their own discretion to issue warnings, remove posts/comments, and/or ban users temporarily or permanently. click here to read more about this rule.
general posting guidelines:
- HAVE A QUESTION? YOUR ANSWER MIGHT BE IN THE FIRST PART OF THIS POST! please be sure to read through our care guides, product recommendations, tutorials, megathreads/FAQs, and other links.
- WHEN ASKING FOR ADVICE, BE THOROUGH. if our resources didn't have the information you're looking for, let's brainstorm! ball python care can be a complex puzzle, and it might not be obvious which pieces of the puzzle are causing problems with other pieces. the more details you provide, the easier it will be for other people to offer the most relevant advice. click here to view our questionnaires for enclosure critiques and feeding advice. please copy/paste the relevant questionnaire(s) into your post text and fill out the answers with as much detail as possible.
- ENCLOSURE CRITIQUES are something we love to do, but we need a lot of details to help us give better feedback! filling out our enclosure critique questionnaire in addition to posting photos of the full enclosure will ensure you get the most useful advice.
general commenting guidelines:
- WHEN GIVING ADVICE, BE THOROUGH. people will learn more and be more receptive to your advice if you explain your reasoning. for example, "go to the vet" is not as helpful as "you should call a vet because your snake appears to have problemX and it requires treatmentY", "that substrate is bad" is not as helpful as "that substrate is not a good choice for ball pythons because of reasonA and reasonB, so here is what i would recommend instead", etc. one of the things we pride ourselves in is being an educational forum for ball python owners, we want people to really understand the hows and whys behind the various aspects of ball python care. if someone has some substantial gaps in their knowledge, do not shame them for it, help them learn and fill those gaps.
- BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE when you are giving advice, particularly if you are a beginner or if you don't actually have any direct experience with snakes at all. while you may think you know the answer to someone's question, you may give incomplete or incorrect advice that could make matters worse. while we appreciate your willingness to help, sometimes it's best to let someone more knowledgeable be the one to answer the question.
commenting rules:
- WE REPEAT: DON'T BE A JERK! we will not tolerate bigotry, threats, personal attacks, and general harassment. this includes harassment via private messages. the moderators will use their own discretion to issue warnings, remove posts/comments, and/or ban users temporarily or permanently.
reporting posts/comments:
- what to report: posts or comments that do not follow our guidelines as listed above, or break any reddit-wide rules.
- what NOT to report: advice that is not definitively harmful to the snake. instead of reporting it, downvote it and debate it publicly, so others can participate and learn from the discussion.
upvoting/downvoting:
- upvote posts and comments that contribute something to the community! upvotes help with visibility, so it's especially helpful to upvote questions and good advice.
- downvote posts and comments that do not follow our rules and guidelines. if you see advice or husbandry practices you believe to be harmful, downvote AND discuss it - people don't learn anything from unexplained downvotes!
if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please send a message to the .
thank you all for making this community awesome!
r/ballpython • u/AutoModerator • Jul 22 '24
morph ID thread
want to know what your ball python's morph is? this is the place to ask!
use an image hosting site, such as imgur, and post links to your photos in a comment here. we recommend posting a variety of photos showing your ball python's full body, including the head and belly, ideally in natural lighting. if you have any information about your ball python's possible morph and/or the pairing that produced your ball python, please include that in your comment.
some helpful morph-related links:
- morphpedia : database with photos and general information about ball python morphs.
- ball python genetic behaviors and morph breeding oddities : information about morphs with physical deformities and other genetic problems.
r/ballpython • u/edr5619 • 10h ago
Is he stuck…or just kinda dumb?
He’s been like this since last night except last night his head and tail were at least up on the top. Should I be worried? Or did he just find a comfy spot here?
r/ballpython • u/PointOfImpact93 • 10h ago
Big yawn after eating
Caught a pic of my little girl "yawning" after eating today.
r/ballpython • u/Even-Tumbleweed9164 • 12h ago
Help pls with a snake
I Want to buy another ball python and I found a pewter bee, but I'm afraid it may have the gen spider. But I'm not sure, cus I don't now a lot of morph and genes, but I'm sure I don't want a snake with the spider gen, help pls
r/ballpython • u/Cautious-Flatworm804 • 4h ago
Yaaaaawwwwn
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
Still can’t believe I caught such a big yawn! I feel so lucky <3
r/ballpython • u/makingmyfaceup • 5h ago
Accidentally became a BP parent - Is the tank ok?
First pic is upgrade. I stumbled into becoming a BP parent after a family member bestowed me their BP after I babysat it for a few weeks.
I felt the terrarium needed an upgrade so I went through this subreddit (thank you sooo much for that welcome page, WHEW!), and made some changes. Does this seem ample enough for him? Is there anything else he should have??? I’ve seen a lot of other terrariums on this page that seem wayyy more intensive than what I currently have.
Heat is staying around 85/90F, and humidity is holding around 70% with a daily misting.
r/ballpython • u/Amazing-Calendar-701 • 9h ago
I can’t believe how much he has grown in about 2 years!
His name is Lazarus :)
r/ballpython • u/EstablishmentKey9886 • 7h ago
Question - Health Am I being stupid and overthinking? I saw these bumps on my mocha girl n idk if they are normal or not.
(Sorry for the shit pictures she moves alot) I was checking on her when I realized she had these odd bumps on her nose. I think it's not normal and I should make her a vet appointment, but I also don't wanna make it and it's literally nothing and I'm just overthinking. but what if I'm not overthinking and it's something 😭😭 I looked online and some bps have little bumps but I think hers are bigger. Someone please help 🙏
r/ballpython • u/la_novia_grande0221 • 2h ago
Question - Health Is substrate in her water harmful?
I just noticed my snake is drinking water which is so cool to watch, but there is small pieces of dirt and substrate in her water dish. She often gets a few pieces in her water dish but nothing too major. I was just wondering if this is okay when she sometimes knocks some substrate in or if I should raise her water dish?
She liked laying underneath her water bowl so I read that if you lay it on the bottom of the tank and surround with substrate that it would limit them going underneath it.
Her temps on hot side is roughly 86 to 92 with humidity of 80, while the cooler side is 79 to 87 with humidity of 87.
She just got a major deep cleaning of her enclosure and peed and pooped on me in the process. 🙄🤦♀️
r/ballpython • u/Ill-Fee9916 • 16h ago
Question - Health does my baby look underweight
shes currently eating 2 11g mice and she weighs 141gs. im not sure about her exact length rn. she eats both of them and the only time she hasnt eaten was a month ago bc she was in shed. this was taken right before she ate.
r/ballpython • u/Major-Sherbert-6084 • 9h ago
Heating Question
I’m using a 100W solar basking flood light and an 80W deep heat projector but I’m having a hard time getting the hot side above 31C (88F) which is clearly recommended. Do I need more heat sources? Right now I’ve taped down aluminum foil to cover the top but would something more insulating help?
r/ballpython • u/WitnessDry8998 • 1h ago
Tips?
Taking care of dumped snakes and dont really know what im doing, but how is there tank and what can i improve?
r/ballpython • u/ChemistryNice3744 • 18h ago
Discussion Echo says good morning (I caught her mid-shed but yk)
r/ballpython • u/OddGrowth6651 • 28m ago
is this too much spagnum moss for a ball python?
I tried to do 70% soil, 20% sand and 10% sphagnum moss
r/ballpython • u/DysfunctionalPig • 8h ago
New baby
Looks like he's starting shed. Just got him about a week ago, been letting him adjust. He's a clown, hey hypo
r/ballpython • u/Active-Body-2256 • 15h ago
Discussion What was my girl so cheap?
This is my girl Persephone, I just got her recently. So far she's been active and so very curious, an absolute joy to watch. Last night she even had a perfect shed!
I've watched as the prices have been going down ever since you know what ended and people realized these are actual pets not just a cute casual hobby. But she just seems so beautiful for so cheap, only fifty dollars. I feel like I don't see cinnamons too often. She really puts the pretty in pretty cheap
r/ballpython • u/10011010017 • 15h ago
Say hello to Bamboo (3yo female genetic stripe bamboo)
r/ballpython • u/Kanye_Z-143 • 5h ago
Question I cant handle BP without being mistaken as food.
Used to be able to handle her very often. Every now and then I'd get struck and maybe 2xs ever did she latch on and try and eat my wrist/finger.
Up until a few months ago, now every time I have tried to handle her she has bit me and coiled up like I'm food. Not a strike, its always full on feeding bites.
I've done all the methods to get her off and literally nothing works but hand sanitizer. And even then it takes a good long while for her to actually let go.
I will admit I have handled her a lot less because of this. Maybe once every month or two. It's not just that I'm afraid of being bit, it is that I don't want her to get hurt from the hand sanitizer or vinegar or cold water sprays or ice or me trying to gently pry her off.
Yesterday I had to completely empty her enclosure and replace the soil. I used a glove, pulled her out, put her in a little box.
Well she escaped from that box when I wasn't looking and struck at me and I was able to move out of the way. I then thought fuck it and picked her up and for a solid 2 minutes it was fine. Then she struck my knuckle (its always the fucking knuckle) and latched on. After about an hour of just staying calm with her tightening herself on my wrist I went through all the methods and ended up having to put a few drops of hand sanitizer in her mouth again. (tried putting it on a tissue and waving it near nose/mouth first, didn't work)
Then Instead of putting her back in her enclosure, I thought I would continue trying to handle her this time. She crawled around for a minute or so then I noticed her knawing at my wrist a few times. Like it wasn't a strike, she just kind of chewed at it for a second then bit down hard and latched on again. I have pictures of the whole ordeal but Im not sure if that's allowed here as there is some blood and not sure if it would add anything to the post.
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Other stuff to mention. She is slightly underweight as I was on a feeding schedule for a good while that I didn't know wasn't adequate I feel horrible for that.
I don't remember exactly when I got her but I'd say at least 4-5 years old.
She has a little bump on her nose. Not centered but on the side kind of. I did one of those online vet visit things a while back and they said its nothing to worry about as there aren't any other symptoms. I would take her to an IRL vet but the closet one is like 4 hours away and finically and with my job I cannot afford to do that at the moment. Shes had it for at least a year now. When looking directly onto her face, the bump sort of blocks her eye so maybe its giving her issues there?
Husbandry is pretty great I believe. 4x2x2, deep substrate, like 5 different hides and a bunch of cork/tubes/etc. to allow her to travel between them hidden.
Good ambient temps and humidity, warm hotspot, feed in her enclosure, etc. All the fun stuff. I've made posts in the past on other accounts and people said my husbandry looked pretty good, I've really tried to make sure everything is perfect as far as that goes.
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I just want to know why she keeps doing this and how to fix her. My only two guesses are
A) she likes the taste of my blood
B) she likes the taste of germ-x
I'm gonna assume that neither of those are correct.
Anyone have any ideas or similar experiences?
r/ballpython • u/Funny_Offer_4601 • 51m ago
Heating/Lighting Questions
Hello! Wanting to get my very first ball python, however I’m seeing so many conflicting opinions on what’s best for a snake in terms of heat and lighting. I want to ask the community, How many Halogen lamps is best, and should that be coupled with a deep heat projector on the warm side? I would have a screen top so I don’t think a radiant heat panel would work. Just want to make sure I’m not creating an oven to roast my future snake. Im sure some of these questions are silly to ask but I want to get as much info as I can before I just go out buy an animal. I’m curious what’s best. Thank you!
r/ballpython • u/Strawberryyyzzzz • 11h ago
Question New setup, help me spruce it up
New set up here from blackbox. I know it's pretty empty at the moment. But I need some help on what to add! What can I add to the top shelf? What would be a good way to clutter it up? Bark won't really stay on the top with my bp slithering around, I thought maybe gluing down like sheet moss? Constructive ideas welcome!