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handling my new ball python

Posted By:

kristaaa

In Relation To:

toothless

I bought a baby ball python about a week ago and i left it alone for the first four days and stuff and all it did was explore for about two minutes then curl up into a ball and stay there. i about never saw it move. then i took out two days ago and fed it. it ate just fine. i put it back and allowed it time to digest its food and all that. and it just went back to being curled up into a ball again. i got a heat lamp and a hiding place and it has water and its tank is humid enough but it still just never moves. its always in the same spot curled into a ball, i dont know if im doing something wrong or if it just never wants to move. and am i supposed to turn off its heat lamp during the night ? i feel like maybe it doesnt like the constant light but then i feel if i turn it off it will get too cold. what should i do ??


Points:	150
Topics:	General Health , Caging , Heating
Tags:	Ball, New, Owner, Python, Snake
Species:	Pythons > Pythons > Python regius
Administrative:	Show/Hide

Accepted Answer

5/22/2011 7:11:59 PM

Crazy4Herps

That's pretty much ball pythons for you; they don't move much. However, yours might be too cold, which would explain his lack of movement.

What are the temps in the enclosure? What are you using to measure the temps? Photoperiods are extremely important to snakes, and having lights on all night will stress them. Your ball python should have roughly 12 hours of light during the day, and 12 hours of dark at night. Lamps often times aren't sufficient heating, even during the day. I recommend using under-tank heat mats. Ceramic heat emitters are also an option for additional night heating, though they tend to dry out the cage.

Assisted Answer

5/22/2011 8:35:10 PM

Doomtrooper

I agree with CFH Ball pythons arent the most active animals . Using a light bulb for heat Isn't the best way to go they need a day and night cycle ( if you had no eye lids you would get stressed to with a buld over your head 24/7 ) you can use a night bulp (red ) but as stated you should get a heat mat also ,, but IMO they need to be regulated so they dont get to hot this can be done easily with a cheap slide dimmer at home depot ceramic heat emiters are also a better way to heat then a light bulb But you need to make sure the hot spot in the cage dosent get to hot and remember heat emiters and and bulbs rob humidity from the cage like crazy

Member Comment

5/22/2011 8:40:42 PM

gfx

Ball Pythons are the Pet Rock of the snake world. Cute, but they don't do much.

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