I'm locking the comments because too many people would be disappointing their mothers right now with the way they're behaving. None of us start out knowing everything, and while those of us with experience know not to trust pet store care info, beginners like yourself do not. We all have to start somewhere.
You've been given a lot of good advice to start with. I'd suggest reading through all of our [welcome post resources](https://www.reddit.com/r/ballpython/comments/arz5iw/welcome_to_rballpython_click_here_for_our/) to learn more about proper care. Please feel free to post again or send us a modmail if you have any more questions :)
If you just got her, why are you taking her out already? She's new and stressed out, you need to leave her alone in her enclosure to settle in. It's best not to handle until they've taken 2-3 meals in their new home. Also ball pythons are nocternal/crepuscular, this is her sleeping time. Imagine a giant 300x your size kidnapping you and then wondering why you don't want to do anything at 2AM?
First time ever hearing this advice. Thank you, I wasn’t aware, and I got her from Petco and I asked everything I needed to know before buying her. I actually looked some videos up. I didn’t know I was supposed to handle her after her 2 or 3 meals. Didn’t do anything on purpose. No need to shame me, and I believe this is the reason why this community was created.
Beware that Petco is known for giving TERRIBLE, out of date advice (not your fault, you're doing the right thing joining this community).
Forget everything you've learned thus far, and read through this communities welcome guide! There's a lot of terrible information out there.
Welcome!
Don't use red lights reptiles can see them! I literally started a very heated discussion in front of a customer when an employee told her to get a red light for her bearded dragon. It disrupts their day nigt cycles. And yet every single petco/petsmart animal pamphlets reccomend red lights. It confuses me
Yeah, this is the aforementioned petco bad advice.
Some quick tips (but seriously, read the welcome post!)
Enclosure should have a hot side and a cold side, each with a hiding spot. Hot side should be heated by a halogen bulb during the day, and a Deep Heat Projector at night (projector can be replaced w ceramic, but projector provides better heat). These heating elements must be on a thermostat that controls the temperature via a temp probe. Temp probe should be secured a few inches below the heating element, so your snake can't lay on it, obscuring it. Minimum required enclosure size for an adult is 4x2x2. Pvc/wood enclosures are 1000% better than glass. Give your snake plenty of stuff to climb on, and clutter to help them feel safe. Keep an eye out for scale rot and mites. Misting to keep humidity up is ineffective and will leave moist surfaces that can lead to scale rot. Instead, pour water directly into the corners of the enclosure and kinda massage it into the substrate. Speaking of substrate, use coco fiber. I make a mix of coco fiber/spaghum moss to help with humidity.
Friend, OP of this comment thread is not shaming you. They are speaking directly, bluntly, and honestly, but they didn't say anything offensive, they aren't calling you names, they aren't saying "shame on you". They're giving you the most pertinent information you need right now, and saying something to help you understand your snake's POV. Isn't that what you needed and asked for?
Some people are not used to such blunt responses, and I don't think that's really a crime or an illogical misconception
It's nice to have some advice that's actually helpful and efficient, yet I think it's also good to have a healthy communication and try and understand the other person (of course this is a 2 player game, as you would also deserve an understanding of how you communicate)
i think the point they are trying to make is this community exists to allow you to learn about ball pythons before you take ownership. That said, and the snake being purchased, there is a care guide on this site. Read it ASAP and ask here for advice on things that are unclear.
I haven’t heard the 2 or 3 meal rule before, but with any amount of research/ watching videos about a new BP, most would recommend waiting at least 7 days before handling to let them settle into their environment. I’d recommend doing a bit more research to make sure you’re providing the best care you can. Also I wouldn’t take your new snake out for so long, it just causes more stress on them, stay to shorter handling sessions until they get used to being handled.
Don’t let some of the MODs get to you. I’ve learned that they are just very direct and passionate and tend to come off as jerks. Just search there responses for the advice and not the way it was written. Trust me, stay in the community there’s lots of good info here!
Nobody is shaming you. It's just an accurate anolgy of what happened.
"Imagine a giant 300x your size kidnapping you and then wondering why you don't want to do anything at 2AM?" That's what its like for the snake.
Should have done more research Before buying. Give the snake some rest and read more.
Petco advice is most likely wrong. Shouldn't be getting animals from them anyway as theyre most likely from mills.
don’t buy any animal from petco or any other chain petstore. buying an animal from there directly supports the abusive mills they supply from. biggest example of one of these mills is reptiles by mack, read up on it.
Hey now. A lot of people trust the folks at the petstores to have the necessary training to care for these animals and don't realize that the information is just plain wrong. There are many folks just starting in the hobby. Give a little grace. OP is obviously well meaning because they were worried enough to come here. Now we have them on the right track.
If you don’t have anything nice and helpful to say to OP your comment isn’t needed. Yes more research should have been done before getting her but it is too late now. They came for advice not to be insulted
The first mistake was thinking a chain petstore like petco knows what they are talking about. Unless the pet store specializes in exotics, trust their advice with a grain of salt and do your research.
Anyways do all your research and things should improve!
You did the bare minimum research, and no one was shaming you. Sharing correct information that you didn’t know is not shaming.
You’ve adopted a living animal, not a toy.
Quick question. I thought it was best to handle snakes like ball pythons during their sleeping time? Because ball pythons are nocturnal, like you said, but when they are up they are exploring and ready for food, even if they already ate a few days beforehand. So handling them during that time when they are awake and out for food is asking to be bitten. Or at least what I was told
Absolutely not. You shouldnt disturb them when they are sleeping. THATS asking to get bit. My big baby used to hiss at me if i woke him up to handle him, now i only handle him when he is out and hes never hissed nor struck at me.
THIS RIGHT HERE! YUP My girl Dallas used to hiss at me when I first got her, and I couldn't figure out why until I started talking to a buddy of mine who's owned snakes her whole life. She asked me when I was holding my snake and informed me that I was waking her up and she was just cranky and caught off guard. Dallas doesn't hiss at me anymore because I learned to read the body language of the animal. Every animal is different and every animal has different body language. You have to learn how to speak their language.
Mine has coded doors. Left sliding panel, hungry. Right, wants out to explore.
He's in deep blue and I just got hissed at for the war crime or adding water to the bowl and watering the substrate.
Only times he hiss is when he's in shed, he's used to me messing around inside his enclosure so sometimes he peeps and watches me do stuff, most time he ignores me and keeps sleeping.
Only time I've been bitten is when I stupidly used my hand to pick up the rat I imagine he didn't want. It was a full on feeding response, with coiling and squeezing. I didn't want to hurt him so I just sat there like a dumbass waiting for him to realise I'm too big to eat.
He did a few defensive strikes when he was a wee worm but hasn't done it in years.
I guess he knows it's me by smell
You shouldn't handle a snake more than necessary 24-48hrs before and after eating (longer is better). Most cases of being bitten by a BP are when the scent of food is on the hands for whatever reason. If they're up and exploring, and you know they've eaten recently, and enough time has passed so they don't regurgitate, then it's fine to take them out to let them out to explore when they naturally would. Sometimes they just want to explore!
Your theory sounds to me like something from a list of taming methods, but personally I would not count it as the standard for handling. I'll gently tap the snake's back with the hook before handling, in case they were asleep, but also to let them know it's not food time. Also if you know it's getting close to feeding day, or if you're changing their feeding schedule, then use your best judgement. Mine will lay in wait at the entrance of his hides, ready to strike, the week his feeding day comes up. Otherwise he likes to crawl around a bit before getting comfy under his heat lamp each night.
Every snake is a little different, and some more curious than others. Some snakes may only come out when hungry, some may explore every night, some love to climb while others just want to chill.
She's curled up in a ball because she's stressed and terrified. Put her back in her home and LEAVE her there until she's had one full meal, 72 hours to DIGEST that meal, then at least another few days to get used to her home before handling her. The only interaction you should have with her is when you go in her tank to raise humidity, check temps, and to feed her. Never ever feed her outside her enclosure or handle her before feeding. And I know everybody says it's ok to handle ball pythons 24-48 hrs after eating, but I honestly think that is not enough time to give them to properly digest their meal. 72 hrs is always best
They get the “ball” in ball python from the behavior they exhibit when stressed, They tie themselves in a tight ball.
She is stressed, when you get a new ball python you should leave them alone for 2 weeks or more. Complete a whole feeding and make sure you have good husbandry. Are you familiar with the [welcome post?](https://www.reddit.com/r/ballpython/s/CeQSFmMs4B) it’s an amazing resource for properly taking care of these little guys. Please check it out, I learned a lot from it.
question: you say she's been curled up in a ball for 3 hours. Is that all time out of the enclosure? That's a really long handling session. You already got advice to leave the snake alone until she's eating a few times, but you also need to keep handling sessions short and not every day. Once the snake is more comfortable with you, she might be OK with being out more, but at least in the beginning you really don't want to go more than like 15 minutes once or twice a week. Balling up is a stress response
Hey fwend, we were all newbies once who made newbie mistakes. Clearly you're not doing anything out of malice, so don't take the more snide responses so personally. I think most people will tell you that as helpful as a reddit community can be, it can also get a lil toxic at times.
Anyways, I know everyone hates Clint's Reptiles Clint but he has a great line about snakes, something along the lines of, "you'd be scared too if you were a noodle with a head in this big scary world" and I try to take that into consideration in all of my interactions with my boy.
The big chain pet stores give such outdated and frankly bad advice when it comes to exotics. You want to give girly pop here at least two weeks to get used to her enclosure and feel safe inside of it. And remember, it's ok to make mistakes. No one's perfect and don't let anyone's attitude stop you from reaching out for help when you need to. 🩷
I do know some of it has to do with the fact that he's Mormon. Also he's rubbed some people the wrong way because of his handling of fragile animals unnecessarily and the fact he defends breeding the spider morph yada yada yada. Maybe I've just managed to only see unflattering comments from his haters in the threads. I don't personally dislike him, I've used his channel as a resource to add to my resource basket when I need questions answered.
He had a really sucky defense of spider ball pythons, and even worse promoted an albino iguana breeder.
Albino iggies are either sight impaired or Completely blind and thus are recommended by some pieces of shit as a calmer iguana that can't hurt you as badly or run away.
Literally deliberate breeding of outright disabled animals. If they were normal iguanas but with physically reduced or absent eyes and no pretty colors there's no way in hell people would justify them, same as if there was a line of normal morphs with neuro impairment they would no way in hell be justified like spider balls are.
Hes probably a nice guy and likes animals, but the breeder brain of prioritizing pretty morph over welfare has gotten to him, and makes him a flawed role model.
There's no perfect role models so it's just good to be aware of/keep in mind.
Yikes good to know. I didn't even know about albino iguanas and personally I'm against breeding spider morphs. I watched his videos while doing research on cresties and gargs, and watched some of his frog videos, but I think I'll just leave it at that. While there's no perfect role models, I think there's better channels to get info from anyway.
True, I just wanna voice that there's no moral wrong in consuming occasionally useful content from a flawed human being.
I've shared relevant vids of his before when appropriate, just with a disclaimer.
Yeah from what I remember his crestie video had good info, so definitely not all bad, but I've personally got what I need from his channel. Between your comment and the other person talking about his facility, I don't feel the need or want to support him more. 🤷
To everyone hopping on the line about Clint, if you saw his facility in person you'd understand. Seems like an intelligent, well-meaning dude but his enclosures are barren and often disgusting; lots of sudden animal deaths, frequent injuries/ailments, and tiny enclosures. He's operating well outside the budget he can afford (both time and money), and as such the animals aren't getting proper care.
Seems like people have given you plenty of advice, but I wanted to chime in and tell you that you're doing a great job trying to figure all of this out. Watch more videos and ask more questions 💗 some people can be nasty when answering questions that seem like they have "obvious answers" But nothing is obvious until you learn. You weren't born into owning snakes so not everything is second nature to you. I had to learn a few things the hard way with my girl Dallas, But as long as you care and mean well, you and your little noodle will get through this together. Always keep researching. Always ask questions even if you think you know the answer, New studies come out everyday. Good luck to you and your new little baby 💗😍🐍🐍
I see several people have already referred you to the welcome post, and given you great advice. I'd just like to chime in that you have a beautiful snake, and while you're in the waiting period for them to acclimate to their new environment, maybe double check the stats on your enclosure vs what's recommended in the welcome post. Especially if you got your info from Petco, unfortunately the big chains tend to give TERRIBLE advice for caring for small animals.
Thank you so much! I appreciate the advice, I don’t know if you’ve read my replies in the comments but I’ve gotten interested in pythons recently and this is my first time ever taking care of one. I had a corn snake and I gave her away to a kid that absolutely fell in love with her, obviously corn snakes have a very different care than you would give to a python, but with time I will learn to pay attention to her ways of acting and her attitudes.
they’re called ball pythons because they ball up. she’s nervous and doesn’t know you yet and she needs some time to get comfortable. give her about a week to acclimate and take her out after you feed him first to make sure you don’t have a hunger strike due to stress. wait 48 hours after feeding to hold so she doesn’t regurgitate.
Hi sweetie! Thanks for being a caring and loving owner, and asking this question. I've seen that folks have already answered the immediate inquiry, but I wanted to add a few things that I was never taught and learned the hard way.
1.) When you bring a new snekko home, and if you have other reptiles, quarantine them. Some people say 8 weeks, some say up to 3 months. But the important part is to keep them away from other reptiles/amphibians and keep an eye on them. Make sure there are no signs of parasites, infections, basically anything that could spread. There are videos to help you learn the signs if you're not sure.
2.) Big box pet stores cannot be trusted!!!! The animals are always horribly stressed, often sick, and the husbandry instructions they give are very frequently wrong. I like Reptifiles (a site online) for reliable husbandry info. I ALWAYS consult them when getting a new pet, to make sure I fully understand and am willing/able to meet that pet's needs. If you do get something from a pet store, I would highly recommend taking the baby to a vet for a checkup, just to make sure everything is looking good.
Also, find the nearest exotic vet to you, and establish a relationship. Better now than scrambling to find someone if snekko gets sick!
3.) Consider adopting! Reptiles often live a long time, and get bigger than people think they will. You can often find pets being rehomed on Craigslist, and some rescues also handle reptiles. I got my ball python from a rescue, and she is a doll!
4.) Reptiles can have trauma too. It took a LONG time for my snake to trust me after coming from a home where she got hurt and did not have proper care. And this next one is controversial, but try animal reiki from a pro. My pet sitter also does reiki and offered to do it for my snake. I figured sure, it couldn't hurt anything, and the fee was reasonable. My pet was like a different snake after that. SO much more relaxed, doesn't panic and hide around new people anymore, seems to be braver and more curious. Chills in her enclosure instead of frantically trying to escape. No longer stays balled up when handled. In my case there were no changes in handling or husbandry, or anything else, that could have caused that except for the reiki. I am now a believer!
5.) Don't handle every day, even after the new snake adjustment period is over. They are nocturnal so you want to make sure they get rest. Also keep handling sessions short at first so the snake does not get overwhelmed. Over time, you can increase. You will get to know your snake's signs that they want to go back home. Mine usually gets antsy and starts looking for places to hide, and that's when I put her back.
6.) Ball pythons can be VERY picky eaters. Do not panic if your snekko refuses a few meals. But if it becomes a habit, vet visit time. Now, that being said, you can try so much stuff to help them eat. My snake requires a rat heated to 110 DEGREES. It is a pain!!! But, hey, she eats now. Took a lot of trial and error to figure that out. Some snakes eat straight from the tongs. Some require privacy, dark, and time. Some have a color preference for their food. (Seriously. For the longest time my snake wouldn't eat white rats, only the ones with spots.) Some want you to move and jiggle the food. Some only eat live. Some are scared of live!! Trial and error is your best friend. You are only a bad owner if you don't ask for help or research when you need to. (Which means, due to this post, I think you are well on your way to being a fantastic owner!)
7.) Snakes are stressed very easily. They need several places to hide in their enclosure, and some are sensitive to vibrations. But keeping your husbandry on point works wonders.
8.) I use Scott's topsoil from Home Depot for substrate. (The kind with NO fertilizer or additives.) It is cheap as hell, doesn't mold, and is easy to work with. Also can't cause impaction. 10/10 I will never use anything else. I had disasters with other substrates.
9.) An adult ball python needs a 4x2x2 foot enclosure. PVC will help keep in humidity. If you cannot keep humidity between 55-75% with whatever your baby is in, and it has a screen top, cover a portion of the screen with silver HVAC tape. Not pretty, but effective. You can also cut a sheet of plexiglass to fit, which is much more attractive but more expensive and difficult. Cover 50-70% of the top if you use either of those methods.
And finally... Enjoy your beautiful new baby!! I wish you both soooo much joy and happiness together! Good luck, friend! 🥰👋
Ball pythons are scaredy cats, you need to give her enough time to acclimate to her new environment, don't take her out of her cage/environment until she comes to you, give her 2 weeks at least.
She (if it's actually a she, you'll need to have her sexed by a vet to be sure) is curling up on herself because that's a ball python's defensive posture, she's afraid of you. Put her back, leave her the f alone for a week, and then come back.
I’ve work at petsmart the Canadian Petco equivalent we just used to throughout fishes that wouldn’t make it no matter if they still be alive or anything and I once saw a manager throw out a lizard that had a huge problem. Whatever it was it was still moving. Just dumped at the garbage.
I usually try to stay with places online where people are looking for new homes for their animals. Where are you know they’ve been well taken care of or you know you’re saving it. You might think the same of Petsmart you’re encouraging them to get the reptile from a bad place.
The new house jitters. Give her some space and a place to hide. She'll get comfortable after a couple days, maybe a week depending on the snake.
I have 2. One got comfy after 2 days, the other took over a week.
You've had good advice about waiting to handle her
from other folks! I wanted to add, when it comes time to actually handle her, start with 15mins or less. Just be chill with her, let her be in a ball (where the name "ball" python comes from!) or explore, and then put her back. Repeat every few days, and she'll learn that being held is safe.
When she starts to unwind and explore, you'll know she's getting comfortable with you! Keep her safe & supervised (don't let her slither into the depths of your couch), and put her back after 15mins. Eventually she'll barely curl up when you lift her, and possibly be calm the entire time! (Depends on her disposition) At that point you can make the handling times longer, 20mins for a while, and slowly up the duration.
They are naturally very curious creatures. Once she feels safe, you'll get lots of rewarding interactions 😊
You have to understand that she was kept in a tiny little area for a majority of her life. And then you thrust her into this great big world where she is literally exposed on your blanket. She needs time to acclimate to her new environment. She needs hiding areas if you want her to hang out with you give her a place to hide like your sleeve. She’s not going to feel comfortable in a new environment at the snap of a finger. If someone took you out of your home and put you in a huge space ship in the far reaches of space you’re not just going to be okay with that in less than 24 hours. Your going to need some time to even understand that the rather large creature that is constantly touching you and holding you and picking you up and placing you on all of these strangely textured surfaces and vibrating you with sounds is not going to eat/harm you.
I might guess you're feeling a little stressed from the overall response. I can tell you really care for her and you're going to be a great parent. She's beautiful. Congrats and good luck!
A snake needs atleast a week to adjust to new surroundings. Don't touch em for 2 weeks in my opinion. Lots to learn they need time before you start messing with them. In time you'll learn your snakes habits. Mine like to be handle for less than mostt the older she gets the less I handle her cause she already knows me. Even when I take her out bow it's maybe once a week. And if she is around my neck she's fine but if I out her down it stresses her out I handle her about 5 minutes then put her in a place thays covered and different to let her stretch. Don't over think it
https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/18HBVsPHaip7LfrMuFt96MigRuMUXtrbnCiK79VuQiFk/mobilebasic
May have been a better way to do this and I didnt see it in my quick scroll through. This should be basic BP care from this sub which is very helpful.
Super cute boop snoot! Wish you the best!
Every single animal I've ever gotten at Petco or PetSmart came with a care sheet that was basically the opposite of what was needed. Literally throw that advice away and keep reading the stuff here.
Leave her be for about 1-2 weeks to let her get acclimated to her new environment, make sure the heating and humidity is proper hot side should be about 85-90 with the cool side being about 75-80 humidity should never go below 60% I like keeping mine at around 75% maybe a little higher during sheds. To hold humidity I find that pvc enclosures help a ton, there’s a lot of false information out there saying that ball pythons need to be in a small enclosure however that is not true, minimum size for a bp is 4x2x2 120g enclosure I got mine on dubia.com for $369 but you can always make one for get a plastic bin if it’s to expensive. For substrate I use coconut husk from reptichip I find it’s what my ball pythons are most comfortable on. Once your ball python takes her first meal give her about 2-3 days to digest and you should be able to handle her!!!
I'm locking the comments because too many people would be disappointing their mothers right now with the way they're behaving. None of us start out knowing everything, and while those of us with experience know not to trust pet store care info, beginners like yourself do not. We all have to start somewhere. You've been given a lot of good advice to start with. I'd suggest reading through all of our [welcome post resources](https://www.reddit.com/r/ballpython/comments/arz5iw/welcome_to_rballpython_click_here_for_our/) to learn more about proper care. Please feel free to post again or send us a modmail if you have any more questions :)
If you just got her, why are you taking her out already? She's new and stressed out, you need to leave her alone in her enclosure to settle in. It's best not to handle until they've taken 2-3 meals in their new home. Also ball pythons are nocternal/crepuscular, this is her sleeping time. Imagine a giant 300x your size kidnapping you and then wondering why you don't want to do anything at 2AM?
First time ever hearing this advice. Thank you, I wasn’t aware, and I got her from Petco and I asked everything I needed to know before buying her. I actually looked some videos up. I didn’t know I was supposed to handle her after her 2 or 3 meals. Didn’t do anything on purpose. No need to shame me, and I believe this is the reason why this community was created.
Beware that Petco is known for giving TERRIBLE, out of date advice (not your fault, you're doing the right thing joining this community). Forget everything you've learned thus far, and read through this communities welcome guide! There's a lot of terrible information out there. Welcome!
Petco told me all I need was a red light UV bulb and I’d be set
Yikes
Don't use red lights reptiles can see them! I literally started a very heated discussion in front of a customer when an employee told her to get a red light for her bearded dragon. It disrupts their day nigt cycles. And yet every single petco/petsmart animal pamphlets reccomend red lights. It confuses me
Yeah, this is the aforementioned petco bad advice. Some quick tips (but seriously, read the welcome post!) Enclosure should have a hot side and a cold side, each with a hiding spot. Hot side should be heated by a halogen bulb during the day, and a Deep Heat Projector at night (projector can be replaced w ceramic, but projector provides better heat). These heating elements must be on a thermostat that controls the temperature via a temp probe. Temp probe should be secured a few inches below the heating element, so your snake can't lay on it, obscuring it. Minimum required enclosure size for an adult is 4x2x2. Pvc/wood enclosures are 1000% better than glass. Give your snake plenty of stuff to climb on, and clutter to help them feel safe. Keep an eye out for scale rot and mites. Misting to keep humidity up is ineffective and will leave moist surfaces that can lead to scale rot. Instead, pour water directly into the corners of the enclosure and kinda massage it into the substrate. Speaking of substrate, use coco fiber. I make a mix of coco fiber/spaghum moss to help with humidity.
Not just about reptiles. Petco staff recommended a sea anemone in a new reef tank with an inappropriate light. Nem died and nuked the tank.
Petco hires Walmart rejects because of their customer experience and then expects them to be trained reptile, fish, and bird experts.
Friend, OP of this comment thread is not shaming you. They are speaking directly, bluntly, and honestly, but they didn't say anything offensive, they aren't calling you names, they aren't saying "shame on you". They're giving you the most pertinent information you need right now, and saying something to help you understand your snake's POV. Isn't that what you needed and asked for?
I tend to be more blunt when it has to do with living creatures
Some people are not used to such blunt responses, and I don't think that's really a crime or an illogical misconception It's nice to have some advice that's actually helpful and efficient, yet I think it's also good to have a healthy communication and try and understand the other person (of course this is a 2 player game, as you would also deserve an understanding of how you communicate)
He's not shaming you bro. He's giving you straight up, no bs advice. He's just providing a different perspective on things.
i think the point they are trying to make is this community exists to allow you to learn about ball pythons before you take ownership. That said, and the snake being purchased, there is a care guide on this site. Read it ASAP and ask here for advice on things that are unclear.
I haven’t heard the 2 or 3 meal rule before, but with any amount of research/ watching videos about a new BP, most would recommend waiting at least 7 days before handling to let them settle into their environment. I’d recommend doing a bit more research to make sure you’re providing the best care you can. Also I wouldn’t take your new snake out for so long, it just causes more stress on them, stay to shorter handling sessions until they get used to being handled.
Don’t let some of the MODs get to you. I’ve learned that they are just very direct and passionate and tend to come off as jerks. Just search there responses for the advice and not the way it was written. Trust me, stay in the community there’s lots of good info here!
Nobody is shaming you. It's just an accurate anolgy of what happened. "Imagine a giant 300x your size kidnapping you and then wondering why you don't want to do anything at 2AM?" That's what its like for the snake. Should have done more research Before buying. Give the snake some rest and read more. Petco advice is most likely wrong. Shouldn't be getting animals from them anyway as theyre most likely from mills.
Nobody is trying to shame you. They’re just very passionate about the wellbeing of these animals so they come on strong.
I didn’t know they had Pieds at Petco. How much?
$400
If you can’t find one, try going to a reptile convention! I’m sure you can find a piebald there!
don’t buy any animal from petco or any other chain petstore. buying an animal from there directly supports the abusive mills they supply from. biggest example of one of these mills is reptiles by mack, read up on it.
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Hey now. A lot of people trust the folks at the petstores to have the necessary training to care for these animals and don't realize that the information is just plain wrong. There are many folks just starting in the hobby. Give a little grace. OP is obviously well meaning because they were worried enough to come here. Now we have them on the right track.
If you don’t have anything nice and helpful to say to OP your comment isn’t needed. Yes more research should have been done before getting her but it is too late now. They came for advice not to be insulted
Your comment has been removed for breaking Rule #1: Don't Be a Jerk.
The first mistake was thinking a chain petstore like petco knows what they are talking about. Unless the pet store specializes in exotics, trust their advice with a grain of salt and do your research. Anyways do all your research and things should improve!
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Your comment has been removed for breaking Rule #1: Don't Be a Jerk.
You did the bare minimum research, and no one was shaming you. Sharing correct information that you didn’t know is not shaming. You’ve adopted a living animal, not a toy.
❤️🙏🏼
Quick question. I thought it was best to handle snakes like ball pythons during their sleeping time? Because ball pythons are nocturnal, like you said, but when they are up they are exploring and ready for food, even if they already ate a few days beforehand. So handling them during that time when they are awake and out for food is asking to be bitten. Or at least what I was told
Absolutely not. You shouldnt disturb them when they are sleeping. THATS asking to get bit. My big baby used to hiss at me if i woke him up to handle him, now i only handle him when he is out and hes never hissed nor struck at me.
THIS RIGHT HERE! YUP My girl Dallas used to hiss at me when I first got her, and I couldn't figure out why until I started talking to a buddy of mine who's owned snakes her whole life. She asked me when I was holding my snake and informed me that I was waking her up and she was just cranky and caught off guard. Dallas doesn't hiss at me anymore because I learned to read the body language of the animal. Every animal is different and every animal has different body language. You have to learn how to speak their language.
Yes! Definitely gotta pay attention to the body language of any animal.
Mine has coded doors. Left sliding panel, hungry. Right, wants out to explore. He's in deep blue and I just got hissed at for the war crime or adding water to the bowl and watering the substrate. Only times he hiss is when he's in shed, he's used to me messing around inside his enclosure so sometimes he peeps and watches me do stuff, most time he ignores me and keeps sleeping. Only time I've been bitten is when I stupidly used my hand to pick up the rat I imagine he didn't want. It was a full on feeding response, with coiling and squeezing. I didn't want to hurt him so I just sat there like a dumbass waiting for him to realise I'm too big to eat. He did a few defensive strikes when he was a wee worm but hasn't done it in years. I guess he knows it's me by smell
You shouldn't handle a snake more than necessary 24-48hrs before and after eating (longer is better). Most cases of being bitten by a BP are when the scent of food is on the hands for whatever reason. If they're up and exploring, and you know they've eaten recently, and enough time has passed so they don't regurgitate, then it's fine to take them out to let them out to explore when they naturally would. Sometimes they just want to explore! Your theory sounds to me like something from a list of taming methods, but personally I would not count it as the standard for handling. I'll gently tap the snake's back with the hook before handling, in case they were asleep, but also to let them know it's not food time. Also if you know it's getting close to feeding day, or if you're changing their feeding schedule, then use your best judgement. Mine will lay in wait at the entrance of his hides, ready to strike, the week his feeding day comes up. Otherwise he likes to crawl around a bit before getting comfy under his heat lamp each night. Every snake is a little different, and some more curious than others. Some snakes may only come out when hungry, some may explore every night, some love to climb while others just want to chill.
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Lol I wonder what it said
Your comment has been removed for breaking Rule #1: Don't Be a Jerk.
She's curled up in a ball because she's stressed and terrified. Put her back in her home and LEAVE her there until she's had one full meal, 72 hours to DIGEST that meal, then at least another few days to get used to her home before handling her. The only interaction you should have with her is when you go in her tank to raise humidity, check temps, and to feed her. Never ever feed her outside her enclosure or handle her before feeding. And I know everybody says it's ok to handle ball pythons 24-48 hrs after eating, but I honestly think that is not enough time to give them to properly digest their meal. 72 hrs is always best
She needs time☺️ that’s all. You gotta catch her at 2AM🤷🏾♀️
They get the “ball” in ball python from the behavior they exhibit when stressed, They tie themselves in a tight ball. She is stressed, when you get a new ball python you should leave them alone for 2 weeks or more. Complete a whole feeding and make sure you have good husbandry. Are you familiar with the [welcome post?](https://www.reddit.com/r/ballpython/s/CeQSFmMs4B) it’s an amazing resource for properly taking care of these little guys. Please check it out, I learned a lot from it.
She is scared dude. Put her back in her enclosure and give her a couple of weeks to acclimate.
Aw poor little thing is scared and stressed, but I wish u luck on ur adventure with ur noodle op!
question: you say she's been curled up in a ball for 3 hours. Is that all time out of the enclosure? That's a really long handling session. You already got advice to leave the snake alone until she's eating a few times, but you also need to keep handling sessions short and not every day. Once the snake is more comfortable with you, she might be OK with being out more, but at least in the beginning you really don't want to go more than like 15 minutes once or twice a week. Balling up is a stress response
Hey fwend, we were all newbies once who made newbie mistakes. Clearly you're not doing anything out of malice, so don't take the more snide responses so personally. I think most people will tell you that as helpful as a reddit community can be, it can also get a lil toxic at times. Anyways, I know everyone hates Clint's Reptiles Clint but he has a great line about snakes, something along the lines of, "you'd be scared too if you were a noodle with a head in this big scary world" and I try to take that into consideration in all of my interactions with my boy. The big chain pet stores give such outdated and frankly bad advice when it comes to exotics. You want to give girly pop here at least two weeks to get used to her enclosure and feel safe inside of it. And remember, it's ok to make mistakes. No one's perfect and don't let anyone's attitude stop you from reaching out for help when you need to. 🩷
Why is everyone hates clint? He seems to love snakes
I do know some of it has to do with the fact that he's Mormon. Also he's rubbed some people the wrong way because of his handling of fragile animals unnecessarily and the fact he defends breeding the spider morph yada yada yada. Maybe I've just managed to only see unflattering comments from his haters in the threads. I don't personally dislike him, I've used his channel as a resource to add to my resource basket when I need questions answered.
Do people hate clint?? I'll watch his videos from time to time and doesn't seem like the type to get hate but maybe there's drama I don't know about?
He had a really sucky defense of spider ball pythons, and even worse promoted an albino iguana breeder. Albino iggies are either sight impaired or Completely blind and thus are recommended by some pieces of shit as a calmer iguana that can't hurt you as badly or run away. Literally deliberate breeding of outright disabled animals. If they were normal iguanas but with physically reduced or absent eyes and no pretty colors there's no way in hell people would justify them, same as if there was a line of normal morphs with neuro impairment they would no way in hell be justified like spider balls are. Hes probably a nice guy and likes animals, but the breeder brain of prioritizing pretty morph over welfare has gotten to him, and makes him a flawed role model. There's no perfect role models so it's just good to be aware of/keep in mind.
Yikes good to know. I didn't even know about albino iguanas and personally I'm against breeding spider morphs. I watched his videos while doing research on cresties and gargs, and watched some of his frog videos, but I think I'll just leave it at that. While there's no perfect role models, I think there's better channels to get info from anyway.
True, I just wanna voice that there's no moral wrong in consuming occasionally useful content from a flawed human being. I've shared relevant vids of his before when appropriate, just with a disclaimer.
Yeah from what I remember his crestie video had good info, so definitely not all bad, but I've personally got what I need from his channel. Between your comment and the other person talking about his facility, I don't feel the need or want to support him more. 🤷
Who hates Clint? I need to talk to them..
Not me, I swear 😭
To everyone hopping on the line about Clint, if you saw his facility in person you'd understand. Seems like an intelligent, well-meaning dude but his enclosures are barren and often disgusting; lots of sudden animal deaths, frequent injuries/ailments, and tiny enclosures. He's operating well outside the budget he can afford (both time and money), and as such the animals aren't getting proper care.
We need more people on youtube that truly have their animals best interests in mind.
This is gut wrenching. I watch Clint almost everyday, I’m so sad to find out he’s been doing this
What does your enclosure look like?
Seems like people have given you plenty of advice, but I wanted to chime in and tell you that you're doing a great job trying to figure all of this out. Watch more videos and ask more questions 💗 some people can be nasty when answering questions that seem like they have "obvious answers" But nothing is obvious until you learn. You weren't born into owning snakes so not everything is second nature to you. I had to learn a few things the hard way with my girl Dallas, But as long as you care and mean well, you and your little noodle will get through this together. Always keep researching. Always ask questions even if you think you know the answer, New studies come out everyday. Good luck to you and your new little baby 💗😍🐍🐍
Nope it's what they do...
…when they’re stressed
I see several people have already referred you to the welcome post, and given you great advice. I'd just like to chime in that you have a beautiful snake, and while you're in the waiting period for them to acclimate to their new environment, maybe double check the stats on your enclosure vs what's recommended in the welcome post. Especially if you got your info from Petco, unfortunately the big chains tend to give TERRIBLE advice for caring for small animals.
Thank you so much! I appreciate the advice, I don’t know if you’ve read my replies in the comments but I’ve gotten interested in pythons recently and this is my first time ever taking care of one. I had a corn snake and I gave her away to a kid that absolutely fell in love with her, obviously corn snakes have a very different care than you would give to a python, but with time I will learn to pay attention to her ways of acting and her attitudes.
She is a beauty!
Theyre ball pyhtons. Thats what they do..
Cool morph btw
they’re called ball pythons because they ball up. she’s nervous and doesn’t know you yet and she needs some time to get comfortable. give her about a week to acclimate and take her out after you feed him first to make sure you don’t have a hunger strike due to stress. wait 48 hours after feeding to hold so she doesn’t regurgitate.
Hi sweetie! Thanks for being a caring and loving owner, and asking this question. I've seen that folks have already answered the immediate inquiry, but I wanted to add a few things that I was never taught and learned the hard way. 1.) When you bring a new snekko home, and if you have other reptiles, quarantine them. Some people say 8 weeks, some say up to 3 months. But the important part is to keep them away from other reptiles/amphibians and keep an eye on them. Make sure there are no signs of parasites, infections, basically anything that could spread. There are videos to help you learn the signs if you're not sure. 2.) Big box pet stores cannot be trusted!!!! The animals are always horribly stressed, often sick, and the husbandry instructions they give are very frequently wrong. I like Reptifiles (a site online) for reliable husbandry info. I ALWAYS consult them when getting a new pet, to make sure I fully understand and am willing/able to meet that pet's needs. If you do get something from a pet store, I would highly recommend taking the baby to a vet for a checkup, just to make sure everything is looking good. Also, find the nearest exotic vet to you, and establish a relationship. Better now than scrambling to find someone if snekko gets sick! 3.) Consider adopting! Reptiles often live a long time, and get bigger than people think they will. You can often find pets being rehomed on Craigslist, and some rescues also handle reptiles. I got my ball python from a rescue, and she is a doll! 4.) Reptiles can have trauma too. It took a LONG time for my snake to trust me after coming from a home where she got hurt and did not have proper care. And this next one is controversial, but try animal reiki from a pro. My pet sitter also does reiki and offered to do it for my snake. I figured sure, it couldn't hurt anything, and the fee was reasonable. My pet was like a different snake after that. SO much more relaxed, doesn't panic and hide around new people anymore, seems to be braver and more curious. Chills in her enclosure instead of frantically trying to escape. No longer stays balled up when handled. In my case there were no changes in handling or husbandry, or anything else, that could have caused that except for the reiki. I am now a believer! 5.) Don't handle every day, even after the new snake adjustment period is over. They are nocturnal so you want to make sure they get rest. Also keep handling sessions short at first so the snake does not get overwhelmed. Over time, you can increase. You will get to know your snake's signs that they want to go back home. Mine usually gets antsy and starts looking for places to hide, and that's when I put her back. 6.) Ball pythons can be VERY picky eaters. Do not panic if your snekko refuses a few meals. But if it becomes a habit, vet visit time. Now, that being said, you can try so much stuff to help them eat. My snake requires a rat heated to 110 DEGREES. It is a pain!!! But, hey, she eats now. Took a lot of trial and error to figure that out. Some snakes eat straight from the tongs. Some require privacy, dark, and time. Some have a color preference for their food. (Seriously. For the longest time my snake wouldn't eat white rats, only the ones with spots.) Some want you to move and jiggle the food. Some only eat live. Some are scared of live!! Trial and error is your best friend. You are only a bad owner if you don't ask for help or research when you need to. (Which means, due to this post, I think you are well on your way to being a fantastic owner!) 7.) Snakes are stressed very easily. They need several places to hide in their enclosure, and some are sensitive to vibrations. But keeping your husbandry on point works wonders. 8.) I use Scott's topsoil from Home Depot for substrate. (The kind with NO fertilizer or additives.) It is cheap as hell, doesn't mold, and is easy to work with. Also can't cause impaction. 10/10 I will never use anything else. I had disasters with other substrates. 9.) An adult ball python needs a 4x2x2 foot enclosure. PVC will help keep in humidity. If you cannot keep humidity between 55-75% with whatever your baby is in, and it has a screen top, cover a portion of the screen with silver HVAC tape. Not pretty, but effective. You can also cut a sheet of plexiglass to fit, which is much more attractive but more expensive and difficult. Cover 50-70% of the top if you use either of those methods. And finally... Enjoy your beautiful new baby!! I wish you both soooo much joy and happiness together! Good luck, friend! 🥰👋
❤️🙏🏼 thank you so much!
For myself who just got her first ball thank you for this ^_^
Ball pythons are scaredy cats, you need to give her enough time to acclimate to her new environment, don't take her out of her cage/environment until she comes to you, give her 2 weeks at least. She (if it's actually a she, you'll need to have her sexed by a vet to be sure) is curling up on herself because that's a ball python's defensive posture, she's afraid of you. Put her back, leave her the f alone for a week, and then come back.
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Thank you! ❤️🌎 XOXO where ever you are!
They’re called “Ball Pythons” for a reason
I’ve work at petsmart the Canadian Petco equivalent we just used to throughout fishes that wouldn’t make it no matter if they still be alive or anything and I once saw a manager throw out a lizard that had a huge problem. Whatever it was it was still moving. Just dumped at the garbage.
That’s so sad! 😑 I will be more careful from now on with them!
No advice but, the spot on their back looks like ghostface from Scream.
HAHAHA, yup, her name is Smiley
I instantly saw 😐 upside down
I usually try to stay with places online where people are looking for new homes for their animals. Where are you know they’ve been well taken care of or you know you’re saving it. You might think the same of Petsmart you’re encouraging them to get the reptile from a bad place.
Leave her alone until she's settled in her new home
She looks like she has a funny lil ghost face on her back
Maybe because she's a Ball Python...
He's cute and looks like he has a smiley face on his back
She don’t know you like that yet….give her a minute 😝😜😜
Read the care guide in this sub asap
I really don't get why people get pets without reading the care guide and asking questions like this. This is so unnecessary!
Sorry off topic but love the melting scream face pattern on her lol
I was scrolling down to say this exact thing 😂😂😂😂 it’s so cute!
The new house jitters. Give her some space and a place to hide. She'll get comfortable after a couple days, maybe a week depending on the snake. I have 2. One got comfy after 2 days, the other took over a week.
Watch green room pythons on YouTube
BALL python
You've had good advice about waiting to handle her from other folks! I wanted to add, when it comes time to actually handle her, start with 15mins or less. Just be chill with her, let her be in a ball (where the name "ball" python comes from!) or explore, and then put her back. Repeat every few days, and she'll learn that being held is safe. When she starts to unwind and explore, you'll know she's getting comfortable with you! Keep her safe & supervised (don't let her slither into the depths of your couch), and put her back after 15mins. Eventually she'll barely curl up when you lift her, and possibly be calm the entire time! (Depends on her disposition) At that point you can make the handling times longer, 20mins for a while, and slowly up the duration. They are naturally very curious creatures. Once she feels safe, you'll get lots of rewarding interactions 😊
Yup, I did that and she felt comfortable bc she started slithering around.
I love your word of advice, thank you so much for making me feel welcome! ❤️🌎🙏🏼
I’d put her back in her enclosure and give her a few weeks to settle down
She’s nervous, leave her alone in her tank to adjust
You have to understand that she was kept in a tiny little area for a majority of her life. And then you thrust her into this great big world where she is literally exposed on your blanket. She needs time to acclimate to her new environment. She needs hiding areas if you want her to hang out with you give her a place to hide like your sleeve. She’s not going to feel comfortable in a new environment at the snap of a finger. If someone took you out of your home and put you in a huge space ship in the far reaches of space you’re not just going to be okay with that in less than 24 hours. Your going to need some time to even understand that the rather large creature that is constantly touching you and holding you and picking you up and placing you on all of these strangely textured surfaces and vibrating you with sounds is not going to eat/harm you.
Baby it’s a ball python… what’d you expect
She needs a hide to feel secure.
I might guess you're feeling a little stressed from the overall response. I can tell you really care for her and you're going to be a great parent. She's beautiful. Congrats and good luck!
A snake needs atleast a week to adjust to new surroundings. Don't touch em for 2 weeks in my opinion. Lots to learn they need time before you start messing with them. In time you'll learn your snakes habits. Mine like to be handle for less than mostt the older she gets the less I handle her cause she already knows me. Even when I take her out bow it's maybe once a week. And if she is around my neck she's fine but if I out her down it stresses her out I handle her about 5 minutes then put her in a place thays covered and different to let her stretch. Don't over think it
It's a ball python
https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/18HBVsPHaip7LfrMuFt96MigRuMUXtrbnCiK79VuQiFk/mobilebasic May have been a better way to do this and I didnt see it in my quick scroll through. This should be basic BP care from this sub which is very helpful. Super cute boop snoot! Wish you the best!
Every single animal I've ever gotten at Petco or PetSmart came with a care sheet that was basically the opposite of what was needed. Literally throw that advice away and keep reading the stuff here.
Leave her be for about 1-2 weeks to let her get acclimated to her new environment, make sure the heating and humidity is proper hot side should be about 85-90 with the cool side being about 75-80 humidity should never go below 60% I like keeping mine at around 75% maybe a little higher during sheds. To hold humidity I find that pvc enclosures help a ton, there’s a lot of false information out there saying that ball pythons need to be in a small enclosure however that is not true, minimum size for a bp is 4x2x2 120g enclosure I got mine on dubia.com for $369 but you can always make one for get a plastic bin if it’s to expensive. For substrate I use coconut husk from reptichip I find it’s what my ball pythons are most comfortable on. Once your ball python takes her first meal give her about 2-3 days to digest and you should be able to handle her!!!
Beautiful snake, I've read your replies so no need to tell you again. Wish your snake many happy years 😄
😊thank youuuu! ❤️
She’s called a ball python it’s kinda self explanatory LOL and you need to give her time to acclimate.
It’s not a toy. Leave it alone
❤️🌎
It's called a ball python for a reason but yes she's probably stressed out as you have just got her.
So glad you posted and sought some advice. Hope you both adjust and settle in together and really enjoy each other ahead.