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New Member
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Last Login: 10/26/2009 9:59:55 PM
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yeah covering 3 sides is the next step, i've put a towel over part of it and it seems to "help"...
The temperatures are what they should be for a ball python, and i provide heating both with a pad and a light...
humidity stays around 50-60%...
He's a little short of 4 feet long, and for a tank 12x18x36, i'm pretty sure he's alright....i was told thats more than enough for an adult ball.
Frankly there are no signs of stress or insecurity, he never refused a meal, spends most of his time in his hide during the day, is more active at night, etc...
its just the digging...but then again he seems very curious and at night is constantly looking around and trying to find an opening...which i think is in their nature?
maybe i'm just worrying for nothing...
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Starting Member
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Some snakes just never lose the instinct to want to try and escape and to me that's what it sounds like he is doing.If he is eating usin his hide during the day and active at night that is pretty normal behavior for most snakes,most are nocturnal.And as far as feeding him in another tank you don't have to do that just try papertowls or plates like was sugested before.You just have to watch and make sure that none of it makes it into his mouth or he can choke.I usually use like a jungle mix if i'm keeping them on regoular bedding it is alot finer.I actually keep my ball on carpet but the only problem there is if he misses he can get his teeth stuck in it.
Reptiles are like pringles once you pop you can't stop. My cold blooded kids:One ball python(Henry),A green iguana(Iggy),a corn snake(ghost),And now a Dumeril's ground boa(Buddy)  
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New Member
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Last Login: 10/26/2009 9:59:55 PM
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yah i hear you...
when i was a kid and went on camping trips with my parents, i'd go for hours alone to catch snakes...i would bring them back home to try to have them as pets but they would die soon after, they couldn't adapt...So i stopped of course...
even now, i take every and any chance i get to try to find small snakes when i go in the country. Its the kid and reptile lover in me, it doesnt go away...
so yeah, having a ball python now is a bit like accomplishing what i was trying to do when i was a kid bringing those snakes home....its simply amazing...
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Senior Member
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The light may be stressing him out. Obviously, there will be some light in the cage, but a light directly on it will add a lot of light. Nocturnal snakes like ball pythons prefer to stay in darker areas, which may explain why he is trying to leave the area. Take the light off and see if anything changes.
0.1 Eublepharis macularias
1.0.1 Rhacodactylus ciliatus
0.0.4 Terrapene carolina
0.0.1 Theloderma corticale
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New Member
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| as i said, he is in his hide most of the day and theres no light at night, and thats when he tries to dig. So i don't think its the light since there is none when he shows that behaviour.
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Average Member
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Most snakes don't understand glass, so he may think he can go through it and just won't give up. Try putting some more cage decor like cork tubes or flats or branches to stimulate him and see if he stops digging.
0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake
0.1 Western Hognose
0.1 Childrens Python
0.1 Everglades Ratsnake
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1.1.2 Crested Geckos "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" - Carl Sagan
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Jack B. Nimble (10/21/2009)
So anyways, i've noticed that Dexter (thats his name) constantly digs in the substrate with his head. He always does it around the same area, in the corner of the terrarium next to where his water is.
i ask myself, is this normal behaviour(sic)? should i worry about this? He really, really likes to kind of try to force his way into corners with his head.
.........................................No this is not normal behavior.You ball is trying to tell you that something is wrong with your setup and it wants out. It is not content with what you have provided it. Going with the info you have provided in lieu of showing pics of your setup and temps, my opinion is your temps are too high and your wrong about them being in the correct ranges (at least for your individual captive). The thing that makes me think this is you stated He always does it around the same area, in the corner of the terrarium next to where his water is. Normally this is the corner furthest from the heat in most keepers setups, hence my opinion. Again, please post pics showing your temps as well as the setup.
Jsin. - 'Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.'
- Abraham Lincoln, (attributed)
16th president of US (1809 - 1865)
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New Member
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alright well i'll take pics tonight....
the temperatures are in the mid 80's on the side of his hide, heated by a heatmat and a light, and in the mid 70's i think on the side of the water. they go down a little at night. So seriously, i really don't think he's too hot, matter a fact i was worried at first that it wouldnt be hot enough. But he does seem to enjoy the temperature in his hide, as he is often there, and comes out once in a while to go cool off.
now i should say that when he digs or does the vigorous pushing, its always about a week and a half after a meal, when he starts to get hungry again. So i'm thinking maybe his curiosity goes up a notch during that time since his instinct is to try to find food? he gets very active when he's hungry.
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Average Member
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What are you using to measure your temperatures? A heat mat and a lamp going at the same time should be pretty hot. When I had ball pythons they had a basking spot that reached 92 with an ambient temp of 80 and all I had was an infrared bulb and dome.
0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake
0.1 Western Hognose
0.1 Childrens Python
0.1 Everglades Ratsnake
1.0 Bull snake
1.1.2 Crested Geckos "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" - Carl Sagan
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New Member
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regular thermometer...
ambient temperature stays around 70
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