Things I learned outside of the things in this guide when I got my first BP this year: 1) Breeding season is a common time for BP's to go off feed. I was worried about my husbandry being off and double checked it with my breeder, but it turns out my snake was just horny. So that's a thing. 2) When people refer to 'picky eaters' in BP guides they often talk about BP's just refusing food. In actuality it's more complicated than that. Sometimes they take food, sometimes they only take food if you wiggle it a certain way, sometimes they clearly want to eat but are shy about you watching, sometimes they just don't like it if it's too wet or too dry. These guys are 'picky eaters' in the same sense that a toddler is. It usually helps to figure out your BP's personality and how they like to take their meals, at which point it gets a little easier, but it might take some experimenting. Mine likes to eat without me watching, so I usually thaw his rat before bed, show him dinner is here, and then leave it on a tray for him. It's always gone in the morning. 3) It is apparently actually quite common for BP's to shed in their hides, or to roll it up in a ball. Mine never sheds in the open so I usually have to check his hides periodically to see if he's sitting on it. Just make a habit of unrolling the shed and checking to make sure they got all the important parts off, like eye caps.
Sometimes, to this day, my grown four year old female Mojave will kill a rat, then after about five minutes of squeezing it, decide, nah, I’m not going to eat it and leave it dead in her hide over where her heat pad is and I have to get it back out and throw away a food source.
The biggest issue with a ball python not eating or in your works being a "picky eater" is because of poor husbandry. Your not keeping your animal the way it should be kept!
I find it easier to get them to eat after I spray their enclosures and give them about 30 minutes to feel the humidity before offering food. It’s also much easier to feed a spider BP by holding a rat horizontally, not vertically. It’s easier for a syndrome BP to hit the target that way. I’ve also read on the internet that BPs are more likely to accept grey/black rats than the white ones, lol, idk why it worked for me a couple of times. But sometimes they catch the rat, strangle it and then go like nahh not today and leave it... and i just have to throw them away😢
@@melteague117maybe your BP just wants to feel like a snake. You should try giving it some free kills every now and then, that should put them in a eating mood.
Maybe try talking your parents into letting you get a milk snake there’s a few kinds that stay around 2 feet which is very small for a snake good look 👍🏼
We've been strongly considering a Ball Python for about 6 months now, and are researching for another 5-6 months before we purchase. This video was so helpful! We love your channel!
Some ball pythons are super shy eaters, so they won't take the rat off tongs no matter how much you make it dance. You can also try soaking the rat in chicken broth and leaving it in the enclosure over night and covering the enclosure with a towel ariund the front and sides so they can't see out. That's what worked for our picky eaters :)
Love seeing how you and other reptile youtubers keep making updated care guides and promote higher care standards! I have mine for about 3 months and its fascinating - getting to know his personality and quirks and acting accordingly. My friend's bp eats even in blue meanwhile mine just gets spooked lol. He is also pretty active during handling and requires almost constant attention or he will just get himself somewhere he shouldnt... And he loves climbing, which I noticed when letting him roam supervised (he climbes on monitors and laundry dryer) so I gave him a hammock and stick as perch which he uses often. I also find watching him grow extremely fun, he gets a bit bigger every feeding and when I compare current photos to those from the day I got him - just wow. Still each time I see Pikachu on you I cant wait for mine to get so big :D
@@dob1106 you think recommendations like 4x2x2 enclosure and having humid hides is bare minimum standard? You're lucky to be in very well educated bubble I guess.
Woohooo so excited for this one! I adopted a 15 year old BP a few months ago and moved her from the 10 gallon she came in to a 120 gallon. Crazy to think that someone thought it was okay to leave her in there for her entire life. She definitely uses every inch of the 120 gallon, I always see her roaming the enclosure at night. It's always interesting to see your care guides and how they've changed through the years! Your videos are so high quality, I always look forward to the new ones!
Okay, I know you have done ball python care guides. But I absolutely love them! You have awesome energy and this video is on point🔥 Brought a couple of mine out to watch with me.
I've wanted a snake since I could remember. Finally at 28 I'm ready to make the jump and was fully overwhelmed by how much the info has changed over the years. This video was great and really helped me feel less freaked out while I continue my research. Much appreciated!
Absoloutly perfect timing, I'll be picking up my baby in the next few weeks and have done so much research yet you still are able to make it so clear what's at the basis of it all. Thank you dude
My adult ball recently graduated from sub-adult, which means I lugged a 120gal aquarium into my apartment! And got a baby ball to fill his old 55gal :)
So I did a thing. I bought my ball python, Monty a 150 gallon enclosure. He loves it. I did it because he is part of my family, and I only give my family the best. He moves around a lot. Not used to seeing a ball move so much. Edit: He has been semi-aborial since buying new things for him to play with. He's only a few months old, and almost never spends time in a hide (he has 3)
mine loves climbing! he stays in his hide plenty of the time too ofc, but throughout the day he’ll cruise around, or lay stretched out all the way across the enclosure, or up high on a branch, or half up on a branch and half on the ground xD he’s also super curious, and often keeps his head poking out of his hides, or comes out when i’m nearby. i seriously could not have ever asked for a better first snake
Thank you for this! We are picking up our 1st BP (1st reptile ever) this week. A friend's son is rehoming him. My daughter's and I have watched all your BP videos (& more) and spent hours more researching their care. We will slowly be making a few changes about his current care to fit our research (Snake Discovery, Clint's Reptiles, GoHerping, + more) so fingers crossed he transitions smoothly!
I have been asked how to be a good ballpython keeper many times and honestly its really just to not stop learning and evolving. Thats why i really appreciate that you update us on what has changed in the hobby! Its so important and you can just tell that your snakes are happy:) My boy Helios (a lesser mojave and my pride and joy) is just about to move into a bigger tarrarium and im so exited to plan it all again:) i also really appreciate that you mentioned that they sometimes randomly go off feed. As much as i adore my noodle he also has that habit and i used to be so worried about it, back in the day but in winter he just likes to fast and eat only once ever month or so! Thank you so much for your videos!
I watched ur leopard gecko care guide and ive now had one for a little over a year. My mom said if i do research about a ball python she might hear me out about getting one :]
Love your information I have a 6 month old puma python named Pearl Love here just had her first shed since I got her can't wait to see her grow into a beautiful adult
Hey, I don’t comment very often on videos. But I just wanted to thank you for your help. Your videos have been instrumental in helping me decide what pet snake to get. I just wanted to say I really appreciate your videos! Im happy to say I’ll be buying a candy/toffee ball python this weekend!
I have been doing some HEAVY research on these snakes and getting my first snake (ball python) this year. Plan to have a HUGE enclosure for them! Your videos have helped sooooo much!!!
Thank you so much for posting this!!! I just got a new ball Python and I was finding so much conflicting information online about ideal humidity and temps. My ball is taking a little longer than my corn snake did to settle down and I was really worried there was just something drastically wrong with his tank. This video just really reassured me that I should just chill and wait for him to calm down. 😅
Yo Adam, I'd love to see a video on the African green bush snake. I recently got one and he is the most interesting snake I've ever owned and CRIMINALLY underrated. I'd love to see if you could get one, they're relatively cheap at about 40$ and they eat brown or green anoles/ frogs as well. I know you might not see this but I love ur content and you're doing the world a great service.
I can’t tell you how much I love that I’m involved in this community where people like what I like. And watching people herp is kinda fun because I live in Minnesota and kind of all I find is garter snakes
Depending on the age of the snake you could have two years before you would need to consider a 4x2x2. A forty gallon enclosure is if enough for a baby-subadult python I’d say. After two years old I’d say start planning for the 4x2x2. 40 gal enclosure is big though, so if you don’t have room for one of those then yea maybe wait till you have room for it. I’m currently looking to upgrade my first ball to a exo terra low large terrarium. Side note purpose built terrariums, while more expensive , do have better dimensions for reptiles versus a fish tank. One other thing is that they live a long time. So also something to keep in mind
@@annfranknthatic Thanks for this! I have a couple 40 gallons right now but they're occupied by a leopard gecko and baby corn snake (not together, obvs). I'll have to think about it though!
Thank you for making this Adam! I have kept ball pythons before but I am right now confirming for myself all the info I remember as I am picking up a severely neglected 3 month old ball python in the morning. Thankfully I keep 1 empty enclosure on me at all times (I don’t think my husband loves this 😂) so when I see situations like this one I can come in and save those who need it. This will be a quarantine tank so it is only a 10 gallon (I know it’s friggin tiny) but I always upgrade them once their quarantine time is over. It’s just better for me to be able to keep tabs on everything that happens with them when I firstly bring them home. This guy is also tiny due to being a baby and given barely anything to eat
I needed this so much. I ADORE my ball python. I treat her like my new born baby. So when my numbers (humidity/heat) are even slightly off I go full panic mode. I just want to give her the best life I can. So being told not to overthink is definitely needed lol
11:15 is so me 😅 thank you for the reminder!! I’m getting my first snake soon, and I’ve been overthinking everything!! Im trying to create the best environment for my new bud, and and give it the best life I can offer and sometimes I forget it’s supposed to be fun! Thank you for the reminder. ☺️
I love these updates you’ve been doing Adam!!! Thank you!! Can we get an updated hognose care guide soon please? I’ve been wondering if anything changed
I was waiting for an updated guide from you! I just recently decided to get on the ball python train after being a successful keeper of western hognose. The internet is so full of information, it makes new keepers super confused. I trust your keeping so I was hoping you would post one soon and you did! Looks like I am a okay! I was worried about the food size and how often since they are a bit different from my westerns as well as the clutter but now I know. Thank you!
That Zach is fortunately not a fact. That is a myth perpetuated by the anti-pet groups. Its more like 2 to 3% in reality as this has been debunked over and over again :-)
I love how this set up is exactly the kind I recommend for Indonesian blue tongue skinks. Deep substrate, LOTS of clutter, a water bowl big enough to soak in, and love me some big ol dish pan hides!
I'm thinking about getting a ball python. But i'm curious how much the setup would cost for the snake (Habitat and all that) aswell as the average yearly cost to feed and maintain a tank (I'm wanting to make a bio active enclosure, healthier for the snake and just looks cool) And also, I'd love to see a video of you setting up a normal tank like someone like me (not much experience) would make with everything the snake needs
My BP never soaks and he hates large enclosures and that includes with clutter on top of clutter - doesn’t matter - he don’t like it and starts refusing meals until I change it. Every snake has a personality and you really should just cater to that individual once you learn their preferences.
That is totally normal! Your ball python really shouldn't be soaking if it's not shedding. It *can possibly* be a sign of something being wrong. And I also find that ball pythons generally thrive more in smaller enclosures BUT if you have them in small enclosures you should be regularly handling them and letting them be out of their enclosure. This is ultimately why it's just a care *guide*. There's definitely wrong ways to keep your BPs but there is no end all be all right way!
@@pvpperdogs Yeah, soaking generally means low humidity or mites when a BP does it. Some soak, majority of them do not. As far as enclosure size I agree. They’re different in that they generally do thrive more in smaller enclosures - you just need to get them out more for enrichment, but mine hates large spaces clutter or no clutter he hates large enclosures. He will literally not eat or he’ll start going behind the hide and dig to get to the bottom of the substrate. And I’ve tried making his hides smaller on both sides so he feels tighter and more secure and again if it’s in a large enclosure he’s like F this lol. Whatever he can do to make it “smaller” that’s what he’ll do.
I like that you mentioned the humidity might be 100% when you first put the substrate in. When I was setting up my BP enclosure for the first time, I was getting really frustrated that the humidity was so high. It should be common sense that it'll come down in a few days, but I'm kind of stupid sometimes LOL. I had to send pics of my setup to the breeder I was buying the snake from before he would sell me the snake, so I asked him how to make the humidity lower and he was like "it'll come down in a few days, as long as there's not sitting water in the substrate then it's fine to be like that for a few days". And I was just like... oh. Ok. Haha! But before he told me that, I had never seen anyone mention it. All I could find where people having issues keeping humidity. Anyway, I appreciate that you added that into your video!
Yay! I’ve been hoping you’d do a ball python one 🥰 when I watched your first and second one I was still researching in preparation to get one and I finally have my baby I love him so much!
Very very very VERY well done, Adam! Related to hunger strikes, they’re PAINFUL to deal with when you don’t have something else to toss the feeder to. That’s actually how I ended up with my third snake (second was a small house snake that was too small for what the BP was eating): a Colombian Rainbow Boa. I fell in love with this underrated species and now I never throw a feeder away. As a tip for breaking hunger strikes, something that has also worked for me was switching the food item. My male BP didn’t eat for 6 months and the thing that finally broke the strike was offering a day old chick. He still goes off food from time to time, and I personally choose to fast my snakes for a couple months over the winter, but keeping prey variety and options (with a garbage disposal of a CRB on hand for any refusals) has helped immensely. ✌🏻
Yep, I have a garbage disposal carpet python to take care of anything my ball python doesn't want! And giving her a mouse usually breaks her hunger strikes, and she will usually eat rats again afterwards.
Just got my third ball, and i love watching the more up to date research so I can make sure he’s happy and healthy. He was born July 5 so he’s still a baby. So excited to see him grow!
I’ve been lucky for most part, except this year I was moving a ball python from quarantine and put him (proven breeder) in a bigger enclosure and he stopped eating for 2 months and I put him back in a smaller enclosure and he’s been back eating with no problems for 2 months now
Omg Adam THANK YOU! I’ve had my boy Paul for like 10 years and I’d say for about 7 or 8 of those years he goes off food for months in the winter. I took him to a reptile vet the first year and he said don’t worry. I hear about it but I’ve never heard anybody say their ball python does the exact same thing. I call it snake winter now and I know when snake winter is over when I see him in February or March and I know he’s ready to eat again. I find it weird but I got used to it. I’m happy to know it’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Ha Ha "...Summer Solstice", I see that sort of thing a lot in a group I help moderate for new snake keepers. This was another great video! My own has gone off food several times, but actually became more consistent when I switched to a huge 4 by 4 by 2 enclosure set up. Now he eats wonderfully.
After months of trying my mom is finally letting me get a snake so I’m choosing the ball python. Held a pied in the pet store and fell in love the moment it wrapped around my wrist like a bracelet. I’ll have it in addition to my bearded dragon, two Guinea pigs, and dog can’t wait to bring him home in a few weeks 🥰
I recently got a 2yo banana ball (I call him Pyewacket) with no history of hunger strikes who went on a hunger strike the minute I put him into a 120g & hasn't eaten in a month *sad trombone noises*. I know this is common esp. with moving stress, but there's always that nagging feeling like my husbandry is all wrong since I am fairly new to keeping. Seeing this it looks like all Pye's really missing is more coverage to help him feel secure moving between hides, so I'm gonna give that a shot, thanks!
I'm here for the care guide, but it's exactly while doing what research of what kind of snake I should get led me to a ball python. I want a movie snake. One thing missed are morphs with defects, learning about wobble made me avoid spiders.
Just moved my ballpython into a 1.60x1.20x60cm and love it climb all over, utilise all the space. So awesome to see him use all the beaches and ropes and roam around ;)
@@WickensWickedReptiles today he even decided to stay in the branches hidden behind a cork... got scared, was looking for him in his ground hides, didn't think to look up at first ;)
I don’t know anything about snakes, that’s why I’m here. But I do about fish and lots of other animals, and I always feel like as a general rule, for whatever animal it is, it’s better to err on the side of giving an animal more space than you think they’ll need than less.
"You live in an apartment. Do you stay in that apartment all day? No. You leave, every day." Me, who has lived in the same pajamas for the past 3-4 days: "Well... I suppose it has been a minute." **attempts to leave the permanent indentation on my sofa... struggles... and slumps back down.** "Maybe tomorrow." lol jk. Kinda. Awesome video as always. Sometimes I wonder why you do updated care guides every other year. Then I remember one of my favorite quotes: "The most dangerous sentence in the human language is 'We've always done it this way.'" Just like every year we're learning the secrets to being able to keep more exotic species in captivity to thrive; so too should we strive to always improve husbandry and care for the more common species.
I’m glad to hear yours goes off food 5 months bc mine was off for about that length and I started getting worried bc everyone else says that’s too long but he looked great and eventually ate and all is well
Good advice. I remember when I put my ball python in a 4 by 2 by 1 enclosure people told me my male ball python would stop eating, but that has not happened yet and that was a year ago. Now my hog island boa is my pickiest snake and does not like eating small rats even though that is the right size, so I'm stuck with adult mice for now. Maybe once the new enclosure I ordered that is 6 by 2 by 2 come in , that will encourage my hog island boa to eat the correct prey size.
The moment you said 4x2x2 was the minimum I knew I was watching someone reliable. There’s so many sources of information and I stop watching anything the second a 40 gallon tank is recommended
I like to use the planters from my Dollarama. They fit just right in my 4' wide enclosure and the brown/dark green blends in well. I just cut a couple spots out for my guy to get in and out and then melt the cuts with a lighter so he doesnt get cut on the sharp edges. They fit a full gorwn Ball just perfect!
As someone who also lives in canada I'm so glad I came across your channel! So many videos of Americans talking about reptiles and products they use but I can't get them in canada so I'm glad to know when I watch your videos odds are any products you recommend I'll be able to actually buy lol
I keep seeing ball pytons for adoption, so now I'm constantly watching all your ball pyton content to see if I can handle them. I have kids, so I want them to know snakes aren't scary (their grandparents keep saying snakes are scary).
I can relate to them not wanting to eat. The first 6 months i had my Ball Python, i could not get to eat for nothing. Now he's on 1 small rat every 2 weeks.
Always do your research people lol sorry I will always keep that in my head. Good vlog today. And thank you for sharing this. I really want a ball python, especially the morphs that have been coming out through the past couple of years. There are some that are bangers
Caring for these pythons is so fun. I will say I messed up a bunch and continue to make mistakes but that is part of the journey. I started with a very basic enclosure and within a month I went bioactive…and now two months later my snake had tripled is size and I’m thinking about breading them, this “invisible ark” I am a part of really means a lot to me.
I'll still be keeping them in large totes or tubs but I am breeding them and I spend a ton of time with them out. I try to provide enough space for the snake to stretch out, I don't use lights at all, I provide ample hiding places in the containers and fake foliage. I never feed live animals and every baby I've bought so far has gone straight onto thawed mice then rats. I feed an appropriate sized meal, once a week.
I hope they also have climbing height/enrichment. Overhead heating is far better for them than under tank heating, and they need light for a proper day/night cycle. A halogen flood bulb connected to a dimmer/dimming thermostat is the most natural and beneficial option during the day, Arcadia’s deep heat projector is the second best option. They produce infrared A and B like the sun, heat that penetrates deep into the skin tissue and heats them far more effectively than heat mats. Whereas heat mats only produce IRC, which only heats the surface of their skin.
