r/ballpython • u/jessxwonderland • 2h ago
My baby is so cuddly (I’m sure he’s not I just say it like that)
I love him sm
r/ballpython • u/_ataraxia • Feb 18 '19
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.
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 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]
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]
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:
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:
facebook groups:
posting rules:
general posting guidelines:
general commenting guidelines:
commenting rules:
reporting posts/comments:
upvoting/downvoting:
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 • Jan 22 '25
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:
r/ballpython • u/jessxwonderland • 2h ago
I love him sm
r/ballpython • u/briarrabid • 12h ago
Say hello to Cornelius.
r/ballpython • u/Ok_Evidence582 • 1h ago
He has been sitting in my hoodie for a while and when i wanted to take him out he refused
r/ballpython • u/Ambitious-Steak-1209 • 14h ago
Her name is Lydia 💖💛💖💛💖
r/ballpython • u/assplunderer • 19m ago
I’m leaving out of state on a Friday night for my sons spring break, taking the week and then returning the following sunday. Thats 9 days. I plan on feeding her before we leave on Friday night, but I have anxieties about leaving her.
My reptile store boards for $20/day. Expensive but I would pay if needed. I however don’t trust anyone actually to watch her, particularly if shes moved out of her enclosure for some storage thing there.
Will she be okay if she’s left for 9 days after feeding? I have alot of anxieties about it lol. I don’t have friends in my current town that I would give a key to, and because I also live a good 30-40 minutes from anyone that I could give a key to.
Obligatory picture of said baby.
r/ballpython • u/Shot_Alternative_762 • 21h ago
I'm so curious about your noodles names. Mine are Jax, Chibs and Juice. Can anyone guess the theme? 😆
r/ballpython • u/Kittylenxoxo • 14h ago
Tonight is the second night he’s done this , he’s comfortable coming out of the hide and looking at me or just being next to me , I work from home 12 hours 3 days a week and I have him on my work desk , he’s been listening to me basically talking for 12 hours and he decided to come out and explore in front of me and then just say there like this after playing clinking the vines and drinking water , it’s about to be 3 weeks now that I’ve had him, he has been rejecting food , should I wait to offer him food again ? I tried yesterday with no success , I’ve been letting the mouse thaw and adding then got water to make it warm and nothing … he’s my first snake .
r/ballpython • u/Future-Doorkaas • 18h ago
her name is mishu and she is 8/9 months old
r/ballpython • u/H4WKW4RD • 13h ago
Baby boy was just chilling out in the open on top of my dresser, looking out over the room. He's getting some FAT mice tomorrow!!! Thank you everyone who commented on my last post with advice and consolation ♥️
r/ballpython • u/tahkobehell • 14h ago
r/ballpython • u/Intelligentcunts • 7h ago
"Boo" was at her door and chose to come out for a little snoot boopins this morning. Check out her gorgeous face!
r/ballpython • u/Ekoneg • 22h ago
Got my bp around 6 weeks ago and haven’t been able to get him to eat ever since and he hasn’t shed yet. I didn’t want to take him out before he eats for the first couple times not to stress him out, and let him acclimate to his new life, but I started to get worried after seeing some flakes that looked like stuck shed and I wanted to see if he was losing weight. So I finally took him out to inspect today, and I am panicking even more now because I don’t know what to make of what I see.
First of all, I usually keep the humidity between 50-60%, but I am now cranking it up to 70% and more since he looks like he trying to shed. He has 4 hides, 2 of them are dry, 2 of them are humid with damp sphagnum moss. He always uses his dry hide on the warm side and never really seen him chill anywhere else. I attached some pictures of the enclosure too.
So my questions are, just like in the title: - Is this what it looks like when a bp is in shedding or this is a stuck shed? - Is dark underbelly normal when they are shedding, could it be the substrate, or is it a bad scale rot? - I believe he is about 4-5 mo, and weighs 129g. Because I didn’t weight him before to give him some space, I don’t know if he lost any weight or not. Does he look underweight in the pics?
I am panicking, please help.
r/ballpython • u/NikaBriefs • 15h ago
Forgot to tell everyone that my sweet man’s name is Leviathan, or Leviathan for short! Sorry for potato quality, I was just happy to have him
r/ballpython • u/sockeyesalmon_ • 14h ago
i found this on her near her tail, is she okay? what do i do? idk what she could have hurt herself on, maybe on part of the wood?
r/ballpython • u/Otherwise-Whereas-12 • 13m ago
my python has went missing from its enclosure since yesterday i have looked everywhere and plan on doing a deep clean soon does anyone have any tips or advice to help please i love this snake so much i just got him!!!! and hes been eating really good on time and hes the sweetest snake ever.
r/ballpython • u/BayouBby • 16h ago
Just got this boy today ♥️ GHI Mojave, but does that look like pastel in there to anyone else with that top blushing? (New to identifying morphs) I just love his very defined aliens 👽
r/ballpython • u/Hot_Gazelle7950 • 36m ago
During my monthly mouth exam i observed a bit of saliva and immediately started treating for ri just to be safe , got this video please tell me if my suspicion is correct
r/ballpython • u/Miserable-Name7225 • 8h ago
So my new girl has been quite skiddish since coming home. She came home ~2.5 weeks ago. It’s a big adjustment, living first 8 months of life in a dark tub to an enclosure. And I’m kind of to blame for stress. I couldn’t help myself and would hold her every now and then. I have begun a 2-3 week clock of not bothering her. Only going into enclosure to spot clean, change water and wet some moss.
She does seem to be doing just fine. Won’t eat if I offer food (0/2) but if I leave the rat in her enclosure, she eats it pretty quickly (2/2). Has eaten twice so far.
She does not come out at all during the day anymore (did at 8-9 am initially). Very active from like midnight till 2 am.
I do notice when she does come out she opens her mouth “yawns” ever so slightly. Day or so After meals it is a larger jaw stretch, but other times it’s just a small “yawn”. Just more frequent than I’m used to. Also never had a scared/stressed ball before. From what I’ve read it sounds like early respiratory infection or just stress? Like acclimating to new home?
Hot side: day temp ~90-92 outside or hide, and ~88 deg in the hide. Night time 84 deg outside hide, 82 inside. Humidity ~80% in hides and ~60-70% outside of hides.
Cool hide: ~80 during the day and 78 at night
r/ballpython • u/AutoModerator • 1h ago
have a question you think isn't worth its own post? well, this thread is exactly the place for that question, so ask away!
a new Q & A thread will be posted every day at noon eastern time. this is the place where you can ask that question that might feel like it isn't a big deal but it's been on your mind, or ask basic questions that probably have a simple yes or no answer, or maybe you just want to have a casual chat and get some quick opinions on something. these threads are a group project, everyone is invited to both ask and answer questions here.
reminder: a lot of simple questions are answered by the care guides and other resources linked in our welcome post. if you're not sure which link would be most helpful to you, tell us what you're looking for and we can direct you to the right link[s].
r/ballpython • u/ickyrikki • 13h ago
firstly i want to clarify i know the thermometers i have aren’t recommended, so far they have worked for me but im looking into getting new ones! i have my Misa baby in a 40 gal. it works for her perfectly right now!! i have BIG problems with keeping her humidity up!! i’ve tried moss and coco bedding. I got a real plant today along with some reptisoil to see if that will make a difference. I pour water in the corners every other day. Im just struggling with that one thing. I’ve had her for months now, she is yet to shed since having her which has me worried. she currently hasn’t eaten in WEEKS. what could I be doing wrong???
r/ballpython • u/phantom-plague- • 2h ago
should i feed another? i feed her fuzzys from petco. DISCLAIMER i know red lights are bad, my normal burnt out and i’m ordering another!! red light is temporary:3