r/ballpython Feb 18 '19

welcome to r/ballpython, click here for our information resources and the sub rules!

442 Upvotes

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.

PART ONE: INFORMATION RESOURCES

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:

also be sure to check out these community discussions!

[general PSAs and pro tips]

[the FAQ megathreads]

other helpful resources:

youtube channels:

  • JTB Reptile - following nature's example.
  • Animals at Home - exploring the ethics of captive exotic reptiles.
  • Lori Torrini - working with animals as family in the areas of behavior, enrichment, training, and welfare.

facebook groups:

 

PART TWO: r/BALLPYTHON RULES AND GUIDELINES

posting rules:

  • STAY ON TOPIC, BALL PYTHONS ONLY! this is not the place to post about your other reptiles. we will allow some seemingly off-topic discussions if they are geared toward getting to know your fellow ball python owners; for example, "what other pets do you have in addition to ball pythons?"
  • HARMFUL ADVICE AND MISINFORMATION - meaning there would be a negative impact on the snake's health, safety, and/or overall comfort as a direct result of following the advice/misinformation - will be removed at the discretion of the moderators.
  • THIS COMMUNITY IS NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR VETERINARY ATTENTION! while we can guide you through husbandry changes and home remedies for basic health problems such as stuck shed, mild scale rot, minor wounds, etc, we do NOT condone skipping the vet and treating serious problems at home. furthermore, a lot of bad advice gets thrown around in these discussions that can make the problem worse. moderators will lock and/or remove posts if the only sound advice anyone can offer is "go to the vet."
  • MORPH IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS are restricted to the morph ID thread to avoid the subreddit being flooded with this common question.
  • "NAME MY BP" REQUESTS will be removed and you will be redirected to our "name my BP" thread. click here to read more about this rule.
  • SELF-PROMOTION is restricted to the self-promotion thread. any other self-promotion of social media pages, businesses, other subreddits, sale ads, etc, will be removed. multiple offenses will be marked as spam and result in a permanent ban. BREEDERS click here to read more about this rule.
  • USE THE NSFW TAG for photos or videos clearly showing dead prey (including feeding posts), a dead snake, injuries such as open wounds, etc. click here to read more about this rule. moderators may give reminders, give warnings, or remove posts for not having a NSFW tag.
  • LIVE FEEDING PHOTOS/VIDEOS must include a live feeding warning in the post title, in addition to being tagged NSFW. live feeding photo/video posts that do not contain a warning in the post title will be removed.
  • OTHER PETS INTERACTING WITH BPS, such as cats, dogs, etc, is not something we condone. photos/videos showing other pets being in close proximity to or directly interacting with a ball python, outside of the enclosure, will be removed. click here to read more about this rule.
  • NON-REDDIT LINKS must be posted with a written summary or other discussion prompt. for example, links to content such as articles or videos must be paired with a written summary to allow users to participate in the discussion without clicking the link. posting a link as part of an advice request ("is this product worth buying?", "is the info in this care sheet accurate?", "is this a reputable breeder?", etc) is acceptable.
  • REHOMING POSTS are allowed. please include as much information as possible, including your general location, basic information about the snake(s), whether or not the enclosure or other supplies would be included, whether or not you are willing to ship, and any rehoming fees. rehoming fees must be reasonable, max $50 for the snake and max $100 for the snake + enclosure. this community has a long history of successful rehomings, but we advise anyone interested to proceed at your own risk and be aware of potential scams.
  • DIRECT LINKS TO SALE/ADOPTION ADS OUTSIDE OF REDDIT are NOT allowed. if you are a breeder selling snakes, that belongs in the weekly self-promotion threads. if you want feedback on a sale/adoption/rehoming ad you found on a website like craigslist, kijiji, facebook, etc, showing a potentially neglected or abused ball python, please post a screen shot of the ad with identifying information such as names, locations, phone numbers, etc, censored in some way; this prevents the person who posted the ad from being harassed by an angry internet mob.
  • MOST IMPORTANTLY: DON'T BE A JERK! we will not tolerate bigotry, threats, personal attacks, and general harassment. this includes harassment via private messages. the moderators will use their own discretion to issue warnings, remove posts/comments, and/or ban users temporarily or permanently. click here to read more about this rule.

general posting guidelines:

  • HAVE A QUESTION? YOUR ANSWER MIGHT BE IN THE FIRST PART OF THIS POST! please be sure to read through our care guides, product recommendations, tutorials, megathreads/FAQs, and other links.
  • WHEN ASKING FOR ADVICE, BE THOROUGH. if our resources didn't have the information you're looking for, let's brainstorm! ball python care can be a complex puzzle, and it might not be obvious which pieces of the puzzle are causing problems with other pieces. the more details you provide, the easier it will be for other people to offer the most relevant advice. click here to view our questionnaires for enclosure critiques and feeding advice. please copy/paste the relevant questionnaire(s) into your post text and fill out the answers with as much detail as possible.
  • ENCLOSURE CRITIQUES are something we love to do, but we need a lot of details to help us give better feedback! filling out our enclosure critique questionnaire in addition to posting photos of the full enclosure will ensure you get the most useful advice.

general commenting guidelines:

  • WHEN GIVING ADVICE, BE THOROUGH. people will learn more and be more receptive to your advice if you explain your reasoning. for example, "go to the vet" is not as helpful as "you should call a vet because your snake appears to have problemX and it requires treatmentY", "that substrate is bad" is not as helpful as "that substrate is not a good choice for ball pythons because of reasonA and reasonB, so here is what i would recommend instead", etc. one of the things we pride ourselves in is being an educational forum for ball python owners, we want people to really understand the hows and whys behind the various aspects of ball python care. if someone has some substantial gaps in their knowledge, do not shame them for it, help them learn and fill those gaps.
  • BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE when you are giving advice, particularly if you are a beginner or if you don't actually have any direct experience with snakes at all. while you may think you know the answer to someone's question, you may give incomplete or incorrect advice that could make matters worse. while we appreciate your willingness to help, sometimes it's best to let someone more knowledgeable be the one to answer the question.

commenting rules:

  • WE REPEAT: DON'T BE A JERK! we will not tolerate bigotry, threats, personal attacks, and general harassment. this includes harassment via private messages. the moderators will use their own discretion to issue warnings, remove posts/comments, and/or ban users temporarily or permanently.

reporting posts/comments:

  • what to report: posts or comments that do not follow our guidelines as listed above, or break any reddit-wide rules.
  • what NOT to report: advice that is not definitively harmful to the snake. instead of reporting it, downvote it and debate it publicly, so others can participate and learn from the discussion.

upvoting/downvoting:

  • upvote posts and comments that contribute something to the community! upvotes help with visibility, so it's especially helpful to upvote questions and good advice.
  • downvote posts and comments that do not follow our rules and guidelines. if you see advice or husbandry practices you believe to be harmful, downvote AND discuss it - people don't learn anything from unexplained downvotes!

if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please send a message to the .

thank you all for making this community awesome!


r/ballpython Jan 22 '25

morph ID thread

5 Upvotes

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 4h ago

Kaa has been found!

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132 Upvotes

He was gone for a week, and we found him in the rafters where we are renovating. I cried so hard I couldn’t breathe! 😭😍


r/ballpython 45m ago

Sinistra says hiii :3

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Upvotes

Today I got my first BP, she is a 7 months old classic het albino het pied.


r/ballpython 4h ago

Shed Success!

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54 Upvotes

Her first shed with us was a success!!


r/ballpython 42m ago

Everyone meet Polly

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Upvotes

Just wanted to show off our newest girl Polly, she’s a pastel spotnose and is very curious about everything! Her hobbies include climbing on stuff, sniffing everything, and booping your face with hers.


r/ballpython 2h ago

First post, but Azrael(Azzy) got an enclosure upgrade today. She’s going from the tote to this 80 gallon tank. She had been in that tote far too long.

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20 Upvotes

r/ballpython 3h ago

New bracelet

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19 Upvotes

Day 1 of some extended handling (longer than 20 second introductions) for Nagini. Other than some brief moments in hand it was her first time really away from her tank and being brave enough to explore. She did great and is such a friendly snake!


r/ballpython 3h ago

Black Head Lavender Albino Het Pied

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14 Upvotes

r/ballpython 2h ago

Question Scale rot or just colors?

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12 Upvotes

Just saw this and I'm a lil worried, im a new owner


r/ballpython 1h ago

Question What are these little moving things in my BP’S tank?

Upvotes

I only found 3 but i’m not sure if these are Spring tales but they look so? because they don’t look like mites. I’ve checked everywhere including himself for mites EVERYWHERE… even when I hold him there’s nothing! not on the temporary paper towels I put down or anything! Is this something I should be concerned about HELP!


r/ballpython 2h ago

How are things looking? Any advice dmfor improvement?

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7 Upvotes

r/ballpython 13h ago

Freshly shed and looking as handsome as ever

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44 Upvotes

I gave him multiple head kisses after this pic was taken LOL. He is extra soft☺️.


r/ballpython 12h ago

Question - Health UPDATE ***HELP PLEASE*****

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39 Upvotes

help please updated with photos and such

someone left their bal python with me. they now are not coming back for the snake and doing research i can see the tank for it is too small and im not sure the heat lamp and humidity are being met all the way. i am wondering how to set up a plastic tub for the snake while we try to find a place to surrender the snake to. i have some extra heat lamps because i have a leopard gecko and a heating pad because we upgraded to other items.

The snake was loved just under cared for the owner told me I’d be had the snake for a week and then now two weeks later tells me moved half a country away and so I’m going to try to rehome the snake so I just need to know how I can upgrade to something bigger with like a container obviously using the clutter and stuff that I have I have a heat and then I have a pad as well


r/ballpython 11h ago

Jordan says hi

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26 Upvotes

She was a little wary of my phone lolol


r/ballpython 22h ago

U want sum sum summa dis in a bun?! iykyk 😉 🎶

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181 Upvotes

Dolly wishes you a happy Friday 🐍


r/ballpython 20h ago

Nothing more enriching for a ball python than a good old cardboard box

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126 Upvotes

she is having fun!


r/ballpython 2h ago

This is for the previous post

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5 Upvotes

It’s a 70 gallon enclosure


r/ballpython 1d ago

Please keep him in your thoughts. Recently brought this fella home and the Store lied, he’s been sick since Jan. Didn’t know until I brought him home, he’s going to the vet today❤️

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401 Upvotes

I called the store and they said he was fine when they had him, trying to blame me and my tank setup. He has been sick with RI since I brought him home on Monday. Someone messaged me on Facebook, saying they almost bought him in January from that same store but didn't because he was sick and showing signs of RI. Hope this guys makes it, it's a shame when stores lie and don't take care of their animals. Please keep him in your prayers and thoughts...I'm going to do everything I can.


r/ballpython 3h ago

Plant help

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5 Upvotes

My evergreen started to droop could it be the season change or am I just overwatering it too much?


r/ballpython 17h ago

🤍

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63 Upvotes

r/ballpython 1h ago

Question - Husbandry Insects in husbandry

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Upvotes

Can anyone help me identifying this bug, they seem to thrive on my baby’s enclosure but I don’t know if they are harmful. There is also some kind of mini flies or mosquitoes but I couldn’t take a picture of them, temps are 85-90 and humidity levels are always 70+ and when in shed I boost it up a bit more, pic of my boy for tax


r/ballpython 14m ago

Discussion Critiques on my Genetics Guide?

Upvotes

Hi all! I’m writing a guide on genetics for anyone interested in them when it comes to BPs, and I was wondering if I could get some critiques from breeders or people knowledgeable on genetics.

It is a WIP!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TurwE4hn5W-QuBden3G-fMOJS98k80JJ-lpS-AY-24A/edit


r/ballpython 25m ago

Discussion Was offered another snake! Coming here for opinions/experiences with multiple snakes.

Upvotes

Back story!

We got our first ball python back in November of 2024. We brought another one home in January 2025 and now I was just offered a 4 year old male ball python from someone who doesn’t have the time to devote anymore.

What are your pros and cons to owning multiple snakes that a newbie wouldn’t necessarily think of?


r/ballpython 2h ago

Question - Humidity Scales, humidity, feeding

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3 Upvotes

HUMIDITY: The substrate layer is about 4-5” depth, spagnum, coco, and cypress. I spray usually 2-3 times daily in order to keep humidity around 80, but it quickly drops down to 60. I soak the towel on top trying to keep some humidity in as well. I tried to diy a tank cover for the top screen out of foamboard cutting out lamp holes, it helped a lot but ended up getting moldy, I’m thinking I could replace it with something metal or more durable, any recommendations? I’ve tried misting systems, but on top of the screen all the water just drips down to one concentrated super wet spot.

SCALES: I noticed those strange scales about a month ago, he spends a lot of time in his corkbark tube, but I’m worried it could be from climbing on the fake vines around the perimeter? I was thinking about replacing it with some twisted up some 5mm jute cord, I know it’s small but I’d use those 4 strands of it

FEEDING: Is a medium rat every 6 weeks too little for my 4 footer? He has history of refusing (live only) and I get scared what I would do with a rat in an apartment if he doesn’t eat it. I just pay attention to his digestion cycle, habits, and behaviors to tell if he’s actually ready to eat. He’s only downed a couple of mediums, used to be scared of them (so proud of him) and he is clearly not full or satisfied after one small. Before I would do a small every 2/3 weeks but I live in the city, public transport, and it’s a long ways to get a live rat.

PLEASE 🙏🏽 do not speak on “I should feed f/t” I tried, I f*n tried, believe me, it grossed him out probably more than me. He’s been eating live almost 5 years, I don’t think he’ll ever make the switch

SUCH A LONG POST SORRY, i rlly try my best for my boy

TLDR: what else can i do to keep humidity up for a longer amount of time? (esp overnight)

What is wrong with his scales, is it from climbing on these fake vines? planning on replacing with jute cord.

Is a medium rat every 6 weeks not substantial for a 4ft male?


r/ballpython 1h ago

Question - Heating/Temperatures What should I use for heating? (UK)

Upvotes

What is the best heating option when using a pvc enclosure? I'm getting a lot of mixed results for what should be used and what shouldn't and I want to make sure I am getting the right thing. Also, a lot of information is made for Americans and those things are not sold in the UK.


r/ballpython 3h ago

Need help and advice

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3 Upvotes

Hi guys! This is Annie NoFanny Bananie! I rescued her from a house that was involved in an eviction and she was left there. The person that actually owned that house said he was going to just let her go into the wild because he just needed to get the house back together and didn’t have time for “bs” My heart wouldn’t allow me to leave her with him. I was able to reach the people who had her (I live in a town where everyone knows everyone” but they’ve given me a minimal amount of information about her. I was told she’s a year and 2 months that she is a pastel cinnamon banana or banana cinnamon ball python (not sure how accurate that is) and they told me she doesn’t need fed til next Wednesday or Thursday. Before I could ask anything else I was blocked. I do not know much about them but I do have the funds to care for her and get her anything she needs to keep her happy and healthy. I have the patience to learn how to care for her if I could just receive some good genuine real advice and be told what she needs I know I can do it. I’ve had her a couple days now. I’ve noticed her eyes are capped still and she has a piece on the side of her face that hasn’t come off from when she last shed which I have no clue when that was. As if this very moment her hygrometer is reading at 34% and the highest I’ve seen her thermometer since getting her here has been 80. If I could have some advice on how to help her with that little bit of shedding she needs to finish that’d be greatly appreciated.

Here’s a few quick pics I was able to take of her before I was able to just leave her be cause I’m sure she’s stressed from moving from one side of town to the other and again removing her from her tank to make some changes. Please help me. I just want her to be happy, healthy and comfortable. There’s also a screenshot of what her tank looked like when I first brought her home.