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.
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!
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.
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 :)
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.
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 👍🏼
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
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!
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!
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!
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!
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 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!
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.
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. 😅
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!!!
Love that you do overkill for your setups, I do the same for fish. Only thing I would argue is that you can take your reptiles out and fish you can't. So if a reptile is in something smaller, they can still get out with proper care.
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
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 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!
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!
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 :)
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!
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
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.
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
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 :-)
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
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 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!
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.
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
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'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.
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.
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 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 :]
First off, love the videos man, very informative and I love your energy. That being said you loooveee bringing up how Shaq is a giant😂😂 in your most recent snake video(Burmese Pythons) you make the same comment. Love it😂
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
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 🥰
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.
It’s funny you mentioned getting baby normals for free or cheap but the “fancier” morphs usually cost more. I spent $60 on my male normal ball python and a couple months later got a male banana morph given to me for free because they couldn’t care for it like they wanted and knew I’d give him a great home. I also got my Cali Kingsnake from the same person for the same reason. A good portion of my animals have been given to me for similar reasons and it honors and humbles me. Thank you for the updated care guide. It put my mind at ease hearing how you care for your ball pythons and knowing I do things very similarly. Thanks Adam for giving me peace of mind. ☺️💕
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 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!
"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.
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
So happy to see this video come out! My girl is 5 years old now. (I say girl, not really too sure but she is about 4 1/2 feet right now.) This is the second year where she just stopped eating. Still isn’t. It’s been about 4 months now and I have gone through her entire rat supply. I knew it was something that they do, but still nice to be reassured because it IS concerning when they do this and you worry. Mine is easily stressed and doesn’t really like to be handled so I do always worry that she has associated food with “oh no the hooman is here!” But good to know and hear that I’m not the only one running into this. It really is the biggest con to owning a ball python. It’s a little sad to have to throw a rat away and feels so wasteful but it just is what it is. It’s safer for the snake if they decide they don’t want to eat, and it’s more humane for the rat itself. I try to catch her when she is active (usually at night) and showing an interest in food. Even still if she doesnt want to eat she will just sniff it, and then run away from it. Like literally boop her nose with it and she will squirm away. I just throw it away and take the trash out immediately at that point. Other than that they really are a lot of fun, and they are easy to take care of if you have the patience. :)
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’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
What is your favorite ball python morph?
Pied or bamboo
My favorite is truly just a wild type, but besides normal I really like the bonfire morph, it is pretty rare though
I personally like Mystic Russo's
Bumble bees are pretty good lookin
Ruby eyes
or highway
Setting that enclosure standard high brotha 👏🏼🐍!
trying my best bro
@@WickensWickedReptiles doing great as always! 😊
I think A high standard would be like.... 8x3x3 🤔
I just got my first ball python a few days ago it’s a Normal Ball Python got it from the same breeder I got my corn snake
@@ThunderStruck15at that point, I would probably lose my ball python in its own enclosure lol
"You live in an apartment. Do you stay in your apartment all day?" Adam these are internet trolls you're talking to
hahahah true
From under my bridge... I'd like to give you your second comment.
After like a year
fr im always in my room
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.
So extra. Its not that deep.
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.
Common misconception. I do not leave the apartment.
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!
thanks so much for watching!
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
More like bare minimum standard
@@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.
@@nerdolo748 correct
@@dob1106 can you elaborate?
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 :)
High quality video, and good transitions. A great overview and as always well produced. More care guides are always welcomed.
thank you for the kind words!
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.
thanks so much for watching!
I was waiting for this! I'm not allowed to have any snakes in the house, so I can't get enough of ball python videos 🥰
hope you loved it
Keep hope alive. I got my first snake when I was 56. lol
Sounds like you need a new house 🤣
@@SkylerB17 Lol I don't have to pay for any of it, but once I get my own place I'll definitely be getting a BP
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 👍🏼
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
Great video!!! 14 years I have my ball python and I still watch videos from everyone! Love this video dude
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!
Awwww!!! Thank you for loving your BP!!
I'm SO glad that you've given her the life she deserves 🥰
Love that you are not shy about telling folks about their enclosure size. Very much on the same page as you
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!
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!
How’s the snake doing?
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!
Great timing! I'm planning on getting my first one very soon, and this guide will be most helpful when I go to set things up!
Glad it was helpful!
Awesome video! It would be cool to do updated care guides as reptile care changes so much over the years
Thanks for the visit
I’m loving your content. You’re informational with a chill philosophy and delivery. Pikachu is beautiful
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!
thanks so much for watching!
Watching your video now bro I definitely respect and appreciate how you keep your snakes in a bigger enclosure
Love the channel so great that someone like you likes to share the information you have with others.👍🙂
I appreciate that!
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 needed this video! I just bought a Pied Ball
Python. Love the content!
Hope you enjoy it!
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!
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.
They are so underrated and it’s a damn travesty!!!
TY TY TY for updating. I haven't watched it yet but I know it will be good! Can't wait to get my own.
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. 😅
I hope it helped
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!!!
Love that you do overkill for your setups, I do the same for fish. Only thing I would argue is that you can take your reptiles out and fish you can't. So if a reptile is in something smaller, they can still get out with proper care.
I do my best
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)
That is awesome!
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
Another slice of fried gold edutainment. Thank you my friend. Keep 'em coming & take care👍🏾🇨🇦🇺🇸
More to come!
Perfect timing! I'm picking up two rescue ball pythons this weekend! Thanks Adam!
you'll love em
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
Coming soon!
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
this is so great!
Love this, super helpful! Been thinking of getting one but I don't have a good place to keep that big of an enclosure right now 😅
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!
Same but I don’t have enough money to upgrade my beardie enclosure. Especially since I’m going away to college.
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!
You should definitely post something about crested geckos!! Havnt seen videos of them in a while, would love to learn more about them
just did a few videos about them last year :)
@@WickensWickedReptiles I’m aware!:) Do u think there’s anything more that we should be aware of abt crested geckos?
Your videos are some of the most enjoyable by far.
I agree 100% regarding the size of the enclosure. I keep my BP’s in 4x4x2’s and they’re perfect!
Such crazy timing I had my ball python out earlier for some photo ops and now there’s a video about ball pythons must be a ball python day
bro i’ve seen you on almost every reptile yt comment section 😭
I like it wicked wickens reptile have a awesome day have a nice day have a absolutely wonderful day great work wicked wickens reptile
Thanks! You too!!!!
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 :)
Moistly speaking this was a pretty good video! 🤣🤣
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!
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
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.
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
Yikes
Nerd
@@brabbit3134 😂poor snek 🤣
I'm about to get a ball python. I to agree that a 5 foot snake doesn't sound like it can fit in a 40 gallon terrarium. This vid helped a lot, thanks!
2:39 well… actually no… I don’t…
This is needed. Fun fact, 75% of reptiles kept as pets die within their first year because a lot of people don’t do research
and that's why I make videos like this, let's fix this
u sure that's a fun fact
@@WickensWickedReptiles yea, I appreciate your videos. You do a good job on giving info about BPs and other snakes
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 :-)
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
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 love the knowledgeable information you give! I really appreciate your channel! Keep it up!!!
thanks!
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!
honestly the setup and care is super similar
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.
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
got my son a ball python for Christmas your videos are great
Merry Christmas!!
hey thanks for using my vid idea! :)
Lovin' the tats Adam.
Perfect timing Adam! Just picked up my first snake yesterday, not sure of the morph just wanted a Ball Python and supported a local exotic rescue.
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'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.
Speaking moistly 😂😂😂 great video man thanks about to get my first snake pet and your videos really help thank you
Thanks again for the updated video Adam. Big help in looking to get a pet in the next year.
Best of luck!
Love your tattoos bro, they’re awesome! Snakes too of course haha
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.
I am on your 4th video now just found u today! Very broken down and helpful ty!
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 absolutely LOVED this, your absolutely incredible and very knowledgeable. Thank you so much!
you had me rolling with the mister clean look a like joke.
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 :]
First off, love the videos man, very informative and I love your energy. That being said you loooveee bringing up how Shaq is a giant😂😂 in your most recent snake video(Burmese Pythons) you make the same comment. Love it😂
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
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 🥰
Enjoy watching your videos , very informative and interesting and fun. 👍👍
Glad you like them!
Omg Adam...We're getting ready....Q is studying 😊
So glad you posted this!! Just got one recently 😊
Thanks for doing these videos! It really helps new ball python owners like myself take better care of my babies
Last! Great care guide btw. My milk snake approves too!
hahaha
under hahaha it says translate to English
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.
this is great that your python is doing so well
It’s funny you mentioned getting baby normals for free or cheap but the “fancier” morphs usually cost more. I spent $60 on my male normal ball python and a couple months later got a male banana morph given to me for free because they couldn’t care for it like they wanted and knew I’d give him a great home. I also got my Cali Kingsnake from the same person for the same reason. A good portion of my animals have been given to me for similar reasons and it honors and humbles me.
Thank you for the updated care guide. It put my mind at ease hearing how you care for your ball pythons and knowing I do things very similarly. Thanks Adam for giving me peace of mind. ☺️💕
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 ;)
awesome!
@@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 ;)
Freaking perfect timing! I am getting a pied ball python next week!
Great video! Just subscribed to your channel. I can learn alot from you. Thanks.
Hi love your videos! keep it up man.
Thanks, will do!
My ball LOVES to climb, love love loves. so many cut grape vine stumps in her cage she use them all!
this is awesome
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!
this is great!
My ball python wouldn’t come out in the day time, but as soon as I added uvb to his tank I found him coming out in the daytime to bask in it
I love snakes because of you I've learned to care for them them even thank you live lone and prosper.
"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.
exactly! as we learn more we must change!
I love that you’re not keeping your noodles in little drawers.
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
Thanks for watching!
So happy to see this video come out! My girl is 5 years old now. (I say girl, not really too sure but she is about 4 1/2 feet right now.) This is the second year where she just stopped eating. Still isn’t. It’s been about 4 months now and I have gone through her entire rat supply. I knew it was something that they do, but still nice to be reassured because it IS concerning when they do this and you worry. Mine is easily stressed and doesn’t really like to be handled so I do always worry that she has associated food with “oh no the hooman is here!” But good to know and hear that I’m not the only one running into this.
It really is the biggest con to owning a ball python. It’s a little sad to have to throw a rat away and feels so wasteful but it just is what it is. It’s safer for the snake if they decide they don’t want to eat, and it’s more humane for the rat itself. I try to catch her when she is active (usually at night) and showing an interest in food. Even still if she doesnt want to eat she will just sniff it, and then run away from it. Like literally boop her nose with it and she will squirm away. I just throw it away and take the trash out immediately at that point.
Other than that they really are a lot of fun, and they are easy to take care of if you have the patience. :)
Thanks. Ive wanted a bp for years and years. Im going to make sure he/she will have everything needed. Thx for tips
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 don’t recommend breeding them, ball pythons are ridiculously overbred as it is. It’s awesome that you went bioactive, though!
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
I'm with you Adam , reptiles like any animal need enough room to roam.