I've been trying to educate myself about ball python pet care since before Thomas and I adopted Havana, who is our first ball python, in late October of last year. Yet it seems that research, especially in this field, is quite difficult. The problem … [Read more...] about On Varying Opinions in the Ball Python Community
Ball Python Pet Care
Articles about how to properly care for a pet ball python. Topics covered include proper environmental conditions for pet pythons, feeding techniques and troubleshooting, advice on handling a ball python, photographs and facts about snake shedding, as well as details about ball python illnesses.
Ball Python Shedding Process
The ball python shedding process consists of two parts: the impending shed stage, and the actual skin-shedding stage. The impending shed stage, or the pre-shedding process, takes anywhere between just under a week to two or three weeks in total. … [Read more...] about Ball Python Shedding Process
Do Ball Pythons Shed in One Piece?
Ball pythons are supposed to shed in one complete piece (which includes the eye caps). They sometimes do not, however. When they do not, it is because they were not as hydrated as they needed to be before and during their shed, which happens only … [Read more...] about Do Ball Pythons Shed in One Piece?
Signs That a Ball Python is Going to Shed
There are two sets of cues that will let you know that a ball python is in the impending shed stage, meaning that it's going to begin shedding its skin soon (roughly within the next week or two). These two sets of cues are behavioural cues and … [Read more...] about Signs That a Ball Python is Going to Shed
Sleeping Outside
Havana has not slept inside her hide since Thomas and I installed a heating mat directly beneath it, which occurred just a while before her last shed. At first, of course, I assumed the heat mat was the reason why she was sleeping outside, but since … [Read more...] about Sleeping Outside
How Long Do Ball Pythons Take to Shed?
There are two parts to the shedding process: the impeding shed stage, and the actual skin-shedding stage. The impeding shed stage, which is the snake's preparation period for actually shedding it's skin, will take anywhere between just under a week … [Read more...] about How Long Do Ball Pythons Take to Shed?
There’s Always Next Time
Havana shed on Saturday night. Unfortunately, unlike the last time she shed her skin, this time we missed the actual shed. On Saturday night I stepped into Thomas' office at about 11 PM to put some more water on the towel above Havana's … [Read more...] about There’s Always Next Time
Increasing Humidity Using a Wet Towel
My ball python's enclosure is glass with a metal wire lid that allows for plenty of ventilation. The issue with keeping a snake in an enclosure like this is that snakes, especially during shed, need high levels of humidity, and enclosures that … [Read more...] about Increasing Humidity Using a Wet Towel
Going into Shed a Second Time
Things have been fairly routine with Havana lately. Every couple of weeks, we offer her food, she refuses, then she goes back to doing her own thing for a couple of weeks, until we try again. She was fairly active until about a week ago, which is … [Read more...] about Going into Shed a Second Time
Are There Visible Symptoms of Salmonella in Snakes?
Although a good number of reptiles, and pets in general, are infected with salmonella, it's actually quite near impossible to tell if your reptile has salmonella, as the visible symptoms are minuscule if they are at all noticeable. There are over … [Read more...] about Are There Visible Symptoms of Salmonella in Snakes?