#ball python enrichment

Hey, snake people. In a few months I’ll be getting a ~9 year old female ball python. A former breeder.

She used to be mine when I was a teenager, but my dad sold her and all of my other snakes when I went to college without telling me. We had an agreement that he could sell some snakes, but he was supposed to keep the few I specified. This snake was one of them. He sold her anyway. I’m still in college, but I’m getting my shit together so I can get her back... and hopefully some of my others, too. If I can afford to, and if I have the ability to care for them. Her current owner has agreed to sell her back to me, and I’m thrilled. She’s gravid right now, but after she lays and starts eating again, I can bring her back home.

Here’s the trouble: She’s been in a rack system her whole life. That picture up above is from when I used to own her. I didn’t know any better when I was a teenager (I mean, I got her when I was fourteen. I was still in middle school), but now I’d like to transition her to the pet life. I bought her a 4x2x2 foot PVC cage, which is the best I can afford and the most I can realistically fit in a college dorm, and the most I can even sort of move with. I know she can go on and off of food when her living circumstances are changed, and her current owner told me that she’ll only eat if she’s in a grey tub.

So, anyone who has any ideas at all, how can I transition her to pet life? What do I need to do? I’m reading up on ball python care again, but I also could really use personal guidance if anyone can help me. Anything on the transition, moving with a ball python (due to, you know, not permanently living in a dorm), enrichment... Really anything. She’s probably pretty overweight and undermuscled, so uh, snake physical therapy advice would even be helpful.

Also, if anyone has any guidance on how to DIY appropriately sized and enriched ball python enclosures that are easier to move with, cheaper, etc., please let me know. I want to do it right this time, and if I can get more of my former snakes back, I’d like to. It’s just.. really challenging.

I do have two snakes at college with me now, a Honduran milk snake and a Kenyan sand boa. No trouble there. It’s just intimidating jumping back into ball pythons when I know I’ve made so many mistakes with them previously.

Hey guys, as some of you may have known, I've had the opportunity to work with Clint's Reptiles recently. He's a up and coming reptile eduction youtuber who frankly, is a wonderful resource and actually has an education in what he's talking about. I'm very impressed by his work and I hope that he will eventually be able to spread accurate information through his platform.

I recently spoke to him about the possibility of discussing reptile enrichment on his channel. He informed me that he hasn't had done much research on the topic himself, but that he is interested in learning more. He asked me to send him some research papers about the topic for him to check out. I know that several people on here have provided such resources, but I'm not sure where to look. Additionally, I am no longer in school and I don't think I have access to research materials without hitting a paywall.

If anyone on here may be able to point me in the right direction, I would like to compile some resources to send his way. I'm hoping that this may be an opportunity to spread information about the importance of enrichment on a larger platform. Thanks everyone!

How dare this snake not interact with a COMPLETELY EMPTY BOX!!! What a boring animal!!!

Hey, so I'm in the process of building some acrylic enclosures for my ball pythons. Luckily my dad has a CNC machine and access to acrylic sheets. Meaning that I get to make my own animal plastics essentially... Neat!

These sheets come 48" X 96", meaning that I can make an enclosure that's 48" long by 12" tall and 24" deep.

I’m so glad you’ve upgraded him! What you’ve been told is an unfortunately SUPER common myth in the ball python community. There’s a small group (hopefully growing) that really hates this information and 100% disagrees with it. A lot of these false beliefs that ball pythons don’t move around much & get stressed by large cages come from 1) bad research and 2) convenience.

There are some old studies that were poorly conducted that “found” that ball pythons just hide in termite mounds. Not the case, & research done since that time has found differently. For the convenience thing, well….it’s a lot cheaper & easier to keep more snakes when you keep them in smaller tubs in racks. Breeders that do this like to insist that because the snake eats & breeds, they’re clearly happy, but that’s just not really the case. There’s tons of research done on how enrichment lowers stress and improves quality of life for all types of animals, and that includes reptiles & snakes.

The key to keeping a happy ball python in a larger enclosure is properly setting it up. They do like to feel hidden to feel secure, which means clutter! Clutter the enclosure up! But clutter it with permeable structures - plants!! Real or fake. Give them tunnels they can go through, plants that they can hide under, multiple hides, etc. This gives them the freedom to move around and utilize that space without getting anxious because they feel exposed to predators.

I have my adult girl in a viv that’s 4x2 base & 3 feet tall. She uses every bit of it & I need to actually rearrange & add things to it to properly use the height - she actually really likes to climb! Another caution with ball pythons with the whole climbing thing - they can do it, but they’re heavy & a bit clumsier than lighter-bodied snakes. Make sure branches & other climbing offerings are thick & sturdy enough to hold them. Then it’ll be fine.