Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently bought a ball python and she is a month old ball python. I have her in a 10 gallon tank and she been trying to escape. He will get up on her hide and try and get out of the tank. Why is she doing this? What can I do?

That cage is to small she doesnt have room to explore get her in at least a 20 gallon long.....
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Tom
1.2.0 Leopard Gecko (dot, spot, casper)
0.0.1 California King Snake (booboo)
0.1.0 Sulcata Tortoise (tank)
0.0.2 Russian Tortoise (tito and lulu)
0.0.2 Red Ear Sliders (bernie and ernie)
0.0.3 Painted Turtles (larry, curly and moe)
0.0.1 Western Soft shell (Squirt)
2.2.0 Bearded Dragon (marshmellow,Bubba,Sparkles,Alfredo )
0.0.1 Savannah Monitor (beef)
1.0.0 Peachfront Conure (kermit)
0.1.0 Love Bird ( KIKI )
1.1.0 Dog (layla and Rosco)
2.1.0 Crazy Cats (babe, sabastian, tinkerbell)
0.1.0 Lion Head Rabbit (daisy)
0.1.2 Ferret (jordan RIP, Cosmo and Izzy)
0.2.0 Guinea Pigs (lilly and petunia)
0.0.1 White Tree Frog (dumpy jr.)
0.0.2 Fire Belly Newts (spork and blaze)
0.0.1 Fire Belly Toad (ferdinan)
0.0.1 Red Spotted Newt ( red)
0.0.2 Bull Frogs (goliath and tubby)
0.0.1 Spectacled caiman (wilbert)
0.0.3 Green Anoles
1.0.0 Bahama Anole
0.0.1 Giant Millipede
Lots Of Fish

The tank is on the small side, but it's not a bad start for a baby BP, because they are easily stressed out and it is most important just to get the snake established on a feeding schedule. Even though the snake may be exhibiting signs that it needs more space, it is usually easier to get the snake to feed consistently in a small tank than a larger on (keep in mind I said 'usually'). It also makes it easier to monitor the snake's behavior and health.

I moved my BP from a 10 gallon tank to a 4'x2' neodesha when he was about 20-24" long, and gave him a ton of nice areas to hide and explore, and he still tested all of the suspected 'weak points' in the enclosure like he wanted to get out. He still does that now at times, several years later.

personally, I would skip the 20 gallon tank altogether and invest money in an enclosure big enough for the snake to live out its life in.

Its a snake as well, it is always going to try to get out. Do you have proper hides for it. I think your find in a 10 gallon as well for a baby. All you need to do is make sure it has a couple hides, and eats and the temps are good. The rest of it is just being a snake. I have retics that try to get out daily. They are masters of escape.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)
1.0 Ivory Ball Python (Hansel)
0.1 Bumble Bee Ball Python (Sissy)

You know, this might be the obvious question, but you do have a secure lid on that tank, right?

I only ask because I know some people may not think about such things when they get their first herp. And some herps don't need lids, but every snake does. They are definitely able to climb out of an aquarium.

Just my $.02
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Holly

1.0 Florida Kingsnake (Eddie Gein)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Charley Manson)
1.0 Fire Skink (Peter Dinsdale)
1.0 Vietnamese Golden Gecko (George Chapman)
0.0.1 Blue Day Gecko (Joe Ball)
1.0 Orange Marmalade Cat (Oliver)
1.0 Black Cat (Shadowfax)
1.0 Tennessee Walking Horse (Durango)

2.0 Toddlers (Justice & Trevor)

Most has already been stated but....

First and foremast is to verify your temps and humidity. If temps are wrong it may be looking for a better place to live!!!

Also proper hides? A proper hide for a snake is one it can barely get into, only when crammed and wedged in do they feel safe.

Snakes are natural escape artists. She probably felt some give there and will keep working on it until she tires of it. Needs to be secore, very secure.

And after all is said and done, may be nothing!!
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

If temps are too high, they want out. How are you heating this cage?

If humidity is too low, they seek another place. All screen tops let all the humidity escape. A better cage for this type of snake is a low box, like a plastic storage box. The low volume helps keep the humidity more constant, like a burrow. And in the wild, BPs are in burrows most of their lives.

If they are hungry, they look for food.

In my experience with ball pythons, they will test their enclosures at times, but not all the time. Mine were usually holed-up in a tight hide spot all day and sometimes come out at dusk. If your BP is cruising alot, then he/she has some need not being met. Ask on the BP forum for help. You will get many suggestions.
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Mark