Subject 01 · Ball Python · Female · 4y

Maple is calm in a way that most snakes are not.

A four-year-old caramel ball python. Eats on schedule. Handles well. Has never refused a meal, struck at a person, or shown any of the stress signals that sometimes show up in surrendered snakes. She is, by all the available evidence, a steady, gentle animal.

She is looking for a quiet home with an experienced keeper.

Inquire about Maple Read the field notes
A caramel and tan ball python draped over a smooth wooden branch in a planted terrarium, with green pothos leaves and air plants in the background. Plate 01

Field notes — current caretakers

Maple came to us in January.

Her previous owner, a graduate student named Jules, took a job in Berlin and could not bring her. We took Maple in as a courtesy hold — she is not our animal, and we are not a rescue. We are a small reptile-keeping household in Pittsburgh, and we have the setup, the experience, and the freezer full of rodents to keep her comfortable while we find her a real home.

In the eleven weeks she has been with us, she has eaten nine times, shed twice (both clean, complete sheds), and shown no signs of stress, mites, illness, or aggression. She is healthy, well-started, and ready for a permanent home.

Common nameBall Python
ScientificPython regius
MorphCaramel (het possible)
SexFemale (confirmed)
Age~4 years
Weight880 g (Mar 2026)
Length~95 cm
Last shedMar 18, 2026
Last feedMar 22, 2026
VetHealthy, no issues
LocationPittsburgh, PA
She is the kind of snake that, when you open her enclosure to change the water, will simply look at you. Then close her eyes. Then go back to sleep. That's it. That's the whole interaction.

Plates

In and around her terrarium.

A ball python being gently held in a pair of human hands, calm and relaxed, head resting on one hand. Plate 02 — Handling
A ball python in mid-exploration with head raised and tongue flicking out to taste the air. Plate 03 — Curious
A ball python coiled on a smooth flat rock under the warm glow of a heat lamp, head resting on top. Plate 04 — Basking

All photographs taken in our home, March 2026. Maple was not stressed during any of these sessions.

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Husbandry — what she needs

A standard, well-kept ball python setup.

Maple is not a complicated animal. She needs what every well-kept ball python needs: a 4×2×2 enclosure, a warm side, a cool side, humidity in the 55–65% range, and a feeder schedule. We are including her current setup notes below so you can see exactly what she is used to.

01 — Enclosure

4×2×2 PVC, front-opening

Currently in a 4×2×2 PVC enclosure with a glass front. We use a 60W radiant heat panel for the warm side (~88–92°F ambient) and a cool side at ~78°F. Two hides, one on each side. Water bowl large enough to soak in.

02 — Humidity

55–65% ambient, 70%+ in shed

Maintained with a Reptifogger and a moist hide on the cool side during sheds. Cypress mulch substrate holds humidity well. We track it with a digital hygrometer — not the dial kind.

03 — Feeding

Adult mouse, every 10–14 days

Currently eating one adult mouse (≈30g) every 12 days, f/t. We feed in the enclosure, not in a separate tub. She has never refused a meal. We will include the rest of her current feeder stock with her.

What we are looking for

An experienced keeper, ideally with an existing collection.

Maple is healthy and easy to keep, but she is not a starter snake. Not because she's difficult — she's not — but because her current caretakers have invested years in her, and we want her next home to be a real long-term one. We are specifically looking for:

  • Someone who has kept a ball python (or comparable boid) before — minimum 2 years of experience.
  • An enclosure that is already set up or in progress. No starter kits from a big-box pet store.
  • A household where she will be left alone, mostly. Ball pythons are not "handle me" pets.
  • Willingness to do a video call so we can see your setup before any handoff.

We do not place Maple with anyone who cannot show us they understand what they're doing. This is not gatekeeping — it's just that she is a real animal who has been in good hands, and we want to keep it that way.

Eats reliably Handles well Clean sheds No mites Shy at first Prefers low light
A close-up of a ball python's head with caramel and tan color pattern, dark eye stripe, round dark eyes, and a small forked tongue. Plate 05 — Head detail

If you'd like to be considered

Send us a short email.

Tell us a little about yourself, your setup, and your experience with snakes. We'll set up a video call within a few days, and we'll do a handoff in person if you are within a reasonable distance of Pittsburgh. If you are far, we can ship via a reptile-experienced courier.

Email us about Maple →

Maple's full husbandry notes, recent vet record, and a small jar of her current substrate will all go with her to the new home.