New to BP, looking for advice

[darren0311]

SO i have been doing some research and i am looking for some advice. I have never had a snake before, I have all sorts of critters though, from bearded dragons to ferrits to dogs, I am looking for some imput on what a good snake would be for a beginer, and get some ideas as far as housing, heating, lighting etc. I noticed that alot are using plastic containers to house them in, what r the benifits of this?
I like the ball Python, Red Tailed Boa, would either one of these be good for me to start out with?

any help would be appreciated

Darren

[Skittles1101]

Welcome to the site

I think either a ball python or a boa would be good to start out with, however, research as much as you possibly can before jumping into either. They are very different species, and both have pros and cons.

I'm more prone to say a ball python would be ideal to start with. They do not get as big, and are considered the "gateway snake" haha. You have to be aware that boas can get very big, especially females. It's rare, but some females can exceed 10 feet. You have to be prepared for that physically and financially. Big snake = big food, big cage.

Here are the caresheets that this site has to offer. Both the boa and the ball python are available.

As far as the plastic tubs, I use them in my DIY rack for my boa and my ball pythons. I prefer them over tanks because they are easier to clean and maintain proper husbandry. There are endless DIY options on this forum. Don't hesitate to ask questions.

Good luck! I hope I helped some

[darren0311]

thank you so much for the help, now another question, with the racks, how do you keep them heated?? do you ever need lighting for them??

[Skittles1101]

Well I have a couple different racks. Racks I have found make them feel safer. I recently got a male orange ghost ball python that my boyfriend wanted to display in a tank. Just a basic setup with two identical hides and a water dish....

Well he stopped eating, and was actually very snippy and struck at us every chance he got. I finally got fed up and told my boyfriend I was switching him to a 34 qt tub in my DIY rack. After a week of settling in, he ate for me, and hasn't struck at me since he;s been switched. He reeeeally didn't like the tank.

If you get a tub, you use an under tank heater to heat the hot spot. Ball pythons don't bask, so unless it is exceptionally cold in your house and the ambient temps are low you shouldn't need a lamp at all. I do use a lamp on a dimmer in the winter for my one tank, because my apartment is drafty.

Under tank heaters (also called UTHs) are found in pet stores and online. You can also use flexwatt if you wanted to. If you google both you will find many answers. I like to get my flexwatt from Reptilebasics.com. Rich is an awesome guy....

Whichever you choose, you will need a thermostat. The cheapest being something like this, and the more expensive and more reliable being something like this. Thermostats, (not to be confused with thermometers, which you would need to read temps also, are used to control UTHs. I had a small zoomed UTH from a pet store that exceeding 130 degrees without a thermostat....

[darren0311]

Awesome, thanks so much for the advice, I have a couple UTH's laying around from all my reptiles, i just have to find and buy a thermostate somewhere and i will be fine. I am looking all over the internet and there are so many differant types of BP's that i like as far as coloring, i really like the albino's and Pastels and i really like the Ghost as well. do you deal with people locally or do you order off the internet?

[Skittles1101]

I have done both. I got my normal male (my first one) from a local reptile store near me. I got my male pastel from my friend Patrick of Action Reptiles (he's local to me too). I got my male mojave from Raphy or MABalls.net. I got my female spider from NERD (I live nearby NERD ). I got my boa from NERD also. I got my male ghost from a guy in Daytona, I wish I could give him credit but my friend Patrick brought him back up for me from another breeder since he knew I wanted one. I got my two female normals from EclipseExotics.com. I got my female pastel from Adam James of CoiledConstrictors.com. I got my female albino from Patrick, again lol....

I think that's all haha. Whoever you choose to go with, make sure you check them on the board of inquiries. There is also a feedback/inquiries section on here.

[darren0311]

wow, thats awesome. thanks for all the input. you rock.... do you have any pic's of your setups??

[jjmitchell]

We are breeding balls, and boas both, I love different aspects of each... Boas are that perfect size and personality snake for me.... They can get large and heavy both but not huge, a big female Colombian can be 10ft and 35lbs+. They have wonderful exploitative personalities and very personable. Ball pythons I love because of the genetics, and they are so relaxing... They just like to set back curl up and hang out they arent going to go anywhere but to sleep.

As a beginner snake, boas have less feeding problems than balls if you can handle a larger animal. Balls can be pickey feeders and do not do well in aquariums.

As far as heating and lighting, no light for either accept what is on in the room, heat comes from a uth or flexwatt either needs to be controlled by a thermostat. A ball python will live its entire life happily in a 32-41qt steralite tub (mine all live in tubs in a rack system) boas can start in a tub, but realistically you will need a 4x2x18" cage to house an adult

Both make excellent pets

[BbyBoa]

I wouldn't do the rack when your planning on getting one snake. It doesn't make much sense, it would be like bringing a semi-truck to deliver a letter. If you think this one snake is going to turn in to multiple snakes then I would go for it. If not, then a rack will be pointless for you.

Also if you are getting the snake as just "a pet", a lot of people like to see them and look at them in there enclosure. This is not easily done w/ a rack system.

Just some things you might want to think about before you dive into building a rack.

[Skittles1101]

I wouldn't do the rack when your planning on getting one snake. It doesn't make much sense, it would be like bringing a semi-truck to deliver a letter. If you think this one snake is going to turn in to multiple snakes then I would go for it. If not, then a rack will be pointless for you.

Also if you are getting the snake as just "a pet", a lot of people like to see them and look at them in there enclosure. This is not easily done w/ a rack system.

Just some things you might want to think about before you dive into building a rack.

Don't we all start out getting "just one"?