Hello!

[Vesper]

Obviously new here, lol.
I currently do not own a BP (the tragedy), but I'm looking into it. I'm not unfamiliar with various reptiles and I've owned several through my childhood. But when I went off to college I couldn't bring anyone with and my parents didn't want to have anything to do with snakes and turtles...and bugs. lol. So, I've had none of the sort for almost seven years now. o:
Now that I have the room and time for them again, and after studying various reptiles closely, I've chosen to restart with a ball python. Not a complete newb to BP's either. One of my roomates had one and I took care of him more often then not (wish I could have taken the poor thing with me).
But since it's going to be my own, I want to do as right as I can, so I decided to join a forum where I could read others opinions and stories to learn from and maybe one day my own collection of information from experience could be of some help to someone else.

On that note, I'm glancing through the different morphs and...wow. So many. No clue what I want to look for. A reptile expo is coming near here at the end of the month, so I'll be looking there for my new scaley friend...or friends.

[Mike41793]

Welcome! Youve definetly come to the right place.

Any specific questions you have already?

[Vesper]

Not at this exact moment. I've been reading various care sheets...although the one thing that sort of drives me crazy is the differing of opinions of temps and humidity levels.

[Mike41793]

I keep mine at a 87-88deg hotspot and a cool side of 78-80deg. I have a 5-6inch diameter water bowl in all of their tubs. I do not measure humidity at all. When i notice theyre going into shed ill mist their hot side once a day. All eat fine, poop fine, shed fine, and hopefully will breed fine for me this year!

This is just how i do things. Not saying its all right, nor am i necessarily reccomending it, but it works well for me.

I suggest you get yourself a small rack and a thermostat first. Once you have all the materials like water bowls, hides, and substrate too etc. then id start getting snakes. If you plan on or think you may want to try breeding in the future start out buying females bc they (generally) take longer to become sexually mature.

Hope this helps, lmk if anything doesnt make sense.

[Vesper]

Yeah. I think that's what it boils down to is just what works for you somewhere in the range of all the suggestions. lol.

I have almost everything I need. I've got some tubs, UTH's are on their way, got tons of hides already, need a couple of more water bowls and thermostats just in case I come home with more then...one or...two...ha. And I've got the substrate too.

Oh, I know something I've been thinking about...we lived up Northwest where it can get a bit cold in the winter. I'm wondering if it's going to be a problem keeping the heat up. Of course, I suppose I can get a space heater for their room and keep it a bit warmer in there. Does anyone ever have any problems in the winter?

[Mike41793]

One thermostat can run all the uth's for you. You just plug them into an outlet strip and put the probe under one of them.

A space heater would definetly solve that problem for you. Although, Im in the northeast and have never had much of a problem in the winter with temps.

[Vesper]

Ah awesome, check that off my list then. P:

Great. I guess I just overly worry too much sometimes. I'll of course see once the temperatures start to drop some more. Several space heaters already, so not a problem if I have to move them in.

Excited for this weekend, I'll be getting the materials to make rack with and I'll be done. Then waiting for the expo. Oy. XD

[Vypyrz]

Hello, and to BP.net...

[Fidget]

Oh, I know something I've been thinking about...we lived up Northwest where it can get a bit cold in the winter. I'm wondering if it's going to be a problem keeping the heat up. Of course, I suppose I can get a space heater for their room and keep it a bit warmer in there. Does anyone ever have any problems in the winter?

Hi and welcome! I'd say unless you keep your home at or above 78 degrees year-round, 24/7, you're going to need space heaters if you keep your snakes in racks. I'm in northern CA and use a space heater even in summer, because the house is like 65-70 degrees, and heat tape doesn't do anything for ambient temps.

One more thing you should know: it's mandatory that you put up pictures of your collection as soon as you start bringing them home!

[Vesper]

Yup. Well, like I said we've got plenty of space heaters and the room I'll have them in is small, so it should be easy to keep the temperature. Also going to draft proof it. Little buggers are going to be spoiled. XD

Oh man, you'll be drowning in pictures when I finally get them. I'm so excited, I can't stop looking at photos, or looking at some of the nearby breeders stock. Ugh. I don't know what type to choose! My brain is going crazy. lol.

I don't know if I'll be able to wait for the expo once the rack is set up. Nope...don't think I can wait that long. XDD