First ball, supplies assistance

[nagu1rre]

So I am purchasing my first ball python (enchi) on Sunday. I visited a local pet shop today and just wanted some input on the supplies necessary. The gentleman that assisted me pointed me to the following:

-Cypress mulch bedding
-A hide
-Ceramic infrared heat emitter (60 Watts)
-Hydrofarm Digital Thermostat
-Water bowl
-Tank (It is a sliding glass door entrance tank with a bulb input in the ceiling of it, also made of wood)

The ball I am purchasing is 4 months old and weighs 170 grams. Is there anything else you guys may recommend? or something that I may be missing?

Any help is greatly appreciated, Thank you in advance =].

[LivingwithBalls]

Sounds good IMO, but you can also use a UTH instead of a CHE. Just a preference I suppose. And also make sure you get at least to hides, one on the cool side, one on the hot side. Good luck! And I'm also glad to hear that your pet store is giving proper information. Good on them!


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[T_Sauer]

Sounds good IMO, but you can also use a UTH instead of a CHE. Just a preference I suppose. And also make sure you get at least to hides, one on the cool side, one on the hot side. Good luck! And I'm also glad to hear that your pet store is giving proper information. Good on them!


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^^^ AGREE'D ..... I prefer UTH's

[anicatgirl]

Sounds good IMO, but you can also use a UTH instead of a CHE. Just a preference I suppose. And also make sure you get at least to hides, one on the cool side, one on the hot side. Good luck! And I'm also glad to hear that your pet store is giving proper information. Good on them!


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What he said! They tend to need belly heat to disgest supper properly, so under tank heaters work well for this, just make sure that thermostat is attached and adjusted properly.

[Jhill001]

What he said! They tend to need belly heat to disgest supper properly, so under tank heaters work well for this, just make sure that thermostat is attached and adjusted properly.

Snakes don't need belly heat this is a myth.

[LivingwithBalls]

Snakes don't need belly heat this is a myth.

They may not need it, but it's better for them then overhead heat.


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[T_Sauer]

Anicatgirl was mis spoken by using the word "need". However, I feel that there are way more variables that benifit both the snake and the caretaker when using UTH's vs overhead or bulbs for heating. I could go into all of them but simply put, ... HEAT RISES ... This makes enough sense for me.

Ofcourse there are many different methods ppl use and all of them work if husbandry is set up properly for the method they are using ... But I stand with the UTH route, IMO it is just easier to maintain humidity, it's more cost effective, more easily concealed for a neater appearance, and bulbs break leaving a rather nasty mess of glass shards that could cause injury to your snake.

[Jhill001]

If you have a naturally set up tank with thicker substrate a UTH might not be adequate in maintaining temps for the snake unless you are helping out with ambient temps in the room itself. Plus if you don't place the thermostat probe in the right spot a UTH can become just as dangerous as a heat rock if it malfunctions.

If that enclosure is made of wood a UTH is probably not going to work either.

In OP original post it is important that he make sure the bulb which he says is on the inside of the enclosure is unreadable by the snake or it could get burnt.

[anicatgirl]

You will have to pardon my confusion then if every care sheet on every BP site including worldofballpythons indicates that they do not require basking heat, but that they need belly heat.

[Eric Alan]

Most everyone seems to be attempting to pass along their own version of tribal knowledge and is missing the part about what's actually important.

Ball pythons only require access to proper temperatures - how you get there (UTH, CHE, RHP, oil-filled radiator, etc) is largely irrelevant. There are big breeders that do not use belly heat at all and there are big breeders that do - obviously, both have success because they are ultimately providing proper temperatures for their collection.

Not every care sheet on every BP site indicates that they need belly heat. The one on this site, for one, doesn't.

OP - If you haven't already, there are several great links in my signature that should help give you some direction if you take the time to read them. Kudos to the guy at the pet store, by the way. He seems to be pretty on top of it.