Ball housing requirements

[melissafred]

I read the care sheet on Balls as well as Corns. I'd like to get a Ball but am worried about the humidity requirements. The problem is that we're stuck with a $75 cage that is all screen, other than the metal supports. It's approximately 3' L x 2' W x 4' H. It's really too big for a baby Corn but at least the humidity wouldn't be an issue and we can always put a divider in it until the Corn gets bigger.

We're stuck with the cage courtesy of our ill-fated odyssey with the Burm. While I'm pretty sure that I can get a refund on the Burm, I hate to ask the store owner to take back the crate (even though it was her @#$# employee who recommended that crate for the Burm). She won't be able to re-sell it. Personally, I think she should take it back and take it out of his next paycheck. However, I'll just be happy to get the $$ back on the Burm.

Is this type of cage anywhere near appropriate for a Ball? Should I try to enclose it by having Plexiglass panels cut to fit the inside of the cage?

I'm really tempted to just get a Corn then move up to a Ball in a year or two.

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.
Thanks!
Melissa

[Python-77]

3'L x 2'w x 4'H That enclsure is for a more arboreal snake or lizard. It would be hard to maintain humidity in that enclosure for a BP. I would press the issue and try and get both taken back since you wouldnt have bought one if it wasnt for the other.

[chevyguy]

You could use plex and drill some holes in the sides for cross venting. that should help with the humidity problem. but i am new to this herping

[frankykeno]

Hmmm Melissa I think they should give you back your money on that as well.

One suggestion if you would prefer the Ball is to use what many of us here use....Sterlite or Rubbermaid sweater/under bed containers. Here's what we started our 6 month old in when she was about 2.5 months old (she's now moved up to a slightly larger Sterlite)...

Sterlite Ultra #1986 Clear with lock down end clips - 40 qt/38L - dimensions 23" long x 16" wide x 6.5" high - $8.00

Accu-Rite (with probe) - reads two temps plus humidity - $12.00

Plain white papertowels (for bedding) - $1.00

2 Hides made by chipping an entrance hole into terracotta plant pot bottoms - $2.00 total

Sandpaper to smooth entrance holes - $2.00 (have tons left over of course)

Water dish made from another planter pot bottom (glazed) or low heavy dish from dollar store - $1.00

Under tank heat mat - $20.00

Soldering wand to melt holes in tub - $11.00

We also added in a couple of decorative rocks from our own yard and a stick that we took the bark off (all was soaked and throughly cleaned and aired in hot sun).

So our total to set up the Ball was - $66.00 (of course the soldering wand is good for other stuff and for more tubs so that sort of doesn't count)

The Sterlite/Rubbermaid option is quite good as it really makes it super easy to adjust humidity. You need more air exchange to drop high humidity you melt in a few more holes....you need less....you cover some of the holes back up....really easy as pie.

The papertowel was recommended to use as a cost effective first bedding as you can easily see the snake's feces and urates and easy as anything to clean up.

No matter what option you go with an Accu-Rite is a wonderful thing. They aren't sold for reptile care but are fantastic. You can find them in the indoor/outdoor thermometers/weather station area of Wal-Mart.

Everything we bought was from Wal-Mart. The only thing I buy from the pet store is feeder mice LOL.

To give you some idea, our snake was 17 inches long when she was in this container and it worked beautifully for her. We just moved her up as she is now about 26 inches long but she really wasn't crowded in the old tub. We just needed more space for bigger hides. They just need enough space to move but not enough that they are stressed out. I know the tubs they use in racks for young balls are often even smaller than this one and the snakes do well in them.

I've never set up a snake in an acquarium or other type of cage but hoped this information might help you somewhat. This is just how we set up our Ball, not necessarily the "right way" just our way. Hopefully you'll get tons of great advice for all sorts of caging options/ideas.


~~Jo~~

Oh p.s. don't let anyone talk you into one of those darned "heat rocks" for any snake. They are just awful and can cause burns. We wasted our cash on one before we knew better. Now it decorates our second snake's tub sans cord.

[frankykeno]

Question for you burm owners. Is that cage Melissa is describing even appropriate for the baby burm they sold her? If it is, how long would the baby burm have lived in it before it outgrew it?


~~Jo~~

[Python-77]

That enclosure was in no way apprpriate for a burm its way to much wasted space burms are not the most arboreal species of snake they can climb but that was just wastful and the burm woud outgrow that enclosure at about 1 year old but by 18months he would absolutly have to be out of it.

[frankykeno]

Well there you go Melissa. It's bad enough they sold you a snake that was in no way appropriate for a family pet for a 12 year old (and your very small dog!) but they also sold you an enclosure that was meant for an aboreal species. I understand most aboreals don't make good pets either and are more for display but I could be way off on that information.

I'd certainly expect they should refund all your money for both snake and enclosure and re-train that employee. Having upset customers isn't going to help their business and perhaps the owners of this store aren't fully aware this person gives out incorrect information and sells inappropriate reptile housing. They should make good with you and they can always use that cage for their own stock, why should you be out even more money.

I know I'd be livid myself.


~~Joanna~~

[NocturnalBC]

I totally agree with Python-77! That cage is completely unexceptible for most snakes let alone a Burm that will be 4-6Ft easy in it's 1st year. You totaly got hosed by a sales person who was either trying to get rid of a cage that wasn't selling or just had no idea what they were talking about...A cage that is all screen! . Not many of the popular snakes would survive in that, I would never put my snake in it. I'd be worried about it getting cut. And how would you be able to keep the humidity levals in a cage like that?
If you can take it back I would, it's not a snake cage but more like a dragon or other similar reptile cage.

I feel bad that your in this position but when I stop and think it's your own fault for not doing your research before hand. It sounds like you didn't know the care requirments for a burm. That's the biggest problem with people today is that they just get a spur of the moment idea and run with it without knowing their facts. Burm Pythns shouldn't be a snake for the novice user, they can be very agresive, get to about 10-15ft very fast and require alot of care with most user getting rid of them with in the 1st 2yrs. Plus people forget about how heavy and strong they get, a 15ft snake is very heavy and extremely strong and most people with years of snake handling can have troubles.

[daniel1983]

Like everyone else has said, that enclosure is not appropriate for pretty much any species of snake. That pet store has no clue how to take care of their animals. I would suggest returning EVERYTHING...or at least try to.

If you would like to own a snake, it is always best to provide the PROPER housing instead of trying to make something work. Improper housing will result in a animal that does not eat properly and has health issues because of wrong temperature and humidity conditions. By the time vet bill are paid because you snake got sick, you could have provided a proper enclosure and never subjected the animal to bad conditions. Like Joanna said, build a rubber maid home for the snake....I keep all of my snakes in rubbermaids(and mice) and will never use anything else. Here is a link to the Do-it-yourself guide on building a rubbermaid:

http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules....warticle&id=40

You could also look into getting a children's python. They are relatively easy to care for, get about 3' long and can be housed in a 10 gallon tank their entire lives. Most pet stores do not carry them though. You would have to order one online(which is not a problem). I am thinking of getting a pair myself just to have something to keep other than ball pythons.

Hope that helps....Sorry that you had to get put in this situation