Hello

[MasonC2K]

Although I have owned lizards, I am new to owning snakes. I am planning on getting a ball python in a month or two. The internet and a local pet shop have been invaluable in my research. However, there are some things that I cannot finds answers to so maybe you good folks can.

The pet shops in my area only use live prey. I would prefer using prekills. Can the snake easily adjust to prekills from using live? These snakes range from 5 months to a year according to the store. The smallest I've seen being about 12-15 inches long.

Also, if I start out with a 10 gallon tank, how long will it take for me to need to get a bigger tank? Or should I start with a 20 gallon?

And another, can 2 snakes easiliy be housed together? There are 3 or more in the pet store but those are young and I don't know enough about them as to how they share space as they grow.

I am sure I may have more later. Thanks.

[Nate]

Hey Mason. I would strongly advise you to buy online. Pet stores don't generally have the best husbandry practices. 1 snake, 1 cage, always. You can find them cheaper online. A baby normal will run you around $20-$30 + $50 for S&H, so you end up spending around the same amount as the pet store. Personally, I like to spend a little extra on quality.

You can start out with a 10 gal if it's a baby. If you're not going for looks, I would suggest a 3 dollar rubbermaid from Wal-mart/Target. They are much better at keeping temps and humidity up.

edit: yes you can switch from live to p/k or f/t. I buy mine from RodentPro.com

[Kagez28]

switching to prekilled could be a little difficult, just depends on the individual snake. mine swiched with out a fuss after i left him alone for a week to get used to his new home. all you can do is try frozen and then thawed (F/T), if that doesn't work maybe buy a live and prekill it right before feeding. i am pretty sure there are tons of threads about switching form live to F/T, switching from mice to rats, ect. you can use the search function and might strike something.

starting out small will keep the stree of the snake down, but you best bet is to go with a tub set up. they're cheap, hold heat and humidity very good, and bp's thrive in them. you can start with a small tub and move up as they grow. if you are going to stick with glass tanks, i would go with the 20 gal and make sure to put alot of "stuff" in it to make the bp feel more secure. i don't believe you will need anything larger then a 20gal.

as for housing them together, it can be done but it really shouldn't. housing them together can result in canibalism, extra stress on the snake, and unwanted mating (which could kill the female). again there are many threads with this topic and things go much more indeph, time to search...

also i am sure you have, but check out the caresheet on ball pythons, and all the stickies that are in the forums, they can be very helpful.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

And another, can 2 snakes easiliy be housed together? There are 3 or more in the pet store but those are young and I don't know enough about them as to how they share space as they grow.

Because a pet store does it, does not mean it should be done, most pet stores try to display as many animals as possible for the least money possible explaining why they house them together.

There is no benefit in housing snakes together, however many issues can arise that have been documented such as stress, going off feed, spreading of diseases and/or parasites, premature breeding, injuries, and even cannibalism

Here some more posts on the subject

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ltiple+housing

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ltiple+housing

[MasonC2K]

Thanks for the replies.

I will not buy online. I want to be able to see and handle the snake before buying. Right now, I am persuing a reputable pet store in town. A nice mom and pop place that been aroudn a long time. I hate chain stores. The people there don't knwo anything about the animals they sell.

I am also getting glass. The tupperware idea just isn't for me. I want to be able to see the snake.

If anyone know of a reputable breeder in West Georgia or East Alabama let me know and I'll give them a shot.

Thanks again.

[Sausage]

I'm kind of late to the party, but I might as well contribute.

Housing in glass is fine if temps/humidity can be properly maintained. I keep a BP in a glass tank and have had no problems. Just make sure that your setup is perfected before you get the snake.The care sheet goes more in depth about that....

As for picking out the actual snake, I think that buying one in person is fine, just as long as you know what qualities to look for in a healthy ball python. You want it to be pretty solid looking. If the spine sticks out, the snake's body will have kind of a triangular shape. This means that the snake is underweight. You want it to have clear eyes. Dented eyes are a sign of dehydration. It should be breathing with its mouth closed. If you hear a whistle, see it breathing with its mouth open, or notice that it seems to be "drooling," these are signs that it may have a respiratory infection, which is definetly bad. If the snake seems to be soaking in its water dish a lot, or has little bugs on it and probably in its water, that means that it has mites, which are very treatable but can spread to other reptiles you may have and make the snake miserable. Also remember that the snake should be quarentined from your other reptiles for a few months. This way, the snake cannot spread any diseases to other reptiles. Always handle older herps before your new ones, and wash your hands before and after.

Ok, well I'll stop rambling. Good luck!

[Kagez28]

i started off with a glass tank because i wanted to see the snake too, but just so you know ball pythons are very very shy animals and spend the majority of the day/night in their hides. so you never really see them as much as you think you would. now im not trying to tell you tubs are the only way to go, but if i knew now what i didn't know then then i would have DEF started off with a tub.

i plan on getting a new corn this weekend and i set up a tub for him and made sure temps were good and stable. the tub i got is about 10 inches tall and is clear plastic, so it's pretty much like a tank. i have one UTH and that keeps things in the high 80's... with my tank i have 2 UTH and a heat lamp to keep things good.

best of luck which ever way you go.

[elevatethis]

i started off with a glass tank because i wanted to see the snake too, but just so you know ball pythons are very very shy animals and spend the majority of the day/night in their hides. so you never really see them as much as you think you would. now im not trying to tell you tubs are the only way to go, but if i knew now what i didn't know then then i would have DEF started off with a tub.

This is a path that many of us here, including myself, have taken.

But hey, if you want to use glass, check out this thread for for how to make it work.

Tubs are 10x easier, though. Ball pythons don't like to be out in the open, so with a tank, you'll be seeing all the fake plants, hides, and water bowls much more than the snake itself.

[frankykeno]

There's actually a compromise here. If you have an Office Max/Office Depot near you check out a brand of tubs they carry called Iris or you can order them online from www.reptiletubs.com (Eric Erb is a very good guy). You get all the benefits of a plastic tub - easier to clean, and keep stable temps/humidity - and they are glass quality clear. We've just started switching over to them and I'm in love with them! You do need to add in ventilation holes and as with all snake enclosures, glass or plastic, extra lid security to prevent escapes.

If you are want to buy in person see if there are any upcoming snake shows. Most have online sites listing vendors that you can check out to see if they carry nice snakes and are reputable. If you want to go with your local store just make sure the snakes are healthy, mite free and ask the owners if you put a deposit on a particular snake if they would see if it will take frozen/thawed rather than live. Getting a BP to convert can be done and lots of owners do it but be aware they can be very specific about what they will and will not eat and how it's presented to them.

[MasonC2K]

Thanks for the continued replies and links. Most helpful.

So far, I have validated that my wife didn't lie when she said she wasn't scared and would hold the snake.

I have also been allowed to see a feeding at my favorite pet store so I know the snakes there are eating. They take each snake out of its display encloser and place it in a seperate container for feeding. The babies (5-6 months old they said) are about 15 inches long and eat pinky rats once a week.

Anyways, I am glad I foudn this place.