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Registered User
Enclosure for my baby Ball
I will be purchasing a baby Ball Python soon and would like to set up the enclosure as soon as possible so it's all ready and set when I get the snake.
I was wondering is a 20 gallon glass aquarium too large for a 3-5 month old Ball Python? I've heard lots of people mentioning a 10 gallon, but will a 20 gallon be more suitable so the snake doesn't outgrow it so quickly?
Also...can you guys please give me a general setup of what I will need?
-Glass aquarium (10 or 20 gallon) with screen top
-Water bowl (for soaking and drinking....size?)
-Bedding (what kind?)
-Heating sources (Heat Lamp or under-tank heat mat? What are the best?)
-Thermostats (?)
What type of hiding areas should I provide? Just one or more than one. And should it be natural like a tree with holes in it that the snake can crawl through and hide or more unnatural like a overturned pot with a hole in the side?
Anything else?
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Registered User
Re: Enclosure for my baby Ball
Welcome! We're going over all this jazz now with another new member/owner. Give the thread a read through. It should answer some of your questions.
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...0&page=1&pp=20
Advice is what you ask for when you already know the answer but wish you didn't.
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Re: Enclosure for my baby Ball
Your enclosure should not be too big the bigger the more stress you will cause to your BP, because remember that in their natural environment they spend 70 to 80 % of their time in a tight hole
Glass tank are good but it is harder to control the temperature and humidity in it if you get a baby you will only need a 10 gallons to start with and if it is an adult a 30 gallons – 40 gallons tank will be enough. Use the rule of thumb the enclosure should be 2/3 of the length of your Ball Python.
A lot of people chose plastic tub Sterilite or Rubbermaid, which allow an easier control of the temperature and humidity and make Ball Pythons feel secure.
When it comes to plastic tubs here are the sizes you will need according to your BP size (Remember you will need a drill or solder wand to make holes)
Baby – 15 Quarts (17"L x 11 1/8"W x 6 3/8"H)
Sub Adult – 32 Quarts (23 1/2"L x 16 1/4"W x 6 3/8"H)
Adult – 41 Quarts (34 3/4"L x 16 1/2"W x 6"H)
Whatever enclosure you chose remember to secure the lid as BP are real escape artists.
You will need to provide your BP with a warm side between 90-94 F (32.5-34.5 C) degrees and a cool side at between 80-84 F (27-29 C) degrees.
Here are some products that can be used.
UTH: Ultratherm Pads, T Rex Cobra pads and Flexwatt heat tape work great, and do not stick permanently to your enclosure like some other do.
You will need a thermostat no matter what heating device you chose, it is very important since any device producing heat can overheat. I would highly recommend you to invest in a digital thermostat such as Ranco ETC-111000 and Johnson on the lower end, or Herpstat Digital Proportional Thermostat and Helix on the higher end, they might seem expensive but they are worth it. Keep in mind that if you get a cheap thermostat like the you will get what you paid for, considering how long your BP will live you will want to invest in something durable, reliable and safe.
2 Tight Identical hides (in my opinion the best are ESU CREATURE CUBBYHOLES ) - You can also make hides out, flower pot plastic dish, plastic bowls.
1 Water dish such as Van Ness Plastic crock for the water (Can be found at Walmart) - Does not need to be big enough to soak in as healthy BP rarely soak.
Here are some substrates that can be used in your BP's enclosure: Newspaper - Paper Towel - Aspen- Repti-bark or Cypress Mulch.
1 Acu-Rite Thermometer / Hydrometer available for about 12 dollars at Walmart or Lowes . Remember you should never guess the temperature or the humidity level. (Humidity should be between 50% & 60%).
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BPnet Veteran
Re: Enclosure for my baby Ball
Heres how things with my baby girl and she is doing great, eats anything I throw in there, and is about to go through her 2nd shed, her first with me, may help with some questions, may not:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...2&postcount=13
Ignore the banned, lol, long story.
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