Newbie Questions!!

[ZeekisAwesome]

Hey Everyone,

I already have three corn snakes, but I think I want to take the next step and buy a ball python. I've always had my eye on them and I've finally decided to go all the way and get one. But before I do I wanted to clarify a few things. i've been reading quite a few websites and they're all telling me a few different things.

First off, do they range between 3-5 feet or 4-6 feet? Second, is a 20 gallon big enough for a full grown adult and if not what size is? Those are my two basic questions but anything else that as a beginner I might not know, please do not hesitate to say. Thank you and all replies are appreciated.

[FatBoy]

Boys will range 3-4 ft, girls may get 4-5ft. Breeders that feed heavy have raised some up to 6 ft but that is not the normal. Fed as a pet the will stay in the 4ft range. 20gal long tank will house a ball python his whole life. Make sure to have his husbandry right. Warm side around 90 cool side 82ish. Humidity needs to stay 50-60%, this will be your challenge!!! You will have to experiment with your individual conditions to see what you need to do to get the huimidity there. Make sure you get a digital thermomitor and humidity gauge. The dial one doesn't work well. NEVER be ashamed to ask questions and do research.

[ZeekisAwesome]

Thanks,

Yeah, I was just wondering and knew I needed the advice from an owner when one website said I needed a 20 gallon and another said I needed a 40 gallon, which sounded ridiculous. SO thank you and I'd love more info if you could give it on and regular husbandry stuff, such as, what do you use to keep the temp so high?

[FatBoy]

Use under tank heaters only. If you want to display the tank for veiwing purposes then get a very low watt moonglow bulb for lights on top just at night. Heat lights on top of the screen top will make it almost impossible to keep the humidity right. It will dry out the air bad. As a pet I would get an under tank heater to cover almost half the tank. Get 2 identical hides, put one on the cool side and one on the warm side. I like the water bowl dead in the middle. Aspen will probally be the best substrate, you can get more expensive substrate made just for reptiles but it is probally not worth the cost. Get a digital indoor/outdoor thermometor with humidity setting, you can get one from Wal-Mart. Put one lead on each side to get your 2 readings. I would set everything up and make sure I had my heat and humidity right before getting a snake. There are a lot of tricks to get the humidity right, there is no need in discussing all of them until we see what you will be able to keep it.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

there are lots of people in here, including myself that believes an adult female should be in a 30 long.... that is 36" by 18". most males tho will be fine in a 20 long. lots will recomend tubs but if you want to set up a tank shoot me an private message and i willl give u some tips.