Caging Questions

[TheBallPython]

Hello,

I am looking to get a BP in a few months, but first I want to get everything ready and set up before I start looking. I have been reading a lot about caging, and I have to say, I couldn't believe how much there is to it. At my local exotics store where they let me handle a 4' BP they were telling me how to care for them and told me just to go with an aquarium, but now I found out that they don't hold heat/humidity well. So then I looked into building a wooden cage, and now find out that they have a lot of downfalls, along with plastic tubs. So I guess my question is, how do I know what do go with? If I did go with a 20gal tank, is there a way to keep the humidity and heat in check? If I go with wooden, how would I safely use an UTH? How wouldn't that be a fire hazard unless the bottom was made of glass? So many questions, and hoping someone has the answers, lol.

Thank you!
Brittney

[Argentra]

Wooden enclosures are NOT fire hazards if you do things right. Unless there's a spark from the electrical setup, the wood would only heat up, not ignite. It's a common misbelief.

Wooden enclosures, lined with vinyl, are great snake homes. I've built a 4-cage system for my corns (working great and they love it) and am working now on building 4 stackable cages for my ball pythons.

As for tanks, they DO work if you're willing to put a little extra effort into them. For me, tanks work better than Any other enclosure...but they take up too much space since they don't stack.
Tubs are my personal least favorite enclosure. I can never keep the temps stable, the humidity is all over the place, and I can't see inside well to know if things need to be cleaned or moved around.

20 gal. Long tanks work great for ball pythons! There are things you can do, that don't cost a fortune, to get the temperatures stable as a rock and the humidity up where it needs to be. For a first snake, I think a tank should work just fine.

[CoolioTiffany]

I have a 20 gallon enclosure for one of my Ball pythons(made for reptiles, not fish) and a 10 gallon for my other Ball python (again, not made for fish). You can find these enclosures in the reptile section, and they come with their own lid. The lid slides in and locks in place, which very much prevents a snake from escaping because non of my snakes have ever escaped and they are all housed in one of these enclosures. To hold in the humidity, what I do is I buy saran wrap (I think that's how it's spelled..) and I cover part of the screen lid with it so it seals a lot of the air holes but the snake has some air holes to breathe through on the side I didn't cover with the wrap. The wrap is like a plastic sheet and it keeps in the humidity very well. You can purchase those enclosures and cover part of the lid with saran wrap. Hope you find the right Ball python, and good luck with the enclosure!

[TheBallPython]

Thanks you guys! I think I'm going to stick with modifying a tank. It's still gonna be a while before I get my BP, but doesn't hurt to get things ready ahead of time!