BP n00b with some questions

Hey everyone, I have geckos, frogs, turtles, and fish, and I want to get into ball pythons :D

Although I do have a few questions.

1) I've heard that lots of people keep their ball pythons in 41 quart bins. What are the dimensions of these bins? Also, for me I will only be keeping a few ball pythons, so space really isn't an issue, so I was thinking of getting a bin a little larger. What would be good dimensions?

2) How much of the bin should the heat mat/heat tape cover? With geckos I always cover 1/3 of the bin, but since ball pythons are bigger, I was thinking maybe 2/3?

3) What are some cheaper ball python morphs? I'm only 14, and I don't make much money, so cheaper the better. I could have a CB normal shipped to my door for 90, but what are some other cool, cheap morphs?


Thanks for your help and I am looking forward to getting involved with these awesome animals! :snake:

1) It is not necessary to keep them in a larger enclosure, but if you did, don't make it too much bigger as they begin to get stressed in very large enclosures as they are used to very tight hiding spots in nature. You'll have to do the math for dimensions, but they are only 6-8 inches high.
2)The heat should only cover 1/3 of the bottom. They need to be able to get off the heat if they want. The difference between them and geckos is not what ratio of the bin has the heater underneath, but the size of the bin.
3)You'll have to just do your research for the area you live in. Personally, I really like normals. Spiders, pastels and yellowbellys are usually on the cheaper side although if you are worried about having enough money, make sure that you are prepared to pay hundreds of dollars in vet bills at any moment. You don't want your finances threatening the lives of your snakes.

Good luck.

So what size bin should I keep him in? It will be a male, by the way.

32 to 41 qts. They are also cheap enough that you can start with a smaller one and buy a larger one in a couple years when it gets bigger. There should be some posts on tub size around here if you do a search.

Ok, I will be ordering a small one, and I do have a 16 qt lying around, I think I will put it in that and eventually upgrade into a 42 quart.

Also, I've read that ball pythons should have hides, but I see in many videos that people have a water dish and that's it. What is the right thing to do?

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Originally Posted by Fish

Ok, I will be ordering a small one, and I do have a 16 qt lying around, I think I will put it in that and eventually upgrade into a 42 quart.

Also, I've read that ball pythons should have hides, but I see in many videos that people have a water dish and that's it. What is the right thing to do?

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For the most part people with racks dont use hides. Just get 2 tight fitting hides. This way he can have something touching all sides if he likes and feels secure. Also i would start with like a 15q for juv. Then move up

Ya, especially for a new bp keeper, try to plan for 2 hides. Racks are very secure for a ball python already, so it kind of acts like one giant hide. Even if you have a very "rack like" set-up with the tubs, it will be difficult for you to tell if it is working for your specific bp since you are new to them. Hides are super easy to fashion and you don't have to spend an arm and a leg on them if you don't want. I went to a second hand store and bought some thick plastic jello moulds recently and just cut out some holes and made sure the edge was not sharp. They are working great right now.

If you are getting a baby, you can keep him in the 16qt tub for about a year. You don't really need a 41qt tub for an adult male, but it couldn't hurt. I wouldn't go much bigger than a 41qt.

If you are using a stand alone tub setup, make sure you have two tight fitting hides. People using a rack system can get away with one or no hides because the rack encloses most of the tub and keeps it pretty dark.

Also, make sure you get a reliable thermostat to use with your heat mat.

Ok, so I'll put him in the 16 quart bin for a while and then a 41 quart.

I've heard people say different things about substrate, what is the best one?

You can use news paper, aspen, sanichips, or other substraite. Just don't use Pine shavings.