Seeking advice for raising a Ball Python in the tropics. (beginner)

Greetings.
I'm a 20 year old male looking to purchase my first Ball Python this year. But before I do so I just want to get some facts straighten out so that my ball can have a comfortable home to stay in.

I've been doing a lot of research and watching a lot of videos so I already have an idea as to how to cover most of the basics (feeding, skin shedding etc). How ever I haven't fully come to a conclusion as to what material her home will be, and who I will set it up.

I've seen nearly everyone mention the use of heaters/coolers and thermometers to monitor and maintain a suitable temperature for their balls. All of these people either live in America or some other part of the world where their geographical areas have drastic temperature changes due to winter and other seasons. My main concern is if I should even bother with any of those things because I live in the tropics...

Generally here in Barbados (an island located within the Caribbean region) our climate temperatures goes between 60° C - 84° C. It doesn't ever get cold outside or inside of my house. We don't use the AC unit very often because it doesn't get that hot either (I just keep a fan in my room to keep a 'cool' temperature). In some other Caribbean islands Balls and other types of pythons can be found wild in the mountains or even near villages and towns (A few years back I visited St. Lucia and held my very first wild python while going on an island tour, I believe it was a male ball; just about 2 feet long).

From what I've seen too, snake owners don't have any of these electronics in their tanks either. Theres a guy located in the capital whos known for owning very large pythons and they look rather healthy and happy to me; they're also very tamed creatures.

Right now my only options would be to make a tank (which i want to avoid), using a decent sized sterillite container or even a cage similar to a hamster cage (but with a locking door). I would really love to use the cage but I just wanted to know opinions before I purchase one. I don't see the need for heaters or coolers since I'm technically located in the snake's natural climate...

Thoughts?

P.S. its a baby that hasn't hatched yet and current its 77° C outside.

Cheers,
Emdeka.

Not sure what the temps are in F for you but I know people that don't use heaters they heat the entire room to a certain temp and don't have any problems they just keep it at 89-91 degrees F I believe. Have you thought about using a rack? I like mine lots better then tanks but I have more than one ball.

You might end up not needing a lot of the "extra" stuff, or at least not year-round. If you know what kind of enclosure you are going to use, I suggest setting it up before getting the snake, with nothing in it, and see what happens. This is usually best regardless where you live, precisely so you can get the set up just right.

You listed your temperatures in Celsius, but those are quite high, so I think maybe you meant Farenheit? 60C is 140F, very hot! If you do in fact mean 60F, that's lower than the recommended low for ball pythons, so you would need some kind of heater in the winter/night to keep ambient temperatures a little higher. If 84F is your summer/day time temperature, then that's perfect for the low/ambient temperature for the snake, but you'll still need a hot spot to achieve the desired low-90's on the hot side. This can be done with heat tape or a radient heat panel, or even a heat lamp (usually the heat tape or radient heat panel is recommended over the heat lamp).

How is your humidity? I suspect it is probably going to be higher, since you are in a tropical region, but doesn't hurt to ask! If it is too high (above 60-70% I think, but someone more experienced will correct them I'm sure) you may need a fan to help keep the air circulating and try to lower it. If it is too low (below 50%), you'll need to raise it (various ways to do this, depending on the enclosure).


Just for comparison:
The climate I live in has winter temperatures (all temperatures in F) of 30-80 in winter, and about 70-110 in summer. My house is kept at 65-73 in winter using the heater, and 70-84 in summer using the air conditioning/fans. Year-round indoor humidity is 30%. Right now I am using a space heater in the snake room because it is otherwise going to be too cool for them. The space heater helps me keep their ambient low temperature in the low-80's (about a perfect 82-83). In addition they do have heat tape to get the hot spot temperature up to the low-90's (about a 91-92). In the summer time I will not need the space heater any longer, because that room, without any help, will reach low-80's in the summer heat, higher if I don't use the A/C or fans. In order to keep their humidity correct, I use stearlite bins and cover/open holes as needed and/or place the water dish on the hot or cool side as needed. So far has worked well!

Ok so there may be some confusion with the temperature calculations...

As Sorraia was saying, 60 degrees Celsius does in fact = 140F but when I googled 'humidity in Barbados' just now it said 27° C and 81F with the humidity at 74%. I guess my sources were wrong my apologizes. I think I'm pretty covered temperature wise guys thanks. And yes I will purchase and arrange her house BEFORE I purchase her as I already intended to ;)

I am a Ball Python Breeder in Barbados and I've been keeping BPs for a while now, I would be more than happy to give you as much advice as you need on housing BPs in Barbados :D.

As previously stated to don't need alot, basically just a tub with secure clips, I bought mind from Price Smart here in Barbados. No heating is required, you will also need a water dish I recommend a small dog bowl since those don't tip over. Newspaper substrate is fine, cheap and easy to clean.

Breeding is even easier since you can basically leave the eggs in with mom, no additional heating required either. Any additional info needed hit me up here and I'll pass my contact info along.

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Originally Posted by Peoples

I am a Ball Python Breeder in Barbados and I've been keeping BPs for a while now, I would be more than happy to give you as much advice as you need on housing BPs in Barbados :D.

As previously stated to don't need alot, basically just a tub with secure clips, I bought mind from Price Smart here in Barbados. No heating is required, you will also need a water dish I recommend a small dog bowl since those don't tip over. Newspaper substrate is fine, cheap and easy to clean.

Breeding is even easier since you can basically leave the eggs in with mom, no additional heating required either. Any additional info needed hit me up here and I'll pass my contact info along.

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THANKS a lot! Never thought I would find a Barbadian snake owner online haha! We'll defiantly keep in touch!

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Originally Posted by Emdeka Anubis

In some other Caribbean islands Balls and other types of pythons can be found wild in the mountains or even near villages and towns (A few years back I visited St. Lucia and held my very first wild python while going on an island tour, I believe it was a male ball; just about 2 feet long).

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Well let me just make a little correction here...

The snake I held in St. Lucia was actually a wild Boa Constrictor (I don't believe St. Lucia actually has wild Balls but it could be possible).
It's subspecies name is 'B. c. orophias' and they're pretty great snakes as well. I'd love to own one but it would be severely difficult to get one or two into the island...

Someone took a picture of me with the snake but I lost contact of that person, so no pictures... however it did look just like this one.http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R5x-mBcrDZ...onstrictor.jpg.

Additional pics of these St. Lucian Boas:

http://www.stluciatours.net/Boa.jpg

http://www.yachtfiona.com/northatlantic/IMG_2243.JPG

http://gallery.photographyreview.com...UCIA_WI_1_.jpg

Hoping to revisit St. Lucia and gain the experience all over again!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Emdeka Anubis

THANKS a lot! Never thought I would find a Barbadian snake owner online haha! We'll defiantly keep in touch!

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Most definitely, hoping to have a clutch on the ground by April... been pairing since Nov 1st 2012... you can find me on facebook Click Here