Hide/Background Material Reccomendations?

So I recently got a larger enclosure for my ball python which is 4x2x2 ft. I want to make it bioactive, but in the case that doesn't work out/I need to change setup because of life circumstances, I want it to be easy to clean and disinfect. I have done A LOT of research over the months of planning for this and have everything else lined out, but I'm a little stumped on how I want to create my background. I thought about buying a 3D printed custom background that comes in a few pieces or just making my own. The problem I'm running into is that I'm not sure what the best, most durable, and easiest to clean material for this project would be. I do not want to opt for the foam background with substrate route since it would make it hard to fully disinfect if I do end up not having a bioactive setup at some point. If anyone has suggestions, such as where to buy, what materials would be best to use if I DIY, etc... that would be super appreciated! I'm willing to spend more money for something that is quality, and I have some basic DIY skills and the determination to design something myself if need be LOL

TLDR, I'm looking for suggestions on materials or people to commission for a custom ball python background and hides, with these qualities:
- good durability/ longevity
- safe material for reptiles (duh)
- easy to take out (multiple pieces, etc...)
- can be cleaned/disinfected thoroughly without damage
- withstand humidity and heat

I'm willing to put in the money/time/effort to get what I want done :) Also, any other general advice for making cool yet reliable ball python enclosures (such as your sworn by supplies) is appreciated. Thanks!

I don't use or recommend so called "bioactive" enclosures for most herps including ball pythons -- though I do recommend naturalistic enclosures, which is a reason I'd not use foam ('bioactive' means different things to different people, so I may be thinking something here that you're not). I also question the utility of most backgrounds, at least as they're often constructed (since they take up enclosure volume without a corresponding increase in terrain that's usable by the animal).

If you're looking for a thin (that is, only decorative and not climbable) background then I suppose you could use just about anything that enables the look you're going for. If you get clear on what function you expect the background to have, that can help narrow down the material options.

All that said, if I were to construct something with the qualities you mentioned and is also climbable by an adult BP I'd personally use cork bark -- rounds and branches, mostly -- and I'd use stainless steel bolts to attach the pieces to the back wall. This works with any drillable enclosure (so, anything other than tempered glass).

I tend to get cork like this from Pangea, by buying a bulk box, but the more appropriate sizes are sometimes out of stock (like right now). Larger reptile expos are good places to get cork since you can hand pick the pieces you want. Getting the right pieces of cork can take some time.

The simple safe answer is cling film, but that's so obvious that you've, probably, already considered and rejected that idea. I suggest you reconsider it. There's a lot to be said for simple and safe.

More specific: I'm looking for something that's not just decoration (naturalist like you said), but also something utility. My thoughts were to make something that I can take in and out (possibly in 2-3 pieces, such as left and right corner that spans toward the middle, for cleaning purposes) that would serve as at least one of her hides. I wanted something flexible to suit what type of enclosure I can easiest provide her given my life circumstances, so I'd like to include spots for plants (such as holes in the background that fit small plant pots). I will be using overhead heating as well as a heat mat at the side of her warm side hide, so I don't want it to span TOO high to make it easy for her to reach (the overhead heating will be fully caged off, but just in case lol). She a little explorer that loves to climb and burrow on occasion, so I want to provide her something more interesting to be in :)

Cork bark is a great idea! I have thought about that, but wasn't sure if I should pair it with something for a better structure. How do you usually attach the pieces together? (Not to the back of the enclosure) Do you reccomend any other materials to go with it? Also for cleaning, do you prefer to wash, steam, bake, etc... the wood?

Haha, yeah it's not the look I'm going for or sturdy enough ATM. She already has a natural-ish enclosure, I just want to upgrade it for her and my enjoyment :) Thank you though! I'll consider for future projects.

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Originally Posted by elizard

More specific: I'm looking for something that's not just decoration (naturalist like you said), but also something utility. My thoughts were to make something that I can take in and out (possibly in 2-3 pieces, such as left and right corner that spans toward the middle, for cleaning purposes) that would serve as at least one of her hides. I wanted something flexible to suit what type of enclosure I can easiest provide her given my life circumstances, so I'd like to include spots for plants (such as holes in the background that fit small plant pots). I will be using overhead heating as well as a heat mat at the side of her warm side hide, so I don't want it to span TOO high to make it easy for her to reach (the overhead heating will be fully caged off, but just in case lol). She a little explorer that loves to climb and burrow on occasion, so I want to provide her something more interesting to be in :)

Cork bark is a great idea! I have thought about that, but wasn't sure if I should pair it with something for a better structure. How do you usually attach the pieces together? (Not to the back of the enclosure) Do you reccomend any other materials to go with it? Also for cleaning, do you prefer to wash, steam, bake, etc... the wood?

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Just cleaning of cork can be done with water (maybe with soap) and a brush (I keep old toothbrushes for this); there's no real disinfection needed to reuse materials for the same snake. When I reuse cork for another animal and need to eliminate pathogen risk, after I clean any filth off I soak the cork in a standard bleach water solution (one part regular Chlorox disinfecting bleach in 19 parts tap water) for a while -- official contact time is 10 minutes, but a couple hour soak won't hurt. The cork needs to be weighted down since it floats. Then I rinse with tap water and let air dry for a couple weeks.

I attach cork to cork with the same stainless bolts (more durable wood such as ghostwood can be screwed together, but screws strip out of cork). I haven't used any other wood types, since these two have been proven to hold up over time and be functional (I'm not sure that any ghostwood would be bulky/thick enough for a BP to use; I'm just explaining why screws don't work reliably for cork to cork connections).

When you design things, make sure to take into account the size and behavior of the snake. Even my adult male BP (males are smaller than females, on average) is large enough that I'd rule out any plants stuck in pots on a background -- he's bulky and strong enough that he'd destroy them (I don't have any plants in his enclosure, since I kill enough plants without his help ;) ).

I'd also personally question whether that size enclosure is realistically large enough to be doing much aesthetically pleasing in and not just stealing space from the snake (for an adult; maybe you have upgrade plans at some point). The benefit of plants for a ball python are that they transpire water into the air, which helps moderate humidity and that's a good thing, but the range of plants that will survive the abuse for any time might be pretty limited. Personally, I'd use a pathos or similar and not get too fancy. Also, since plants require light (obviously), they may complicate enclosure design (screen tops let out humidity much more than the plants add it back; light fixtures inside enclosures can add electrical risks and add heat that may not be needed, etc).

Thanks so much!! Honestly, I'll probably use a hybrid of your methods with some other ideas I've gathered so this is really helpful. She is on the smaller side of ball pythons in general (she is fully grown now) and I wasn't planning on using too many plants, just a few sturdy ones to help fill up the area and for enrichment :) My descriptions make it sound extravagant, but I have been taking my space into account. I have lights as well, and the top of the enclosure has screen mesh but also a custom made top to only cover what I'm not using for light and heat fixtures.