New Ball Python owner questions

Just make sure it has a hide that it can curl up in but it should still be tight so the snake would be touching the sides of the hide while it is curled up in there. Make sure the UTH is only taking up about 1/3 of the tanks floorspace so that your snake can seek a cool side. Not sure how big a 10 gallon tank is but most people suggest a 12-15 qt tub for new balls, but if you prefer to keep him in a glass tank for display thats fine too. Just make sure he has a waterbowl thats not too big a hot spot for basking and digesting and a hide or 2 for security, usually one on each side of the tank. Anything else?

Well why didnt i think of the care sheet thread? lol im tired time to sign off... wouldve saved me some time lol! read a care sheet!

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Originally Posted by Andybill

Well why didnt i think of the care sheet thread? lol im tired time to sign off... wouldve saved me some time lol! read a care sheet!

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I was tired enough yesterday I completely spaced on the fact that the caresheet is stickied here instead of being just in the caresheets section, so don't be the only one feeling silly because you're tired and miss things. :D

Hi there,
I was in the same boat as you were just the end of May. There are several very informed people here with great advice.

I have a 40 gal. glass tank and started out with just a light and no UTH. We're in the Minneapolis area so our temps are all over the place. We use the AC in the summer at times and then there are days we don't. Our indoor temp ranges can be in the 80's to as low as the 60's in the summer.

I now use a UTH and a infrared light.

Aaron, "The Serpent Merchant" is a very good source here. What I've taken from him, I'll pass down to you.

Get a thermostat!!! I know,,, I know, they are expensive. Trust me I bought the snake for my son's B-day present and it was $80. After the tank, lights and stuff that goes along with it it gets expensive. Add a quality thermostat like the Herpstat II from Spyder Robotics and you have quite the investment.

But you also have a lot less worry.


Here's what The Serp Merch told me.


Get the adequate sized UTH and place it on the basking side of your tank. If you get a thermostat (there are less expensive ones too) put the probe into the middle of the UTH pad and stick the pad to the bottom of the tank.


If you have a decent thermostat, you can hook up a light for heat as well and have 2 sources in the event the UTH is not enough to keep the ambient tank temp warm enough. The thermostat will dim or brighten the light for increased or decreased heat and also control the UTH.

This is a VERY basic description and the are other considerations. If you need some extra help I can forward (hopefully) the advice I was given.

Our snake was all over the place the 1st couple nights. Then she curled up on a branch and didn't used hides. Now she's eaten once here, uses the hides and has been in one for going on 3 days. We feed again this Friday.

So don't worry too much about the "Ball" being balled.

Hopefully I did OK on my first bit of advice : )


Good luck,

Gio

Thank you all for the advice / quick replies. So when you say "basking" spot its like the basking spot i had for my bearded dragon, i.e. a heatlamp on a rock or a branch? And its a bright standard bulb or dark uv one

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Originally Posted by JediSamReye

Thank you all for the advice / quick replies. So when you say "basking" spot its like the basking spot i had for my bearded dragon, i.e. a heatlamp on a rock or a branch? And its a bright standard bulb or dark uv one

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i dont have a basking spot and my ball is perfectly healthy..

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Originally Posted by JediSamReye

Thank you all for the advice / quick replies. So when you say "basking" spot its like the basking spot i had for my bearded dragon, i.e. a heatlamp on a rock or a branch? And its a bright standard bulb or dark uv one

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A basking light is not necessary and will make keeping your humidity next to impossible to keep up. Stick with a UTH and the warm room and you'll be fine.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2

so just undertank with a good thermometer and we should be good?

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Originally Posted by JediSamReye

so just undertank with a good thermometer and we should be good?

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yes

Thanks, yeah in the past i have had lizards, and rats, and hedgehogs, and I have never had issues before, well I bought a guinea pig this week and she died within 8 days, the petstore said because of the "stress" so even thought I had all my other animals for years it kinda broke my nerves, having something die so quick