Heres my setup (40 Gallon)

After many days of working, Im almost done. The only money that went into this was for the fake pot plant thing.

Rocks were found outside. Scrubbed them clean, then boiled em water.

The glue I used is called PL Premium. Awesome stuff.

Branch was also found outside. Baked it in the oven and will have to scrub it clean as well. I'm thinking that I have to paint it with something to prevent it from rotting. Any suggestions?

Still Need to add a floor between the first and second floor (His two hidouts)

Not buying a BP until Im 100% finished, but what do you guys think of my setup so far?

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/97/dsc4188.jpg

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/869/dsc4189n.jpg
Top and bottom floor entrance a

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/8321/dsc4187s.jpg
Top view, inside his hideout....this is where Im placing the floor.

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/350/dsc4190.jpg

Man thats a great setup. But they only thing is you may kick yourself for making it so complicated. Simpler really is better. As for having like a hide high in the rocks, your BP is not arboreal. He may climb, but as he gets older, some people say they shouldn't have the option to climb because they might hurt themselves.

Personally i love the setup, but it isnt the best for a brand new BP. When you recieve your BP you should quarantine him in a tub, with a heatpad for the heat and air holes. You may already know this but the tank will make it real hard to keep humidity and heat. Ball pythons love their tubs. They really do. They love being secluded to a dark, tight space (but still need an appropriate sized enclosure).

After a little while, you may just want to be done with the display tank and give your bp a good ol' tub. :D You could always get some PDF's or some gecko for that tank. The rock cliff is amazing though.

Also i saw your hideouts are ontop of eachother. Your BP will need a hide on each end and maybe one in the middle if its a big tank. They need to thermoregulate and only hides on one side will prevent them from properly doing so.

ball pythons aren't arboreal so have to hides so tall will just get the bp hurt\
edit:
aw man you beat me to it:P

Haha, thats alright. Repitition is the key to teaching. :banana:

looks like a wicked bearded dragon tank but im sorry to say ball pythons arent climbers lol but still a wicked cage!

dude can you imagine a trio of cresties in there? :D

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Originally Posted by cinderbird

dude can you imagine a trio of cresties in there? :D

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lol omg they would flip their minds haha they would go nuts lmao

That is a great looking setup but not for a ball python. I would look into some arboreal species of lizard or snake instead.

Ball pythons are not the climbing type. They just sit in hides all day which would be kind of a waste for such a beautiful display.

Maybe I have a rare climber. Back when Patriot still fit into the tree hide that came with the tank, he'd go on top of it as well as inside. Even now, when he comes out at night, he still drapes over the dials stuck onto the tank (that I can't get off).

When I do eventually move him into a tub, I hate to take away his "PE equipment." I think if he had a jungle gym like what is shown in these pictures here, he'd absolutely love it!

How would the BP hurt itself? By falling or trying to get up? I could just build something for it to get up.

Very nice set up,(but like someone already stated), not for a ball python. I would get a pair of cresties to house in there. they would love it.

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How would the BP hurt itself? By falling or trying to get up? I could just build something for it to get up.

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By falling. Since they are ground dwelling pythons, they are clumsy climbers.

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Originally Posted by redstormlax12

By falling. Since they are ground dwelling pythons, they are clumsy climbers.

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Yea mines cant even climb up my arm without almost falling. Just slides down and forgets to constrict to hold on :rofl:

I wish I could see the pictures, but since I am at work, they are blocked. :mad: But from the sound of it, you have a nice set-up for something at least semi-arboreal. I may change my mind once I get to see the pics, but for now, I'm thinking IJ Carpet Python...

Unfortunately, a carpet wont fit my needs. Im a student so I need something that's low maintenance and cheap to feed. My buddys BP eats every three weeks which is what I like.

What if I were to take the bottom half out....will that be low enough?

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Patricia

Maybe I have a rare climber. Back when Patriot still fit into the tree hide that came with the tank, he'd go on top of it as well as inside. Even now, when he comes out at night, he still drapes over the dials stuck onto the tank (that I can't get off).

When I do eventually move him into a tub, I hate to take away his "PE equipment." I think if he had a jungle gym like what is shown in these pictures here, he'd absolutely love it!

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Same here! i wish I coud STOP him climbing as I'm constantly worried he's going to injure himself! (he's a bit clumsy...)

I've tried tight hides, but he's not interested. He's got a big branch and a log balanced on top that he can get under. He seems happy with that...

Thinking about moving him to a tub as I cant get the humidity right in the viv!

First off.....Very nice setup. Im not gonna repeat what other....Ok I will...not for a ball python...Im just curious though what does your friends ball look like? One feeding every three weeks is not proper maintenance. If you dont have the time to invest to feed it one time a week or every 4-5 days if your buying a hatchling then you might wannna consider something different. Not to mention the cleaning of the cage and other stuff. Im not trying to say anything negative but if you are investing money and obviously alot of time in the setup its best to get the most out of it and take proper care and do proper research.

My first thought was - wow - THAT'S going to be a pain to break down and disinfect once a month!

My second thought was - how will you provide belly heat in the higher level hides?

And your ball python needs to be offered food about once a week, not once every three weeks. A baby will probably be looking food about every five days.

PERFECT enclosure for some crested geckos as mentioned before, but not so good for a ball python.

Ok...Heres the plan. I've changed the setup a bit by selecting new branches which should help him up (Ill post pics later). I've seen videos of bp climbing so its not ruled out.

I'll buy a BP and watch him carefully for a few days to make sure everything's safe. If all fails, I will go to my backup plan and cut the cave in half which should be more than low enough so that no injuries happen.


To rabernet:
Theres no difference between 2nd and ground level heating, its all the same.
But Ill have to do some testing and see if the inside gets hot enough on its own. I plan on using mulch all on the walls as well. If that doesnt get the temps up, then a simple Heating Pad or hot wire(not sure what its called) should do the trick


To bones93
My buddy's python is full grown and seems pretty healthy to me. Its fed a decent sized live rat, according to him, every three weeks. And I've read that BP should be fed bi-weekly(Which is what I plan to do)...not weekly. And besides, if they can go on for months without feeding, shouldn't they be fine with eating every three weeks? Just a thought.

Thanks for all the help!

As for disinfecting, it shouldnt be a problem...I can take everything out in 2 minutes and easily scrub it with soup and a brush.

This setup is really for me, I love how it looks. I know that newspapers and flower pots work awesome...but...well, to each his own i guess.

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Originally Posted by unhip_crayon

As for disinfecting, it shouldnt be a problem...I can take everything out in 2 minutes and easily scrub it with soup and a brush.

This setup is really for me, I love how it looks. I know that newspapers and flower pots work awesome...but...well, to each his own i guess.

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Yes but putting ur bp in conditions not meant for him for ur satisfaction is bleh. Just my opinion

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Originally Posted by unhip_crayon

As for disinfecting, it shouldnt be a problem...I can take everything out in 2 minutes and easily scrub it with soup and a brush.

This setup is really for me, I love how it looks. I know that newspapers and flower pots work awesome...but...well, to each his own i guess.

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I hope it works for you - but I hope that you'll put your ball pythons NEEDS before what you want with the looks.

I feed all 50 of my ball pythons once a week. Is once a week going to be to often for you to feed yours? Most breeders and keepers feed once a week when their animals are feeding (many go off feed during breeding season, but not babies).

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Originally Posted by unhip_crayon

Ok...Heres the plan. I've changed the setup a bit by selecting new branches which should help him up (Ill post pics later). I've seen videos of bp climbing so its not ruled out.

I'll buy a BP and watch him carefully for a few days to make sure everything's safe. If all fails, I will go to my backup plan and cut the cave in half which should be more than low enough so that no injuries happen.


To rabernet:
Theres no difference between 2nd and ground level heating, its all the same.
But Ill have to do some testing and see if the inside gets hot enough on its own. I plan on using mulch all on the walls as well. If that doesnt get the temps up, then a simple Heating Pad or hot wire(not sure what its called) should do the trick


To bones93
My buddy's python is full grown and seems pretty healthy to me. Its fed a decent sized live rat, according to him, every three weeks. And I've read that BP should be fed bi-weekly(Which is what I plan to do)...not weekly. And besides, if they can go on for months without feeding, shouldn't they be fine with eating every three weeks? Just a thought.

Thanks for all the help!

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There is a difference in 2nd level and ground level heating if you are using an under tank heater or a heat bulb. And the odds are the you are using one of those. An under tank heater is going to make the upper level colder then the lower level, while an overhead bulb will make the upper level hotter than the lower level. That should just be common sense. But, that may be what you want since you would then be giving the ball two different hides.

From what I could see in the picture, the two hides are actually just one big one. Am I seeing it wrong? It looks like the upper level hole just opens into the space down on the floor. I would suggest putting one other floor-level hide on the opposite end of the cage. That should make absolutely sure that he has somewhere to go at all times, regardless of what he wants. My BPs climb, and both of mine would really love your set up. Don't listen to those that say they don't climb.


However, you should listen to everyone when it comes to feeding. I had a MASSIVE female ball python. She was freaking HUGE - I've never seen one bigger. And she ate a large live rat every other week. If I ever went three weeks without feeding her it was because she refused for some reason. You need to listen to the people here rather than your buddy. He may or may not know what he's doing, but we DO know. We're here to help but you gotta let us.

Your baby is going to be hungry all the time. You cannot wait three weeks in between feedings or you're going to have an emaciated snake. When they're young, feed once a week at least. As they age you can go a while longer.

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Originally Posted by Mindibun

However, you should listen to everyone when it comes to feeding. I had a MASSIVE female ball python. She was freaking HUGE - I've never seen one bigger. And she ate a large live rat every other week. If I ever went three weeks without feeding her it was because she refused for some reason. You need to listen to the people here rather than your buddy. He may or may not know what he's doing, but we DO know. We're here to help but you gotta let us.

Your baby is going to be hungry all the time. You cannot wait three weeks in between feedings or you're going to have an emaciated snake. When they're young, feed once a week at least. As they age you can go a while longer.

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x2

Tbh our baby will eat every 4-5 days. If i went 3 weeks without feeding him.... Well lets just say i never would unless he refused.

lol...like I've said before, I do plan on feeding it bi-weekly (Im buying an ADULT BALL), instead of weekly like rabernet stated. And as for the cave, its not complete yet, there is a floor being built and other upgrades.

why do all the fake plants have leaves that look "funny" :confused:

lol...what do you mean by funny? I think once you get the humidity up, they'll look a little more life-like.

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Originally Posted by unhip_crayon

lol...like I've said before, I do plan on feeding it bi-weekly (Im buying an ADULT BALL), instead of weekly like rabernet stated. And as for the cave, its not complete yet, there is a floor being built and other upgrades.

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My name's Robin, btw. See down my signature down there? :)

It will be your snake, feed it how you choose. I'm just wondering why you are so against a weekly feeding? All my adults feed weekly. :confused:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

My name's Robin, btw. See down my signature down there? :)

It will be your snake, feed it how you choose. I'm just wondering why you are so against a weekly feeding? All my adults feed weekly. :confused:

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They said earlier that they can't afford to feed it more often.
"Im a student so I need something that's low maintenance and cheap to feed"

I am a student too. It is not expensive to feed these animals once a week. I have 5 ball python, a rainbow boa and two crested geckos and I only spend $50 on rats every 1-2 months.

If you put an adult ball python in that setup, I can almost guarantee that it will feel insecure and not eat, or never leave the ground. These are not tree snakes. Providing them with a tree to climb in is like putting a cat in a turtles enclosure. It just doesn't suit this species needs.

If you want to put a ball python in that, go for it. But chances are you are going to have more problems and have to spend more money to fix it so your snake eats. Or even better you will have to pay for vet bills when your snake falls and hurts itself on the rocks. Nothing you can put in there will help them climb better. They are not built for climbing. You can't change their physical body structure to fit an enclosure that is "perfect for you". This is not perfect for a ball python. Another species of arboreal snake or lizard? sure! But not a ground dwelling, secretive, hiding ball python.

Lol...is there an echo in this forum? Cause I keep hearing the same thing over and over.:D

I think we've pretty much covered everything for now, thanks for all your help.

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

They said earlier that they can't afford to feed it more often.
"Im a student so I need something that's low maintenance and cheap to feed"

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Then at this time in his/her life, they should not be taking on the responsibility of another living/breathing animal if they cannot afford to properly feed it. And if they can't afford to feed it $5 (and that's on the high end estimate) a week of food, then it really concerns me what will happen if the animal requires veterinary care.

lol...I knew you were gonna say that when you asked your question. I bet you already had a reply written down before the above person even posted.

And its not that I dont have money, I just choose not to spend it. I've read and heard Bi-weekly by many people, so thats what Im doing. UNLESS I notice that he is hungry, then Ill be doing the weekly feeding

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Originally Posted by unhip_crayon

lol...I knew you were gonna say that when you asked your question. I bet you already had a reply written down before the above person even posted.

And its not that I dont have money, I just choose not to spend it. I've read and heard Bi-weekly by many people, so thats what Im doing. UNLESS I notice that he is hungry, then Ill be doing the weekly feeding

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Actually, no - I had missed that part about your finances.

The bulk of the membership here (over 15K registered members) feed on a weekly basis. I'm not certain where you've "heard" or "read" bi-weekly is recommended.

Good luck with your new animal.

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Originally Posted by unhip_crayon

Lol...is there an echo in this forum? Cause I keep hearing the same thing over and over.:D

I think we've pretty much covered everything for now, thanks for all your help.

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Not trying to flame here but you say your a student? College i assume? Well don't take offense to this. But you seem really against constructive criticism. I would hope you wouldn't have that same mind set in a work place. Or else it would just be a waste of money for you to attend school.

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Originally Posted by unhip_crayon

And its not that I dont have money, I just choose not to spend it. I've read and heard Bi-weekly by many people, so thats what Im doing. UNLESS I notice that he is hungry, then Ill be doing the weekly feeding

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Well see from what i read that all depends on what u feed him. What if all you can get is like small rats? Maybe 1 rat is not enough and wants 2-3? Will u feed him what he wants to make sure hes full for them 2 weeks? Or just feed him one rat every 2 weeks. I would be against 2 week feeding but if your feeding him enough so hes not hungry for around 2 weeks thats better i guess

Engineering student, Uni. And I'm all for constructive criticism and respect all your opinions, that's why I originally posted these pics. Thanks to you guys, I've prepared myself and thought of a back-up plan in case something doesn't work out, to adopt to the bp likings. But dont keep drilling me, I now understand balls are non-arboreal and are feed once a week by most people here, i get that. And I understand you guys are just looking after the animal safety, but from my research, I've learned that each BP is unique and until I purchase one, Ill never know.

Well if you are to feed him every 2 weeks (dont really have a prob with that) just make sure u feed him enough to last them 2 weeks. Even if it means twice the food

Cool, Thanks

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Originally Posted by rabernet

And if they can't afford to feed it $5 (and that's on the high end estimate) a week of food,

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Are you all sitting down? Before we got our BP last summer, I'd read/heard from several sources that BPs need to be fed only once a month. A $5 rat once a month. Wow, cheap!

Not only did once a month turn into once a week, but recently Patriot reached the point of 80g per feeding. That's the entire box of 4 "large" mice I was getting from Petsmart at $12/box. $12/week vs. $5/month is a humongous difference. I've since ordered in bulk online -- amen for bulk -- but my point here is not to be fooled by claims of feeding BPs only once or twice a month.

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Originally Posted by Patricia

Are you all sitting down? Before we got our BP last summer, I'd read/heard from several sources that BPs need to be fed only once a month. A $5 rat once a month. Wow, cheap!

Not only did once a month turn into once a week, but recently Patriot reached the point of 80g per feeding. That's the entire box of 4 "large" mice I was getting from Petsmart at $12/box. $12/week vs. $5/month is a humongous difference. I've since ordered in bulk online -- amen for bulk -- but my point here is not to be fooled by claims of feeding BPs only once or twice a month.

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idk i think they should be fed what they want :P if they wanna eat 2 rats a week then why not if their hungry? As long as its not too much

Quick question, Can you use a tupperware container as a water bowl? Im just worried that it might poison the water

Hi,

It won't poison the water if it is food safe.

But it will be fairly easy for them to tip - the big heavy ceramic dog water bowls work best.


dr del

I plan on building around it, I just needed something to hold the water.

Thanks!

Also, approximately how deep should the water be for an adult...more or less

Since I use a rack system with tubs, my snakes have no reason to soak in their water bowls. I use small water dishes (maybe 3-4 inches in diameter) for them to drink out of. I fill the water about an inch and refresh once daily (unless they poop/pee in it). There really is no reason for it to be a specific depth, though in your case since you have a tank, humidity issues might cause the ball python to need to soak. Choose a bowl that is going to be large enough for the snake to curl up in and deep enough to submerge at least part of its body.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...91004-1538.jpg
I have 2 Ball Pythons in show tanks with 2 stories. The top story is low to the ground though. They both love to climb and explore both levels. They will curl up on both levels and I believe they move to "upstairs" or ground level to further temperature regulate. I know they are not really aboreal but they both seem to like to climb and hang down from the upper level as well as being on the ground. I would be careful about them falling from an area that is too high though. This pic shows some of the climbing area. Good luck and the rock look is beautiful, maybe shrink the height though.

wow...nice setup. Lol, I cant tell whats wallpaper

I would still put some hides on the bottom of the tank just in case and fill up the space on the bottom. And enclose the tall "hides" a little more. Ball pythons like to feel surrounded on all sides. Since the "hides" are up against the glass, I'd block off that glass with some kind of wallpaper or black construction paper to make it darker and more secure.

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Originally Posted by JeffD

I have 2 Ball Pythons in show tanks with 2 stories. The top story is low to the ground though. They both love to climb and explore both levels.

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Wow, beautiful, and our BP would love to have such a home to play in! Nice! :gj:

Heres my final setup...Might make a third hideout under palms and also need a large bath.

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/7725/dsc4202c.jpg

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/4130/dsc4202edit.jpg

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/4388/dsc4205t.jpg



Setup has three pieces; Basking Spot, Waterfall (with pump), and the cave (+2 hides)

Basking Spot
http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/2663/dsc4208.jpg

Waterfall (Base)
http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/7937/dsc4209.jpg