what will i need for my bp

hey everyone i am new and know a bit about ball pythons but i dont think its enough to keep one healthy so can someone please tell me what i need and where i should put thanks an i will write what i alredy know so u dont have 2 write as much

what i need
-2 hides(one on the cool end and one in the warm end
-a water bowl big enouh for him 2 fit in
-something rough 2 help him shed

that what i know but i need 2 know how 2 keep the humididy at a good level and do i need a light and do i need a basking area and is there a certent way that the tank should be set up and is it best 2 use astro turf

That lighting/heating will depend on the size of the tank/cage, can't help ya yet.

Tell us how you want to heat it, this will help a lot. And how you want to cage it.

And the humidity should be around 50-60%, but this also all depends on the cage.

I have only kept Bp's for about a year but i have an undertank heater because they need belly heat too to digest their food easier. And astroturf is great you can get it from a carpet place or you can go to a pet store and get i think its called reptile carpet its great i use it and it comes with two pieces precut to your specific tank. Always have one clean. I always clean right before feeding time because by that time they have deficated their last meals and that way you can leave them alone after they eat. You dont really need a basking area but i do keep a night time lamp on even during the day on the same side as the under tank heater. I get plenty of daylight in the room so i dont need a day lamp which have UV a and b which Ball Pythons dont really need. Its also nice to have a climbing branch or vine, sand blasted gravevine works great because its rough enough for when they shed. But it look like your off to a great start keeping Ball Pythons and enjoy them they are truely amazing.

ok well i think i will be using a under the the tank heater and this will all be done in a 55 gallon that i used 2 kepp fish in and i am going 2 use astro tuf and a under the tank heater for shur but what iam wondering about is one of those night lites for night or should always keep the under the tank heater on and another thing is should i put half of the water bowl on the heater so the water isent realy cold or dose that matter

For a 50 gallon you're gonna be spending a lot of heat pads... and they do nothing for ambient temps.

I have a 22 gallon. Walmart has the heating pads that stay on all day. You can get the large one for about 12 bucks. It is great because it is very large. It will cover underneath my whole tank if i need it to. Its always running. I don't use day lamps because i have enoug light. For ambient temps I use to domes or whatever you call them. With reptile night lights in them. My ambient temps run 77 and 90. With humidity at 60%. I run a 24 hour humidifier in the room since it is so dry this season to keep humidity up. Plus, I use mesh housing so keeping humidity up is a must for me. make sure when she is shedding, she has a humid hide as well. This can be accomplished by placing a damp sponge inside one of her hides. So your bp has the choice between the two.

In a 55 gallon aquarium, you will need at least one heat pad, and one heat lamp of some type, both on 24/7, unless the room it is in is above 80 degrees. If you use a black light, you can leave it on 24/7. I recommend ceramic heat emitters (CHE's). They are expensive ($35), but they last a LOT longer than light bulbs. BP's are nocturnal, so don't need a basking area with UVB light like some lizards do. I would put in more than two hides in a tank that big, with some fake ivy plants or something similar so he doesn't feel so exposed going from one place to another. I would put the water towards the warm end, but not completely over the heat pad. As long as he can get into the water dish, you shouldn't have to worry about humidity.
Many people use newspaper for substrate, but it is largely personal choice. Astroturf works fine.

Keep up the good work!

I discovered that Exo Terra Makes a large hide that is perfect it fits great and looks great in a 12" wide tank and has an area with a high ceiling on one side and a low side it look like rock and is about 11.99 not to expensive for a large hide i have seen some for $35 and with these you can get two for less then that.

is there any hides that i can put the water bowl on top of because i can put it in the cool end and have one oth the blue night bulds on it 24/7 and that would keep the water warm but still keep the cool hide cool and i was thinking of puting pvc in the back going from each hide and would it work if i elevater the water bowl about 3'' off the gound obove the heat pad so the water dosent get 2 cold and he would fell more enclosed but still have room 2 move around at night

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there, i think you dropped those ;).

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Originally Posted by Wizill

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there, i think you dropped those ;).

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LOL! Cute!

newbe, if you want to put your water bowl on top of a hide, try an over-turned clay pot for a hide. Not a deep pot, but the bottom piece that catches water under a clay planter. (I'm probably not describing that well, but I know lots of people use them and can probably give a picture.) Anyhow...it's like a shallow bowl with a flat bottom. Cut a hole in the side and turn it upside down for a hide...then put the water bowl on top of it. Be careful that the water bowl won't tip off if/when the snake tries to climb into it, though!

And if you put a PVC pipe in there, be sure it's not long/small enough for the snake to wedge himself into the center. You won't be able to get him out if you need to. (I discovered this when I used a paper-towel tube as a hide...the snake loved it, but when I needed to take him out, he would NOT come out for anything...I ended up having to tear the tube away, which you wouldn't be able to do with PVC.)

I'm sure there are lots of different ways you can do your set-up and have a happy snake...so long as temp/humidity and other basic needs are met, you can be creative with the layout.