Soon To Be Owner-- Am I Ready?

Hi,

I have been interested in ball pythons for the longest time but more recently have been researching their care, personality, etc. extensively. I am knowledgeable in their care and their needs and have considered as such to whether one would be right for me or not. I have decided that it is, and have looked into several different places who sell them. I have decided to buy mine from the reptile chain located in a few places near my home. They are very well educated on all the animals they produce and take care of them well. They have five babies in right now which are well started and healthy and pretty tame. I have handled their larger adults to be sure I will be able to handle an adult adequately and no, I'm not afraid or queasy about giving mice and rats as food.

Now just to make sure, here is all of what I will have (I have nearly all of it but still need to get a few things from the list):

-Terrarium: 36 x 18 x 12 with a screen top that locks on both sides
-Hides: half log, box hide, cork flats
-Bedding: cypress mulch about an inch deep
-Foliage, etc.: two small fake plants, fake leaves, a few fake flowers for color, medium sized branch, New Zealand Sphagnum Moss, and some sterile rocks and pebbles
-Bowl: sturdy water bowl deep enough for soaking, shallow enough so he won't drown, and smooth enough on the edges so he won't hurt himself climbing in/out
-Food: small fuzzy mice (this is what I've been told they're being fed on now, b/c they're not too big around yet)
-Heating: 75 watt bulb in a large reflector dome with clips that I'm going to try out first and make sure temps are right
-Temp/Humidity Regulator: Vivarium Electronics Digital Thermometer/Hygrometer
-Animal: single male baby normal ball python

Anything I'm missing? Thanks for your help. :)

More than ready. I would take out the bulb tho, they don't need it. Get a under the tank heat pad instead

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Originally Posted by stickyalvinroll

More than ready. I would take out the bulb tho, they don't need it. Get a under the tank heat pad instead

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This. definitely get a UTH that's slightly less than half as long as the tank!
Heat bulbs would be switching on and off and stress the snake and not heat the hot hide floor temp correctly.

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Originally Posted by stickyalvinroll

More than ready. I would take out the bulb tho, they don't need it. Get a under the tank heat pad instead

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and don't forget a thermostat.

Much of what you have listed is not needed.
You will need aluminum foil to cover that screen top and hold in some humidity...

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Originally Posted by reptilover22

Hi,

Now just to make sure, here is all of what I will have (I have nearly all of it but still need to get a few things from the list):

-Terrarium: 36 x 18 x 12 with a screen top that locks on both sides This is as decent size. The screen top will need to be covered with foil as Pit mentioned in order to keep humidity in. once you add heat, the humidity will start to drop unless this is covered and sealed.
-Hides: half log, box hide, cork flats The logs don't really provide much security for bp's. You'd be better off getting two identical hides, just big enough for your bp to fit into, and without a bottom, so it can be lifted off to get to your bp if/when needed. You can even make these yourself out of empty butter-bowls or plant saucers until you can purchase them somewhere. The ones from Reptile basics are very nice if you want to check those out.
-Bedding: cypress mulch about an inch deep
-Foliage, etc.: two small fake plants, fake leaves, a few fake flowers for color, medium sized branch, New Zealand Sphagnum Moss, and some sterile rocks and pebbles
-Bowl: sturdy water bowl deep enough for soaking, shallow enough so he won't drown, and smooth enough on the edges so he won't hurt himself climbing in/out
-Food: small fuzzy mice (this is what I've been told they're being fed on now, b/c they're not too big around yet) Most BP's right out of the egg can handle a hopper mouse. If they have had a few fuzzies already, I would move them to hopper's as soon as you get them. They will likely only be on hoppers for a month or so and then be ready to move up in prey size again.
-Heating: 75 watt bulb in a large reflector dome with clips that I'm going to try out first and make sure temps are right Do you mean a CHE bulb? That would be a good source of heat to raise your ambient temperatures. You will also likely need a UTH (as mentioned above for belly heat). The CHE MIGHT be enough, but I would set it all up and let it run for a few days to make sure it maintains.
-Temp/Humidity Regulator: Vivarium Electronics Digital Thermometer/Hygrometer
-Animal: single male baby normal ball python

Anything I'm missing? Thanks for your help. :)

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As mentioned in the previous replies, you are missing a thermostat. This is different than a thermometer. The thermostat will regulate your heat to make sure you don't cook your snake. It's probably the single most important piece of hardware in your setup.

For a glass cage in a bedroom I'd keep the bulb on a dimmer for ambient temps, unless the room is kept warmer then the normal household temps will suck up the humidity tho . ... Just a thought .

As stated a thermostat is a must have. That should be your first purchase, you can't keep a bp or any reptile without one. If you have some money to put into it then look at a Herpstat 1 or if you have 2 heat sources a Herpstat 2. Also if you don't already have the glass tank look into a animal plastics t8 with divider, these pvc tanks will save your life with humidity and you can move the divider little by little as the snake grows. Compared to buying a glass tank brand new they are not that much more.

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Originally Posted by chrid16371

As stated a thermostat is a must have. That should be your first purchase, you can't keep a bp or any reptile without one. If you have some money to put into it then look at a Herpstat 1 or if you have 2 heat sources a Herpstat 2. Also if you don't already have the glass tank look into a animal plastics t8 with divider, these pvc tanks will save your life with humidity and you can move the divider little by little as the snake grows. Compared to buying a glass tank brand new they are not that much more.

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You most definitely can have a bp without a thermostat, as long as you have your heating elements hooked up to a reheostat or dimmer you will do just fine. Make sure that the room the enclosure is located in doesn't have wild temperature swings itself and you will do just fine. Make sure to use an IR temp gun to check hot spot temps daily.

Also I wanted to comment on hides. My male would not use half log hide at all bc of the lack of security so he was always in his cool hide. I bought 2 reptile basics hides and now he regulates his body temp and eats like a champ. If you get these hides and a young bp get the medium, don't get anything smaller than the medium the smalls are tiny.

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As an aside, thw ubiquitous tim fool treatment is unnecessary. Go to a construction store and get s piece of melamine and place it on the top of the cage. Done.

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

You most definitely can have a bp without a thermostat, as long as you have your heating elements hooked up to a reheostat or dimmer you will do just fine. Make sure that the room the enclosure is located in doesn't have wild temperature swings itself and you will do just fine. Make sure to use an IR temp gun to check hot spot temps daily.

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The point was you need something to regulate the temp. A thermostat is the safest. Yes you can use dimmers, I used them for awhile with my snakes and other reptiles but 2 failed and good thing I was home or it would of cooked them. Then I bought a Herpstat 6. Things happen and its best to be prepared and a quality thermostat is being prepared. You can't always be home watching it.

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If a reliable dimmer fails, they fail in the off position, thus turning off all heat and preventing any danger.

The point I'm making about your post is that it's never good to use definitive language on a topic that is debatable. People read these forums and take things literally, so saying "you can't own a bp without a thermostat," while the sentiment is correct, it can be misinterpreted as fact.

It actually depends where the dimmer fails if it stays on or off. I had a 2 $40 heavy duty dimmers do it so you can't say a reliable dimmer cant fail. I'll be happy to send you the model and you can see they were reliable. Thing is they failed at the adjuster themselves. Also there not made for what we use them for. People often are going to buy the cheapest dimmer they can find.

Yes I'm sorry I should of said you cant keep a bp without regulating the heat source. That was my point and I should of voiced it better. I would also like to add that a drastic change in room temp with a dimmer can be just as harmful as having nothing to regulate your heat source. Like if you have your heat going bc its 30 at night and you wake up and go to work and temps during the day reach 70 and your house is really hot when you come home and then your temps in your enclosure will higher. Bottom line in my experience I don't think a heat regulating device should be skimped on do to the reasons I stated and they are all experiences I've had. Also a quality thermostat like any electrical device can fail but have a decreased chance of doing so.


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Originally Posted by chrid16371

It actually depends where the dimmer fails if it stays on or off. I had a 2 $40 heavy duty dimmers do it so you can't say a reliable dimmer cant fail. I'll be happy to send you the model and you can see they were reliable. Thing is they failed at the adjuster themselves. Also there not made for what we use them for. People often are going to buy the cheapest dimmer they can find.

Yes I'm sorry I should of said you cant keep a bp without regulating the heat source. That was my point and I should of voiced it better. I would also like to add that a drastic change in room temp with a dimmer can be just as harmful as having nothing to regulate your heat source. Like if you have your heat going bc its 30 at night and you wake up and go to work and temps during the day reach 70 and your house is really hot when you come home and then your temps in your enclosure will higher. Bottom line in my experience I don't think a heat regulating device should be skimped on do to the reasons I stated and they are all experiences I've had. Also a quality thermostat like any electrical device can fail but have a decreased chance of doing so.


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The point I was making about background room temperatures is that most are thermostatically controlled themselves. If your apartment has a thermostat regulating heat/AC then your room temps will not be jumping wildly all over the place.

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

The point I was making about background room temperatures is that most are thermostatically controlled themselves. If your apartment has a thermostat regulating heat/AC then your room temps will not be jumping wildly all over the place.

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Agreed. Some houses don't have central air. My house doesn't so we use window ac units. This morning temp outside was 32 and inside was 65. I came home on lunch and temp outside is now 75 and inside is 87 with the sun beating on my house. If I was using a dimmer my temps would of been higher than they should. It has happened before. You just have to prepare for these changes. Ok I'm done hijacking this thread. I misused my words and I'm sorry and I corrected it.

To the OP, my mistake and JoshSloane and my conversation gives you a little insight on dimmers. You need to monitor them more closely than thermostats. You still need to monitor thermostats but they will constantly adjust to give you the right temp. I think one thing me and JoshSloane can agree on is if you have the funds buy a quality thermostat. Like a Herpstat or ve-200d. There is cheaper on/off models like ve-100 and even cheaper is hydrofarm which others members have said are good. I personally would not use an on/off style for a lamp heat source bc the light will constantly flicker on and off but for a uth it would be fine. If those thermostats are out of reach for you then yes a lamp dimmer will work.

Also once you get your enclosure set up post some pics and ask for advice. It worked well for me!

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Also, remember that Herpstat makes a "intro" model thermostat that is probably more appropriate for a new owner who is concerned about affordability but wants quality.

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

If a reliable dimmer fails, they fail in the off position, thus turning off all heat and preventing any danger.

The point I'm making about your post is that it's never good to use definitive language on a topic that is debatable. People read these forums and take things literally, so saying "you can't own a bp without a thermostat," while the sentiment is correct, it can be misinterpreted as fact.

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NOT if the resistor shorts. Yes I did have one melt and once the windings become "one" there is no more voltage reduction.
Still the safer two bets are a thermostat and remembering that what works on one house may not in another.
Also cardboard wrapped in aluminum foil is a lot easier and lighter than melamine.....

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Originally Posted by chrid16371

Also I wanted to comment on hides. My male would not use half log hide at all bc of the lack of security so he was always in his cool hide. I bought 2 reptile basics hides and now he regulates his body temp and eats like a champ. If you get these hides and a young bp get the medium, don't get anything smaller than the medium the smalls are tiny.

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I know that it may not be used for a while on security reasons but a friend of mine has one, a baby, who loves the half log. I'm just going to put it in there among the other hides (which are all small, don't worry :) ) and see if he takes to it or not. If I don't see him in it at all, I will wait until he is larger to try it out again or I will just discard that idea. Thanks for the commentary :)

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Originally Posted by reptilover22

I know that it may not be used for a while on security reasons but a friend of mine has one, a baby, who loves the half log. I'm just going to put it in there among the other hides (which are all small, don't worry :) ) and see if he takes to it or not. If I don't see him in it at all, I will wait until he is larger to try it out again or I will just discard that idea. Thanks for the commentary :)

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It's worth a try. I would try hanging fake leaves or something kinda over the front so its not so exposed. As for the commentary, no problem lol

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