Thinking about buying a ball python

Hey guys, I just have a couple questions regarding possibly getting a ball python.

First I should mention that I am a college student living in an apartment. In spite of this, I still would have the space for a 24*36*18 inch terrarium (max). I also have an empty freezer space that is 7*5*12 inches.

Some concerns of mine are feeding and freezer space. I don't have a car at my apartment, as I live right off of campus and walk to class. My roommates take me to the grocery store about once a month, and immediately next to the grocery store is a PetsMart, so I would probably be able to buy things at PetsMart about once a month. Would this be okay with regards to buying food for the snake? Should I be concerned about my reliance on my roommates for that kind of thing? I have also considered the idea of ordering frozen rats online, but I am unsure of how this process works. What if a box of frozen rats is delivered to my apartment and I can't receive it for a few hours? Do they begin to thaw? Secondly, like I said, is freezer space. I only have 7*5*12 inches of volume in my freezer to store frozen rats. This is also in the same fridge that I store drinking water in (although I'm sure that's probably safe/okay). Is that enough space to keep rats for a ball python?

My biggest concern is travel. About once a semester, I return home for 2-3 days, and at the end of the semesters (during winter and summer) I return home for 1-3 months. I usually take a plane to get home. Is it okay to leave a ball python unattended for 2-3 days during the shorter travel periods? And how easy is it to relocate a ball python's home for 1-3 months over winter and summer breaks?

Altogether, it seems like I may not be ready to own a ball python, but I figured it would be worth asking you guys for opinions and advice anyway. This is an idea I have been bouncing around for a few months now, but am willing to accept the idea that I cannot own one, if that turns out to be the case.

Thanks for the help!

I got my first BP after I graduated from college, and decided that I totally could've gotten one while in college... They're the easiest animal I've ever kept, if you don't go all fancy right off the bat. Especially if you're getting a hatchling first, even more convenient for at least half a year.

You can keep everything very easy to move during summer break if you go with a tub setup. An adult male can live in a 32 qt latch sterilite tub with ample room. Hatchlings can live in 15 qt tub. Substrate, thermostat, heat pad, a couple hides from reptilebasics and a water bowl, + hygrometer/thermometer, that's it. Maybe add a branch or two and some fake leaves if you want. When you move, just put the snake in a pillow case, put the pillow case in the tub, bring it all home.

That 5x7x12 size might be too small to store the bulk feeders you buy online. So you can buy a few F/T from petsmart at a time (but it's much pricier than buying in bulk), or find a local feeder breeder and humanely euthanize them yourself.

ETA: Just wanted to add, I lived in an apartment right after college last year with my two ball pythons and a dumeril's boa. Every few weeks when we have a long weekend at work (3~4 days off), I'd drive them all to my family's home with me and set them up right away. They were all in tub setups. It's really very easy to transport.

Leaving them for 2~3 days is totally fine. The only worry is if they poop the first day you're gone. Then you'll find a mess when you get back. =P

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Originally Posted by redshepherd

I got my first BP after I graduated from college, and decided that I totally could've gotten one while in college... They're the easiest animal I've ever kept, if you don't go all fancy right off the bat. Especially if you're getting a hatchling first, even more convenient for at least half a year.

You can keep everything very easy to move during summer break if you go with a tub setup. An adult male can live in a 32 qt latch sterilite tub with ample room. Hatchlings can live in 15 qt tub. Substrate, thermostat, heat pad, a couple hides from reptilebasics and a water bowl, + hygrometer/thermometer, that's it. Maybe add a branch or two and some fake leaves if you want. When you move, just put the snake in a pillow case, put the pillow case in the tub, bring it all home.

That 5x7x12 size might be too small to store the bulk feeders you buy online. So you can buy a few F/T from petsmart at a time (but it's much pricier than buying in bulk), or find a local feeder breeder and humanely euthanize them yourself.

ETA: Just wanted to add, I lived in an apartment right after college last year with my two ball pythons and a dumeril's boa. Every few weeks when we have a long weekend at work (3~4 days off), I'd drive them all to my family's home with me and set them up right away. They were all in tub setups. It's really very easy to transport.

Leaving them for 2~3 days is totally fine. The only worry is if they poop the first day you're gone. Then you'll find a mess when you get back. =P

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So, this might sound really stupid, but in terms of a tub versus a tank/terrarium, I do have some space on my desk, but that's about it. Which is fine, it's just that... I feel like, being out in the open in an obvious spot in my room, a tub would be not as pleasing to the eye as a tank. I mean, just having a tub sitting on my desk all of the time I feel like would be a little weird. What do you think? That's really the only reason I would be leaning toward a tank instead

Then again, I could have a tank at my apartment, a tub at my family home, and whenever I would go home for an extended time (like all summer), I could transport the snake in a smaller tub, bring all of the husbandry equipment with me, and then set up the tub when I get home. I would think that this may not be the best idea though, because I would be worried about stressing out the snake by doing this



Whoops, sorry for the double post. I just assumed there was some kind of automerge

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Originally Posted by FaulerHund

So, this might sound really stupid, but in terms of a tub versus a tank/terrarium, I do have some space on my desk, but that's about it. Which is fine, it's just that... I feel like, being out in the open in an obvious spot in my room, a tub would be not as pleasing to the eye as a tank. I mean, just having a tub sitting on my desk all of the time I feel like would be a little weird. What do you think? That's really the only reason I would be leaning toward a tank instead

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It's more difficult to maintain heat and humidity in glass with a screen top than plastic tub... With a glass tank, you'll most likely need a heat lamp in addition to the heat pad. And then depending on where you live, you might need to think of ways to increase humidity, since a heat lamp with drain humidity from the air. Anything a tank can do, a tub can do better... I personally don't think it's weird at all- whatever works the best is the best to me, especially if you have to transport often.

But if you really care about the aesthetic, it's not like it won't work. Here's the glass tank guide: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...-With-Pictures!

vs. the tub guide: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...e-Basics-*DUW*

Well, I go to UT Austin in Austin, Texas, so the humidity tends to be on the mid to higher side. I'd say average is about 55%, but it's pretty variable. Today it was 75%. I don't know about the inside of my apartment, though. Perhaps that would have an effect on the efficacy of a tank? I do care about the aesthetic, but only insofar as it allows me to give the snake good care. If it is possible to provide the same quality of care and to make the snake as comfortable with a tank as with a tub, even if that requires a heat lamp, I think I would lean toward that option.

Could stress snake out going from tank to tub, even if its temporary. So you run risk of snake not eating. If you want the ability to move snake without these issues, a tub is the way to go. Thn its home is only being moved location wise..not moving it to a different environment for your trip home.

I would like to suggest, be sure your school allows these types of animals in dorm rooms and for those off campus,the management of apartment off campus to avoid other issues.

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So I have been looking into tubs, and this person says they keep theirs in a 6 qt tub until they are 500+ grams. Is this reasonable? How do you maintain a temperature gradient in such a small tub? Here is the thread

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...etup-for-Chris

Would any of these work? By my calculations, the first is 8 quarts ( 13 x 8 x 4.5 inches ), the second is 16 quarts ( 14 x 11 x 6 inches ), and the third is 8 quarts (14 x 11 x 3 inches)

http://www.sterilite.com/SelectProdu...=249&section=1
http://www.sterilite.com/SelectProdu...=250&section=1
http://www.sterilite.com/SelectProdu...=250&section=1

Ayee, I'm in Austin, too!

6qt are often used for hatchlings by breeders, although you could keep a small one in a 6qt you'd have to move up soon. I personally started with, and recommend, something like 16qt. Depending on the size of your snake, it could be a little big, but it will be fine if you can fill it up with things (hides, leafy decor, etc.) so your snake feels hidden and secure. This way, you're also spending less money and time switching from 6qt, 12qt, 24qt, 32qt, 41qt, etc. A 16qt can go to 500g+, although at 400g, I switched my snake to a 41qt (which many will say is very big, but like I said, if you fill it up, it works out). The money is no issue for me personally, especially since tubs are so cheap, but it's much less work (and less stress on the snake) to only have to move to new enclosures 2-3 times than 5-6.

As for the temperature gradient, you won't get a huge one in a smaller tub. But it helps if you put more air holes on one side over the other (instead of evenly spread) so one side will be cooler than the other.

I would also recommend a tub with latches, especially if it's bigger. A small snake is okay in a tub without latches because they can't push out. But once your snake is full grown, two latches on the short ends of a 41qt will result in the long sides being easy to push through (I tested it at walmart). The 16qt I started out with looks like this (got from walmart at anderson). The one we have now looks like this (which is nice because no single side is weak since all sides have latches), which I bought at the container store (off of research).

But honestly, any of those could work. It really depends how big your snake is. Snakes do like small spaces to feel safe, but I like to give mine room for the temperature gradient (as you mentioned, it IS harder to have one in a small tub), enrichment, and just overall room for more hides.

And hmm... what else, what else... Depending on your apartment's temperature, you might need some kind of extra heating element during the winter. I keep my house at about 71F, and the cool ambient is about 77-81F during the summer, but it will drop below 75F during the winter. The humidity will probably be around 55% naturally, which is fine typically, but you'll want to mist during the shed cycles. Also keep in mind that ball pythons live 20+ years and not all apartments allow reptiles, so that's something to consider. Hmm... for food, I just go to Zookeeper (off of research/burnet, where that olive garden is) and buy 4-5 feeders which lasts a month. They don't take up a lot of space. I just put them in a brown paper bag inside a grocery plastic bag. It takes up as much space as like a tub of butter. However, if you can, buying bulk at an expo is much cheaper.

Not sure what else to address. Here's a picture of what my tub looks like if you're curious.

https://i.gyazo.com/150ced98000abba2...3c89c22862.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FaulerHund

So I have been looking into tubs, and this person says they keep theirs in a 6 qt tub until they are 500+ grams. Is this reasonable? How do you maintain a temperature gradient in such a small tub? Here is the thread

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...etup-for-Chris

Would any of these work? By my calculations, the first is 8 quarts ( 13 x 8 x 4.5 inches ), the second is 16 quarts ( 14 x 11 x 6 inches ), and the third is 8 quarts (14 x 11 x 3 inches)

http://www.sterilite.com/SelectProdu...=249&section=1
http://www.sterilite.com/SelectProdu...=250&section=1
http://www.sterilite.com/SelectProdu...=250&section=1

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I'd prefer the 16 qt until ~500g, and then bump them up to 32 qt. I'm of the belief that if you give them some more room, they utilize it... Most people use 15qt to 500g, except for small hatchlings in 6qt only for a month or two... But note that the bigger enclosure size you go relative to the size of the ball python, the more care you have to take to really fill up the tank with "clutter" and places to hide, so the ball python won't become stressed out in open spaces.

I think fireflii has a great looking tup setup!

No one seems to have addressed the feeders.

I order from Big Cheese (read reviews for any company you decide to go with - a few of them are terrible). BC is fairly close, so the box comes to me in a day or two. That dry ice stays frozen for days on end. Be very careful disposing of it. The box will be big, however that is mostly for the dry ice. The feeders won't take up much room at all - like a couple of steaks, depending on how many you order. I like to repackage them in smaller amounts so they won't get freezer burn. Have freezer bags or canning jars handy if you want to do that. Jars take up a lot more space, but I prefer them.

If you try to rely on the local pet stores, you will soon learn that they NEVER have a feeder when you need one!

I think it can depend on the local store (we're not talking about large chain stores like petsmart or petco). Buying bulk online is great... if you have a lot of snakes or have an adult snake. Otherwise, if you have a young snake, you can expect to upgrade feeder size within just a couple of months. In one year, mine has gone from mice fuzzies to small rats. One pack of rat pups is 25 rats. For $24.75 that's pretty good... but with a flat rate shipping of $29, that's almost $60 for 25 rats that he'll have already outgrown in maybe 1-3 months (about 4-12 feedings). That means you'd have a serious excess amount of rats and either have to feed small for about 3 months or double up on feedings (which isn't bad, but not really the best). That's why I recommended Zookeeper in my previous (a local reptile shop in Austin). They're much better than petsmart or petco, and it's way more convenient to go there. They rarely don't have a lack of feeders, and if they do, you just gotta come back the next day or two. They aren't the best, but they're not horrible. There's also quite a lot of local feeder breeders around here and San Antonio, too. It's overall much cheaper and better than bulk online... UNLESS, as I mentioned, you have an adult snake or you're just upgrading feeder size. Because at that point your snake won't be upgrading in feeder size or won't need to upgrade for awhile, so you can spend that $60 (or more/less, depending what it eats) and just save them up for half a year.

So I created a list of all of the items I would get for my setup:

Item	Price		Link
Sterilite Deep Clip Box ( 14 x 11 x 6.25 inches )	$24		https://www.amazon.com/Sterilite-19658604-Aquarium-Latches-4-Pack/dp/B004QJM0DG
Ultratherm Undertank Heater (6 x 11 inches )	$17		http://www.reptilebasics.com/ultratherm-undertank-heater-uth-6-x11
Jump Start MTPRTC	$28		https://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPRTC-Digital-Thermostat-Heat/dp/B000NZZG3S
Digital Thermometer	$15		https://www.amazon.com/AcuRite-00782A2-Wireless-Outdoor-Thermometer/dp/B0009Y7RPS
Two Hide Boxes	$10		http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes
Water Bowl	$6		http://www.reptilebasics.com/water-bowls
White Duct Tape	$7		https://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Pearl-White-1-88-Inch-20-Yard/dp/B003YHBU1O/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1473921116&sr=8-5&keywords=white+duct+tape
Total	$107

Additionally, I would buy some clutter stuff from PetsMart or something, and I would have to buy some feeders. I'm thinking I would just visit that Zookeeper store in person. Does all of this seem good? Am I missing something important? I was going to use paper towel as my substrate, at least for a while.

You don't need a four pack of storage containers. Something like this will do fine, and it's much cheaper. :) You can also check out walmart if it's available (which is where I got mine). Home Depot may have them, too. There's also a cheaper digital thermometer, also acurite, you can use here (measures temperature and humidity). I'd recommend getting two so you can measure the temperature of the warm side and cool side (although in a small tub, it probably won't vary much, but you'll have them for later at least; be sure not to get them too wet otherwise they'll stop working).

You'll also want a temperature gun. While the acurite will measure ambient temperature, the temperature gun will measure surface temperature. You can think of it like walking outside bare feet and feeling how hot it is on your face (ambient), but your feet might be much hotter if you step on the concrete as opposed to the grass (surface). Hot spot (the surface) should be about 90F, cool ambient should be about 77-81F (can be a bit more or less, but not below 75F). That being said, if your apartment is too cool (and the ambient falls below 75F), then you can get a CHE (ceramic heat emitter). It's a heat lamp that doesn't emit light, but they get hot, so you'll need a cage/dome with a ceramic base and either a dimmer or second thermostat. Here's the CHE, here's the lamp clamp/cage, and here's the stand. Some cut a hole in the top of the lid and attach some wire mesh and set the lamp on top of that, but I don't do that because I don't want the wire mesh to get hot and burn my snake if he touches it nor do I want him rubbing on the mesh would would damage scales. Of course, this is IF your ambients don't get high enough, so you'll want to set up the cage and watch it for a week or so before you actually get the snake to make sure it's working, the temperatures/humidity are adjusted, etc. So I would wait to buy those to see if you actually need them.

I'd also get tongs for feeding, a digital scale that weighs in g if you don't have one (like this one), chlorhexidine for disinfecting (or some other disinfectant, but a gallon will last quite awhile), and white vinegar for regular cleaning (or something else).

You can drill holes in the tub, although you've gotta be careful. I've also heard that you'll need to smooth out the edges after, but I've never used that method so I can't give any input on it. I used a soldering iron which is much easier. And lastly, these vines are great for decor if you need to clutter up the space. They're long (6ft, you can cut in half), very leafy and easy to spread (unlike some other varieties where it looks like you just have a clump of leaves off to one side that don't really cover any actual space or hide the snake), and cheap.

For hides, you can buy them (the ones from reptilebasics are great), but you can also make some. If you ever get take out from Cocos (near MLK/guad), their to-go boxes are good hide shapes. You'll need to clean and disinfect them (obviously), but just cut a hole, sand it down so its smooth, and you can easily use the base (would be about the size of a medium hide, though, which will be too big for a small snake). You can also cut a tissue box into 1/3s and use each half end as a small hide (which will work for a small snake). Just be sure to exchange them once in awhile so it doesn't grow mold (it is cardboard after all).

I think that's all I can think of off the top of my head as far as basic supplies go. It's about $100-200, but a lot of that you won't have to buy again or at least for a long while (or until you upgrade enclosure size).