14 yo newbie here with a shopping list and some questions :))

hey!! :) i'm a newbie to snake owning and this forum but i've read a lot of threads here and everyone seems so informed and nice! anyways my parents agreed to getting me a baby ball python (not sure what morph yet) for my 15th birthday which is super exciting since i've been wanting one for so long. i'm getting him/her in 2 months!! i've been doing a lot of research and shopping to prepare and i was wondering if you guys could help look through the products i want to buy and answer a few questions? *i apologize for the length of this in advance lolol


Shopping List :)
$40.99 - 10 gal. Grreat Choice Terrarium - 20x10x12 in.
$13.99 - 24 QT Zoo Med Aspen Bedding$19.99 - 11 x 11 In. Ultratherm UTH
$10.98 - 2 Exo Terra Reptile Caves - Medium - 9x6x2.5 in.
$11.32 - 2? Exo Terra Water Dishes - Medium - 3.75x5x1.5 in.
$28.23 - Hydrofarm MTPRTC Digital Thermostat
~$20 - 2 AcuRite Digital Humidity and Temperature Monitors
$9.99 - Exo Terra Reptile Terrarium Background
$7.99 - Underground Reptiles Frozen Hopper Mice - 10 Pack


Possible/Future Things to Buy:
$6.99 - 50 Watt Exo Terra Heat Glo Infrared Spot Lamp, 120 Volt
$12.20 - Zilla Premium Reflector Dome
$2.45 - 2 cu. ft. Cypress Mulch


^^ does this seem okay?


Questions:
I really don't wanna mess up my first time owning a snake so I have a lot of questions sorry! ^^;
- i read on a stickied post that i should feed hoppers for the first 3-5 meals. 10 frozen hoppers is the lowest bulk quantity i can find so would it be okay to feed my snake hoppers for 10 meals? i just don't want to waste them...
- should i get a 2nd water bowl? i see some people have one on the warm side and one on the cool side, but other people just have one.
- could i just have 2 temp/humidity monitors in the tank or should i have probes?
- so i know that my bp needs privacy so i plan on covering the back of the tank with the exo terra background and covering the 2 adjacent sides with like black paper or something. is that sufficient enough for it?
- how long would i be able to use the 10 gallon until i upgrade? and when i upgrade, should i just dive into a 30-40 gallon?
- do i need a heat lamp for a 10 gallon tank?
- approx what length is a 100 gram bp?
- once i do get a heat lamp, should i get day/night bulbs? is a day/night cycle necessary?
- how often will i need to clean the hides? how often will i need to fully clean the tank and replace substrate and stuff?
- after waiting a week after my snake arrives, how often/much would be advised to handle it? i want to handle it as much as possible as a baby to get it used to it but i don't want to stress them :/


lol those are the only questions i can think up right now
if anyone could help answer a few at least that would be really appreciated! thanks so much :D

No time at the moment but I would say one thing ....

Try and buy off a breeder , ideally a fellow forum member as they will normally be healthier snakes and you'd have more choice of morphs .

Reptile stores are basically selling the ones the breeders couldn't sell in many cases ..

The MAIN thing when buying a baby Royal / Ball python in my opinion is to make sure your getting a GOOD feeder !

Some are poor , some average but the good feeders REMAIN good feeders in my experience ...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Please make sure to get a thermostat too, not just a thermometer. Thermostats control the UTH and make sure it doesn't get too hot. An unregulated UTH can reach well over 100 degrees which can burn a snake. I recommend the Jumpstart thermostat. You can get it on Amazon! It's pretty easy to use: plug it into the UTH, plug it into the wall, and the set what temperature you want. For example, if you set the thermostat to 90 degrees, it will turn off the heat mat when it reaches over 91 degrees and turn it back on when the heat mat gets under 89 degrees.

One water bowl is plenty. I have mine right in the middle of the enclosure. Try to get one that is somewhat heavy so it can't be knocked over easily.

Day/night lights are not needed. A ceramic heat emitter (CHE) is what I recommend using. It's a bulb that only produces heat and no light. Some light bulbs can be too harsh for ball pythons so it's better to just use one that only puts off heat.

Your plan for covering the enclosure sounds great! I used some leftover black fabric for my enclosure (it's taped to the outside of the glass).

I'm glad to hear that you plan on letting your ball python settle in for a week before handling it. After that about 3 times per week is sufficient. Just be sure to wait at least 48 hours after your snake eats before handling it. Otherwise it may regurgitate its meal.

You seem very responsible and I think that you are going to do great with your ball python. I love to see people ask a lot of questions before buying one!

Oh and like Zincubus said, definitely get your ball from a breeder. Often times ball pythons at pet stores aren't very well taken care of so many of them are sick or don't eat or have mites. It's better to spend a bit more for a high quality python that doesn't have eating issues. :gj:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kira

Please make sure to get a thermostat too, not just a thermometer. Thermostats control the UTH and make sure it doesn't get too hot. An unregulated UTH can reach well over 100 degrees which can burn a snake. I recommend the Jumpstart thermostat. You can get it on Amazon! It's pretty easy to use: plug it into the UTH, plug it into the wall, and the set what temperature you want. For example, if you set the thermostat to 90 degrees, it will turn off the heat mat when it reaches over 91 degrees and turn it back on when the heat mat gets under 89 degrees.

One water bowl is plenty. I have mine right in the middle of the enclosure. Try to get one that is somewhat heavy so it can't be knocked over easily.

Day/night lights are not needed. A ceramic heat emitter (CHE) is what I recommend using. It's a bulb that only produces heat and no light. Some light bulbs can be too harsh for ball pythons so it's better to just use one that only puts off heat.

Your plan for covering the enclosure sounds great! I used some leftover black fabric for my enclosure (it's taped to the outside of the glass).

I'm glad to hear that you plan on letting your ball python settle in for a week before handling it. After that about 3 times per week is sufficient. Just be sure to wait at least 48 hours after your snake eats before handling it. Otherwise it may regurgitate its meal.

You seem very responsible and I think that you are going to do great with your ball python. I love to see people ask a lot of questions before buying one!

Oh and like Zincubus said, definitely get your ball from a breeder. Often times ball pythons at pet stores aren't very well taken care of so many of them are sick or don't eat or have mites. It's better to spend a bit more for a high quality python that doesn't have eating issues. :gj:

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Agreed , as to prices I've always found the breeders to be far cheaper than the stores who have massive costs to cover ....unless you're talking about buying the more expensive morphs off breeders , of course .

I know of a bloke ( not even a breeder ) who sold his clutch of unwanted 'normal' Royals to his local store for £7 each only to see them for sale a few days at £79 each !!

Gradually they all sold even at that crazy price .

Many people don't even know about the breeders or the online classifieds and simply hand over really good money for run of the mill snakes . At least those were healthy enough .... at least when he handed them over to the shop , anyways :)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kira

Please make sure to get a thermostat too, not just a thermometer. Thermostats control the UTH and make sure it doesn't get too hot. An unregulated UTH can reach well over 100 degrees which can burn a snake. I recommend the Jumpstart thermostat. You can get it on Amazon! It's pretty easy to use: plug it into the UTH, plug it into the wall, and the set what temperature you want. For example, if you set the thermostat to 90 degrees, it will turn off the heat mat when it reaches over 91 degrees and turn it back on when the heat mat gets under 89 degrees.

---

Thanks for answering so many questions! I was actually planning on getting that exact thermostat lol ^-^ Is it compatible with any UTH (like the Ultratherm one)?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

No time at the moment but I would say one thing ....

Try and buy off a breeder , ideally a fellow forum member as they will normally be healthier snakes and you'd have more choice of morphs .

Reptile stores are basically selling the ones the breeders couldn't sell in many cases ..

The MAIN thing when buying a baby Royal / Ball python in my opinion is to make sure your getting a GOOD feeder !

Some are poor , some average but the good feeders REMAIN good feeders in my experience ...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

---

Thanks so much! Would buying a snake from the MorphMarket site be a good idea? And is The Big Cheese Rodent Factory a good supply for mice/rats?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chickenooget

Thanks so much! Would buying a snake from the MorphMarket site be a good idea? And is The Big Cheese Rodent Factory a good supply for mice/rats?

---

yes to both, a lot of the members here sell on MM. Big cheese is a highly regarded source for feeders.

First of all, GREAT JOB with your preparation!! You are putting in the due diligence that many people skip over and that is AWESOME!!! You are setting yourself up for success, my young friend!! You could teach a LOT of adults a few things already!!

Keep in mind I am sharing what I know, and what my experiences have taught me. I am not an expert, and it's always good to hear varying ideas with varied success and failure rates...
A few quick answers to your questions:

-The size of the snake will vary, but just for reference, when I got my BP in mid-January he was 20" and 128 grams. As of 2/24 he was 21+" and 188 grams.
-As far as feeder size, I believe you will be fine feeding the hoppers til your 10 run out, then switch to the appropriate size
-One water bowl is enough in your 10 gallon setup, it's up to you whether you add a second when you upgrade. I sometimes add a second during dry winter months to help keep humidity up
-Honestly, if you can afford to upgrade to PVC when it's time to upgrade to the snake's forever home it is worth it. Glass looks great, but temps/humidity can be a pain in the rear end. If you prefer glass, I think a 40 gallon breeder tank is perfect. I use 40 gal breeders now and am fine with them until I can eventually switch to PVC.
-In a 10 gallon, your UTH may be enough, depending on the ambient temp in the room the snake will be kept in. Day/night lights are not required. Your BP will prefer less light and feel more safe and secure without them.
-Wrapping 3 sides of the enclosure is a great idea!
-I spot clean every time I see any poop/urates or any time my snakes make a mess exploring, spilling water or whatever. The sooner the mess is cleaned, the better. Bacteria and mold can't build up if it's not there in the first place. I also do a thorough cleaning about once a month, which includes hides, water bowl (clean water daily/every other day while giving the water bowl a quick wash), decorations, glass, etc...
-As far as handling, I would wait til your snake gets 2 meals in him/her before doing much handling. Believe me, I know it's tempting to hold your new snake, but you have 20+ years to hang out with your snake, so let him/her adjust. After that, 3-4 times a week is plenty, especially while your snake is still young. BPs take very little handling to acclimate to humans when done properly. They are a very docile species who tolerate handling well, however, over-handling will often cause stress, which can lead to your snake going off food, etc...

Kira hit the nail on the head with the thermostat!!!

Anyway, hope I helped a bit.
Like I said, you are well on your way. Keep reading, keep asking questions, follow advice you get from experienced keepers and you will be successful with your new BP!!!

- - - Updated - - -

First of all, GREAT JOB with your preparation!! You are putting in the due diligence that many people skip over and that is AWESOME!!! You are setting yourself up for success, my young friend!! You could teach a LOT of adults a few things already!!

Keep in mind I am sharing what I know, and what my experiences have taught me. I am not an expert, and it's always good to hear varying ideas with varied success and failure rates...
A few quick answers to your questions:

-The size of the snake will vary, but just for reference, when I got my BP in mid-January he was 20" and 128 grams. As of 2/24 he was 21+" and 188 grams.
-As far as feeder size, I believe you will be fine feeding the hoppers til your 10 run out, then switch to the appropriate size
-One water bowl is enough in your 10 gallon setup, it's up to you whether you add a second when you upgrade. I sometimes add a second during dry winter months to help keep humidity up
-Honestly, if you can afford to upgrade to PVC when it's time to upgrade to the snake's forever home it is worth it. Glass looks great, but temps/humidity can be a pain in the rear end. If you prefer glass, I think a 40 gallon breeder tank is perfect. I use 40 gal breeders now and am fine with them until I can eventually switch to PVC.
-In a 10 gallon, your UTH may be enough, depending on the ambient temp in the room the snake will be kept in. Day/night lights are not required. Your BP will prefer less light and feel more safe and secure without them.
-Wrapping 3 sides of the enclosure is a great idea!
-I spot clean every time I see any poop/urates or any time my snakes make a mess exploring, spilling water or whatever. The sooner the mess is cleaned, the better. Bacteria and mold can't build up if it's not there in the first place. I also do a thorough cleaning about once a month, which includes hides, water bowl (clean water daily/every other day while giving the water bowl a quick wash), decorations, glass, etc...
-As far as handling, I would wait til your snake gets 2 meals in him/her before doing much handling. Believe me, I know it's tempting to hold your new snake, but you have 20+ years to hang out with your snake, so let him/her adjust. After that, 3-4 times a week is plenty, especially while your snake is still young. BPs take very little handling to acclimate to humans when done properly. They are a very docile species who tolerate handling well, however, over-handling will often cause stress, which can lead to your snake going off food, etc...

Kira hit the nail on the head with the thermostat!!!

Anyway, hope I helped a bit.
Like I said, you are well on your way. Keep reading, keep asking questions, follow advice you get from experienced keepers and you will be successful with your new BP!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chickenooget

Thanks so much! Would buying a snake from the MorphMarket site be a good idea? And is The Big Cheese Rodent Factory a good supply for mice/rats?

---

MorphMarket would be a great place to shop for your BP. Lots of reputable breeders, you're sure to find the right snake for you on there.
I have not used big cheese (yet) but hear good things

how refreshing to see someone doing some good preparation before the snake arrives! and I like craigafrechette line so much i'm going to add it to my signature: Keep in mind I am sharing what I know, and what my experiences have taught me. I am not an expert, and it's always good to hear varying ideas with varied success and failure rates.

keep in mind pet stores try and kit you up with pretty much the same list of stuff (thats where they make their money) regardless of the reptile you are buying... it's really a sad state of affairs. for the most part, the common set up is good for desert reptiles and not so good for moderate temp/humidity critters like BP's. Most of the time they are hoping to sell the reptile before their poor husbandry practices kill it. a breeder is a much better way to go unless you find one of the few stores out there that actually has a decent reptile department.

- as for tanks, if you must go with a glass tank, I'd recommend a 20 gal long, it is not too big for a baby and not too small for a medium, it will give you time before needing to upgrade. look around on craigslist for one (also look for your local "buy nothing or gift everything" FB group, sometimes these things can be had for free), they should be $20 or less (have parents do the pick up, CL can be creepy) or check out petco for their $1 fish tank sale, I've scored several 20 gal longs that way.
- scrap the heat lamps, an Ceramic heat emitter is better, better yet, go with two UTH's or flexwat set ups with two jumpstart thermostats, one set to 80, one set to 90, with a hide over each, insulate the tank with 1" insulation and mostly seal the top and you will have a much easier time keeping temp and humidity spot on. you may not need insulation depending on how warm your room is. if you can swing the cash or get help from the rents, a PVC enclosure made for BP's is a very nice way to save time and in the long run, money.
- as for thermometer, I think it's fine to go with a cheapo velcro type for the ambient temp (and as a general back up) but spend the good money on a temp gun, it will give you the actual surface temp inside the hides, where it counts most, frankly, every first BP should be sold with one, IMHO!
- if you go with a screen top, use tin foil to seal it up to conserve heat and humidity. they don't need a lot of ventilation, they live in burrows in the ground protected from the harsh lights and vibrations of the outside world.
- I like cypress mulch for humidity control, every so often you can actually just pour a few ounces of water directly in if it's getting dry... much less frustrating all the way around than using heat lamps and screen tops and misting all the time.

- lastly, spend lots of hours pouring over all the morphs by doing a general google search. give finding a pattern/color you like some good time then look for a breeder with that pattern. I really think it helps a person to be successful if they choose an animal they really feel a deep connection to. if you can choose one in person, better yet! check out this link for some good ideas: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...With-Pictures!

Ok, here is what the snake needs...

1 appropriately sized tub. $2 - 8
Digital humidity and temp gauges
Temp gun
Paper towels 50 cents a roll.
Heavy Water bowl $1 at the dollar store
Two appropriately sized hides. (re-purposed plastic garbage) $0
UTH
Thermostadt
Spray bottle with vinegar (to clean with)

The snake will be perfectly happy in this environment. The expensive pretty stuff from the pet store placed in a tank would be for your enjoyment. There is nothing wrong with trying to do a tank but if you live in a low humidity and or temperature environment a tank can be challenging. I highly recommend that if you are not an experienced reptile keeper to go the cheaper easier route until you are very familiar with your animal and its needs. Good luck. BP's make wonderful pets.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chickenooget

Thanks for answering so many questions! I was actually planning on getting that exact thermostat lol ^-^ Is it compatible with any UTH (like the Ultratherm one)?

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Yes they will be compatible. I'm glad that you are planning everything out and making a list. Regarding breeders, you can search them on the Fauna Classifeds Board of Inquiry to check if they have a good reputation.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

- - - Updated - - -

First of all, GREAT JOB with your preparation!! You are putting in the due diligence that many people skip over and that is AWESOME!!! You are setting yourself up for success, my young friend!! You could teach a LOT of adults a few things already!!

Keep in mind I am sharing what I know, and what my experiences have taught me. I am not an expert, and it's always good to hear varying ideas with varied success and failure rates...
A few quick answers to your questions:

-The size of the snake will vary, but just for reference, when I got my BP in mid-January he was 20" and 128 grams. As of 2/24 he was 21+" and 188 grams.
-As far as feeder size, I believe you will be fine feeding the hoppers til your 10 run out, then switch to the appropriate size
-One water bowl is enough in your 10 gallon setup, it's up to you whether you add a second when you upgrade. I sometimes add a second during dry winter months to help keep humidity up
-Honestly, if you can afford to upgrade to PVC when it's time to upgrade to the snake's forever home it is worth it. Glass looks great, but temps/humidity can be a pain in the rear end. If you prefer glass, I think a 40 gallon breeder tank is perfect. I use 40 gal breeders now and am fine with them until I can eventually switch to PVC.
-In a 10 gallon, your UTH may be enough, depending on the ambient temp in the room the snake will be kept in. Day/night lights are not required. Your BP will prefer less light and feel more safe and secure without them.
-Wrapping 3 sides of the enclosure is a great idea!
-I spot clean every time I see any poop/urates or any time my snakes make a mess exploring, spilling water or whatever. The sooner the mess is cleaned, the better. Bacteria and mold can't build up if it's not there in the first place. I also do a thorough cleaning about once a month, which includes hides, water bowl (clean water daily/every other day while giving the water bowl a quick wash), decorations, glass, etc...
-As far as handling, I would wait til your snake gets 2 meals in him/her before doing much handling. Believe me, I know it's tempting to hold your new snake, but you have 20+ years to hang out with your snake, so let him/her adjust. After that, 3-4 times a week is plenty, especially while your snake is still young. BPs take very little handling to acclimate to humans when done properly. They are a very docile species who tolerate handling well, however, over-handling will often cause stress, which can lead to your snake going off food, etc...

Kira hit the nail on the head with the thermostat!!!

Anyway, hope I helped a bit.
Like I said, you are well on your way. Keep reading, keep asking questions, follow advice you get from experienced keepers and you will be successful with your new BP!!!

---

thanks so much for all the information!! it'll definitely come in handy :) if you don't mind me asking, how often do you change the substrate?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Slither Seeker

- as for tanks, if you must go with a glass tank, I'd recommend a 20 gal long, it is not too big for a baby and not too small for a medium, it will give you time before needing to upgrade. look around on craigslist for one (also look for your local "buy nothing or gift everything" FB group, sometimes these things can be had for free), they should be $20 or less (have parents do the pick up, CL can be creepy) or check out petco for their $1 fish tank sale, I've scored several 20 gal longs that way.

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i thought a 20 gallon would be too big? i was going to get a 20L at first but i read that i should get a 10 haha ^^; if i do get it, how much time will the snake be able to stay in that tank? and should i get more decor to clutter the tank when it's still a hatchling?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JodanOrNoDan

Ok, here is what the snake needs...

1 appropriately sized tub. $2 - 8
Digital humidity and temp gauges
Temp gun
Paper towels 50 cents a roll.
Heavy Water bowl $1 at the dollar store
Two appropriately sized hides. (re-purposed plastic garbage) $0
UTH
Thermostadt
Spray bottle with vinegar (to clean with)

The snake will be perfectly happy in this environment. The expensive pretty stuff from the pet store placed in a tank would be for your enjoyment. There is nothing wrong with trying to do a tank but if you live in a low humidity and or temperature environment a tank can be challenging. I highly recommend that if you are not an experienced reptile keeper to go the cheaper easier route until you are very familiar with your animal and its needs. Good luck. BP's make wonderful pets.

---

hi thank you for the suggestion ^_^ i've definitely thought about the possibility of using a tub, but personally i would prefer to be able to decorate a tank for my snake as well as have a nice display. i recognize the challenges of a tank but i'm planning on making sure the humidity and temps are perfect before buying the snake :) also i live in the DMV area so temperature and humidity isn't that bad here :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chickenooget

hi thank you for the suggestion ^_^ i've definitely thought about the possibility of using a tub, but personally i would prefer to be able to decorate a tank for my snake as well as have a nice display. i recognize the challenges of a tank but i'm planning on making sure the humidity and temps are perfect before buying the snake :) also i live in the DMV area so temperature and humidity isn't that bad here :D

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I know there are a few advantages of rubs .... easier to control humidity and much easier to clean out and of course take up much less space ..but they absolutely pale in comparison to the advantages of a beautifully laid out vivarium ...IMHO


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I don't think a 20 long is too big. how much time will the snake be able to to stay in the tank? um, about twice as long as a 10 ;~). In all seriousness I think the exact point you will want to transfer will be a matter of individual judgment. you'll probably find that you are eventually too short on space to have the decor you want plus two hides. as for the hatchling, I'd recommend keeping the tank super simple at first, say two hides, paper towels and a water dish. with any new snake its good to get the basic husbandry down before adding stuff. this will give you a chance to deal with mites or something else while it's easy to clean the environment. think of it like a quarantine phase. I recommend starting simple and gradually making changes going forward.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chickenooget

i thought a 20 gallon would be too big? i was going to get a 20L at first but i read that i should get a 10 haha ^^; if i do get it, how much time will the snake be able to stay in that tank? and should i get more decor to clutter the tank when it's still a hatchling?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Slither Seeker

I don't think a 20 long is too big. how much time will the snake be able to to stay in the tank? um, about twice as long as a 10 ;~). In all seriousness I think the exact point you will want to transfer will be a matter of individual judgment. you'll probably find that you are eventually too short on space to have the decor you want plus two hides. as for the hatchling, I'd recommend keeping the tank super simple at first, say two hides, paper towels and a water dish. with any new snake its good to get the basic husbandry down before adding stuff. this will give you a chance to deal with mites or something else while it's easy to clean the environment. think of it like a quarantine phase. I recommend starting simple and gradually making changes going forward.

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that makes sense.. i think i'll take your advice on that. looks like i'm upgrading to a 20! :B
wait, if i get a 20 long should i get a different size UTH? because the one i want to get is only 11x11in

20 gallons for a 100 grams snake and for a first time owner that will not be able to recognize signs of stress and other issues is a bad idea plain and simple.

When givving advice it's not about what I do or what I like, it's about recommending what is known to work (and is pretty much foolproof) especially with new owner until they gain the necessary experience.



Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Deborah

20 gallons for a 100 grams snake and for a first time owner that will not be able to recognize signs of stress and other issues is a bad idea plain and simple.

When givving advice it's not about what I do or what I like, it's about recommending what is known to work (and is pretty much foolproof) especially with new owner until they gain the necessary experience.



Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

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i strongly recommend the tub to start, with 6qt being standard for bbys. when i first got Yellow at 80g in a 20gal i had no idea how stressed he was because i didn't know what to look for; thinking back i would have moved him into a tub in a heartbeat had i known.

tubs are very cheap, setup and maintenance is a breeze, their ability to hold heat+humidity is fantastic and best of all it is a tried and tested method for starting babies off on the right scale. you can upgrade the size as needed for very cheap and eventually get the 20gal glass enclosure once the snake is thriving if you really want it.

my 7mo old Spaghetti is in my old 20g but she was well established when i got her at 6mo and is doing fantastic, but i'm also more experienced and was ready to move her into a tub at the first signs of stress.

please take these points into account and consider the tub. we just want your little beep to be as happy as possible with a method that works for beginners. 😊

Everything has basically been covered, but I just had to say something I would say to my own kids. Of course it is your, and your parents' business, but I would definitely be careful when posting ages on any public forum or social media platform. Just a tip, you never know who is on the internet and I immediately noticed it on your thread title. Anyway, good luck with your BP, it's always nice to see kids interested in animals, especially the less traditional kinds. :) I got my first ball python, though not my first snake, recently and I keep him in a 10 gal (he's a baby), with two heat bulbs and a UTH. I use a coconut mulch substrate and a humidifier and have several hides/fake plants for him to climb in. Make sure to invest in a good humidity gauge and thermostat. Once again, good luck!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

please take these points into account and consider the tub. we just want your little beep to be as happy as possible with a method that works for beginners. 😊

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okay so i'm fairly certain i'm going to go with a tub set up now :) although i still want to later on have a tank, so after a year or two i'll probably move them. the snake definitely comes before my own personal wants :P

although i have some more questions lolol
whats the best way of going about keeping the right ambient air temp in a tub?
where should i put the thermometer/hygrometer? the cool side? the hot side? should i have 2?
if i'm using flexwatt heat tape how do i mount that onto the tub? i mean is it safe to put it directly on the bottom of the plastic? and where should i put the thermostat probe?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chickenooget

hey!! :) i'm a newbie to snake owning and this forum but i've read a lot of threads here and everyone seems so informed and nice! anyways my parents agreed to getting me a baby ball python (not sure what morph yet) for my 15th birthday which is super exciting since i've been wanting one for so long. i'm getting him/her in 2 months!! i've been doing a lot of research and shopping to prepare and i was wondering if you guys could help look through the products i want to buy and answer a few questions? *i apologize for the length of this in advance lolol


Shopping List :)
$40.99 - 10 gal. Grreat Choice Terrarium - 20x10x12 in.
$13.99 - 24 QT Zoo Med Aspen Bedding$19.99 - 11 x 11 In. Ultratherm UTH
$10.98 - 2 Exo Terra Reptile Caves - Medium - 9x6x2.5 in.
$11.32 - 2? Exo Terra Water Dishes - Medium - 3.75x5x1.5 in.
$28.23 - Hydrofarm MTPRTC Digital Thermostat
~$20 - 2 AcuRite Digital Humidity and Temperature Monitors
$9.99 - Exo Terra Reptile Terrarium Background
$7.99 - Underground Reptiles Frozen Hopper Mice - 10 Pack


Possible/Future Things to Buy:
$6.99 - 50 Watt Exo Terra Heat Glo Infrared Spot Lamp, 120 Volt
$12.20 - Zilla Premium Reflector Dome
$2.45 - 2 cu. ft. Cypress Mulch


^^ does this seem okay?


Questions:
I really don't wanna mess up my first time owning a snake so I have a lot of questions sorry! ^^;
- i read on a stickied post that i should feed hoppers for the first 3-5 meals. 10 frozen hoppers is the lowest bulk quantity i can find so would it be okay to feed my snake hoppers for 10 meals? i just don't want to waste them...
- should i get a 2nd water bowl? i see some people have one on the warm side and one on the cool side, but other people just have one.
- could i just have 2 temp/humidity monitors in the tank or should i have probes?
- so i know that my bp needs privacy so i plan on covering the back of the tank with the exo terra background and covering the 2 adjacent sides with like black paper or something. is that sufficient enough for it?
- how long would i be able to use the 10 gallon until i upgrade? and when i upgrade, should i just dive into a 30-40 gallon?
- do i need a heat lamp for a 10 gallon tank?
- approx what length is a 100 gram bp?
- once i do get a heat lamp, should i get day/night bulbs? is a day/night cycle necessary?
- how often will i need to clean the hides? how often will i need to fully clean the tank and replace substrate and stuff?
- after waiting a week after my snake arrives, how often/much would be advised to handle it? i want to handle it as much as possible as a baby to get it used to it but i don't want to stress them :/


lol those are the only questions i can think up right now
if anyone could help answer a few at least that would be really appreciated! thanks so much :D

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-I'm not familiar with that cage, but if you're using a glass I always preferred an exo terra one.
-1 water bowl is fine, you can get a cheap ceramic one for $3-4 if you look, otherwise the crock dishes work well and you can get them off amazon.
-1 acurite thermometer is fine, but get an IR thermometer from amazon. Way more useful for temps.
-2 hides, yes but I wouldn't get exo terra as they won't last that long. If anything get the Reptile Basics ABS plastic hide. They have offset openings so the BP can be a bit more reclusive if it wants to, so in theory it'll work longer.
-Hydrofarm thermostat is okay as a starter, but I would get a better one soon, either a herpstat or vivarium electronics. They have a fail safe if something happens it shuts off power, where as the hydrofarm can get stuck wide open.
-No background needed, wouldn't waste the money. Get some black construction paper and cover the back and sides. Way more useful.
-Regarding feeders, when you find a snake you want, do your research, look at breeders or figure out what you want and then you can either order one online and have it shipped or pick up one from a show. You want to get one that's had a few meals in it, so at that point you shouldn't need hoppers, unless they haven't switched it to rats. Instead you can do rat fuzzies. The reason why some of the breeders use hopper mice is because they're more active than anything else so it helps trigger the feeding response. Some will take rat pinkies or fuzzies right away though, just each is different. Also make sure you have access to live feeders in case you can't get yours to eat f/t. However they're tricks you can do with f/t to get the best possible chance to get them to eat.

Now regarding your future list:
-Bedding Aspen works fine, cypress mulch is good, so is reptichip/coco husk. Depending on where you live you may or may not have humidity issues, so I can't tell you this as I've only lived in Louisiana all my life. There are things you can do to help raise the humidity if you need, but overall the bedding will play the main part in that. Also if you're buying cypress mulch you need to make sure it's 100% cypress mulch and not a mulch mixture which includes other woods.
-The zilla dome that you're referring to is good, I've used them and some are still working flawlessly since 2013. I've never actually had one fail on me, but my oldest is from 2013.
-The IR heat lamp is okay, 50w should be fine for a 10gal, now if you plan on moving up, I would say try to find one that's close to 75 without going over it. You can run an ceramic heat emitter but either or, they all kill humidity, the only difference is it generates no light.

Now to answer some of your other questions while I have a few minutes:
No you don't have to do a day/night cycle. You can, but it's not necessary. I personally give all my animals 12 hour day/night cycle regardless of being nocturnal or not and I even see them come out sometimes during the day, especially when I have the UVB light on, which isn't required, but I've noticed a change in behavior by going as naturalistic as possible. You can use a larger tank now if you want, when people say the enclosure is too large, they're usually trying to simplify it for people, but technically there is no too large of a cage. The actual issue is the cage being wide open which makes the snake stressed, and that can lead to non-feeding. In their natural environment they have leaf litter, bushes, plants, logs etc... to hide behind or in. So as long as the cage is properly furnished you won't have an issue, but then you may have to go through much more to find your BP, and that makes cage maintenance more time consuming. I would say clean the hides when you do a tank clean, I would generally do spot clean every weeek, and every two weeks I did a full clean.

I'd answer more, but I'm currently at work and don't have a ton of time, I'll read the thread and see if anybody else hasn't answered the other questions.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kira

Please make sure to get a thermostat too, not just a thermometer. Thermostats control the UTH and make sure it doesn't get too hot. An unregulated UTH can reach well over 100 degrees which can burn a snake. I recommend the Jumpstart thermostat. You can get it on Amazon! It's pretty easy to use: plug it into the UTH, plug it into the wall, and the set what temperature you want. For example, if you set the thermostat to 90 degrees, it will turn off the heat mat when it reaches over 91 degrees and turn it back on when the heat mat gets under 89 degrees.

One water bowl is plenty. I have mine right in the middle of the enclosure. Try to get one that is somewhat heavy so it can't be knocked over easily.

Day/night lights are not needed. A ceramic heat emitter (CHE) is what I recommend using. It's a bulb that only produces heat and no light. Some light bulbs can be too harsh for ball pythons so it's better to just use one that only puts off heat.

Your plan for covering the enclosure sounds great! I used some leftover black fabric for my enclosure (it's taped to the outside of the glass).

I'm glad to hear that you plan on letting your ball python settle in for a week before handling it. After that about 3 times per week is sufficient. Just be sure to wait at least 48 hours after your snake eats before handling it. Otherwise it may regurgitate its meal.

You seem very responsible and I think that you are going to do great with your ball python. I love to see people ask a lot of questions before buying one!

Oh and like Zincubus said, definitely get your ball from a breeder. Often times ball pythons at pet stores aren't very well taken care of so many of them are sick or don't eat or have mites. It's better to spend a bit more for a high quality python that doesn't have eating issues. :gj:

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Just FYI, she actually did list a thermostat:
$28.23 - Hydrofarm MTPRTC Digital Thermostat

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chickenooget

whats the best way of going about keeping the right ambient air temp in a tub?
where should i put the thermometer/hygrometer? the cool side? the hot side? should i have 2?

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place the thermometer/hygrometer in the middle of the tank or more towards the cool side, then use a thermometer with a probe to place on the floor above the hot side to monitor the actual floor temp instead of just reading the thermostat output. as for the ambient temp it all depends on your environment, and hopefully someone else can provide a better answer because i do not have one here.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chickenooget

if i'm using flexwatt heat tape how do i mount that onto the tub? i mean is it safe to put it directly on the bottom of the plastic? and where should i put the thermostat probe?

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you use aluminum tape to adhere the heat tape to the bottom. it is safe, those types of tubs aren't regular cheapo plastics. the thermostat probe gets sandwiched between the heat tape and the bottom of the tub.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Neal

-Hydrofarm thermostat is okay as a starter, but I would get a better one soon, either a herpstat or vivarium electronics. They have a fail safe if something happens it shuts off power, where as the hydrofarm can get stuck wide open.

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do you have any personal experience with hydrofarms? i know i shouldn't cut corners when it comes to thermostats but right now my parents find it a bit impractical to spend over $100 for a thermostat. plus i have to pay 40% of everything T__T i'm working on saving up for a herpstat, which i'll probably be able to get in a few months during summer since i'm doing a paid internship :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

then use a thermometer with a probe to place on the floor above the hot side to monitor the actual floor temp instead of just reading the thermostat output.

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how do i keep the accurite and probe in place?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chickenooget

how do i keep the accurite and probe in place?

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I secure all the probes with a hot glue-gun .... very durable but CAN be torn off gently if required ..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chickenooget

do you have any personal experience with hydrofarms? i know i shouldn't cut corners when it comes to thermostats but right now my parents find it a bit impractical to spend over $100 for a thermostat. plus i have to pay 40% of everything T__T i'm working on saving up for a herpstat, which i'll probably be able to get in a few months during summer since i'm doing a paid internship :D

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i've used hydrofarms for well over 2 years without issue and have two of them running now. imo they're great for the price but once you are able to i highly recommend an upgrade.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chickenooget

do you have any personal experience with hydrofarms? i know i shouldn't cut corners when it comes to thermostats but right now my parents find it a bit impractical to spend over $100 for a thermostat. plus i have to pay 40% of everything T__T i'm working on saving up for a herpstat, which i'll probably be able to get in a few months during summer since i'm doing a paid internship :D

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I've seen two fail, though I've personally never used them. The reason I say get as close to the most accurate heat source is because if it did, at least you wouldn't over heat the snake. For instance if you can maintain the proper basking temp with a 60 watt, no reason to run bigger. I do get the money thing, and I'd say it's fine to use now, but you're going to want to change to a better one ASAP.