Swimming BP?

Hi all! :D
So I've decided I want a BP. Been dreaming of having one for quite some time really and I'm finally pulling myself together to do all the prep work and whatnot.
To that end I've been devouring several threads on this site about tank setup and I also ordered some books.
My first book arrived today (Ball Pythons by Colette Sutherland) and in it the author says that all Ball Pythons are good swimmers.

Nothing in any of the tank setup stuff that I've read here thus far has said anything about setting up a swimming area for the ball python so obviously it's not necessary, but it got me thinking: would it be something that a BP might like to have??? I can easily imagine putting a plastic water tub in a T8 (aside from or in place of the water bowl).

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks much!

If you do provide a large water bowl, don't have it deeper than a couple inches... They're not a swimming species, so deep water only has risks LOL. They can drown.

It's a pretty rare bp that likes water. They can swim but the vast majority don't want to. Bps that like to climb are a lot more common-lots will do so at least sometimes. You can offer a water bowl big enough for the snake to sit in if you'd like- a few will do so sometimes just because they feel like it- but anything bigger is a pretty ineffective use of space.

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Originally Posted by redshepherd

If you do provide a large water bowl, don't have it deeper than a couple inches... They're not a swimming species, so deep water only has risks LOL. They can drown.

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Really ? Surely it would have to be unbelievably deep for one to drown wouldn't it or have steeply sloping inwards sides !??

They do have decent muscle tone , clearly not as much as a Boa but I've seen them telescoping around and stretching up whilst yawning . I actually think , as mentioned above , that it's possibly just a case of wasted space as they probably won't spend long soaking like many other types of snake do .

Ball pythons are horrible swimmers, flopping side to side. Their reaction is often to get out of the water as fast as possible. Climbing space would be more enriching than swimming space, and swimming space is effectively negative space to your enclosure, shrinking how much effective room the ball python has to occupy

Oh, Ok. Since you all have properly deduced that I'm looking to provide enrichment for my ball python what are your thoughts on climbing in a cage (thanks for bringing that up kcl and oxylepy)? Is a T8 too short to have a log to crawl around on? Should I be looking into a T10/11/12 or is that too much space for a baby ball? I do plan to cut the space in half until it grows bigger, I just don't have a clue how much vertical space is enough vs too much. Any other ideas for enrichment would be welcome as well. Being a first time owner I only plan to get one snake.

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Originally Posted by Flyheight

Oh, Ok. Since you all have properly deduced that I'm looking to provide enrichment for my ball python what are your thoughts on climbing in a cage (thanks for bringing that up oxylepy)? Is a T8 too short to have a log to crawl around on? Should I be looking into a T10/11/12 or is that too much space for a baby ball? I do plan to cut the space in half until it grows bigger, I just don't have a clue how much vertical space is enough vs too much. Any other ideas for enrichment would be welcome as well. Being a first time owner I only plan to get one snake.

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I have a T8 with a log that my male loves to use at night. My female has a separate T8 and I removed her log because she never used it. It seemed for an obstacle for her. So it just depends on the snake.


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Just an FYI. Relatively speaking ball pythons are not active animals. Most don't do much unless you include creeping to the front of the cage to see if you have food when you enter the room. Big girls mostly lay around even when given the opportunity to do something else. Many boys and juveniles will show activity at night. If you want one that may climb get a boy. I saw a study awhile back where they were looking at gut contents (forced regurge) in wild balls. The females had 100% rodent. The boys were eating rodents and birds. Boys are generally thinner of build and smaller than girls so it may make it easier for them to climb.

I have not met the ball python yet that will voluntarily take a swim and they are not exceptionally graceful when they do swim.

Offering climbing opportunities is a definite yes in my personal opinion. You should be able to do it in a T8 or in a T10. Some will love it, some won't care about it. My 1000g male actually still manages to climb and drape himself across his suction cup plants without knocking them down most of the time. Both the T8& T10 have the option of a basking shelf that they can climb onto. I just got mine and the sealant is curing so I can't tell you how my snake likes the shelf, but I know that Sauzo (? I think it was) has commented that his bp Dottie loved her basking shelf.

As for other enrichment options - introducing items with various textures, very small amounts of spices or similar natural items with scent not in water or on food (be judicious about this), occasional cage rearrangement, providing live plants, and target training have all been used by zoos and rehab centers with snakes with success. Always be careful with what you provide - if you're not sure it's safe, just skip it. Also don't start messing around with the cage until your bp is comfortably and consistently eating.

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Really ? Surely it would have to be unbelievably deep for one to drown wouldn't it or have steeply sloping inwards sides !??

They do have decent muscle tone , clearly not as much as a Boa but I've seen them telescoping around and stretching up whilst yawning . I actually think , as mentioned above , that it's possibly just a case of wasted space as they probably won't spend long soaking like many other types of snake do .

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Just in case, you know LOL. Since tubs usually do have vertical sloping sides, so it got me thinking the BP could drop in unexpectedly. In the natural world, water is first shallow on the edges and all.

OK cool. So males tend to be more active, good to know. I do understand that "more" is a relative term and I shouldn't expect much necessarily.

I don't think I'd rearrange the cage often, but yeah I did read I need to leave the cage be until the snake is comfortable and eating.
Speaking of comfortable and eating. When should a separate feeding enclosure be introduced if I'm going to use one? I don't want to make my ball nervous, but I also don't want it to think that every time I open the cage door is feeding time. Or is it ok to just make sure I'm opening the cage enough times (once or twice a week at least?) to just handle the snake that I should be ok?

Kcl would you mind pointing me to pictures of this/these enclosure/s you're talking about? It/they sounds quite nice to me.

Also, another subject change, for the temperature probe(s) that go inside the cage, does it need to be secured down in anyway or should it be fine just going under the substrate?

Feeding aggression caused by feeding in the enclosure is a myth. Almost everyone, especially those with large collections feed in the enclosure and ball pythons seem to do well like this. There are special case scenarios when feeding in another location works for the animal but it is not the norm.

Ball pythons don't need a separate feeding area, so no worries about that. :) Moving them to feed could even potentially cause issues and cause them not to eat.

The thermometer probe (not the thermostat probe) is fine just under the substrate. The thermostat probe should be UNDERNEATH the cage, between the UTH and bottom of the cage.

Ball pythons will burrow under substrate and lay against the bottom of the cage, so you should be measuring the temp there.

[QUOTE=Flyheight;2533586]OK cool.
Kcl would you mind pointing me to pictures of this/these enclosure/s you're talking about? It/they sounds quite nice to me. [
QUOTE]

If you're just looking for a picture of the basking shelf you can check out Sauzo's thread for Caesar - the link below takes you to a page where there's a couple of pictures where it's visible. I just really like looking at his pictures of his retic - he's very cute - so that's who happened to come to mind for who happened to have used a basking shelf in an animal plastics cage with a bp who liked it. It's a pretty cheap add on option to all of the cages if you check out the animal plastics website. The shelf itself is removable while the supports are screwed in.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ighlight=sauzo

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Originally Posted by Flyheight

Oh, Ok. Since you all have properly deduced that I'm looking to provide enrichment for my ball python what are your thoughts on climbing in a cage (thanks for bringing that up kcl and oxylepy)? Is a T8 too short to have a log to crawl around on? Should I be looking into a T10/11/12 or is that too much space for a baby ball? I do plan to cut the space in half until it grows bigger, I just don't have a clue how much vertical space is enough vs too much. Any other ideas for enrichment would be welcome as well. Being a first time owner I only plan to get one snake.

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If they have branches in the Viv / rub ..... they WILL climb - simple as that really - only evenings though , of course .


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flyheight

OK cool. So males tend to be more active, good to know. I do understand that "more" is a relative term and I shouldn't expect much necessarily.

I don't think I'd rearrange the cage often, but yeah I did read I need to leave the cage be until the snake is comfortable and eating.
Speaking of comfortable and eating. When should a separate feeding enclosure be introduced if I'm going to use one? I don't want to make my ball nervous, but I also don't want it to think that every time I open the cage door is feeding time. Or is it ok to just make sure I'm opening the cage enough times (once or twice a week at least?) to just handle the snake that I should be ok?

Kcl would you mind pointing me to pictures of this/these enclosure/s you're talking about? It/they sounds quite nice to me.

Also, another subject change, for the temperature probe(s) that go inside the cage, does it need to be secured down in anyway or should it be fine just going under the substrate?

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I use hot guns to glue thermometer probes in place wherever they're required .


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Wow, thank you for dispelling that myth for me. :)

Oh right, I said temperature and didn't specify. Yep, thermometer probe under the substrate, thermostat probe under the enclosure between the UTH and the bottom of the box. Got it.

OMG Caeser looks soooo cuuuuuuute! The basking shelf I get, I am actually more curious what you mean by suction cup plants and how you have those set up. You said your bp seems to like them so I figure it might be something to look into. Also anything else you use as an example for me to consider would be helpful too. :)

And a hot glue gun for the thermometer probe. Sounds dandy.

That's all for now I think. If I have any more questions later should I start a new thread or just keep posting in this one? You all have been very helpful in answering my questions and concerns and are making me more comfortable with taking care of a live animal, thank you.

Oohhh- those are just the plastic leafy plants with a suction cup on one end that are available at any pet store. You just stick them to the side and they provide nice extra cover. All of my snakes climb on top of them. Shockingly the ball python only knocks them down doing this sometimes. I built him a climb with a dowel rod and two eyelet hooks that he's since grown out of, a lot of people have made some very nice pvc jungle gyms. All of my snakes like to put their heads on things while chilling and use them as a pillow- the bp has a nice log for this.

Ah. I haven't been in a pet store much recently. Didn't realize those were a thing.

I was thinking of using both a UTH and an RHP (Radiant Heat Panel, the heat source that goes on the inside of the ceiling of the enclosure). UTH for the hot spot/side, RHP for ambient temp control. Is that overkill? I live in the Washington DC area so it can certainly get cold here in winters.

If I use an RHP is it ok to put a log in? I just don't know what the typical temperature gradient is in a T8 between the top and bottom of the box and if the snake could burn itself on the RHP I'd like to know how much clearance I should leave. Or is the snake just smart enough to self regulate that sort of thing?

For hides, does it make much difference if the entrance is on top of the hide vs the side? The book I was reading said BPs might prefer top entrance hides, but I don't know if I've seen any of that variety in the posts on this forum. Not that I've looked extensively.

In your signature what's with the 1.0, 3.0, 0.1 in front of describing your snakes (at least I presume they're your snakes)? I would sort of understand a count of a whole number of snakes being 1 or 3, but the 0.1 confuses me.

I think I mentioned this on another thread before, but the one thing to keep in mind is the interior cage dimensions are slightly shorter, by about 2 inches.

For example a T8's interior is 10 inches tall instead of 12 and the doors are 8 if I recall correctly. So it also depends how much space do you want to work/have for ease of cleaning and access.

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Originally Posted by MissterDog

I think I mentioned this on another thread before, but the one thing to keep in mind is the interior cage dimensions are slightly shorter, by about 2 inches.

For example a T8's interior is 10 inches tall instead of 12 and the doors are 8 if I recall correctly. So it also depends how much space do you want to work/have for ease of cleaning and access.

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Oh, yeah. Thanks for that. I think I may mock something up in cardboard with the interior dimensions and see how reaching in to clean it feels.

The suction cup plants are also available on amazon and I think are cheaper there. I have a bunch.

https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Pla...470955011&th=1

The numbers in the signature are based on what sex they are - link to thread explaining below.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...1-0-1-1-0-mean

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Originally Posted by Flyheight

Oh, yeah. Thanks for that. I think I may mock something up in cardboard with the interior dimensions and see how reaching in to clean it feels.

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Truth be told, that's exactly what I did and it definitely helps! It's what made me decide I wanted a T12 over other models.

Kcl:
Thanks!

MissterDog:
Yeah it does sound practical now that I think about it.


For cage doors: Glass vs. Acrylic, what are the pros/cons of each material? Does anybody have recommendations on which to choose?
AP has them listed as the same price on their T12 series enclosures so if I end up going that big it's just a matter of choosing.
T8 glass is on sale so...still depends.

I've been hearing that glass is preferred because it doesn't scratch as easily and is not prone to warping, but I think it's still a debated thing. I personally went with sliding glass.


Here are a few threads I found about it.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ass-vs-Acrylic
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ass-or-plastic
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-vs-plexiglass
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru.../t-100590.html


Hope that helps

Wow, thank you!

Scratching doesn't sound like it should matter much with a ball as the resident, but warping may be an issue with acrylic.
Sounds like acrylic is better for clarity and would be nice but is secondary. Weight difference is pretty much a non-issue for me.
Humidity retention in glass seems to be better while temperature retention in acrylic is better. I honestly couldn't know for sure which is more important in my setup in my geographic location without testing as I've never done this before.
I'm looking primarily at sliding doors since I don't want hinges to swing out and get in the way, so hinge bearing weight wouldn't be an issue.

Sounds like I want glass, primarily on the grounds of avoiding potential warping. Don't want the bp escaping through gaps generated by warping.
Though perhaps I should contact AP and see what they have to say about their models in particular for my climate, unless someone with similar experience here chimes in.

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Originally Posted by Flyheight

Wow, thank you!

Scratching doesn't sound like it should matter much with a ball as the resident, but warping may be an issue with acrylic.
Sounds like acrylic is better for clarity and would be nice but is secondary. Weight difference is pretty much a non-issue for me.
Humidity retention in glass seems to be better while temperature retention in acrylic is better. I honestly couldn't know for sure which is more important in my setup in my geographic location without testing as I've never done this before.
I'm looking primarily at sliding doors since I don't want hinges to swing out and get in the way, so hinge bearing weight wouldn't be an issue.

Sounds like I want glass, primarily on the grounds of avoiding potential warping. Don't want the bp escaping through gaps generated by warping.
Though perhaps I should contact AP and see what they have to say about their models in particular for my climate, unless someone with similar experience here chimes in.

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I'd say definitely contact AP for feedback, Ali is suuuuuper helpful and great to bounce ideas off of and offer suggestions that will help benefit you and your future snake. Legit fantastic experience with her.

One thing about giving your ball python a lot of water, if you have a Spider morph or other morph that can have a 'wobble' such as Champagne the snake can easily drown. I almost lost my male spider pied before I realized he should never be left alone with any water bigger than a small water dish like the ones built into rack system trays. Other ball pythons may appreciate it though, as long as it's shallow and the snake doesn't have a wobble. I also make sure the snake doesn't get into the water when they are feeding, if they get their head and rodent in the water I immediately pull them out. They never let go of the rodent, it's really safe for both the snake and keeper.

I actually spray my snakes down when I spray the substrate a couple times a week. I don't even soak them if they have a stuck shed, I just spray them with water, let them sit for about 5-10 minutes and then take them out and play with them rubbing my hands across their body. That usually takes the shed right off, but it has to be wetted first.

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Originally Posted by MissterDog

I'd say definitely contact AP for feedback, Ali is suuuuuper helpful and great to bounce ideas off of and offer suggestions that will help benefit you and your future snake. Legit fantastic experience with her.

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Well that's a stellar endorsement. I'll do that then.

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Originally Posted by cchardwick

One thing about giving your ball python a lot of water, if you have a Spider morph or other morph that can have a 'wobble' such as Champagne the snake can easily drown. I almost lost my male spider pied before I realized he should never be left alone with any water bigger than a small water dish like the ones built into rack system trays. Other ball pythons may appreciate it though, as long as it's shallow and the snake doesn't have a wobble. I also make sure the snake doesn't get into the water when they are feeding, if they get their head and rodent in the water I immediately pull them out. They never let go of the rodent, it's really safe for both the snake and keeper.

I actually spray my snakes down when I spray the substrate a couple times a week. I don't even soak them if they have a stuck shed, I just spray them with water, let them sit for about 5-10 minutes and then take them out and play with them rubbing my hands across their body. That usually takes the shed right off, but it has to be wetted first.

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What do you mean by "wobble"? This is the first I've heard of such a thing.
I've heard about keeping snakes out of the water during feeding. Thanks for the reminder. :)
The spray thing for a stuck shed sounds like a good idea though. Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Flyheight

Well that's a stellar endorsement. I'll do that then.

What do you mean by "wobble"? This is the first I've heard of such a thing.
I've heard about keeping snakes out of the water during feeding. Thanks for the reminder. :)
The spray thing for a stuck shed sounds like a good idea though. Thanks!

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Wobble is a neurological condition that's present in the spider gene. They basically have difficult telling up from down.

You can read more about it here: http://www.owalreptiles.com/issues.php

I've used 2 or 3 different types of aspen filings, coconut fibers, etc. The best I have used so far is newspaper. Save the B&W newspapers & shred em yourself. My ball actually ate/swallowed some of the coconut fibers. The vet made a small incision & then took about 40 minutes of cleaning the fibers out. The vet said newspapers were the best to use. Also, my ball (a Spider Ball Python) will not eat either thawed out mice or live mice. He would rather sleep with em than eat em. I feed him about 25 units of Hills dog/cat food about every week and half to 2 weeks. He tends to move from side to side, up & down. We think its because of the breeding it's hard for him to fixate on prey to eat by himself. Be careful of who & where you go to when you buy your Ball Python. Good Luck

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Originally Posted by MissterDog

Wobble is a neurological condition that's present in the spider gene. They basically have difficult telling up from down.

You can read more about it here: http://www.owalreptiles.com/issues.php

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O.O That was informative. For better or for worse the patterning on the spider morph doesn't really speak to me so I think I'll avoid it. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by S.E.

I've used 2 or 3 different types of aspen filings, coconut fibers, etc. The best I have used so far is newspaper. Save the B&W newspapers & shred em yourself. My ball actually ate/swallowed some of the coconut fibers. The vet made a small incision & then took about 40 minutes of cleaning the fibers out. The vet said newspapers were the best to use. Also, my ball (a Spider Ball Python) will not eat either thawed out mice or live mice. He would rather sleep with em than eat em. I feed him about 25 units of Hills dog/cat food about every week and half to 2 weeks. He tends to move from side to side, up & down. We think its because of the breeding it's hard for him to fixate on prey to eat by himself. Be careful of who & where you go to when you buy your Ball Python. Good Luck

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Awwww, poor baby!
Yeah I plan to look at and handle my selected ball in person before I purchase if possible.

Shred the newspaper? I thought newspaper and paper towels you were supposed to just lay flat for use as substrate?

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Originally Posted by S.E.

I've used 2 or 3 different types of aspen filings, coconut fibers, etc. The best I have used so far is newspaper. Save the B&W newspapers & shred em yourself. My ball actually ate/swallowed some of the coconut fibers. The vet made a small incision & then took about 40 minutes of cleaning the fibers out. The vet said newspapers were the best to use. Also, my ball (a Spider Ball Python) will not eat either thawed out mice or live mice. He would rather sleep with em than eat em. I feed him about 25 units of Hills dog/cat food about every week and half to 2 weeks. He tends to move from side to side, up & down. We think its because of the breeding it's hard for him to fixate on prey to eat by himself. Be careful of who & where you go to when you buy your Ball Python. Good Luck

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You feed Hills Dog food to a Royal/Ball python ???

Much more information required !!!


As to substrate . I've used Orchid bark for many years and simply feed over a couple of pieces of card in the viv . Never had an issue with ingestion of substrate.

So from the sounds of it, it may be possible we'll be getting our first ball python around the same time! How exciting! I may be getting mine either later this year or early next, so let's share our snake day together when the time comes!

Keep us posted!

Hills dog food has been used as a substitute for carnivore care for tube feeding....but tube feeding at all is a last or second to last resort for situations like lizardlick's adopted significantly underweight bp that was losing a dangerous amount of additional weight while being treated for the underlying issue for the refusal to eat (RI). It's only meant to keep them going and strong enough to eat once the reason for the anorexia is resolved. The analysis of "can't eat" is very concerning to me. From your picture of him, your snake doesn't look sufficiently underweight to have to tube feed SE. Also a hydrated bp at appropriate temps shouldn't have an issue with ingesting a bit of coco fiber.. Are you sure you shouldn't get a new vet SE???

I'm sorry for derailing, I'm just concerned...

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

I've used Orchid bark for many years and simply feed over a couple of pieces of card in the viv.

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Sorry, could you clarify what you mean by "feed over a couple of pieces of card in the viv"? I'm not familiar with all the terminology.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MissterDog

So from the sounds of it, it may be possible we'll be getting our first ball python around the same time! How exciting! I may be getting mine either later this year or early next, so let's share our snake day together when the time comes!

Keep us posted!

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Oh, for sure, I'd be more than happy to share pics and details when I get my snek. :) I'm planning on sometime in the next couple months. Gotta finish getting my room set up (my snake will be living in my bedroom and I'm in the middle of a big spring cleaning project...getting rid of a lot of junk and finally upgrading from my kept far too long twin bed to a queen XD). Then I gotta get my tank decisions all squared away and purchased and then I have to find a breeder; still don't know where I'm gonna get my snake from yet. XD

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kcl

Hills dog food has been used as a substitute for carnivore care for tube feeding....but tube feeding at all is a last or second to last resort for situations like lizardlick's adopted significantly underweight bp that was losing a dangerous amount of additional weight while being treated for the underlying issue for the refusal to eat (RI). It's only meant to keep them going and strong enough to eat once the reason for the anorexia is resolved. The analysis of "can't eat" is very concerning to me. From your picture of him, your snake doesn't look sufficiently underweight to have to tube feed SE. Also a hydrated bp at appropriate temps shouldn't have an issue with ingesting a bit of coco fiber.. Are you sure you shouldn't get a new vet SE???

I'm sorry for derailing, I'm just concerned...

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No need to feel guilty for derailing. We're all here to make sure we get the proper care for our beloved slinkies.



Any thoughts on shredded vs whole newspaper/paper towels?

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Originally Posted by Flyheight

Oh, for sure, I'd be more than happy to share pics and details when I get my snek. :) I'm planning on sometime in the next couple months. Gotta finish getting my room set up (my snake will be living in my bedroom and I'm in the middle of a big spring cleaning project...getting rid of a lot of junk and finally upgrading from my kept far too long twin bed to a queen XD). Then I gotta get my tank decisions all squared away and purchased and then I have to find a breeder; still don't know where I'm gonna get my snake from yet. XD

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Totally looking forward to it! What morph are you thinking of getting? MorphMarket is a great place to look, I believe you can filter your searches based on your location. Just be sure to check for any feedback or reviews about the breeder you are interested in and ask questions. Alternatively if you have a reptile show in your area coming soon that would be a great option too!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MissterDog

Totally looking forward to it! What morph are you thinking of getting? MorphMarket is a great place to look, I believe you can filter your searches based on your location. Just be sure to check for any feedback or reviews about the breeder you are interested in and ask questions. Alternatively if you have a reptile show in your area coming soon that would be a great option too!

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Wow, MorphMarket looks like a FANTASTIC resource! Thank you so much for pointing that out to me. Looks like I have several options within about an hour drive of me.

As for what morph I want, I haven't thought that far yet. I did JUST get my copy of "The Complete Ball Python" by Kevin McCurley in the mail today and it looks to have a rather extensive library of morphs. It is 12 years old though so there's probably some newer ones out there. The other smaller book I got earlier had a good number of morphs in it too, but it drove me up a wall that the author didn't have the pictures of the particular morphs on the same page as where she talked about that morph. XD

Not looking to drop more than a couple hundred on the snake itself though so that probably puts several of the morphs right out. But looking at what is in my price range I should have a good selection just from sellers in my area. That said I guess I could consider shipping if the seller is highly rated enough. :)

Looks like I have a couple options for reptile shows each about an hour or so away from me over the next several months. :)

Can't figure out how to edit my previous post. Is there an age limit on editing or am I just blind?
Hm... I appear to be able to edit this one. So I'm going to assume there's an age limit.

Anyway I've been in touch with a breeder in my area who has helped me with what I think are the last few problems I had.
1)Glass doors, not acrylic for my geographic region
2)Off feed snakes can be checked for returning to feed once every 3 weeks
3)Found a herp vet in my area (Stahl Exotic Animal Veterinary Services)
4)I shouldn't need a separate humidifier in my geographic location, but I should double check when I make my setup
5)A different way to prekill rats for feeding to snakes (as opposed to frozen/thawed) is to buy live ones then put them in an box with a tube that slowly fills the box with CO2. This may not be appropriate for only feeding one snake what with the cost of purchasing CO2 and all, but still interesting to know
6)Confirmed that for an AP cage a heat pad will not work, need heat tape
7)He has an adorable bp that I plan on buying. He's promised to hold it for me until my setup is ready (with proper down payment of course). :) The breeder is so close we won't even have to ship, I'll just go pick it up when I'm all set. =D Also I can inspect it before purchasing and if something somehow turns out to be wrong with it I can ask the original owner to fix it before he sells to me.
8)I should get a heat gun too


Research still to do:
1)Mock up T8 vs T12 interior sizes for fit checking ease of accessibility

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flyheight

Can't figure out how to edit my previous post. Is there an age limit on editing or am I just blind?
Hm... I appear to be able to edit this one. So I'm going to assume there's an age limit.

Anyway I've been in touch with a breeder in my area who has helped me with what I think are the last few problems I had.
1)Glass doors, not acrylic for my geographic region
2)Off feed snakes can be checked for returning to feed once every 3 weeks
3)Found a herp vet in my area (Stahl Exotic Animal Veterinary Services)
4)I shouldn't need a separate humidifier in my geographic location, but I should double check when I make my setup
5)A different way to prekill rats for feeding to snakes (as opposed to frozen/thawed) is to buy live ones then put them in an box with a tube that slowly fills the box with CO2. This may not be appropriate for only feeding one snake what with the cost of purchasing CO2 and all, but still interesting to know
6)Confirmed that for an AP cage a heat pad will not work, need heat tape
7)He has an adorable bp that I plan on buying. He's promised to hold it for me until my setup is ready (with proper down payment of course). :) The breeder is so close we won't even have to ship, I'll just go pick it up when I'm all set. =D Also I can inspect it before purchasing and if something somehow turns out to be wrong with it I can ask the original owner to fix it before he sells to me.
8)I should get a heat gun too


Research still to do:
1)Mock up T8 vs T12 interior sizes for fit checking ease of accessibility

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You can't edit after 10 mins.

Just came across a new topic of interest to me while browsing the forums: odor.
How do you mitigate it is my primary concern?
Are there practices that can reduce odor?

Check every day for the need to clean. Wipe out tub with vinegar. The only time I really have bad smelling animals is during breeding.

Vinegar, got it. Thanks.
Oh, well breeding won't be an issue for me. Good to know.
Edit: 50/50 Vinegar/Water has also been recommended to me from a local multi-snake owner.

Does substrate choice do anything relevant?
Edit 2: Butcher Paper vs. newspaper?

You can also use F10 or Chlorhexadine. I use chlorhexadine personally. Some substrates like coconut fiber will reduce the smell of their poop, but since you should be cleaning it as soon as you're aware of it anyway, this shouldn't be a real factor. Ball pythons themselves don't have a lot in the way of scent and most of the time it's hard to smell them unless you're really trying and impossible outside of their enclosure - I find their scent fairly pleasant personally. If you can smell anything without trying, it's probably time to clean.

I some of the natural substrates will conceal odor to an extent. I have used natural substrate in the past with lizards but not with snakes. Everything I own at this point is on paper. It does not look as nice, but it is a lot easier for me to keep clean. Most of my snakes, unless they are fasting will have a major defecation weekly. This generally means I replace the paper in each tub twice weekly. Once after the usually Wednesday poop, and once after feeding day. It takes around 2-3 minutes to clean a tub and inspect an animal.

I met my future boop today. :)
He's sooooooo CUUUUUUTTTTEEEE!
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...kane2small.jpg
He scarfed me too! XD
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...scarfsmall.jpg

Original owner says he gets fed once every 2-3 weeks and has never bit anyone.
Original owner also says I should get the lock on my T8 as a bp has enough friction in their scales to slide open the sliding glass doors (he personally had one snake escape this way once, he did recover the snake though, fortunately). XD
Need to figure out where I'm going to source my f/t rats from.
Oh and I should use a heat gun on the thawed rats to ensure 85-90 deg F temp.

I often hear good things about both Perfect Prey and Big Cheese Rodent Factory for f/t feeders!

Also congrats!!!

Thanks MissterDog! I'll definitely check those out.

More questions ahoy!:
For the break-in period when I first get my snake I know you aren't supposed to handle him or anything for the first week or so (except where necessary for cleaning etc). My snake will be living in my bedroom in a T8/12. I don't spend a whole lot of time in there outside of sleep, but he won't be completely by himself at nights. Should I use a cover on the front of his enclosure for the first week? Or will he be ok as long as I'm not touching him?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flyheight

For the break-in period when I first get my snake I know you aren't supposed to handle him or anything for the first week or so (except where necessary for cleaning etc). My snake will be living in my bedroom in a T8/12. I don't spend a whole lot of time in there outside of sleep, but he won't be completely by himself at nights. Should I use a cover on the front of his enclosure for the first week? Or will he be ok as long as I'm not touching him?

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I don't think you need to cover as long as he has a hide he should be able to curl up in there and feel secure.

Awesomesauce, thanks Timeluguia

When I'm cleaning the snake cage I'm going to need a separate container to put the snake in, would a snake bag be ok for this?
And what size snake bag for a 5 foot male ball python?
Reptile Basics has 8x12, 12x16, and 15x24. I'm sure I could find other sizes if I looked elsewhere.
Actually, now that I think about it I'll quite possibly receive the snake bag with the snake from my seller so this sizing thing may not be an issue since he'll be giving me one that's good for the snake already.
Still would like to know if the bag would be fine for while cage cleaning.