Thinking about getting a bp but have a few questions...

Hi! I am thinking about getting a male ball python (not to breed, just because they stay a bit smaller :)) and I have some questions. First of all, this would be my first snake and reptile in general, so forgive me if i say something wrong! My first question is that I have 2 guinea pigs and I'm wondering if It'd be OK to keep the snake in the same room? Idk if the snake could smell the gp and get stressed or vice versa. Also, Is it better to get a baby or to adopt an adult? I thought maybe the older one could be more used to its previous owner and be harder to tame. And, I was planning on keeping it in a 20 gal. while it's young (like 1-2 yrs old) then moving it to a 40 gal. But I saw a guy who just keeps his bps in a 20 gal. their whole life because they are very inactive? What should I do there? And does anyone know a place where you can get cheap, healthy ball pythons? I do know a guy who hatched 2 normal, male ball pythons about a year ago, so I might just purchase 1 from him :) Thanks in advance!

Totally fine to keep the BP in the same room- they get used to the smell pretty quickly and don't react to it.

It's easier on a first timer for feeding and care to get a sub-adult~adult. It doesn't have to be full-grown, even 300g at least is easier than a hatchling.

BP's actually hardly need taming- 99% are naturally tame. Older ones even more calm than hatchlings. Especially if you ask the breeder/seller for a particularly tame one as a pet.

They don't really get used to one owner over the other- if they are calm and tame, they will be calm and tame for you too. :)

Many enclosure types work, but glass tanks with screen tops are most difficult to manage their temps and humidity. That's why people always recommend tubs or pvc enclosures like Animal Plastics. As for sizing, it comes down to how you set it up. Do your research on their needs- they need a lot of cover, hides, and security, and exact temps and humidity, or they won't eat.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...s%29-Caresheet

Check out faunaclassifieds for BP's for sale. There are breeders on this forum too!

The only potential difficulty I see in keeping your gps and bp in the same room is you'll have to be more mindful of your ambient room temperature and how that will effect your heating source for your cage/tank.

For example, if your room temperature is in the very low 70's or below, heat tape wont really work and a UTH may not be enough to heat the whole enclosure/offer warm enough ambient temps and/or you'll need a higher wattage heating if you go with a RHP or CHE. So keep your room temperature in mind when you shop for your heat source! Don't forget a thermostat!

Red pretty much nailed everything else (and I second the pvc cage/tub option over glass tanks), but another option for buying ball pythons is checking out Morph Market, just be sure to research the breeder you're interested in.

Thanks! I don't want a rack system though... The tanks I was looking were front opening and the other had a screen top but I heard you can put like foil or a towel over it to keep the humidity in? Is 1 year old enough? Or would it be easier to get an older one. The guys ball pythons he said are extremely calm though so like you said would they be calm for me..? Sorry, thanks for your replies :D

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Originally Posted by GpBp

Thanks! I don't want a rack system though... The tanks I was looking were front opening and the other had a screen top but I heard you can put like foil or a towel over it to keep the humidity in? Is 1 year old enough? Or would it be easier to get an older one. The guys ball pythons he said are extremely calm though so like you said would they be calm for me..? Sorry, thanks for your replies :D

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You don't need a rack to use a tub. :) There are some very large tubs. This one is one I used, 3 feet long, but IRIS has up to 5 foot long tubs that some people use for their ball pythons.

http://www.target.com/p/sterilite-cl...e/-/A-13794501

And here's a tub setup guide that just shows you the basics of this. This is what I followed when I first started out! https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...e-Basics-*DUW*

Yes, you can put a wet towel or foil on screen tops to retain humidity.

You should be looking at the weight, not the age. Ball pythons age is not proportionate to size. And yep, if the previous owner (or whoever you're buying from) says the ball python is extremely calm and you trust them, they will be calm for you too. They're not super complex animals LOL.

Don't worry, you can use a tub and not a rack system, for full grown bp's I've seen Christmas tree tubs being a popular choice because of the size and it's fairly inexpensive. PVC cages, Animal Plastics is by far the best and they do offer custom sizes, holds humidity great and super secure. Very easy to use any heat source and very well worth the money. You can even get a divider so your bp gets half the cage when younger/smaller then full cage when larger.

That being said, glass tanks with screen tops can work with the foil/towel method you mentioned, others have also used foam board, but in the long run, it can be more difficult to manage, especially with humidity. Another thing to keep in mind is glass tanks are a little harder to keep everything stabilized without supervision. For example, if you are out on vacation for the week but your tank needs daily or frequent misting just to keep humidity at an acceptable level, then some more troubleshooting will be needed.

Be sure to test your cage/tank temps and humidity at least a week in advance before snake day to ensure everything is fine and consistent.

I looked at the tubs on animal plastics, they are just a bit too expensive :( But I didn't know you could put them in the Target ones! Wouldn't you have to like... poke holes or something..? XD I like that idea but I do just really like the look of glass :T Sorry, I don't mean to be picky! Would the front opening be a better option? Thanks for your help guys!

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Originally Posted by GpBp

I looked at the tubs on animal plastics, they are just a bit too expensive :( But I didn't know you could put them in the Target ones! Wouldn't you have to like... poke holes or something..? XD I like that idea but I do just really like the look of glass :T Sorry, I don't mean to be picky! Would the front opening be a better option? Thanks for your help guys!

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LOL yeah, liking the look of glass is no problem. Just a heads up about it being more difficult to manage, that's all!

But yes, you'd have to poke a few holes in tubs haha. And then they just need a UTH and thermostat, some hides and decor, strapping down the lid, and it's set.

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Originally Posted by redshepherd

LOL yeah, liking the look of glass is no problem. Just a heads up about it being more difficult to manage, that's all!

But yes, you'd have to poke a few holes in tubs haha. And then they just need a UTH and thermostat, some hides and decor, strapping down the lid, and it's set.

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I found out how to do this :O Anyway... I'll look into the tubs, it would save alot of money :P But if I don't use the tub, my plan is to try to get the front opening tank, and if it is too expensive I'll use a screen lid with a wet paper towel over it? I have a question about that too though, well... some people say you don't need a heat lamp if you have the heat pad, is that true? If not, and/or I have to use a heat lamp, would I have to cut a hole in the towel or something? And with the tubs would the heat mat like melt the plastic..? I'm confused XD

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Originally Posted by GpBp

I found out how to do this :O Anyway... I'll look into the tubs, it would save alot of money :P But if I don't use the tub, my plan is to try to get the front opening tank, and if it is too expensive I'll use a screen lid with a wet paper towel over it? I have a question about that too though, well... some people say you don't need a heat lamp if you have the heat pad, is that true? If not, and/or I have to use a heat lamp, would I have to cut a hole in the towel or something? And with the tubs would the heat mat like melt the plastic..? I'm confused XD

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You'll need a heat source to raise ambient temps (CHE, heat bulb, RHP) if your house is too cold. If your ambient temp is 73~85, you'll only need a heat pad.

No you just put the towel around the heat source, not touching haha

It won't melt the plastic because you'll have your heat sources all plugged into a thermostat.

What do you mean plugged into a thermostat?

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Originally Posted by GpBp

What do you mean plugged into a thermostat?

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Why don't you read the links I posted earlier? It will clear everything up.

Do your own research before getting the snake.

OH ok never mind sorry. I know what you meant :p And yes, I've done lots of research, It's just very helpful to ask your own questions on forums :) But I'm defiantly not close to an expert in any way XD Ty for the link tho, it's very helpful :)

I have another question. Does it matter what morph you get? Like is there a difference if you were to get a Blue Eyed Leucistic compared to a normal? I've looked it up and found a couple different answers.

I have another question. Does it matter what morph you get? Like is there a difference if you were to get a Blue Eyed Leucistic or a Champagne compared to a normal? I've looked it up and found a couple different answers.

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Originally Posted by GpBp

I have another question. Does it matter what morph you get? Like is there a difference if you were to get a Blue Eyed Leucistic compared to a normal? I've looked it up and found a couple different answers.

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No, they're all ball pythons with the same care. The only thing is some morphs are prone to genetic defects, but you would know when you pick out your snake.

Ok ty :) Is there anything else you think I need to know?

I'd say be sure to locate a near by reptile vet and have some mite treatment handy. Provent-a-mite is the best one. Have a back up plan if you ever have to deal with a power outage or if you'll be out of town. Basically, think of all the things that may go wrong or present complications and look into how you will handle it. Always good to think ahead and be prepared in case things go down.

Take your time on the research, and don't forget to research products as well!

Welcome to the forum, there's a lot to answer here, so I'll do my best....

Research, research and more research. You're off to a good start doing your homework beforehand.

Yes, you can keep your BP in the same room as you GPs. My snakes share a room with my ferrets and have never complained ;)
I saw a mention of temp concerns with your animals sharing a room, mine do with no problem. It was also mentioned that an RHP or UTH might not be enough to heat the enclosure properly. Well, a UTH is for hot spot only and not ambient temps. So yes, you will likely need an additional heat source.

Read through the stickies on this forum and follow them. Whichever enclosure style you choose, there are stickies to help you get everything you need set up and set up right the first time. I use glass, for now, and have no issues at all, it's just a little more work. I will be adding PVC eventually, when funds allow, but have no issues with glass.
A 20 gallon would be fine for a while, and probably forever with a male, but I prefer 40 gallon breeder tanks.
You can easily cut a piece of cardboard to fit the screen lid, cut out a hole for your lamp/CHE (which you will need for ambient temps, unless your house stay above 78 all the time) and wrap the cardboard in foil. The foil keeps heat/humidity in, while just cardboard helps with heat but actually absorbs moisture, draining humidity.

If you're doing your homework on this forum you'll learn pretty quickly who the experienced, successful keepers are and you should follow their advice.

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

Welcome to the forum, there's a lot to answer here, so I'll do my best....

Research, research and more research. You're off to a good start doing your homework beforehand.

Yes, you can keep your BP in the same room as you GPs. My snakes share a room with my ferrets and have never complained ;)
I saw a mention of temp concerns with your animals sharing a room, mine do with no problem. It was also mentioned that an RHP or UTH might not be enough to heat the enclosure properly. Well, a UTH is for hot spot only and not ambient temps. So yes, you will likely need an additional heat source.

Read through the stickies on this forum and follow them. Whichever enclosure style you choose, there are stickies to help you get everything you need set up and set up right the first time. I use glass, for now, and have no issues at all, it's just a little more work. I will be adding PVC eventually, when funds allow, but have no issues with glass.
A 20 gallon would be fine for a while, and probably forever with a male, but I prefer 40 gallon breeder tanks.
You can easily cut a piece of cardboard to fit the screen lid, cut out a hole for your lamp/CHE (which you will need for ambient temps, unless your house stay above 78 all the time) and wrap the cardboard in foil. The foil keeps heat/humidity in, while just cardboard helps with heat but actually absorbs moisture, draining humidity.

If you're doing your homework on this forum you'll learn pretty quickly who the experienced, successful keepers are and you should follow their advice.

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I probably should have clarified about the UTH itself not doing anything for ambient temps, but ambients being influenced by the house/room's temps if a UTH is used alone, since there is no good way to install any additional heat sources in a tub set up (if op goes that route) which is why I thought it was worth noting.

So op I apologize for any confusion, Craiga cleared everything up on what you need to know.

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Originally Posted by MissterDog

I probably should have clarified about the UTH itself not doing anything for ambient temps, but ambients being influenced by the house/room's temps if a UTH is used alone, since there is no good way to install any additional heat sources in a tub set up (if op goes that route) which is why I thought it was worth noting.

So op I apologize for any confusion, Craiga cleared everything up on what you need to know.

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I knew you knew what you were saying, just wanted to clarify for the OP

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

I knew you knew what you were saying, just wanted to clarify for the OP

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Always good to clarify :gj:

Ok, Thank you so much! If I have any other questions I'll let you guys know but this helps a lot! :D