it freaks me out all the rules for bp care

i a course do it becuase i love my freinds but i do admit i lose sleep worrying about all the details

It does get easier...after a while, keeping snakes becomes 'second nature'. Not that they're all the same, but many things do stay the same & you only have
to make small adjustments to understand other species. Don't worry, we were all new (& frustrated) when we started too...and for some of us, there wasn't
any internet to ask either. ;) Snakes teach us patience & to be observant & empathetic...those are all good things, not only for snakes.

You're not the only one :) It's even freakier when everyone you talk to seems to have differing rules they recommend to you. I try to trust the most experienced keepers/breeders, but even they have different opinions on the proper care sometimes. It can be hard to know what to go with. But, it just shows what we'll do for our snakes.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

It does get easier...after a while, keeping snakes becomes 'second nature'. Not that they're all the same, but many things do stay the same & you only have
to make small adjustments to understand other species. Don't worry, we were all new (& frustrated) when we started too...and for some of us, there wasn't
any internet to ask either. ;) Snakes teach us patience & to be observant & empathetic...those are all good things, not only for snakes.

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^^^ agreed 100% ^^^

Some advice I can give you:
- read, read, read and read some more. The more we know about our pets the better we can care for them.
- don't be overwhelmed by the "rules". They're mostly just guidelines and not one-size-fits-all.
- practice COMMON sense
- watch your snake as much as you can, watch the mannerisms and you'll start to "understand" what their body language is telling you
- always cross reference multiple sources before believing anything to be fact. Learn from multiple RELIABLE sources.

Like Bogertophis said, we were ALL new once. And I am one who learned before the world wide interweb was such a fantastic learning tool.

Just learn all you can, apply what you're learning, stick to basics while you learn and you'll have it down in no time.

It's actually a PLUS having more than one opinion, because it doesn't necessarily mean that either way is wrong, it just gives you more things to try to solve
the issue. As the old saying goes, "two heads are better than one".

And if you can cope with keeping a ball python successfully, many (if not MOST) other snakes will seem easy. :D

I do not see any stringent rules of keeping BPs.
It's pretty easy peasy[emoji3]

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I'll drop my tiny tidbit of knowledge I have, so far.

1) It's good to watch YT vids to get insight, ideas, etc, however, don't use said info. as "the gospel" without consulting here (or any other reputable forum) first. I actually made a couple big mistakes with mine from info. I had gotten there. Lesson learned.

2) No question is a stupid question so don't ever hesitate to ask.

True

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Originally Posted by Shayne

I'll drop my tiny tidbit of knowledge I have, so far.

1) It's good to watch YT vids to get insight, ideas, etc, however, don't use said info. as "the gospel" without consulting here (or any other reputable forum) first. I actually made a couple big mistakes with mine from info. I had gotten there. Lesson learned.

2) No question is a stupid question so don't ever hesitate to ask.

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Originally Posted by Jellybeans

I do not see any stringent rules of keeping BPs.
It's pretty easy peasy[emoji3]

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Aren't you still on your first one though? and he's young? Just wait...;)

I can't wait for him to get bigger

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Aren't you still on your first one though? and he's young? Just wait...;)

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Originally Posted by Jellybeans

I can't wait for him to get bigger

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Neither can I. ;)

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Neither can I. ;)

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I have a hatchling?

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Aren't you still on your first one though? and he's young? Just wait...;)

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And he eats jellybeans

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Originally Posted by Jellybeans

I have a hatchling? ...

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Why are you asking me? Don't you know?

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Why are you asking me? Don't you know?

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Typo....
I was asking if you had one

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Originally Posted by Jellybeans

Typo....
I was asking if you had one

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When I get confused and freaked out, I just pop in a few jellybeans.

black jelly bean are yummy but they cause pain in my teeth like it is some kinda chemical reaction

Ewwweeeee

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Originally Posted by motorcyclecowboy

black jelly bean are yummy but they cause pain in my teeth like it is some kinda chemical reaction

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Originally Posted by Jellybeans

Typo....
I was asking if you had one

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No BPs currently...some years ago I raised 4 hatchlings to adulthood & had other (unwanted) adults that I took in as well, for years... Sorry, but they aren't my
favorite snakes, & I've had many kinds to judge from.

That's fine everyone is different than there's a big variety of snakes out there to fit our personalities

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

No BPs currently...some years ago I raised 4 hatchlings to adulthood & had other (unwanted) adults that I took in as well, for years... Sorry, but they aren't my
favorite snakes, & I've had many kinds to judge from.

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Here is my advice.

Listen to above posted advice, its all great.

Then here is this. Do it right the first time around, and everything will be easier and cheaper in the long run. Newbies often make the snake the #1 priority. The morph, the price, etc.

Make your enclosure and husbandry the #1 priority for now. Do THAT right first, and the rest will fall into place. If you want to spend the bulk of your money on a prettier snake, while the rest is an afterthought, you may run into some frustration.

There are really only a few very important ground rules, but those are non negotiable if you want to be successful. Follow them, have a good setup ready. If that means that your funds go towards that and then you have to save a couple/few more month for the actual snake, trust me, it will be worth it.

The newbies that try to cut corners on enclosure/husbandry usually end up spending far more in the long run and go through a lot of frustration.

These snakes can live over 40 years. Take the time to do this right.

Decide whether you want to house your BP in a glass tank, a PVC enclosure (made for reptiles) or a PVC tub. All have their pros and cons.

Glass tanks are easily obtainable and fairly cheap. They give you good visibility. But they are harder to heat properly and keep humidity right. To heat them properly you often have to use a above heater (light or ceramic) in conjunction with a Under Tank Heater. Which dries out the tank and makes it challenging to keep the humidity up. It can be done, though, and there are great write ups on how to do this RIGHT the first time around. You need to get the heat, humidity right AND provide proper privacy for the snake. All those factors are non negotiable. And you have to make it safe.

A PVC cage is great all around. Easier to heat and keep humidity up, while providing visibility. Still good privacy since enclosed all around other then the see through front. But, they cost more then a glass tank and usually takes a few weeks to get. You can always upgrade to this, eventually..

A tub is a great way to house a Ball Python. Easy to achieve correct temps and humidity. Great privacy for a Ball Python. Cheap and easy to purchase. You don't get the "pretty" display visibility, but the BP might settle down and feel safer, faster. Can also be upgraded to a PVC cage later on.


No matter which of those you go to, you HAVE to purchase a thermoSTAT , a device which controls the heater. Or you risk your snake getting burned and having trouble keeping the temps even. This is non negotiable. You can get one for around $35 on Amazon, or buy a more professional one for around $100 or so. But you have to have one. You usually need a Under Tank Heater. Needs to be installed correctly. You need some thermoMETERS to check and make sure your temperatures are correct. You need hides, at least a couple of them, to make your BP feel safe. That can be a commercially made one, or a small box or tupperware container. A waterdish. Substrate if you want it, or paper towels.

While it all sounds complicated and involved (and expensive), it really isn't or need not be.

There are write ups for each setup. That walk you step by step through it on what to buy and how to set it up. Not hard at all. Do it right first time around. Get all what you need, set it up, dial it in.

THEN look for the snake, and get a nice/healthy/feeding and established one. We can also help you what to look for in that regard. But don't worry about morph and all that right now, focus on the setup :)

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Originally Posted by Jellybeans

That's fine everyone is different than there's a big variety of snakes out there to fit our personalities

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I'll be honest- I don't enjoy snakes that go on unpredictable fasts, & another downside is that they need higher temps & humidity, plus they hide too much for my taste.

BPs have a lot going for them: they're pretty, & they stay a nice size, & they're docile. But so are MANY other kinds of snakes, like rat snakes, with much easier care &
outgoing personality to boot. I hate the idea of keeping snakes in tubs...I love glass tanks for visibility, so snakes that do well in them are my strong preference.

If you only have one snake, or several, it's not so bad when they fast, but when you have a large number of snakes (as I have for many years now) you just don't have
time for all the food-fuss you get from BPs. The BPs I had for years I ended up re-homing with good people who were into them...I just wasn't. They took too much
time from the all others that I have lots more fun with...snakes that don't need their rodents blow-dried. ;) I'm patient, very patient, but my time was valuable (as in
"never enough of it"). And most other snakes are more resilient in terms of health too...they don't get R.I.'s easily, for example.

Well I just have my one and that's really all that I want

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I'll be honest- I don't enjoy snakes that go on unpredictable fasts, & another downside is that they need higher temps & humidity, plus they hide too much for my taste.

BPs have a lot going for them: they're pretty, & they stay a nice size, & they're docile. But so are MANY other kinds of snakes, like rat snakes, with much easier care &
outgoing personality to boot. I hate the idea of keeping snakes in tubs...I love glass tanks for visibility, so snakes that do well in them are my strong preference.

If you only have one snake, or several, it's not so bad when they fast, but when you have a large number of snakes (as I have for many years now) you just don't have
time for all the food-fuss you get from BPs. The BPs I had for years I ended up re-homing with good people who were into them...I just wasn't. They took too much
time from the all others that I have lots more fun with...snakes that don't need their rodents blow-dried. ;) I'm patient, very patient, but my time was valuable (as in
"never enough of it"). And most other snakes are more resilient in terms of health too...they don't get R.I.'s easily, for example.

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I would truly love to have a leucistic ball python too but in all honesty I just want it for the color.... however I have a wonderful ball python now that's a beautiful morph and I don't really think I need another.
I won't even have anybody I know of to leave him in my will when I die

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Originally Posted by Jellybeans

I would truly love to have a leucistic ball python too but in all honesty I just want it for the color.... however I have a wonderful ball python now that's a beautiful morph and I don't really think I need another.
I won't even have anybody I know of to leave him in my will when I die

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Let's hope you have many more years with Jellybeans, & any others that may come along.

My passion for snakes is more about preservation of species as nature has perfected them, not about creating fancy c/b morphs, but I do applaud the serious dedication
shown by many members here for the keeping & breeding of ball pythons...you have truly "come a long way" for them, & sharing your knowledge here is commendable.

thank you all very much i found a rhestat at home depot it works great i also have a watt meter which helps me