Getting a BP

Hey, I'm getting a BP. I have never had a snake before, which is why I'm asking here. Someone pointed me to this site, so I will just quote what I posted.

Quote:

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I'm thinking about getting one. I already know how big they get and what they eat. I'm getting one as a baby. My questions are,

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Also, what is a good feeding length? How often should I feed them. Can I order them online, like, good ones, what are good sites to order them from. And some tips would be nice to know to. Thanks.

-TM :snake2:

Hi there,


:welcome: to the site. :)

Here are a few good links to get you started.

Ball python caresheet.

Glass tank setup sticky.

Plastic tub sticky.


That should give you some ideas and questions to ask us.


dr del

Welcome Aboard!!! :handshake



Take a gander at the caresheets and stickies, and that will be a strong start. Glad to see you're willing to ask questions and learn first, BEFORE buying your new baby!

It will be MUCH easier to care for and healthier for your little one, if you get your tank/tub all set up w/full water bowl installed, temps and humidity all stabilized before putting the snake in.

Glad to have another new member!


RuLyn:sunny:

Thanks for the help. I'm confused though. Maybe you can just give me a yes/no answer on these, rather than me having to read being confused.
I used to have a BD, but it died. So I still have the tank/setup for that. The tank is 38' long, 18' on the sides, and about 17' tall. Yeah, I'm really dumb at this stuff so bare with me.
I still have the light setup from the lizard, will those work? One is the dark purple and the other is a light blue one.

-TM :snake2:

Hi,


Well your tank would need a lot of modification for a snake to make it escape proof possibly - you should read through the glass tank setup sticky to see how easy it is going to be to switch from what it is now.

It will also be too large for a hatchling snake - they like slightly cramped conditions with good ,dark,tight, hides. A tank which is too large can cause them to feel vulnerable and exposed and put them off eating or cause constant stress.

Since a reptile died in the tank you should also think about how you would disinfect to avoid possible problems.

Ball pythons are nocturnal snakes so do not really need those lights either - the normal light in the room is enough to give them a day/night cycle and, since they don't need a night time drop or uv at all I probably wouldn't use those lights myself.

I don't understand what you mean by "good feeding length" so can't answer that one.

Feeding schedules are once every 5 to 7 days and multiple prey items can be offered one after the other in a feed if they are too large for one prey size but not yet big enough for the larger size. We recomend not handling the snake for 48 hours after each feeding and we also recomend feeding in their home environment to avoid stressing them out.

Yes you can get some wonderfull snakes online if you go to a good reliable breeder - in fact they will probably be the best snakes you can get if you choose right.

To help you choose there is a feedback forum on here and the BOI on fauna which relate peoples experiences of various breeders/shops.

Have a look around to see what you like then research the breeders to make sure he has a good rep in the industry. We have people who advertise on the site as well so clicking on their banners would not be the worst place you could start.:)

What kind of heating and thermostat do you have? That's most peoples most expensive piece of husbandy supply so if that's still ok then you could re-use that.

Have a search around for people experience of anything in particular as well as there are a myriad of threads with great info.



dr del

It MIGHT, if you're getting an adult ball python. If you're getting a baby, then it will be extremely too big. Tubs are best, but I've got a bunch of tanks too, for our balls. When I've had baby ball pythons in a tank, you want nothing larger than a 10g.


The only reason you'd want the lights, is for ambient heat. If your room stays a steady 82-84*, then you'll need only an under tank heater (UTH) for belly heat as a hotspot of 92-94* in 1/3 to 1/2 the length of the tank. Snakes don't need the UVA/ UVB bulbs that a beardie does. Natural light in the room is enough.

ABSOLUTELY NO HEAT ROCKS or uncovered bulbs!!! The snake will seriously injure itself.

DARN it, Derek!!! All that for nuthin' 'cause you're sooooooo much faster!!


Pththththththt :P

Thanks, that helped alot. Hm,but would I have to switch tanks. I REALLY don't have enough money for that, I'm paying for everything alone with no help. So if I do need a new one I'm screwed, or I could just get a little bit bigger snake. What would be a bigger size that I could get that would fit in my tank that I can actually hold(I'm only 12)

Hi,


Well I may be a few dollars off here (I'm on a different continent both mentally and physically) but the tank is the least expensive part of the whole setup as far as I know. :)

People talk about getting a 10 gallon tank for $10 and a tub is even cheaper for the size you want for a hatchling or small snake.:)

Possibly consider keeping the larger tank for when your snake grows up or use it if you buy a larger snake to begin with.

But the heating is the bit that costs the money so if you tell us what thermostats or control methods you already have and what type of heater you used for the bearded dragon we could see if you could use those and make things a little more economical for you.:)

As for the size of snake that would fit the tank you have just now I would say 2.5 to 3 feet would be fine but they cost more as they age (after all someone had to feed them) so they might not fit in your budget any more.

My advice is to take your time and, if you need to wait a little bit to get the tank perfect, don't worry about it too much but spend the extra time it gives you finding the perfect place to buy your snake from.

One thing to avoid is buying snakes which aren't at their best because they will end up costing you more in the long run both emotionally and financially.

I would recomend getting a nice economical tub setup going and buying a captive born and bred baby from one of the better known names and you should have a wonderfull experience.


Oh and sweety314 - I'm a slow old duffer I just started earlier. :P


dr del

hey dude, that tank is DEFFINATLY way to big for a ball baby a 10 gal tank really wont be too expensive. and if you cant afford a 10 gal tank I dont think you can really afford owning a bp let alone a bigger snake :\

Thanks. Also how much is a 10 gallon tank again? I have $165 to use, I don't want to use all of it but I might have to. If it comes to when I have to go bankrupt then I will just go with a bigger snake.
Also the thermometer in the house is usually in the 70s.

Hi,


Well for a BP you want the cool end at 80-85 and the warm end at 90-95 so you are definately going to need supplemental heat. This is why I keep asking what you already have.

I didn't mean the thing you use to measure temperature but the thing you use to control the heater.


dr del

The thing I use to control how hot or cold it gets in here is in the 70's right now. I'm confused :(
Sorry, I'm new to everything.
How much would a 10g tank/tub cost?

Hi,


I see where the confusion in coming in.:)

The price of a tank varies and the best way to find it exactly would be to go to your local petstore with your folks and see what is available - also look at tubs from office depot or wallmart too.

Best thing is to make a list of what you will need with the prices - this helps you make sure you have everything.

The thermostat you are talking about controls your whole room but the one we are talking about is used to control the heater only on your tank. It might be worth your while to search on the forums for "thermostat" to see what we mean.

Another good idea might be to get someone like your folks to join as well then you can plan it all together - it can be a really good project to do together and at the end of it you might be able to get some extra help with some of the more complicated parts of the set up too.:cool:

Do the temperatures in your room stay the same all year round or does it change quite a bit?


dr del

I think it changes but not alot. What exactly would I need? If I got a bigger snake which I think I am going to do to save the money, I would still need the heating and things right?

I love BPs, but why not get another beadie if you already have the set up? $165 can get you a lovely healthy juvie from a breeder, plus have money for food.

(I'm just biased becaues I love love my beardie!)

PM me about beardies if you'd like.