former bearded dragon owner looking to start a ball pyhton

Hey i used to have a bearded dragon and i still have his full setup (40 gallon glass tank, "stone looking hut", stone water and food tray, spiral tree branch, uva/b light and basking lamp). What kind of other things would i need to buy for a ball python ie what kind of substrate, any other lights etc. The tank is also a front sliding window and i have heard that ball pyhtons are cunning escape artist's. Would the python be able to figure out how to get out through those doors? The screen on the top is glued on. Any help would be amazing I am really interested in these guys they look very cool and relatively easy to maintain for a university student.

I have just started with my ball, and things I have learned are You really don't have to the bulb's and lamps. You can have the UTH (Under Tank Heater) is plenty enough. Substrate I stay away from aspen and pine shavings. Coconut Husk ( I believe thats what they call it) or sphagnum moss any thing that will help with your humidity is great. STAY AWAY from aspen and pine. People say it depends on what you want. But my research show the aspen and pine contain chemicals that can harm the snake also eating if they swallow a piece by acc. it can lead to RI. So i just stuck with fir and sphagnum moss mix and it is working awesome.

A new tank. A 40 gallon is much too large for a ball of any size in my opinion. Get a 10 gallon for a baby, or a 20 for an adult.

Doesn't need a basking lamp or UVB/A lighting. Needs a UTH with a proper Thermostat.

Aspen, paper towels, newspaper substrate. Some cypress mulch or barks are also fine.

The ball python will probably be able to escape from the doors you describe. :[

Unfortunately, you really have to start over, because Beardies husbandry is a lot different than a ball pythons. You may be able to use the water bowl, but you'll need two specific hides that fit the ball pythons size perfectly.

Good luck!

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Originally Posted by Otto1208

I have just started with my ball, and things I have learned are You really don't have to the bulb's and lamps. You can have the UTH (Under Tank Heater) is plenty enough. Substrate I stay away from aspen and pine shavings. Coconut Husk ( I believe thats what they call it) or sphagnum moss any thing that will help with your humidity is great. STAY AWAY from aspen and pine. People say it depends on what you want. But my research show the aspen and pine contain chemicals that can harm the snake also eating if they swallow a piece by acc. it can lead to RI. So i just stuck with fir and sphagnum moss mix and it is working awesome.

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Aspen is generally safe and doesn't have any chemicals. I've also never heard of swallowing leading to an RI? That doesn't make very much sense. It could lead to impaction but it is extremely rare and only if he eats a large amount, which shouldn't happen anyway.
Are you thinking of pine and cedar? Because cedar is extremely toxic to animals and should never be used as a bedding.

Stay away from Aspen? Aspen is the best substract next to good ol' newspaper. Pure Aspen is 100% safe non-toxic and easy to clean up after. You cannot swallow substract and get a RI, RIs are usually acquired by incorrect temps and poor husbandry. Stay as far away from Pine and Cedar as possible, they produce natural oils which are toxic. UTH are enough... yes and no any heat source that isn't properly controlled by a thermostat or rheostat is not "enough", make sure you have a way to control any heat source you hook up to any type of enclosure. Be careful the advice you give to some could cost them alot.

yes it is pine and cedar sorry about that. I was reading an article about aspen eariler and it was in my head... LMAO. And yes it does need to be controlled by a thermostat SORRY for not mentioning that bit of info... I have been up for a while and was reluctant to put that. THANKS for the catch...

Avoid using sand, corncob bedding, cedar, or pine products. Sand can become an irritant to a snake’s belly scales and can cause intestinal impaction if ingested, and the resins in cedar and poor-quality pine shavings can cause respiratory distress in your python.
http://quamut.com/quamut/ball_python...ll_python.html

This came off of a website about substrates. pine and cedar Chemicals can result in RI

Since you already hae a 40gal set up just add more plants and stuff, and you'll want to put a larger water dish in so that your ball can soak if inclined to do so

Even though you have the intentions of changing things, never relate one animals husbandry to another, a bps housing is nothing similar to a bearded dragons. A 40 gallon would be very overwhelming to a normal sized ball python. There is also the spreading of diseases, somethings that may not hurt a beardie can kill a ball and vice verse

Get a 20 gallon tank, a heating pad, two hides, paper towels, a thermostat, water dish,and food and you will be set. This site has a wonderful care sheet so feel free to take a look at it!!

You don't necessarily NEED to get rid of the 40 gal.

Too big for a baby? yeah, I would agree with that. However, you can simply section off 1/3 of it and set up his habitat in that.

Better yet, seeing as how people often get hooked after one, section it off into thirds and you'll have room for two more :)

yea i still have my beardies old 20 gallon, just wasn't sure if bp's need an overhead heater/uva/b source. Is it possible for people to post pics of their set up for their bp's cause what you are describing to put in the 20 gallon seems like a lot of stuff to cram in there.

Bp's like small tight enclosures, it makes them feel secure. They spend most of there time in the wild in a rodent burrow or termite mound. A boa on the other hand would do better in a larger enclosure. Ask any BP breeder and they will tell you they do much better in smaller tubs than big glass enclosures.

Here is how I keep my balls:

http://www.wax32.com/balls/gear/tub.jpg

The size of the hide differs depending on the snake. This is a 5 month old in here. The tub is wet because I JUST misted. She is in her moist hide at the moment. Under the tub is some 11" flexwatt heat-tape.

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Originally Posted by wax32

Here is how I keep my balls:

http://www.wax32.com/balls/gear/tub.jpg

The size of the hide differs depending on the snake. This is a 5 month old in here. The tub is wet because I JUST misted. She is in her moist hide at the moment. Under the tub is some 11" flexwatt heat-tape.

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I would not provide a wet hide. I can just see many problems arising from it. As long as the humidity is correct there is no need for one.

She's having a bad shed, she was shipped to me blue and is almost done shedding...

Thanks tho. :D

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Originally Posted by Nate

You don't necessarily NEED to get rid of the 40 gal.

Too big for a baby? yeah, I would agree with that. However, you can simply section off 1/3 of it and set up his habitat in that.

Better yet, seeing as how people often get hooked after one, section it off into thirds and you'll have room for two more :)

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That's what I did. I have a 40 gal seperated into 2 sections for 2 of my 08s, Dali and Valo. They seem to enjoy it. :D
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But a 20gal for an adult? I suppose it depends on the size of the snake, but I wouldn't want to put Reina in a 20 gal. I know they like smaller spaces to feel secure, but isn't that what hides are for? Wouldn't they prefer more room to explore if they get frisky at night? Just a though. As my collection grows I'm sure not everyone will be able to have their own tank, and I'm sure I'll be using tubs eventually.

I also have glass sliding front doors, mine were fine for a baby, but when the bigger the snake, the easier it is just to rub themselves against the door and open them. You can easily buy a lock online, or from a reptile shop.:gj: