What size cage?

[afroman]

I went to get a new baby-bll python today and this guy was trying to sell me a 100$ 4o gallon tank. Do i really need a 40 or can i get a 20 gallon?

Thanks in advance

[rex322]

for a baby...you could get a 10gal. a 40 gal would more than likly stress a young BP out, unles you crowded it with a bunch of stuff, which would make it a hassle on you when you have to clean.

[afroman]

what about when he/she gets older , then should i move him/her to a 40 gallon thanks?

[rex322]

yea, when he/she got older and bigger then a 40gal would hold him/her for life

[dallas]

does anyone have any over head and side pics of a full grown ball in a 40 gallon tank or other size tanks? Is that really enough space? My 2 bearded dragons share a 75 gallon and use all of it and their not as big as one full grown ball.

[frankykeno]

We just got our baby BP last Monday....it is about 18 inches long (no weight taken yet tho).


We have it in the following....40 QT/38L Sterlite which measures 22 x 15 x 6.5 inches (including lid which snap/lock ends)....it was under $6.00 at Wal-Mart.
The tub is roomy enough for the following....two hides made from terracotta pot bottoms....one waterdish (large, heavy and fairly flat for lots of water surface for evaporation....slightly smaller than the circumference of her hides)...Accu-Rite temp/humidity gauge (also Wal-Mart $14.88)...one heat rock with cord removed as cage decoration is all those things are good for....one decorative small rock arch for decoration and crawling around purposes. So far the new baby seems very happy. We've seen her/him move from hide to hide, drink from the water bowl, crawl over and around her cage decorations.

This is tons roomy enough for our baby BP and allows for a nice steady 10-12 degree gradient between warm and cool side. The Sterlite is so easy to control humidity with the melting of holes in sides and lid....you need it less humid...bingo a few more holes....more humid...less holes or cover up the ones you melted....easy as pie.

For us it's been great with the Sterlite option rather than a glass tank. We did choose the Clear version so we can see her quite nicely.

As far as cost effectiveness....including everything to set this snake up (tub, heat source, hides, water bowl, decorations, substrate, temp/humidity gauge) we came in around $55.00 which we thought was pretty reasonable. That doesn't include the cost of a soldering iron around $15.00 to melt holes. We actually forgot to buy one and melted in perfect holes using a heated up end of a star head screwdriver (hey it worked great and was free LOL).

Since Ball Pythons are ground dwelling and like to be in fairly "close" environments we expect this will do her/him for quite awhile.

Good luck with your new baby!


~~Joanna~~

[frankykeno]

Forgot to mention one very important thing tho....those costs did not include a good quality rhenostat (hope this is the right word) to control temps totally properly so using the underpad heater we have we do have to monitor it twice daily to make sure we are staying within recommended temp and humidity ranges.

That's in the budget for next month LOL.

~~Jo~~

[justcage]

A thermostat will aleaviate(sp) the consistent checking of the rheostat(dimmer)...

[frankykeno]

Thanks for clarifying that...I'll be darned if I can remember thermostat vs rhenostat....arrrrgh....I read up on them...then promptly mix them up!


~~Joanna~~

[justcage]

Yeah they are the same thing...