Neglected Ball Python

[JRLongton]

Oh for substrate, NO PINE !! The resin fumes are dangerous for snakes. In fact, I'd avoid all resinous evergreens.

Jakethesnake69 gives plenty of good alternatives.

[BallPythonWannaBe]

Coco Fiber is good for humidity. You can find lots of great info in the stickys in the sub forums.

[Bogertophis]

What size is the tank?? (dimensions??) versus the size of the snake? Just making sure before you start renovating what may be too small anyway....especially
not knowing the size of the snake either. You want their enclosure to have enough floor space so there's room for a 'hide' on the warm side AND a hide on the
'cool' side of the cage, so the snake can thermoregulate as needed for digestion & security. If a snake has only one 'hide', they often choose to hide, no matter
whether or not it's the right temperature...so if it's on the cool side of the cage, they may not digest well (& even barf up their food), but if it's on the warm side, well that too might be excessive, IF the 'heat pad' (also known as "UTH"....as in "under tank heater") is not regulated (as this one is not, yet...) your
snake can suffer serious burns. Believe it or not, snakes don't always know when they're too hot, until it's too late. So regulate that UTH A.S.A.P.-

While you're waiting for a thermostat to arrive, pop into local hardware store & buy an inexpensive "rheostat" control already installed in a cord, aka "lamp dimmer".
You'll find it useful...in fact, get 2...one for the lamp too. Hopefully you'll at least be able to dim down the UTH you're using, but it won't be with the accuracy of
a thermostat...remember, this is just a quick-fix, temporary to keep your snake safe and warm.

Here's 2 GREAT companies to order from: http://www.reptilebasics.com/ and https://beanfarm.com/

Back to the tank: We don't all agree on housing here, I prefer glass tanks (& don't currently keep BPs, though I have in the past) while many here swear by plastic
professionally-built enclosures (pricey!) or "tubs" (inexpensive plastic containers NOT intended for living things but modified to use). Others will chime in on the
latter, I will stick to what I use (glass) & the choice is YOURS to make. The argument for plastic is to maintain humidity: neither glass or plastic can 'breathe', but
the difference is the amount of air flow thru a typical screen top, which YOU can modify by covering most of the screen with various options (foil or plexi, etc).
The other argument for plastic is to keep in the warmth needed...again, you can modify & make glass work too, by adding (taping on) lightweight foam board (from
school supplies area of Walmart, etc) used for posters, easy to cut & install on sides & back of tank, and partway up the front, leaving a viewing 'window'. You
can also insulate glass using plain ol' corrugated cardboard- cut down a large clean box, or even use self-adhering peel & stick carpet tiles! More than one way
to accomplish this "insulation" without spending much. Incidentally, I prefer glass because it doesn't scratch or retain odors/stains, and cannot warp from heat.
Also, I like to SEE my snakes clearly, not "store them" like sweaters... On a glass tank you can also add scenic background before you insulate.

I'll "take a breath" & let you digest this...thank you again for coming to his or her rescue!

[distaff]

Yup. Just STAY AWAY from the pet store. It is just a good place to bring home mites.
You can get everything you need on line from places like Amazon, Reptile Basics, SpyderRobotics, and the BeanFarm. Big Cheese is my favorite supplier for frozen feeder mice. (I have no affiliation with any of these people, just where I order the necessities for my six snakes.)

Now, you are going to get some differing opinions, but the first thing I would order if I were in your situation, is a heat mat (a UTH), UltraTherm from Reptile Basics. I usually get the 6"X 11", $24.98 shipped to NM from NC. These don't draw a lot of electricity, but you should also get a thermostat. The Jumpstart off Amazon mentioned by another member earlier will do fine as a starter. I prefer Herpstat 1 for its safety features, which IIRC is about $120 shipped. A t-stat is essential, a pricey one is a "nice to have."

After that, you will want a lazer temp gun. Do NOT by a stick on the wall dial thermometer, and don't bother with the same type of hygrometer. I don't bother with the hygro at all - they never seem to agree with eachother if you put multiples in the same enclosure.

Big Cheese mice ship quickly in dry ice, but IIRC, they only ship one day a week, so check the site. Plan on spending about $50? - its been a while since I ordered, I mostly raise my own feeders, or buy some from my neighbor. Food right now, is not your biggest priority anyway.

[distaff]

Also, a snake hook, and a clean tub to put the snake in while you clean the enclosure.
(I am a glass tank person, but I use the LATCHING! tubs to keep the animal contained while cleaning the enclosure.)

Your snake hook can be home-made if you are handy, Just make it sturdy, and no sharp edges - I doubled the wire (like the handle end of some wire fly swatters). My bigger hook is just a re-purposed bamboo back scratcher. Use a gentle tap with the hook to alert the snake that you are going in. Expect some possible difficulties before both of you get used to eachother.

[Bogertophis]

And to maintain humidity, yes, you can mist, but that's not the best way...use one of the substrates others recommended that really hold IN the moisture.

I personally don't use any of them, as my current snakes don't need it...the only snake I have that NEEDS humidity has a large "humid hide" filled with damp
sphagnum moss. Because they enjoy it, I also give similar 'hides' to my corn snakes+ too. Also, I live in a fairly humid state, though the heat in our houses
and the heat in our snake enclosures tends to take away that natural humidity, so we have to adjust for that in keeping BPs & many other species.

[Bogertophis]

In case you haven't gotten there yet, there's another current thread talking about "tanks versus tubs" (it comes up a LOT here) and I think Coluber42's
post there says it well, similar to what I was trying to explain above, as far as your options:

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...=1#post2651815