Hello from UK!

[Sophiejade138]

Hi everyone,

Found the forum throughout the endless scouring of the Internet for information, advice and guidance! I'm looking to get my first BP soon after absolutely falling in love with them after a make up shoot I was a part of. The reptile guy on the shoot was great and was giving me lots of information. The snakes were so incredibly docile, calm and beautiful so I decided to start my research

We've kept iguanas when I was younger but that was years ago and very different. I also have a nearly 3 year old daughter who has taken a great interest in reptiles, tarantulas, insects etc. I took her to meet her first ball python last week and she was really intrigued and gentle so I think a BP would be a good first snake to have as a family - but please let me know if you think otherwise!

I'm obviously still at my research stage and no where near ready to get one yet. I've got a notebook that I'm jotting things down in so that I've got a little BP bible - if anyone can recommend any good and reliable suppliers for equipment etc in the UK that would be appreciated.

I know you can get start up kits but I'm not overly convinced these are the best. Purely because I've seen a lot of them come with UV lights which aren't needed and ceramic heaters that I know can drain the humidity in vivs, or at least make it more difficult to keep on top of Humidity levels.

But anyway, I'll be asking a lot of questions if I can't find the answers in the depths of this forum 😁

[Bogertophis]

BPs, like some other snake species, can make very good (docile!) pets, once you fully understand their needs & how they see the world around them. We're so glad to have you join us. You're doing the right thing- researching everything first. We do have some members in the U.K. also- hopefully they'll respond too. I love that so many people (myself included) fall in love with snakes after seeing- meeting- them in person & finding out they're nothing like their bad "PR" claims them to be. Snakes are mostly shy souls, & we're not on their menu-

You're correct about "start-up" kits for snakes- it's much better to buy things "a la carte".

[Homebody]

Welcome. A ball python deserves serious consideration as your first pet snake, but before you get one, you should look at the other excellent pet snakes for beginners (the internet has many lists). Getting a pet snake is a long term commitment. Most live for 15 - 20 years, and they can live for much longer. You'll want to find one that is not only attractive and pleasant to interact with, but that also has care requirements (enclosure, food, veterinary care) you are able to meet long term. Whatever snake you decide to get, we'll be happy to advise you on where to purchase one and how to care for it.

My first pet snake was a ball python I bought for my daughter. I never regretted that choice. For us, there was none better. He sadly passed after only two years but, for the short time we had him, both me and my kids loved him.

[mistergreen]

Hello welcome!
I also just joined without owning a BP, to learn as much as possible first and there really is a ton to immerse into before buying a snake. All kinds of details about cage set up, feeding, heat and handling thatI never would have thought about. I still don't have one, and will start a new cage probably in May and take a couple of months to get perfect.

[Bogertophis]

Pre-planning makes for a MUCH better experience when you finally find the right snake to bring home. When their home is already dialed in, you won't need to keep stressing them trying to fix things- & possibly causing them to refuse to eat.

[Sophiejade138]

Thanks for the replies everyone

Yeah, my plan is to do as much research as possible and to set up a tank way before I get a BP, making sure the temps and humidity are perfect before adding a snake. Being in the UK, it can be quite cold in our house so I'm looking at the best heat sources. Think I'm leaning towards UTH and a RHP above but still need to research these more!

I'm enjoying learning about snakes and their husbandry needs. Literally learning something new everyday! I'm excited but don't want to rush into it just for the sake of owning a snake.

[Bogertophis]

If it's cold in your house*, that will make it much harder to maintain adequate warmth in whatever "tank" or enclosure you choose. You can use various things to insulate them on the outside to help keep warmth in (leaving just the front & part of the top for viewing etc.) or even put the enclosure/tank inside a wood cabinet for that purpose- something with glass doors on the front (like a china hutch) so you can still see it- but then keep in mind that handling your pet could expose it to unhealthy temperatures anyway. I agree that you'll probably need both UTH & RHP- but to use an RHP, you probably won't be able to use a "tank" since they're installed overhead. (*How cold does your house get?) Most here will tell you that a 'plastic' enclosure of some kind is more suited.

Realistically, you also need to have a plan for your snake in case the power goes off. And since BPs require warmer temperatures to stay healthy than many other species, they might not be the best choice for your circumstances- just something you need to think about & prepare for. I'm not saying it can't be done, but you have less "room for mistakes" & a quality thermostat is a must. Especially because too much heat is worse than not enough- excessive heat can cause permanent neurological damage to a snake- or death- whereas being too cool causes lowered immune function- typically a respiratory infection. You must avoid either scenario, so BPs are not the easiest pet snakes to keep, & they're far from being the only good pet species. Also something to think about is where you'll get veterinary help- most regular vets don't treat (or even want to see) snakes, so research that too.

[Sophiejade138]

If it's cold in your house*, that will make it much harder to maintain adequate warmth in whatever "tank" or enclosure you choose. You can use various things to insulate them on the outside to help keep warmth in (leaving just the front & part of the top for viewing etc.) or even put the enclosure/tank inside a wood cabinet for that purpose- something with glass doors on the front (like a china hutch) so you can still see it- but then keep in mind that handling your pet could expose it to unhealthy temperatures anyway. I agree that you'll probably need both UTH & RHP- but to use an RHP, you probably won't be able to use a "tank" since they're installed overhead. (*How cold does your house get?) Most here will tell you that a 'plastic' enclosure of some kind is more suited.

Realistically, you also need to have a plan for your snake in case the power goes off. And since BPs require warmer temperatures to stay healthy than many other species, they might not be the best choice for your circumstances- just something you need to think about & prepare for. I'm not saying it can't be done, but you have less "room for mistakes" & a quality thermostat is a must. Especially because too much heat is worse than not enough- excessive heat can cause permanent neurological damage to a snake- or death- whereas being too cool causes lowered immune function- typically a respiratory infection. You must avoid either scenario, so BPs are not the easiest pet snakes to keep, & they're far from being the only good pet species. Also something to think about is where you'll get veterinary help- most regular vets don't treat (or even want to see) snakes, so research that too.

Thanks for the advice! I was definitely looking at getting either a Pvc or wooden viv with glass doors at the front so that an RHP can be installed overhead.

We obviously have a thermostat in the house so I can keep the room the tank's in at a suitable temp. I mean it doesn't get arctic, it's just the typical British climate isn't the warmest 😂 I've seen a couple of multi channel thermostats that I might look at investing in if/when I get a snake. There's a 3 channel one which apparently you can access from your smart phone to ensure all levels are correct even if youre not home - all very fancy lol. I'ts £180 but again, need to research and compare!

And again thanks for the advice about finding a suitable vet, I did worry about this. Alot of vets call themselves small animal and exotic specialists but aren't really!

[Bogertophis]

This might help you find a vet nearest you that's qualified- https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661

While I appreciate any vet that's willing to try to help with a snake, the medications given to other pets can be quite toxic for snakes- also, some vets tend to be heavy-handed, & in my experience, snakes are more medically delicate than they may seem. For example, multiple drugs given at once to a snake are not well-tolerated (which is a nice way of saying the snake may not survive the treatment); of course, any pet "needing" multiple meds is seriously ill, but I'm just saying that their bodies appear to struggle much more than other pets to process the medications & recover. So do consider health care for your future pet.

[Zincubus]

Welcome fellow Brit

Zinc from Manchester, England




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