New to the herp world, would like some help for a BP

[obregon562]

Hey guys!

Im new to the herp world as a whole, so hi!

Ive been in love with ball pythons ever since i kept my old bearded dragons. The PetCo always kept the balls right next to the meal worms. Loved those beautiful little snakes!

Anyway, i'm im the market for one, but before i get one i ant to make sure i can house it properly and make sure it absolutely thrives!

I plan on getting some of the books recommend by Royal Constrictor Designs, and most likely purchase a snake from them. Are they reputable?

What size cage (aquarium) should i get? I would prefer to have a cage big enough to service the snake its entire life, with the possibility of adding a mate. I can see myself getting caught up in this hobby big time so id like room to grow!

What kind of substrate, er, medium (the stuff that goes on the bottom of the cage haha) is safe for balls?

What else...oh-lighting? What kind of lights are best for balls? What ind of heat do they like?

And are there things that are just god awful for balls, things that i should avoid at all cost?

Any and all tips are greatly appriciated, as you can tell im brand new to this wonderful world of snakes. And im very sorry if these questions have been answered before!

Thanks!
Frankie

[singingtothewheat]

Hey guys!

Im new to the herp world as a whole, so hi!

Ive been in love with ball pythons ever since i kept my old bearded dragons. The PetCo always kept the balls right next to the meal worms. Loved those beautiful little snakes!

Anyway, i'm im the market for one, but before i get one i ant to make sure i can house it properly and make sure it absolutely thrives!

I plan on getting some of the books recommend by Royal Constrictor Designs, and most likely purchase a snake from them. Are they reputable?

What size cage (aquarium) should i get? I would prefer to have a cage big enough to service the snake its entire life, with the possibility of adding a mate. I can see myself getting caught up in this hobby big time so id like room to grow! Don't go with an aquarium at all. The snake will be much happier in a reptile cage and if cost is an issue with that, get a tub from walmart. The plastic holds heat and moisture much better. Balls need a warm side 90-94, a cool side 84 or so and 50% humidity. Aquariums do not hold warmth well, do not hold humidity well and are generally just a pain in the kaboos.

What kind of substrate, er, medium (the stuff that goes on the bottom of the cage haha) is safe for balls? I started with eco earth but truthfully I have found paper towels and newsprint to be the safest and easiest

What else...oh-lighting? What kind of lights are best for balls? What ind of heat do they like? Ball Pythons only need ambient light. In the wild they would spend days in a termite burrow and nights out foraging for food. Please don't get a lamp. They suck out your humidity super fast. Go with an under tub heater. Low wattage is best

And are there things that are just god awful for balls, things that i should avoid at all cost? Lamps and aquariums

Any and all tips are greatly appriciated, as you can tell im brand new to this wonderful world of snakes. And im very sorry if these questions have been answered before!

Thanks!
Frankie

[obregon562]

Hmm, a reptile cage huh? I'll check into that. Thanks for the tips! Would even a cool light be bad? Is there anything wrong with eco earth, or is the newsprint just easier to use?

Thanks for the help!
Frankie

[zantedeschia]

I think the problem with eco-earth like substrates is while feces and urates are easy enough to pick up and discard, you can't do the same with urine and you'll need to completely change out the substrate monthly.

My 600g BP is but a yearling but good grief, he pees like a horse. :/ I use newspaper on all my snakes (tho I'm thinking of going with aspen with the corns since they just burrow under the layers of newspaper). And I tell you, it's a snap to clean, no snake smell at all with 5 snakes.

As far as lights go, I have a red light on one of my tanks and blue on the other, and people are correct about them drying up the humidity. I covered the tops with plastic wrap and I still have to mist.

[BPelizabeth]

check out the care sheet for BP's.....it is an AWESOME source

[SNIKTTIME]

If you decide with Royal Constrictor Designs, it will be an excellent decision. Garrick is someone I have been dealing with for 3 years now and really knows his stuff. I beleive he even has a degree in genetics and is not shy about answering any questions you have on that subject. His stock is top notch and great eaters.

[obregon562]

Thanks so much guys!

zante, is the aspen/corn combo just as easy to clean up? Whats the advantage of it vs. newspaper? Oh, and is any old newspaper ok to use?

BP, which care sheets were you talking about?

Thanks again!
Frankie

[zantedeschia]

Aspen is easy to clean up but you'll still need to completely change it out every few weeks or so. (the corns I was talking about are my corn snakes )

Any newspaper is good. I use the inserts I get in the mail every week. If I run out of that, I use old computer paper (blank) and paper towels.

[Kaorte]

First of all, let me give you a big for doing your research prior to getting a new pet. That is the first mistake many people make and you will be saving yourself a lot of trouble and money by doing it first.

Also, to the forum! This is probably the best place you could have ended up regarding ball python care.


I will agree with the other members that royal constrictors are reputable. I would definitely buy from a breeder before buying from a pet store. If you are thinking about getting more than one snake, it might be worth your while to look into some of the cool color morphs out there. There are some that are even under $100 right now.

http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules/...warticle&id=59
Here is the ball python care sheet that will probably help answer a lot of questions you have about their care.

I have used a few different types of substrate and I think paper towels beats all of them. It looks pretty nice in cages, easy to clean and relatively cheap. I am not really a fan of loose bedding because it can sometimes be hard to find the poo and pee and then it ends up sitting in there for a long time (yuck).

Probably your main struggle will be with temperatures and humidity. There are a few pieces of equipment that you should really purchase. Some can only be found online, others only in stores.

Since I feel like it, I will write up a little shopping list of things that I recommend you get as a first time ball python owner.

1. Under tank heater: these are mostly found in pet stores. I have had good experiences with the zoo-med heat pads. You want a heat pad that will cover about 1/3 of the floor space of whatever enclosure you use.

2. Thermostat: If you use an under tank heater (UTH) you absolutely need to use a thermostat with it. A thermostat is not a thermometer. It is a device (like in your house) that will control the temperature of the UTH. The reptitemp 500r is about $25 and is widely available online but is hard to find in stores.

3. Thermometers and Hygrometers: Digital is the way to go with these. The accurite weather station can be found at the home depot for about $11. It measures 2 temperatures and humidity. The nice thing about this unit is that it has an external probe that you can use to measure the temp of the UTH to make sure it stays around 90-94*.

4. Hides: Half log hides are junk. They don't provide any security for these shy snakes and should be avoided. The rock cave type hides are best, but you can be thrifty and use up-turned plastic bowls instead.

5. Water dish: Contrary to popular belief, you really don't need a water bowl big enough for the snake to soak in. They aren't the soaking type and will only really soak if there is a husbandry problem.


That is really all you need aside from an enclosure. I keep all my snakes in tubs and have since shortly after I got my first snake. If you house gets cold though, you might have an issue with a tub since you can't use supplemental over head heating with them.

I hope this helps get you started!

[obregon562]

Thank you thank you thank you!

This has been a huge help. I was planning on getting a Het clown male from Royal Constrictors...hopefully get some awsome babbies in the future! Paper towels...undertank heater w/thermostat...hides, meters 'o' plenty...

Oh, and would a cage ~36 * 18 * 18 be too big for a small BP?

Thanks so much for your help guys!
Frankie