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You have come to the right place for anything and everything about ball pythons.

They are fantastic little animals and are normally quite calm with handling. That being said, these are not social animals like dogs or cats. They would enjoy being alone over anything else. They are easily stressed so they shouldn't be handled excessively. I don't handle my snakes much anymore because I have 6 of them, but I would say once your snake is settled in and eating consistently, 15 minutes a day is acceptable.


I know you probably think you know a lot about these snakes already but there is a lot of information that is not in the care sheet ( http://ball-pythons.net/modules/Sect...warticle&id=59 ).

A few common newbie mistakes are:

1. Using half log hides instead of "rock cave" hides. Ball pythons like tight cramped spaces so low to the ground, tight fitting hides are best. I use plastic cereal bowls from the dollar store.

2. Too much heat or not enough heat. If your house is warmer then 75* on a normal basis, you will only need an under tank heater. With whatever heating source you use, you need something to control it with. A reptile thermostat is the preferred means of control. A thermostat is not the same thing as a thermometer, which is just as important.

3. Inaccurate Thermometers. 90% of first time snake owners will come out of the pet store with a bunch of round dial thermometers. Those things are garbage. They can be up to 10* off in both directions. You should never rely on these for measuring temps. Instead, you want a digital thermometer with a probe. You could buy one of these from the pet store for about $10, or you could head to the home depot, lowes, or walmart for the accurite weather station for $12. This unit measure ambient temp, ambient humidity, and temp with a probe. This unit is very good and is the only thermometer/hygrometer you will need in the enclosure.

4. Feeding. Many newbies think that you MUST MUST MUST feed a ball python in a separate enclosure. While this is true for some of the larger snake species, it is just not true for ball pythons. Ball pythons can be very picky and are very shy. Many will not take meals in a separate enclosure which can be very frustrating for a new owner. Make your life easier and feed in the home enclosure

5. Gigantic enclosure. Ball pythons, again, are shy secretive snakes. They are quite happy in small cramped enclosures. Providing them with "roaming room" will only make it harder for you to maintain proper temps and humidity, and might also stress your snake out. Ball pythons up to a year old should be kept in a 10g tank or 15qt tub. Adult males should be kept in a 20g long or 32qt tub, and adult females should be kept in a 30g breeder or 41qt tub.


I hope this helps you out a little bit and puts you on the right path for getting a ball python! They are great little animals.