Obtained my first Ball this weekend, locally from Santa Cruz Reptiles!

[AKballs]

Yeah, get rid of that heating pad and cat litter. Newspaper, Cypress mulch, Aspen, or Coconut husk is your best options. Make sure you have a water bowl and a hide, if they don't have a hide they will become stressed and sometimes rufuse meals and have bad sheds. Check on a Herpstat or a Helix thermostat also. Not sure about this information you were given by Steve, but it seems a little off.

I dont see why he should get rid of the cat litter? Its made of Cellulose which is basically cotton and plant fiber so its not harmful to the BP

[AKballs]

And I totally agree with you some of the people on here are a little ridiculous when it comes to topics like this lol

[xdeus]

Honestly, I think that some of you calling me a troll, a joke, etc, are so invested in your setups that you can't think outside the box and recognize that there are alternatives that might actually be superior. The reptile industry wants you to think that their products are the only products that will work. And since they do work, you believe it. But the reality is that there are other products out there that are similar, and probably higher quality to boot.

Well, you didn't really ask for advice. Instead, you stated what you used and kept praising Steve for his knowledge. Some of the stuff you mentioned goes against much of the advice, experience and knowledge of this community so people will obviously be put off by your post.

If you had asked for advice on heating, we would probably have pointed you to a website such as this: Reptile Basics You're right, though. Zoomed does produce a lot of crap and you will find that most people on this site do not use their products, however that is what you will find in most pet shops. Instead of a Zoomed heat pad or a human heat pad, I would suggest purchasing an Ultratherm heat pad and a reliable thermostat such as a Herpstat or Helix. Those will last you a lifetime.

[MidSouthMorphs]

I dont see why he should get rid of the cat litter? Its made of Cellulose which is basically cotton and plant fiber so its not harmful to the BP

I was recommending what the majority use since they are proven products. Cypress or coconut husk would be the best options since they hold humidity much more efficiently than other products.

[Peoples]

First off, once your temps hold I say use what works, and definitely get a t-stat, this will ensure accurate temps. I would also suggest getting a hide. I finally got my Bp a hide after 9 years and I think I really did her a favour so I would recommend getting one.

I live in Barbados so I don't use any form of heating with my Bp and daytime temps are around 85 while night time rarely goes below 75. I'd also suggest using newsprint as substrate... it's cheap and easy to clean

[bishop40k]

As far as the flimsy-ness of the UTH vs a human heating pad, you have to think about it from a design point. The UTH is designed to be put UNDER a tank that is NOT resting directly on the heater (if you read the directions it'll normally say to use feet or spacers to raise the tank up so you're not crushing the cord, putting undue weight on heater, and for airflow), whereas the heating pad is designed for an average person 105-200lbs to be able to lay on it.

With this in mind you can see why the heating pad may be built with materials for a higher load, however it is also not designed for constant use. I have had quite a few heating pads go out after a couple days to max of 2 weeks under constant use before I went with racks and flexwatt. However all of my lizards and display snakes use UTH's, under normal regulated use (ie rheostat or thermostat), they last for atleast a couple years. Will you find defective products that have issues, yes, but you'll have that under virtually any product.

I have no experience with the substrate, however how does it react to water? I see it's not a clay so it shouldn't clump up, but cotton isn't exactly the best thing for holding moisture without molding. Just because a product COMES sterile, doesn't mean it cannot allow bacteria and mold to grow in it later. #1 reason why people use Cypress is because the trees themselves live either IN or very near to water and takes quite awhile for mold to grow on it.

Not bashing on what you were told, just stating another opinion with some other facts.

[Charlie And Lucy]

I haven't been commenting for awhile, but I do have something to add to this.

Ball Pythons are called "ball" pythons because they get scared so easily and curl up into a ball, hiding their heads and convincing themselves that if they can't see danger, danger can't see them (or so mine think). In nature, they are hiders. They look for termite mounds to hide in. Providing at the very least one hide for your new friend would make her much happier and healthier. We use plastic bowls since plastic is great for humidity.

I know you are concerned about the cleanliness of the bedding you use, and I understand that. However, I'm not sure how well the kitty litter would hold humidity. Humidity is more important to worry about than if snake droppings are visible. We use Aspen and have no problem seeing the presents our snakes leave. As far as cleanliness, most will spot clean once a week and do a thorough cleaning every two weeks or so.

The reason why there are special heat pads made for reptiles is because a reptile's needs are so different from a human's. Please understand that no matter how we say it here, we just want to help you. Some of the biggest breeders in the world post here, and they all use a reptile heating source. The same goes for us hobbyists.

Welcome to the addiction! You can't have just one. I thought that was all a bunch of hot air until I found myself with another ball python... and another... and then two red tail boas, a blood python and a diamond x jungle carpet python.

Please don't leave. We'd like you to stay and join us - we're like a family here.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

First off, congrats on your new addition. They are addictive.

Second. I haven't heard of this person either and I've done business with many long term breeders. I've heard all the "old ways" and I've never heard anyone recommend a human heating pad because they are notorious for malfunctioning, overheating, or just going out.

Since you have chosen to take the word of one man over an entire community, many of which ARE long term and well known breeders even if they have not replied to this thread, then here is my comment..

If your snake eats regularly for you, never ends up sick with an RI due to the low temps and humidity, and always sheds in one piece, then you will have ended up with one of the few exceptions to the rules of husbandry in the BP world. If this is the way it is 6 months to a year from now then yay, don't change anything. But not many BPs can tolerate 70 degrees for very long without getting sick or deciding not to eat.

Speaking of which.. Heat is necessary for proper digestion of food. If the snake is too cold and it eats, it can cause a regurge, or incomplete digestion. It will sit in the stomach longer, not fully digest, and the snake will not absorb as many nutrients from it. More will be passed when the snake goes to the bathroom.

But anyway..

Generally those "exceptions" are only seen in wild caught specimens which have stronger immune systems from being in the wild but occasionally you may see one in our captive bred BPs.

You have been given some excellent advice and the care sheet on this site is the best one I've ever seen for BPs. Following it's advice pretty much guarantees a BP a long (20-30+ yrs) and healthy life. In the end every keeper is going to do what they feel is right no matter what. Through the years we have all learned through trial and error and this is how today's recommended husbandry came about. So don't get offended when members here get a little defensive about the topic. They truly love their animals and only want what's best for them. They are simply trying to offer help.

Again, congrats on your new BP. She is definitely a pretty pastel.

[Vypyrz]

Hello, and to BP.net.
As others have said, there is no one right way to keep a Ball Python. There are many different products and techniques available. We can only recommend /advise on things that have worked best or failed based on our own, or others, experience.
I have never used a human heating pad, so I have no input as to the life-span or durability of them, but I am using both Exo-Terra and Ultratherm under tank heat pads. They have been running, so far, for well over 2 years, without fail.
I also have my preference for substrate, because it's easy to work with, and I was able to get it in bulk. However, my supplier recently decided to get out of the business, so once my stock is used up, I may be looking for something different. I've never seen anyone use cellulose cat litter before, but that doesn't mean it won't work. If you decide to use it, I for one, would appreciate it if you would occasionally update this thread, or post a new one, with a thorough evaluation of the pros and cons of it. That way, we can use your experience with it as a basis for future use or recommendations either for or against it.
As for hides, I provide all of my snake with two hides. Some use them constantly, and some only use them when they go into shed. Whether or not the hides are used is completely up to each snake, but they have the option.
In the end, your ultimate goal is to keep a snake that is healthy, and eats, sheds, and passes waste regularly.

[Smoked Oyster]

Thank you to all of the recent posters on this thread for giving reasonable and thoughtful advice. Much appreciated over all the hating in some of the early replies.

So far, the substrate surface temps in the cage are maintaining well, but I need to fiddle with the controls as the day warms and cools. Manual control is just turning into a pain for me, so I WILL be switching to a tstat-controlled UTH this weekend. I already have the ZooMed, which appears to be flimsy as heck, so I ordered an Ultratherm in hopes that it has better construction. Once it arrives I will decide between the 2 and hook 1 up to the tstat so that I can just set it and forget it... well, probably not forget it... I check the temps all the time!

As far at the cellulose litter goes, it is specifically designed to absorb animal waste and minimize bacteria and odor. Read about it and read some reviews online and see for yourself if you think it's valuable. I will certainly post updated impressions as time goes on, although I really won't have much to compare it to.

For humidity, I live less than 1 mile from the ocean, and the humidity here is usually in the 90's naturally.

I'll also be adding a hide asap and see if she likes it. If she does, I'll leave it in, and if she doesn't take it after a week I'll probably remove it. Doesn't hurt to try.

Like I said before, she certainly seems happy. She took down those 2 100g f/t rats without any trouble at all, and she displays all the signs (that I've read on here anyway) of a happy snake.