Thinking about getting a ball python. Warnings? Tips?

[inari rose]

I am considering getting a ball python, a female, but I have read a couple conflicting care guides online and decided to just come to a place where current owners of these snakes can tell me what they do. My main questions are:
1.What size enclosure? I was told by a local pet shop owner that a 40gal breeder tank" was right. Mine is 36' long, 18' deep,and 12' high with a sliding mesh top. I have seen and read about people using long, 20gal fish tanks also.

2.What kind of heat and lighting? I watched a video on youtube that said a fish tank was ONLY for fish and just let too much heat out and all we were doing using a tank like that was broiling our snake. Some people say to "black out" the tank. Does this mean to make it completely dark and black inside? I would really like to see my snake if thats possible...

3.Is there any gender specific attitude, handling, or other traits?

Anything else you know that would help a beginner would be great! I have had reptiles for a little while now but its only been leopard geckos and similar (desert-like climate, texas kind of) lizards.
For now I will NOT breed this snake. It is just for a pet. Something to learn about, feed, interact with, and show off.

Please don't tell me not to get it just because I will be proud of it. I know some irresponsible people get big snakes to look "cool" and then get in WAY over their heads, the snake suffers because of it, and might die, or be dumped. I am NOT one of those people. If I were I would not be here researching the animal months before I would like to purchase it, now would I?

If I can, I will always research an animal BEFORE I purchase it. The only times I haven't studied before aquiring an animal is when I go to an out-of-state relative's home and, not knowing what I would find, caught them wild. Like with my striped lizards, vinegroon, blue tailed skink, and darkling beetles. Though, obviously, as soon as I could I did research on them.

So, in summary, I am coming into the snake community with limmited knowledge (more than the average non-herper, but not especially experienced) of these reptiles, though with a decent background with reptiles in a general sense. If you think a ball python is not a good choice, why? If you believe I might be able to properly care for this animal, what are some concerns or warnings you have for me? Also, just because I'm curious, how do you feed your snake? Live or frozen? maybe a mix of the two? What (if any) do you give as treats?

A huge thank you to everyone!

[dr del]

Hi,

The care sheet will answer some of those questions and narrow down what you want to ask in some other areas.


dr del

[TheSnakeGuy]

1st warning: There will be poop
2nd warning: There will be about 105 teeth.

[Blubb]

1.What size enclosure? I was told by a local pet shop owner that a 40gal breeder tank" was right. Mine is 36' long, 18' deep,and 12' high with a sliding mesh top. I have seen and read about people using long, 20gal fish tanks also.

Really depends on if the snake is a baby or adult. Bigger is not always better when it comes to tanks for ball pythons.

2.What kind of heat and lighting? I watched a video on youtube that said a fish tank was ONLY for fish and just let too much heat out and all we were doing using a tank like that was broiling our snake. Some people say to "black out" the tank. Does this mean to make it completely dark and black inside? I would really like to see my snake if thats possible...

An UTH works fine. Not sure about the lightning though, other than it is not necessary for their health. If you get a fish tank (which I don't recommend because they do let out heat) you should black out all sides except the front.

3.Is there any gender specific attitude, handling, or other traits?

Hm, not really. Females get larger.

Anything else you know that would help a beginner would be great!

If you have more questions, ask people on this forum. That's my best advice I have. And of course, enjoy and have fun with your ball python

[inari rose]

Hi,

The care sheet will answer some of those questions and narrow down what you want to ask in some other areas.


dr del

Thank you! There was a lot of information there that was not clear in other care sheets very helpful!

________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________

1st warning: There will be poop
2nd warning: There will be about 105 teeth.

Yes XD after reading about burmese pythons I figured there would be a good deal of poop. (What I read about burmese pythons said "Do you really want an animal that urinates and defecates like a St.Bernard?")
I did not know how many teeth they had. Though I do know that they do not always strike to bite. They can seem like they are just moving along but then they just slide their mouth open and clomp down. I read that using cold water or rubbing alcohol will get them to let go?

________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________

Really depends on if the snake is a baby or adult. Bigger is not always better when it comes to tanks for ball pythons.



An UTH works fine. Not sure about the lightning though, other than it is not necessary for their health. If you get a fish tank (which I don't recommend because they do let out heat) you should black out all sides except the front.



Hm, not really. Females get larger.



If you have more questions, ask people on this forum. That's my best advice I have. And of course, enjoy and have fun with your ball python

I have a 36" x 18" x 12" tank, though you said (and everywhere I have read agrees) it is not good at holding humidity and heat. I am thinking about making an Acrylic container with the same dimensions. Do I need to make 3-4 different sized containers? Or would using rubbermaid containers be easier and less expensive? I will be buying a baby and I kind of want a female, because I like the bigger size and for if I decide to breed them in the future (1-2+ years from now).

I will use a heat pad or flexwatt. I am not sure which one yet, it depends on a few different things. Thank you
________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________


In The care guide it said over-handling can be a problem. How much is over-handling? I have a bearded dragon so I will use that to measure. I take my beardie out of his tank and carry him around for a few minutes, sometimes take him outside, and pick him up for short periods (2 mins or less) regularly. Will I not be able to do that with a ball python? I do know not to handle it for 48 hours after it eats and not while, or right before it sheds.

Also, what kind of bedding do you (anyone who reads this) use and like best? I use paper towels for everything, rat, lizards, bugs, if it lives in a cage or tank it has paper towels. Would paper towels be okay for a ball python? i read that they like a bedding that "hugs" them a bit, not flat like newspaper or paper towels. What is your experience with different beddings?

[ARamos8]

Warning: You don't stop at 1. They are addictive.
Tip: Work on self control now.

[Sita]

BPs are great beginner snakes, in my opinion! They do require a little bit more tweaking of their environment than say, a corn, and can sometimes go on hunger strikes, but overall are pretty good.

The cage you have now is a good start, but you'll probably want to eventually get a professional type cage like a Boaphile or Animal Plastics. 4 foot is generally the recommended size for a BP. If you start with a baby, you'll want to close off most of the tank so they feel snug and secure, or just use a small tub. You can put lots of decorations or crumpled newspaper in as well to take up space.

One thing to know is that BPs are not very good "display" snakes. A happy BP is a hiding one, and if you see yours out and about a lot, there's something going on, ie, they are hungry, too hot, sick, etc.

You can modify the lid of a tank by placing an acrylic panel on top with only a few holes for ventilation. Typically, you shouldn't need a light for heating, unless the room gets too cold. An UTH regulated by a thermostat is all I use for my snakes, and everyone seems happy with that. You MUST use a thermostat with a UTH! They can get hot enough to burn without it.

Don't buy from a pet store! If you have reptile shows in your area, you can get a much healthier snake for a better price.

I am a fan of F/T, mostly because as a vet tech for an exotics vet, I have seen first hand the damage a single rodent bite can do! It's just not worth the risk of maiming or even possibly killing your snake (I have seen bad bites that if they had been a centimeter to one side they would have punctured the snake's brain and killed it.) Plus, instead of going out to the store every time you have to feed, just go to the freezer. Frozen is usually cheaper than live as well.

For the over-handling question, it all depends on the snake. Don't handle at all for the first week, and only handle minimally (to clean tank for example) until it's fed reliably 3-4 times. Then you can start with a couple times a week and see if it does alright. If the snake stops eating, that sometimes can be a sign of over-handling. I have friends that have their BPs out for an hour or two every day, except 2 days after feeding, and it's fine. They have another one that they can only handle once or twice a week though, otherwise he stops eating. It's weird.

Please feel free to ask any questions here. We welcome people who actually want to know how to take care of their snakes!

[inari rose]

Warning: You don't stop at 1. They are addictive.
Tip: Work on self control now.

Ah, okay. Thank you for the warning
________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________

BPs are great beginner snakes, in my opinion! They do require a little bit more tweaking of their environment than say, a corn, and can sometimes go on hunger strikes, but overall are pretty good.

The cage you have now is a good start, but you'll probably want to eventually get a professional type cage like a Boaphile or Animal Plastics. 4 foot is generally the recommended size for a BP. If you start with a baby, you'll want to close off most of the tank so they feel snug and secure, or just use a small tub. You can put lots of decorations or crumpled newspaper in as well to take up space.

One thing to know is that BPs are not very good "display" snakes. A happy BP is a hiding one, and if you see yours out and about a lot, there's something going on, ie, they are hungry, too hot, sick, etc.

You can modify the lid of a tank by placing an acrylic panel on top with only a few holes for ventilation. Typically, you shouldn't need a light for heating, unless the room gets too cold. An UTH regulated by a thermostat is all I use for my snakes, and everyone seems happy with that. You MUST use a thermostat with a UTH! They can get hot enough to burn without it.

Don't buy from a pet store! If you have reptile shows in your area, you can get a much healthier snake for a better price.

I am a fan of F/T, mostly because as a vet tech for an exotics vet, I have seen first hand the damage a single rodent bite can do! It's just not worth the risk of maiming or even possibly killing your snake (I have seen bad bites that if they had been a centimeter to one side they would have punctured the snake's brain and killed it.) Plus, instead of going out to the store every time you have to feed, just go to the freezer. Frozen is usually cheaper than live as well.

For the over-handling question, it all depends on the snake. Don't handle at all for the first week, and only handle minimally (to clean tank for example) until it's fed reliably 3-4 times. Then you can start with a couple times a week and see if it does alright. If the snake stops eating, that sometimes can be a sign of over-handling. I have friends that have their BPs out for an hour or two every day, except 2 days after feeding, and it's fine. They have another one that they can only handle once or twice a week though, otherwise he stops eating. It's weird.

Please feel free to ask any questions here. We welcome people who actually want to know how to take care of their snakes!

As I am waiting for replys, which dosent take long here , I am doing more looking around for prices, styles, and sizes of tanks. The Vision Products tanks look really nice and the one I am looking at is the Model #400, 48" wide - 26 " deep - 14 " high. for $288
or the Animal Plastics T20 48"L x 24"D x 15"H with either 2 sliding acrylic doors or with 2 swinging doors for $255 (currently on sale for $195 but I don't know how long that will last)
Both of those are mostly "blacked out" (or something that is not clear).

I have searched around a lot and havent found any reptile shows, exotic animal shows, or anything that MIGHT have snakes in Oklahoma, so my next option is the local pet store or ordering online.

As for activity and show, what kind of snake would be good? Because I am still in school and living with my parents I have to go by their rules of no huge snakes, nothing over 7'. Are there any snakes that get about 5' that are more active? Possibly a male red tail boa? I have gone though all the snake care sheets on this site and looked at size, housing, and care level (beginner, intermediate, advanced, etc) and Ball pythons and boas seem to be the best. What are some pros and cons for boas?


I am working towards being an exotic vet . fast food is my first job, and as soon as the nearby hospital is hiring I am going to apply to be a pharmacy tech till I finish highschool. I might stay as a tech till I can find a job that is closer to my goal. There is one exotic vet near me that works at a petsmart. I know it's off topic, but what is it like? What kinds of animals and problems do you usually see? Is it mostly hands on or mostly desk work? ( I know there will be both, especially for a liscenced vet but what dominates the job?) and how did you find the job? Online? job fair? or just walk in and ask if they were hiring? Sorry if I'm not allowed to ask this. Just let me know if I'm not allowed to and I'll stop.

[martin82531]

I would pick up a pair of steel mesh gloves, Ball Pythons are ferocious little creatures and have really big teeth.

[Sita]

I like my boas better than the BPs I've fostered (there's a reason I don't have a pet BP, lol), just because they seem to have more personality. Boas do get larger than BPs, but if 7 foot is your limit, a male common "red-tail" is usually within that range. Even if he does technically get over 7, just tell them it's hard to measure them exactly, and say "he's about 6 foot or so",

Two of the boas and the BP are in display type cages (the 3rd boa is in a tub), and I just see my boa much more than the BP. Oliver likes to stay in his hides pretty much 24/7, unless he's hungry, then he's roaming. The boas seem to roam a little bit every day, randomly throughout the day, unless they've eaten in the past 3-4 days. They both have hides they could stay in all the time, but they tend to hang out either half in/half out, or just sitting on top.

Pharm tech is a good jump off point, in my opinion. A lot of vet stuff is knowing drugs and how they work. I have a Bachelor's in Biology, and originally never thought I'd end up in the vet field (because I don't really like people and knew I'd have to deal with stupid owners). I still really want to work with wildlife, but I do like what I do now. I did a couple internships banding birds and nest searching after college, mostly because they were easiest to find and near family, then applied to a vet clinic in NW Indiana. Got the job and pretty much learned everything on the job. That was back in 2007. I was there 3 years, moved to Evansville, got a job with a clinic down here, but didn't like one of the doctors and the administrator, so applied for a temp position at Bristol-Myers Squibb caring for the study animals. Was really awesome, despite reservations about the treatment of the animals (BMS takes great care of their critters), then after that ended, applied to my current place, and have been here a little over a year.

Unlike a few "exotic" vets I shadowed and worked for that would maybe see a rabbit here and there, we see exotics of all sorts several times a week. Our exotic vet used to work at the zoo, and is still a consultant and the relief vet when the main vet goes on vacation. We see snakes or lizards most days he works, often see deer/skunks/possums/raccoons from a wildlife rehabber that comes to us, all sorts of pockets pets (rats, hamsters, sugar gliders), pigs, goats, turtles, etc. We're supposed to be seeing a wallaby sometime, but they keep rescheduling! What else? Baby black bears, caiman, hedgehogs, tons of birds (had a baby vulture in a couple weeks ago!), rabbits....yeah, pretty much everything.

The problems we see all depend on the animal; unfortunately with the majority of the exotics, the problems are caused by bad husbandry. We schedule those exams for an hour rather than 30 minutes because we know a lot of it will be discussing habitat, food, etc. Rocky the boa I have now was through the clinic, and I've taken care of a couple other reptiles that the only options were a very large vet bill or euthanize because they were so sick, and the owners relinquished them to me rather than euthanize, but so far they've all been too sick to get better. Very sad to know that 99% die because of bad owners.

My particular job is very hands on. I get the client into the room, get history, sometimes answer simple questions they have that I know the Dr. doesn't have time to discuss, get samples (stool samples, draw blood, take temps, etc.), and pretty much do everything the Dr. asks me to. What you do as a tech/assistant will differ from state to state based on laws. If I lived in California, I couldn't do most of the things I do, because I am not a certified technician. But in Indiana, the laws aren't so strict, which is both good and bad. Some computer work, since with our clinic all records are digital.

But yeah...I really like it. And SO MUCH of liking this job is my relationship with the doctors. I LOVE our exotics vet, he's a great guy and really knows his stuff. I've worked with not necessarily "bad" doctors, but ones that I didn't get along with, and it made it so much harder to like the job. So yeah, when you become a vet, don't be a jerk, and don't forget that without techs to support you, you would be a really crappy doctor!