I have a few questions

[catzeye21138]

I wasn't sure where exactly to put this but it seemed best to put it under Husbandry.

So this is how it goes, my parents are thinking about letting me get my own snake.(I want a ball python obviously ) So far, 1 of my sisters has had 3 ball pythons, and my other sister 2. My dad had constricters before he married my mom and knows quite a bit and plans to help me out a lot. But he told me to get an estimate of the price.

My two sisters havn't really done very well with setting up a good cage for their ball pythons but they did good enough that well.. I don't know... =( But anyway, I want to be able to have a nice habitat that would put my sisters' past tanks to shame but still not have to spend a whole lot of money. So here is a list of a few things that I would really appreciate someone helping me with:

• What size tank
• How to get the humidity right and have it stay
• I can't think strait right now but some tips would be greatly appreciated!

I tryed reading the page that tells all about this but I found it very confusing and quite a bit of information for a 13 year old to take in at one time. Thank you all for your time and helping me! I really want to do this snake thing right!

[JLC]

Hmmmmmm....do you want something that's attractive...or something that provides the very best environment for your snake?

[catzeye21138]

Well, I would like the best environment for my soon to be snake, but I'm a little bit confused. Why couldn't it be a good environment AND look at least a little bit attractive?

[JLC]

It is possible to have an attractive environment for your snake and have it meet the optimal requirements of temps and humidity....it's just a lot harder to maintain. Often times, a simple plastic tub from Rubbermaid or Sterelite will make a more perfect home...but obviously isn't as pretty.

[catzeye21138]

Which way do you think would be the best way to go? You said that an attractive environment would be harder to maintain, I don't quite understand what you consider attractive... Sorry if I'm being difficult, I'm having trouble understanding at the moment.

[delerium_23]

Alot of people on this site choose to keep thier BP's in rubbermaid tubs or racks... which are very easy to maintain temps and humidity in.. some choose to keep thier BP's in aquarium type tanks which you have to work harder to maintain your temps/humidity but can be decorated and show off your snake.

its truly a personal choice... i use a 20gallon long tank.. it works for me and my snake..

[JLC]

Ok....I'll try to explain:


An "attractive" environment would be on that is in an all glass cage (fish tank)...with a natural looking substrate (the stuff on the floor)...some greenery (fake)....and natural or cool looking hides...and a nice looking water dish.

The trouble with this kind of set-up:

--An all glass environment can make some ball pythons nervous because they feel too exposed
--The screened lid and thin glass make holding in heat and humidity much more difficult....causing greater temperature swings that can make your BP want to not eat...and low humidity that can cause difficult sheds
--Lots of stuff to clean and keep sanitary

A more basic and "plain" setup would be a plastic tub that you can see through but isn't completely clear....newspaper or papertowel on the "floor"...two basic hides and a small, plain water dish. The plastic tub would have small holes drilled or melted along the sides to allow for fresh air.

The benefits of this:

--It maintains proper temps and humidity almost effortlessly.
--VERY easy to clean.
--BP's tend to feel more secure because they can't see the wide world outside so well.

ALL that being said...it IS possible to keep a nice tank/glass cage for your snake. It just depends on if the amount of extra work involved is worth the good looks or not.

[catzeye21138]

I think in my opinion I would like a more attractive cage and take the time to take care of it. What type do YOU think is better though?

[JLC]

Well, I started out with a very pretty tank....and am now using a plain ol' plastic tub. My BP helped make that choice for me by going on a 2 month fast. As soon as I switched to the tub, she snapped out of it.


Here is a list of the items you'll need to set up a glass tank...I'll put price estimates where I know them.

1. Glass tank 10g, 15g, OR 20g longs
2. Screen lid that will slide on and lock in place
3. Under Tank Heater (UTH) ...can be had from the petstore for around $30
OR
3. UTH ...Flexwatt...can be purchased online for about $10 for your purposes
4. Thermostat to control UTH ... around $65 online
OR
4. Dimmer switch to control UTH ...about $12 at hardware store, but is not as accurate or safe as a thermostat
5. Substrate of choice (not pine or cedar)
6. Water bowl
7. Multiple Hides (your choice but make 'em small and tight and identical)
8. Cage decorations

[recycling goddess]

of course if you decide to go with a sterilite container... it could cost you as little as 5-10 dollars for your container and that includes your lid!

cuts down on the cost a lot and in most people's opinion, it's a better environment for you snake.