New to snakes, new-ish to the board. I've got questions! :)

[Suzy]

Hello, everybody! I'm somewhat new to this board, and I have some questions for you all. First of all, I want to give a little back story. I've never had a snake before, and i've been thinking about getting a ball python for a while. I've been researching snakes (corns and balls) for a little over a year now. I'm pretty sure that i've got everything down that I need in order to get a snake. I just wanted to verify and get extra tips if they're available.
Now, i've already got the snake "picked out", so to speak. I found a listing on Craigslist for a yearling female ball python,(he said that he has to move soon, so he's got to get rid of all of his reptiles.) and while I don't have the money RIGHT now, the guy told me he would hold on to it until I get my money from my income taxes. (it should be the beginning of next month.)
From what i've read and learned, a ball should be kept at 85 - 90 on the warm side, and around 75 on the cool side, correct?
I know that they need 2 hides (one on the warm, and one on the cool side) as well as a water dish placed in the middle. (large enough for the snake to soak in if it wants to.) I haven't really seen anything in cement about the humidity requirements, but i'm guessing from 50 - 60% and when in shed bump it up to 70 ish? is that correct, or does it need to stay at 60%?
I'm planning on getting a thermometer/hygrometer (digital), as well as a UTH/thermostat.
I have a 29 gallon tank right now that's not being used,(but was used for fish in the past. And it was a saltwater tank - does that matter if I clean it or not?) and I was planning on using a bleach/water (1 part bleach to 5 parts water) solution to clean it. Would that work? And would that be appropriate for a yearling, or should I start out with a 10 gallon, and work my way up so she doesn't get overly stressed?
Other than that, I wanted to use aspen or paper towels as substrate. I'm pretty sure that would be sufficent enough. But what i'm curious about it is it extremely necessary to have reptile carpet, or is it better used as a precaution. I don't mind getting it, but if I don't need it it's money saved.
I'm also planning on using a screen for the aquarium. I know that i'll need cage clips - is there anything else I should think about getting before I actually get the snake other than the things that i've mentioned? I feel like i'll have enough to get by for the time being.
Also, i've planned on this for when I get her - when she comes home, i'm going to leave her alone for 3 - 5 days and then feed her. After I feed her I will not handle her (as hard as it may be!) for about 2 or 3 weeks after that (with regular feeding, changing of the water, and maintainence between that.) and then begin handling 2 - 4 times a week. (without handling for 48 hours after feeding.)
So, I think that's all my knowledge right now. Is there anything else I should know/be prepared for? Anything that I got wrong? Thank you all for your help!

[TanyaL]

Have you checked out the caresheets offered on this site? They are loaded with great information.

Here is the link to the caresheet:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules....warticle&id=59

Tank Setup:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=56846

BP Husbandry FAQs:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=30763

BQ FAQs:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=31102

I can say that your temps are a bit off. The warm side should be 90 - 94 and the cool side 80 - 84. Your humidity should be 50 - 60% and bumped up to 70 during shed.

I highly suggest checking out the above links. Great stuff!

Good luck with your soon to be bp!

[Suzy]

I have looked at them, but it's been a while. I'll make sure to look them over again, though. Thank you for your help.

Have you checked out the caresheets offered on this site? They are loaded with great information.

Here is the link to the caresheet:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules....warticle&id=59

Tank Setup:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=56846

BP Husbandry FAQs:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=30763

BQ FAQs:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=31102

I can say that your temps are a bit off. The warm side should be 90 - 94 and the cool side 80 - 84. Your humidity should be 50 - 60% and bumped up to 70 during shed.

I highly suggest checking out the above links. Great stuff!

Good luck with your soon to be bp!

[juddb]

Welcome to the team

[Suzy]

Thank you. i'm very excited! Weirdly enough, I had a dream last night that I had a Hog Island Boa, Ball, and Corn, and they all hated me and tried biting me. lol - hopefully that isn't the case in real life. I've got cats, though, so i'm not that afraid of a (smaller) snake bite. Interestingly enough, those are 3 of the many on my want list.

Welcome to the team

[TanyaL]

Thank you. i'm very excited! Weirdly enough, I had a dream last night that I had a Hog Island Boa, Ball, and Corn, and they all hated me and tried biting me. lol - hopefully that isn't the case in real life. I've got cats, though, so i'm not that afraid of a (smaller) snake bite. Interestingly enough, those are 3 of the many on my want list.

LOL When we first got Foster, she struck at me twice. I swear she hates me. My son feeds her but I pay for it. If only she knew! LOL

I wish I had done as much research before getting our ball as you have. We actually planned on getting a corn but my son really wanted a ball for his birthday so at the last minute, we were stupid enough to get the ball without really knowing what to expect. I wish you all the best in whatever you decide to get.

[kc261]

Welcome to the forum!

That's a lot of questions! That's great; it means that you are really thinking this through carefully and doing your research *before* you bring your new pet home, and that's the best kind of pet owner.

You seem to be getting a good idea of what you need to know. It does seem that your sources may not have been the best, or perhaps are out of date.

I found a listing on Craigslist for a yearling female ball python,(he said that he has to move soon, so he's got to get rid of all of his reptiles.) and while I don't have the money RIGHT now, the guy told me he would hold on to it until I get my money from my income taxes. (it should be the beginning of next month.)

Be careful of buying a snake (or any animal) on Craigslist. Especially since you are not very familiar with snakes, it will be hard to know if you are getting a good deal, or just inheriting a bunch of headaches if the snake has not been properly cared for. It might have internal parasites or other things that aren't immediately obvious. I'd recommend going to a good breeder for your first snake.

From what i've read and learned, a ball should be kept at 85 - 90 on the warm side, and around 75 on the cool side, correct?

75 is definitely too cold. Most people recommend temps of at or a bit above 80 for the cool side, and at or a bit above 90 for the warm side.

I know that they need 2 hides (one on the warm, and one on the cool side) as well as a water dish placed in the middle. (large enough for the snake to soak in if it wants to.)

Get 2 hides that are the same and will fit the snake snugly. The water dish does not necessarily have to be in the middle. Some people move it to the warm side to increase humidity. Also most BPs don't choose to soak unless they have mites, so I think most people don't consider a large water a necessity for BPs, but again it can help increase humidity.

I haven't really seen anything in cement about the humidity requirements, but i'm guessing from 50 - 60% and when in shed bump it up to 70 ish? is that correct, or does it need to stay at 60%?

This, along with the temps being a bit off, is what made me say your sources may not be the best. Any good caresheet about BPs would definitely mention humidity. However, the numbers you guessed here are good.

I'm planning on getting a thermometer/hygrometer (digital), as well as a UTH/thermostat.

Digital thermometer/hygrometer and a t-stat are musts!

I have a 29 gallon tank right now that's not being used,(but was used for fish in the past. And it was a saltwater tank - does that matter if I clean it or not?) and I was planning on using a bleach/water (1 part bleach to 5 parts water) solution to clean it. Would that work? And would that be appropriate for a yearling, or should I start out with a 10 gallon, and work my way up so she doesn't get overly stressed?

A 29 gallon tank is a "tall" style and that isn't best for BPs, who don't do much climbing. The height can also make it harder to maintain temps and humidity. However, the floor space of the tank is probably reasonable for a yearling BP. You might want to consider a tub, which makes it much easier to maintain temps and humidity. If you do decide to use the 29 gallon tank, the fact that it was used for saltwater in the past should not matter if you clean it thoroughly. Bleach is fine if you rinse it thoroughly.

Other than that, I wanted to use aspen or paper towels as substrate. I'm pretty sure that would be sufficent enough. But what i'm curious about it is it extremely necessary to have reptile carpet, or is it better used as a precaution. I don't mind getting it, but if I don't need it it's money saved.

Aspen and paper towels are both fine. Newspaper is also very popular. Reptile carpet is not necessary, and a lot of people recommend against it because it is not easy to clean and if not thoroughly cleaned it can be a breeding ground for bacteria.

I'm also planning on using a screen for the aquarium. I know that i'll need cage clips - is there anything else I should think about getting before I actually get the snake other than the things that i've mentioned? I feel like i'll have enough to get by for the time being.

I'm not familiar with the screen/clips set ups, as I've used the kind of tanks with the sliding screens. You will need to do something to the screen to prevent the heat and humidity from getting out. A popular method is to use layers of foil held down by duct tape. I have a sheet of styrofoam like stuff on top of mine. You'll need to close most of it off and leave some open for air flow.

Other things to think about... you haven't mentioned feeding at all. Do you have a plan for live or f/t? Do you have a source for food? Also it would be a good idea to research reptile vets in your area ahead of time, so you know where to go if/when you need to. That's all that immediately comes to mind.

Also, i've planned on this for when I get her - when she comes home, i'm going to leave her alone for 3 - 5 days and then feed her. After I feed her I will not handle her (as hard as it may be!) for about 2 or 3 weeks after that (with regular feeding, changing of the water, and maintainence between that.) and then begin handling 2 - 4 times a week. (without handling for 48 hours after feeding.)

That's reasonable. For your first few feedings, offer the same thing it was used to, even if you plan to offer a different food (rats vs mice) or a different method (live vs f/t).

So, I think that's all my knowledge right now. Is there anything else I should know/be prepared for? Anything that I got wrong? Thank you all for your help!

One important thing not mentioned is to get your cage set up ahead of time and make sure you have the temps and humidity stabilized before you bring your snake home.

Other than that, use the time you have before you get your snake to learn more. Read the BP caresheet, and all the stickies and FAQs on this site. Then just read the postings (especially in the General BP and BP husbandry sections). You'll learn a lot.

[Suzy]

Welcome to the forum!

That's a lot of questions! That's great; it means that you are really thinking this through carefully and doing your research *before* you bring your new pet home, and that's the best kind of pet owner.

Thank you. I'm a very cautious person by nature, and I know that a snake can/is likely to be a long term commitment, and I wanted to make sure I knew everything possible before I even thought of bringing one home.

You seem to be getting a good idea of what you need to know. It does seem that your sources may not have been the best, or perhaps are out of date.

Yeah, after reading what the FAQs on this board said, I realized that too. But I have read these FAQs, and I feel more comfortable in my newer knowledge. It wasn't just that, but the fact that i've been researching Corns a lot, and I may have gotten the info mixed up, because corns (I believe) are 85 hot - 75 cool, so I guess I can chalk it up to being a noob.

Be careful of buying a snake (or any animal) on Craigslist. Especially since you are not very familiar with snakes, it will be hard to know if you are getting a good deal, or just inheriting a bunch of headaches if the snake has not been properly cared for. It might have internal parasites or other things that aren't immediately obvious. I'd recommend going to a good breeder for your first snake.

Oh, really? Okay - well, i've e-mailed the guy and told him to hold on to it. I mean, you're probably right, and there is a reptile show in the beginning of March. I guess if i've waited this long, I can wait another month. I just saw the price ($55) and got a little too excited - but a breeder would be the best way to go, and it'll give me a little more time to get everything set up first. It scares me to not know if my (future) snake is going to be in great health (as a breeder's would most likely be) and not at risk for parasites, etc. That's the main reason I didn't want to go to a pet store, because I know that a lot of them are WC and/or have mites and parasites. I've read waaay too many horror stories.

75 is definitely too cold. Most people recommend temps of at or a bit above 80 for the cool side, and at or a bit above 90 for the warm side.

Okay, that works. When reading the caresheet on this page, it said not to let the cool side dip into the 70s at all - would that mean that it'd be best for me to get a CHE/Light for the cool side as well? Or would the UTH work for that?

Get 2 hides that are the same and will fit the snake snugly. The water dish does not necessarily have to be in the middle. Some people move it to the warm side to increase humidity. Also most BPs don't choose to soak unless they have mites, so I think most people don't consider a large water a necessity for BPs, but again it can help increase humidity.

The hide thing is something i've seen everywhere. I'll make sure to do that. Identical and snug. Okay, that makes sense. I will just place it where it feels best.

This, along with the temps being a bit off, is what made me say your sources may not be the best. Any good caresheet about BPs would definitely mention humidity. However, the numbers you guessed here are good.

Okay, cool.

Digital thermometer/hygrometer and a t-stat are musts!

Great! That's one of the most common musts that i've read about on all of the message boards.

A 29 gallon tank is a "tall" style and that isn't best for BPs, who don't do much climbing. The height can also make it harder to maintain temps and humidity. However, the floor space of the tank is probably reasonable for a yearling BP. You might want to consider a tub, which makes it much easier to maintain temps and humidity. If you do decide to use the 29 gallon tank, the fact that it was used for saltwater in the past should not matter if you clean it thoroughly. Bleach is fine if you rinse it thoroughly.

Okay - well, I have a 10 gallon as well,(which is probably too small for a yearling) but don't have anything else around here. i'll work with the 29 first, and if that doesn't work out, i'll splurge and get a 20L or 30L - which would be better? i'm wanting to use an aquarium at first, because of the visual enjoyment as well as already having them with nothing in them, and not having to run out to get anything else.

Aspen and paper towels are both fine. Newspaper is also very popular. Reptile carpet is not necessary, and a lot of people recommend against it because it is not easy to clean and if not thoroughly cleaned it can be a breeding ground for bacteria.

Okay, good. I've read that there's a risk of the snake burning themselves if they burrow under the substrate (if it's aspen or anything similar) or it possibly catching fire (newspaper and paper towels) if there's no Repti-carpet on top of the UTH. I think I may have seen that on this forum, actually.

I'm not familiar with the screen/clips set ups, as I've used the kind of tanks with the sliding screens. You will need to do something to the screen to prevent the heat and humidity from getting out. A popular method is to use layers of foil held down by duct tape. I have a sheet of styrofoam like stuff on top of mine. You'll need to close most of it off and leave some open for air flow.

To be honest with you, i'm not very familiar with the screen and clips either, but from what i've read, it's recommended to get some screen clips so the snake won't escape. I'm just trying to make it as secure as possible because i've got 4 cats, and I don't want them to harm the snake.
I'll keep that in mind. I'll test it out without covering it first, and if it's still too dry, then i'll try the foil/duct tape method. I've got plenty of both.

Other things to think about... you haven't mentioned feeding at all. Do you have a plan for live or f/t? Do you have a source for food? Also it would be a good idea to research reptile vets in your area ahead of time, so you know where to go if/when you need to. That's all that immediately comes to mind.

Yeah, I forgot to talk about that in here - I remembered after I posted, and was too lazy to edit.
I'm planning on using f/t - it's less risk to the snake, and it's easier for me because I won't necessarily have to watch the snake kill a mouse. I know it's nature, but i'd get sad if I had to see that. I would do it if the snake wouldn't eat f/t, but if that was the case i'd stun first. I'd like to start out with mice initially. If they're already on rats, then chances are that's what i'd feed them. I'm planning on either going to my local herp show (bi-monthly) and just buying in bulk there, or going through rodentpro.com or themousefactory.com. rodent pro is a vendor at my reptile show, though.
As for reptile vets, there's one about 30 or so minutes away from me in both directions. I've got a website bookmarked (through anapsid.org and herpvetconnection.com) that shows local herp vets, addresses, and phone numbers.

That's reasonable. For your first few feedings, offer the same thing it was used to, even if you plan to offer a different food (rats vs mice) or a different method (live vs f/t).

One important thing not mentioned is to get your cage set up ahead of time and make sure you have the temps and humidity stabilized before you bring your snake home.

Other than that, use the time you have before you get your snake to learn more. Read the BP caresheet, and all the stickies and FAQs on this site. Then just read the postings (especially in the General BP and BP husbandry sections). You'll learn a lot.

Okay, i'll make sure to do that. I've got to clean and disinfect it, and still get a few things for it, and i'll set it up in my bedroom - even if it is snake-less for now. It'll probably be a lot less stressful for the snake and myself if I don't have to mess around with the heat/humidity while it's trying to adjust to a new home.
Ok, i'll do that - thank you so much for your time and patience with me. I know that it's not always fun trying to help out the newbies, but I hope you (and everyone reading this) know that I really do appreciate it. If it weren't for people like you, then i'd be stumped as to what to do. I'd probably think it was ok to co-hab snakes if it wasn't for forums. (I know it's wrong! )

[Brett89]

Screen clips you can get at almost any pet store that carries reptiles. They just clip to both sides, they even have some with locks on them. Also with a screen top you might want to duct tape some cardboard over at least half of the screen to help keep your humididty up. When i first got into snakes a few years ago i struggled with bad sheds until i had an experienced person tell me to to cover half of the screen.

[ChrisBowsman]

I'm not an expert by any means, but I wanted to echo the statement about Craigslist. I'm fairly new to BPs, and was advised to go with a breeder. I checked with a few, and got a price of under $100, included shipping, for a nice looking baby ball. Most of the craigslist ads for snakes that I've seen are asking fairly close to that.