Hey all,

I'm having a similar issue. I'm looking into getting a ball python, but I've never owned one before. I haven't bought one yet because I want to have my enclosure more-or-less perfect first. Y'know, avoid making trouble for the snake while it's adjusting to a new environment, all that good stuff.

I was planning to use a 55 gallon tank (somewhere around 48"x12"x19"), simply because I got it for free from a friend who was looking to get rid of it and I knew it would be big enough for a full-grown python. However, I think I'm going to end up getting a baby python rather than an adult, since that's what's available to me right now. Is that big tank gonna be a problem?

Is it better/worse that most of the volume of this tank is in the height rather than the area of the base? Should I get a temporary tank and upgrade to this one later, once the snake has grown a bit? Is it feasible to...I dunno, block off part of this tank and expand it as I need more area? In a ball python caresheet on this site, it says "For adults an enclosure 36x18x12”..." should be sufficient. 48x12 is actually less floor area than 36x18 - does that mean I'd be okay, or is the height problematic? Would I still need to stuff it full of things to make it feel more enclosed?

Also on the subject of too-large tanks: is this under-tank heater an acceptable size for the tank? I also have a 100-watt infrared clamp light that I was planning to use for the other side, but I was expecting the under-tank thing to cover more area.


Thanks,
Patrick