ball python

[mebanesox7]

i'm planning on getting a ball python...anyone have any advice...wut to keep them in, wut size aquarium thingy for a small(wut size do i need for small one, will upgrade later), wut kind of substrate, wut kind of products do u think are the best...my uncle breeds snakes so he'll tell me alot of stuff....

 

[sharkbait9]

if your uncle breeds snakes why ask us? He would a lot more informative then any of us who have them.

 

[sepulatian]

How big of a snake is he? I had my 6 footer in a 55 reptile tank. Just lay some indoor/outdoor carpet on the bottom. Get a nice piece of driftwood for him to climb, he will also use this for shedding. You will also need a heat lamp and, if the area where he will be kept is cool, a heat rock is a good idea as well. Remember snakes are cold blooded and cannot generate their own body heat. You will also need a wide shallow water bowl. They drink out of it, but also after they shed they like to go through the bowl to wash off any excess scales. Last but certainly not least a VERY tight fitting screen lid. Check all of the corners to make sure there are no holes or parts where it is comming lose from the screen. All snakes love to escape and they are alot stronger than you may think.

 

[beth]

I have 3 ball pythons, and they are great pets. Their downside is that they are finicky feeders, so you may find yourself having to "house" un-wanted food until your ball is "in the mood". Also, these snakes typically get to 5', so a small juvenile will not stay small for long.
Depending on how much money you want to spend on housing, you can set up a bare bones, or an expensive python cage.
Here is my cage.

 

[beth]

Originally Posted by sharkbait9
if your uncle breeds snakes why ask us? He would a lot more informative then any of us who have them.

To some extent that is true, but like fish, keeping fish [and snakes] is not exactly the same as breading fish [or snakes]. In one situation, you are trying to make a living [breeding] and the other, you are trying to have a pet.
A lot of difference there, imo.
Snake breeders simply house their snakes in the most effective environment for reproduction. While pet owners usually want to establish a more meaningful pet-owner relationship with their pet [yes, even snakes, or any herp].

 

[beth]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
a heat rock is a good idea as well.
Sep, we disagree on the "heat rock". Snakes can get severe burns from laying on overly hot rocks. Better to use a heat lamp that is completely out of reach of the snake, or even a gradient under heat source. I prefer the latter, since these snakes do not actually require a "light-source".
Generally, you want to heat only a small area of the enclosure, not the whole area. While snakes are cold blooded, and are not adept at regulating their internal thermostat, they do prefer a variable temp of 75 total area and a hot spot of 80. Older snakes, may actually like to be cooler, rather than warmer. My snakes, for instance, remain pretty much around 75 deg.
The rest of your advise is right on the money.

Especially about the tight lid! :scared:

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Beth
Sep, we disagree on the "heat rock". Snakes can get severe burns from laying on overly hot rocks. Better to use a heat lamp that is completely out of reach of the snake, or even a gradient under heat source. I prefer the latter, since these snakes do not actually require a "light-source".
Generally, you want to heat only a small area of the enclosure, not the whole area. While snakes are cold blooded, and are not adept at regulating their internal thermostat, they do prefer a variable temp of 75 total area and a hot spot of 80. Older snakes, may actually like to be cooler, rather than warmer. My snakes, for instance, remain pretty much around 75 deg.
The rest of your advise is right on the money.

Especially about the tight lid! :scared:
I had a heat rock in with mine and the light right in the tank. I had a burmese phython, not a ball. It may have just worked for me. The rock never got real warm to the point of burning. It was warm to the touch, but not hot. Mine, whose name was Sepulation btw Never got burned. Although I may have just been lucky! :joy:

 

[beth]

What happened to the snake? The heat rock can also cause other not so obvious problems, such rotting food in the snakes stomach.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Beth
What happened to the snake? The heat rock can also cause other not so obvious problems, such rotting food in the snakes stomach.
The only explination I have is he commited suicide. We got him when he was about a foot. He was a baby. We played with him everyday, always took him out and handled him. After a few years of this we moved. We had no time to take him out then. He was always pushing on the top of the cage. He stopped eating after awhile and went to the cool side of the tank (this was durring the winter) and just stayed there untill he died. You have no idea how bad we both felt afterward. We just were so busy we didn't have time to take him out and whatch him and play with him. Not that he was neglected health wise, but we didn't have any time to spend with him. He had been used to daily contact since he was a baby. Very sad

 

[beth]

Yes, that is sad. Obviously even snakes need stimulation. However, unless he was being evaluated by a herpotological vet at least annually, there could have been internal parasites or other issues that went unnoticed. With prey, internal parasites is a REAL issue. I have had to treat my snakes several times just due to rodent transmissions of parasites. Off-feeding is a typical symptom of this. A simple oral treatment with parasite meds takes care of this quickly. I've been fortunate to have a published herp vet that is nationally well known, so I've learned a lot from him.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Beth
Yes, that is sad. Obviously even snakes need stimulation. However, unless he was being evaluated by a herpotological vet at least annually, there could have been internal parasites or other issues that went unnoticed. With prey, internal parasites is a REAL issue. I have had to treat my snakes several times just due to rodent transmissions of parasites. Off-feeding is a typical symptom of this. A simple oral treatment with parasite meds takes care of this quickly. I've been fortunate to have a published herp vet that is nationally well known, so I've learned a lot from him.
hmm, that is very interesting, I was not aware of that. He never saw a vet. The mice/rats he ate were ones I had breed myself. They all seemed very healthy and active. IDK, We have wanted another snake for a long time, but without the time to spend with a new one we have not gotten one. Thanks for the info though, I will certainly keep that in mind

 

[beth]

I found that having more than one is a real plus. My 3 are bonded and they keep each other company when I get too busy.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Beth
I found that having more than one is a real plus. My 3 are bonded and they keep each other company when I get too busy.
Beth, I would not feel comfortable with more than one. I try to have enough time for all of my pets, and even though they would keep each other company, I would feel 3X more neglectfull on time! I have 2 dogs, a bunny, my tanks, an 11 yr old a husband and a store. I will get another snake someday and will definately keep what you said in mind. I do have a question though. If my mice/rats were breed by me and taken care of by me, is it at all likely that they were the culprit of Sepulatians death? They were all very healthy and active. I would think if they were sick at all there would be signs. You obviously know more about this than I do, and I value your oppinion. Also do you have pics of your snakes? I love pics. I had a nice one of my son when he was three holding sep, But I can't find it.

 

[petjunkie]

Beth, how big are yours? I have one ball python that I got a few months ago for cheap because the pet store wasn't taking care of him and he hadn't been fed the whole time there. Luckily he's a captive bred and has eaten every week for me so far and shed perfect twice. He's about 26 inches now but I don't know how old he is, I'm planning to buy a 33 gallon for an upgrade pretty soon because it will fit on my double tank stand. I was told most rodent parasites couldn't travel to snakes and that the heating should be 82 cool side, 92 hot. Mine is on aspen bedding by the way, Mebanesox.

 

[beth]

sepulatian, please don't take anything I said as encouragement for you to get a snake. I was just talking with you about snakes; in no way trying to talk you into getting one, especially after the one you had died unexpectedly. Snakes are highly specialized animals and do need owners that can take the time to learn about them. Like fish, in that respect. I usually spend more time talking people "out of getting a snake" than getting one. LOL
Petjunkie these animals can get to 5'. My suggestion would be to get an enclosure that will accommodate the full size of your pet. I have also learned that aquariums are better suited for fish, but not necessarily for snakes.
As for feeding, I pretty much feed mine whenever they want to eat. They will fast during winter, or eat rarely during that time, so I try to put on some bulk during their heavy feeding season (summer). I have had my snakes for 8 years and my oldest, about 12-15 years old, wild caught, is 5'.
My snakes are housed in a Boaphile enclosure which they really love and its a lot more convenient for me to clean. I don't use tree shavings as a substrate, just because its too messy for me. If the snake urinates, etc., it is going to get all over the shavings, which means it needs to get thrown out. I have dedicated towels which they love to hide under and keep warm with. I have also found that ball pythons like to use tight fitting fed-ex boxes to sleep in.

 

[petjunkie]

The ball python forum I'm on recommends you keep young balls in a small enclosure and for adults a 40 gallon breeder or one of those plastic tubs from Walmart. Everyone on there said a 55 would be too large and stress the snake (I have two empty and was planning to put him in one of those). Also I think I can keep temps and humidity at proper levels in an aquarium pretty good, just more effort. I have looked at those cages like you have as a possiblity though, they are very nice and not too expensive. Are your snakes housed together?

 

[sepulatian]

sepulatian, please don't take anything I said as encouragement for you to get a snake. I was just talking with you about snakes; in no way trying to talk you into getting one, especially after the one you had died unexpectedly. Snakes are highly specialized animals and do need owners that can take the time to learn about them. Like fish, in that respect. I usually spend more time talking people "out of getting a snake" than getting one. LOL
Lol Of course not silly! No I wouldn't get another untill I was certain I would have enough time. Perhapse when I am 70! haha :joy:

 

[beth]

Pet, of course, if you have a tank already, definitely use it. I was thinking you were going to go thru the expense of buying a tank for your snake.
My feeling is that the thought-fitting security would come from another tight fitting enclosure within the tank, such as a fed-ex box. Obviously, ball pythons by nature get out and about in Africa, so keeping a snake in a tight fitting space always, is just cruel. The snake needs options within the overall enclosure. Though I recognize that many hobbyists seem to believe that sweater boxes are ok. I just disagree.
I actually have kept my balls in aquariums, and decided that it wasn't the best option for me.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by petjunkie
The ball python forum I'm on recommends you keep young balls in a small enclosure and for adults a 40 gallon breeder or one of those plastic tubs from Walmart. Everyone on there said a 55 would be too large and stress the snake (I have two empty and was planning to put him in one of those). Also I think I can keep temps and humidity at proper levels in an aquarium pretty good, just more effort. I have looked at those cages like you have as a possiblity though, they are very nice and not too expensive. Are your snakes housed together?
Any Juvenile of any species needs a comfortable hiding place. A 55 is not too large, as Beth suggested, put a fed ex or other box in ther for him!

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Beth
Pet, of course, if you have a tank already, definitely use it. I was thinking you were going to go thru the expense of buying a tank for your snake.
My feeling is that the thought-fitting security would come from another tight fitting enclosure within the tank, such as a fed-ex box. Obviously, ball pythons by nature get out and about in Africa, so keeping a snake in a tight fitting space always, is just cruel. The snake needs options within the overall enclosure. Though I recognize that many hobbyists seem to believe that sweater boxes are ok. I just disagree.
I actually have kept my balls in aquariums, and decided that it wasn't the best option for me.
Hey Beth, sorry I was in a hurry last night, I did not take your posts as trying to get me to get another snake. I actually rather enjoyed talking with you about them!!!! I love snakes, but would not trust one I havn't raised myself. I have a story for you! ok, Middle of this summer, I see on my porch (there is a square foot of sheetrock missing in the ceiling of the porch) A snake skin that looks like it is heading into the hole that is at least 7 feet long. :scared: I call animal control because I have no idea what kind of snake this is. The woman finally calls me back. I tell her (being I have some snake experience) that he probably went into the attic of my porch to hide and shed. You know how it takes a few days and how the coating goes over their eyes and they don't like to be disturbed. She tells me that being I know about snakes I can catch him!!!!!!!!! I said "what??????" "The snake I had was raised from a baby, I don't even know what kind this is" To make a long story short, we examined the skin, and it was actually him leaving. The face part was by the window, which means we had a very large snake of unknown species in our porch attic for a few day! lol Theres a snake story for ya! I can't believe the woman from animal control told me " being I know about snakes I can catch him" Can you imagine? lol