Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 55 gal tank that I want to set up for 2 balls. What do I need (heating, lights, bedding, ?) Anything else that I can't think of. Please help!!

Well, you will need a heat source, climbing branches, hide boxes, substrate, water bowl that will not tip over, and a source of humidity. I actually saw a cool looking little device in Superpetz that is a foot tall volcano that spritz's water out of the crater...If I go w/a tropical snake, I'm getting that! Those are just the basics. It wouldn't hurt to go ahead and invest a few bucks on a book about keeping ball pythons. They can give more specifics of what you need to do.

Good luck!
-----
~redmom~
My Email

I have had a Ball for about a year now. You will only need a heating pad about the size of 1/3 of the tank bottom. Zoomed makes them.They go under the cage,a bowl that will not tip over to drink from(this is all you need for humidity)and newspaper for a substrate. I myself do not like bedding material because it gets wet and is a source of mold,mites,and bacteria. It can also be expensive and is much more difficult to keep clean. I use pieces of slate for my substrate. It holds heat from the pad and,easy to clean, and gives your snake a better heat gradiant. You can use a branch if you want to for climbing but it is not required. Contrary to what many say...no hide is required either, Do not use a basking light, Flourescent lighting should be used but is not required either. Put it on a timert of 12 hours. These timers can be purchased for a couple bucks from any hardware store.

A hide not required?? Since when? Especially for Balls... They are naturally shy snakes that a hide is very beneficial to to keep them healthy and relatively "happy" A bask light can also be good... Any snake will need a hide area.. whether terrestrial, Arboreal or a mix of the two.. Substrate is good.. Newspaper should be used only with sick or debilitated animals.. I use Cypress Mulch or aspen shaving for most of my animals.. save my geckos... Balls will like to be able to get under the mulch or shavings to feel secure.

"Newspaper should be used only with sick or debilitated animals.."

I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with this...I don't personally use newspaper or paper towel substrate, but I don't think there's anything wrong with it being used. I just don't like it (I use aspen and cypress mulch myself)
-----
-audri
Webpage/Pics

Oh and I'm sure you keeping a ball python for a year makes you an "expert" on their care.. Sorry.. I can't see it...

"Contrary to what many say...no hide is required either"

For that matter an enclosure is not required either. Just stick them in a pillow case and toss them in your closet. Don't worry about feeding them either. Ball python prices are pretty low and you'll save money by just bying new snakes when they die. Don't worry about temperature. They'll starve to death much slower at lower temperatures.
-----
International Snakes Meetup
International Herpetology Meetup

Cypress mulch, if you can find it, works well for humidity. Just don't keep it too damp! Also, with a screen top you may have humidity problems. I've heard people recommend getting a sheet of plexiglass cut to fit over part of the screen, but a piece of plastic wrap works well, and is a lot less money. The plastic wrap is the right width for the lid, I have just secured the ends with clear tape (just the parts attached to the edges of the screen, not the part across the middle). Try covering 1/2 to 3/4 of the screen, it will probably help a lot. (good especially if your snakes don't use humid hides - mine don't seem to)

Putting a water bowl above/below the heat source (depending on what you're using) will cause evaporation and raise the humidity, but be prepared to refill it often.

I would definitely have a hide(s) where the snakes can go and feel secure. Being out in the open all the time with no place to retreat is very unnatural for a snake and can very well cause a lot of stress (with balls being more easily stressed than most, not a good thing to try)

Heat pads, heat lamps both seem to work well, but heat lamps supposedly dry out the air. Be careful with heat pads - make sure they don't get too hot.

Extra lighting is not necessary, the snakes will do fine with just ambient room lighting. However, I do like the look of a well-lit cage over an unlit cage. Any kind of lighting will work, I just use regular household bulbs for lamps unless the animal needs UV, which the balls don't. Get a timer if you use a light, makes it a lot easier.
-----
-audri
Webpage/Pics