Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just got a 6-month old Male Ball Python and right now I have him in a 10-gallon aquarium with a screen top, and a 50watt heater bulb. I have newspaper as the substrate, a 5 inch water bowl and a little hide box. Currently the temps are staying around 77 degrees on the hot side and the humidity is only about 31%. I don't think that 50watt bulb is enough to keep the cage warm and I think the low humidity isn't good either. Just for information, I keep my house at about 63-67 degrees during the winter.

Anyhow, I want to get a GOOD setup for the snake and was hoping people here could help me with recommendations on what I should buy. I was looking at Vision cages they seem pretty good, but if there are better please let me know. I would like to get a cage that is big enough to house my snake once he is full grown, as I don't want to spend a lot of money now to just turn around in another year and spend it all again on a bigger cage. I guess I can put a few hide boxes in a bigger cage for now so he doesn't feel unsecure.

So with that being said, I guess to start some of the things I need recommendations on are:

-Cage (size, type, manufacturer, etc)
-Heating Source (Thermostat?)
-Lighting
-Substrate
-Hide Box(s)
-Water Bowl
-info on what temps and humidities I should keep for my snake
-Websites of places that carry this stuff CHEAP, not like the rip off pet stores around me.

Thanks I really appreciate the help!

I've only kept BP for the last few years, so some of what I say is based on keeping colubrids but would apply anyway.

I've always like UTHs (under tank heaters) much better than heating from above. It's more efficient, heat rises. You need to get the temps up fast, it's way too cold on your hot end. If you have a human type heat pad, use that temporarily. Cover part of the tank, that will help hold in the heat and also raise the humidity. If you put a water bowl over the bottom heat source, that will also help with the humidity.

Here in S FL low humidity isn't often a problem, I like aspen as a bedding, but you may prefer cypress mulch since that will also raise the humidity plus if you wet it down it doesn't get moldy like the aspen will. You can get aspen sometimes at Walmart, or it can be ordered from Petsmart online. Cypress mulch will be at most any garden center, although it may be a problem for you in the winter to find it.

As far as getting the "big" enclosure, don't be in a big hurry to get it. I've found with my limited experience, that the young balls prefer a smaller enclosure. I've had to move a couple of mine back to thier little boxes 'cause they started to refuse food when moved to a larger box. Vision does make a very nice enclosure, they take an awfully long time to ship it to you tho, be prepared to wait. You can order directly from them online.
Rubbermaid type boxes are by far the easiest to clean and move around but don't make a very attractive display. Plus, since they're inexpensive, you can have a spare one and just set it up, move your snake over and clean the dirty one at your leisure. You need somewhere to keep your snake while you're cleaning anyway. When you get to the bigger sized rubbermaids, you do need some way to keep the middle part of the lids fastened down if you don't use a rack system. I've seen some people use binder clips, I've drilled holes thru the lip of the lid and container and put small nails thru to secure.

Water bowls: You can use alot of things for water bowls, just make sure they can be easily cleaned. I like large ceramic bowls and keep extras for a quick swap out. These can also be run thru a dishwasher to sanitize them. Plastic dog bowls would be good too. Walmart is a good source for those too.

Lots of things can be used for hides, from empty cereal boxes to some pretty fancy stuff commercially available. Read back thru the forum and you'll get alot of good ideas. Do yourself a favor and get something easily cleaned. The main thing is to get something that fits the ball, they like a snug fit. Be prepared to replace the hide with increasingly larger ones as the snake grows. One on the cool side and one on the warm side is best.

Good luck with your new ball and get those temps up!

Cheryl

thanks, any cages in particular you would recommend that can house a full grown ball python? I like the Vision and Animal Plastics cages myself...

how about a thermostat, is that needed?

and what does cold air do to a ball python?

Yeah, you'll need a way to regulate the temp when you get a UTH. You can use just a simple rheostat (sp?) but that is a pain since you have to remember to check the temp regularly and adjust the rheostat depending on your ambiant (room) temp. A thermostat is more fool proof. Ranco, Herpstat, and Helix are all highly recommended. I have a Herpstat on my Ball rack and am very happy with it. It may be more than you need right now but if you expand your collection you'll be glad you already have one.

Keeping your herp at a too low temp could lead to a respiratory infection and other problems, like being unable to digest it's meal properly if it will even eat at those temps. If it does eat, it may end up regurgitating it's food and that leads to a BIG problem with unbalancing the snakes stomach bacteria/acids. You need about a 90 deg hot end for balls with the low end at about 80. I think most people keep thier hatchlings at a little higher temp, like 95 on the hot end. I do. So you see, your temps are extremely low. Also make sure to take the temp reading on the floor of the enclosure where the snake will be.

I've never used the Animal Plastics cages but they look very nice and usable. My daughter keeps her herps in Visions and likes them. I use racks, I have over 60 assorted colubrids and 13 Balls so space is an issue with me.

Another question you had was about lighting. Light is not that big of an issue as the heat. Just the lighting you have in the room should be sufficient at least until you decide to get into breeding. When you get the UTH you may want to turn off the heat lamp at night. I've found picky eaters will eat better for you in the dark.

Cheryl

-Cage (size, type, manufacturer, etc)

http://www.boaphileplastics.com/cages.html look at the 221D
$169

-Heating Source (Thermostat?)

11" wide flexwatt and ranco etc-111000
$75

-Lighting

none

-Substrate

disposable cage liners
http://www.kingsnake.com/cageliners/
$45

-Hide Box(s)

anything snug and dark
free - $10

-Water Bowl

8" plastic or ceramic water bowl
$5 walmart

-info on what temps and humidities I should keep for my snake

hot side 85F-95F, cool side 75F-85F, humidity 40-60%, 75% before shed

-Websites of places that carry this stuff CHEAP, not like the rip off pet stores around me.

www.mgreptiles.com
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0.1 CB Normal Ball Python

you like Ranco over the Helix thermostats? I thought Helix were the best and most popular?

the Boaphile plastics cages look good, but I also like the animal plastics as well, but I think the animal plastics you have to put together and I am afraid they they will leak water out if the snake spills the water bowl, etc..