Reptile & Amphibian Forums

The situation is, we have 10 corn snakes, so that is what I am familiar with. My son and I stopped into Petsmart tonight to get some frozen pinkies. I was talking with one of the employees and she had acquired this ball python. Seems some people had moved out of an apartment, no one went in there until the landlord went in two months later and found this poor fellow in his cage, no water or food for two months. This was yesterday.

She took him home and got him warming and drinking and soaking, etc., does not seem to be in too bad of shape. Long story short, she gave him to my son.

His skins still seems to be a little loose, and his scales snag on things more than normal, so he is still a little dehydrated. I have a large water bowl with him, and don't plan on trying to feed him for about a week of getting him at proper temps. And that is my question.

Do Ball Pythons require basking lights? What is optimum temp for warm side? Do they require warm and cool sides in their hapitats? How about humidity? I know they are one of the smaller pythons, how big do they get, about five feet? Feed mice or rats? Should I try to give him some nutribac? The lady that gave him to us has had them before and believes he will recover nicely.

It is a very nice snake and fairly active after going through his ordeal. I believe he is essentially healthy. Neighbor has a 55 gallon tank, would that be a good size for him?

Sorry for such a long post, but I know they require some different care than my corn snakes, just don't know how much difference.

Thank you for your help.
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1.2 Ghost Corns, Beetlejuice, Casper and Spooky
1.1 Charcoal het pewter, Smokey and Flame
1.1 Hypo het lavender, Rosy and Rocko
1.0 Anery, Goku
0.1 Amel, Sunny
2.0 Tabby Cats, Daddycat and his son Brat
0.1 Australian Shepherd, Angel

Gypsy

Can be found at the link below. Good luck!
VPI Ball Python Care Sheet...

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OZZYBOIDS

Dave and Tracy Barker also wrote "The Ball Python Manual" which is available in most pet stores and online. It's cheap and provides all the information you'll need to care for the animal and correct health problems as they occur (dehydration, etc.).

Regards,

Dana Larsen
Raintree Herpetoculture

You've been offered links to a couple of places where you can read this information for yourself, and I agree that your doing the research would be worthwhile. One of the things that you'll find when you start doing the research is that there is a range of opinions on every topic.

My first thoughts about the questions you asked are these:

1. I keep my ball python in a 55 gallon long aquarium (about 48"x12"x16". I think this size will be sufficient for her entire life, but the guides on the web will be all over the place.

2. Some people say that ball pythons need basking lights, and others say that they don't. I don't have an answer. There's some daylight in my snake room, and I have a UV light that I turn on fairly often.

3. Recommended temperatures are high to maybe mid 80's on the warm side and high 70's on the cool side. Some people recommend a basking area in the low 90's, but whether that area is provided with light/heat from above or with heat from below seems to be an unsettled question. My temperatures go outside those ranges on both ends. My snake is still young and doesn't need much of her cage space. If my temperature ranges are too extreme, she at least has plenty of room to find the temperatures that she wants.

4. They say that ball pythons can reach five feet, but most people seem to be reporting a maximum around four feet. I'm hoping mine will approach six feet, but I can be happy with her at much smaller sizes.

Bill
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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.

N/P
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1.2 Ghost Corns, Beetlejuice, Casper and Spooky
1.1 Charcoal het pewter, Smokey and Flame
1.1 Hypo het lavender, Rosy and Rocko
1.0 Anery, Goku
0.1 Amel, Sunny
2.0 Tabby Cats, Daddycat and his son Brat
0.1 Australian Shepherd, Angel

Gypsy