evan9381 Posted February 18, 2007 Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 so i picked up a baby ball python last week. been trying to read up a few things to give it the optimal environment...right now i have a 10 gallon tank, mulch/bark on the bottom, a rock underneath the heat light (75 watt), and a small bowl of water on the other end of the tank...the only think i know i still need to get is some sort of branch for him to climb on now, i was looking at a few things today, and read up on keeping the temps at certain levels on each side, but i saw somewhere that it only needs 8-12 hours of heat light per day...doesnt seem right if it should stay at 90ish degrees on one end and cool on the other...the cage has a mesh top, with the light sitting on top of it on one end, pointing down would i be best to find something he can hide under to stay cool and keep the water in the cage, or should i just leave it set up as it is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mensan Posted February 18, 2007 Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 Both. He should be able to hide, and you should keep the water in there. Also, you need to put a timer on the light so he's able to sleep. You should also get a bigger aquarium, because he will grow, and fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin R. Posted February 18, 2007 Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 i wonown a big snake baahhahahha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted February 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 hes still very small now, but i plan on getting a 20-30 gallon within a year how much light per day should it have? and if im turning the light off, wouldnt i have to worry about the temp going down, or do i not need to worry about it when hes sleeping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spidey2721 Posted February 18, 2007 Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 Ball Pythons, Python regius (also know as Royal Python) can be VERY hard to get to feed. They can decide to just not eat. They can go for 6-8 months at times where they will not eat. They are sold like crazy in the pet market. Most of them do not make it past a year or two. You need to offer food once a month. Times between feedings can depend on the size of the food item. A larger food item, they will go longer between feeding. If I were you I would get rid of that bark. It can be a haven for mold, disease, and parasites such as mites and ticks. They can also ingest it during feeding. This can cause compaction. A outdoor carpet works great. It is also very easy to clean and drys quickly. Although if the carpet starts to fray at the ends get rid of it. The snake can ingest the loose carpet. You should also pick up a hygrometer. these can be found at pet stores. You need to keep the humidity in the enclosure at around 60 percent. Also keep a hide box with a higher humidity of around 70-80 percent. make sure there is always fresh water for them. You need a dish that they completely submerge themselves in. They will do that often before they shed. Speaking of shedding try not to handle them before and after they shed. Before they shed that cant always see and will lash out at just about anything. Also try not to handle them after they eat. They might throw their food up on you. As far as heat goes... try not to use heat rocks. They have been know to burn snakes. I had one that shorted out and threw sparks. Its a good rule of thumb to not allow your snake to come into direct contact with any heat source. You need to have a warm end on the enclosure that stays roughly around 80-85 degrees. Also you need a basking spot that hits 90 degrees. The cooler end can be lower at around 70-75 degrees. Provide hide boxes in both areas. A hide box can be as simple as a clay flower pot turned upside down with a hole cut in it that allows the snake to get in. Or you can buy fancy ones from pet stores. PVC pipe can be used to create hide boxes too. As far as how much light. I never got too picky with that with most my snakes. 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark can be fine. Breeders sometimes will be very picky of their light and heat cycles to get their snakes to breed. I never really got into breeding my reptiles.You can search the web to find info on that if you like. Speaking of the web if you don't know this magazine you should check it out. The web site has great info, links, and also forums. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com Good luck hope I helped. Any other questions feel free to ask. Keep in mind this is just the tip of the iceburg. Get a good book on this snake and read it. later, jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted February 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 Ball Pythons, Python regius (also know as Royal Python) can be VERY hard to get to feed. They can decide to just not eat. They can go for 6-8 months at times where they will not eat. They are sold like crazy in the pet market. Most of them do not make it past a year or two. You need to offer food once a month. Times between feedings can depend on the size of the food item. A larger food item, they will go longer between feeding. once a month? most of the things ive read say while its small, every 5-7 days a small mouse, and once it gets older, a med-large rat once every couple weeks. once a month sounds like it wouldnt be enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KillJoy Posted February 18, 2007 Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 +1 on a bigger tank. KillJoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImUrOBGYN Posted February 18, 2007 Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 Once a month is fine for an adult. And he's right, Balls can be very finicky. They don't get very large but usually remain docile with proper care and handling. You can feed the young once or twice a week depending on the size of the meal. Other than that, Spidey's advice was right on. I find trying to keep the proper humidity for that snake will probably be fine without any extra equipment, but it does get a little dry here in Ohio. Just be sure to keep some fresh water for him. Be nice, give him some good water. Screw that chlorine tap crap. Try not to feed him in his cage, either. I used a large cardboard box to feed my snakes. Put him in the box long enough for him to calm down then feed him. IT'll start learning what the box is for and will be less likely to be agressive in it's regular cage saving you from being mistaken for a food item when you put your hand in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datsunissan28 Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 From my experience with them all you really need for a full grown one is about a 20-30 gallon tank. you do need to keep the air quite humid especially with how dry the air is in the winter. One thing you can do is ditch the mesh top and use a solid wood top with holes just enough to get the light, and wire through. Their natural environment is in burrows underground that are very moist and low levels of light. That also means they are used to not having much room to move around but like to have a place to hide. So instead of a branch get something the guy can hide underneath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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