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u/knerys · 16 pointsr/snakes

Enclosure
Glass tanks with screen lids are very bad for ball pythons, you would be looking at getting a tub set up (using a rubber maid/sterilite /iris tub & soldering or drilling holes into the sides - here is a good tutorial of setting that up ). Or you would be wanting to get a PVC enclosure. I have an Animal Plastics T8 for my ball python, it did take about five weeks for it to show up, though. So if you want to go this route, plan way ahead. The tub route is cheaper, but takes more DIY skills. The PVC cage route is more expensive, but very aesthetically pleasing. To make a glass tank work, I suggest covering three sides with foam board to help insulate, and covering most of the screen lid with saran wrap or foil to keep humidity in.

Humidity
A ball python needs at the minimum 60% humidity. This is incredibly difficult to achieve in a glass tank with a screen top. A tub or PVC enclosure makes this super easy. Humidity should be measured on the ground with a digital hygrometer. The stick on humidity gauges that pet stores hawk are often inaccurate and can cause serious injury or even death if they come unstuck from the wall and stick to your snake. I use this two in one hygrometer / thermometer.

Temperature
Ball pythons need a thermogradiant w one end at between 88F and 90F & a cool end of 78Fish - the ambient temperature should never be below 75F, & should be around high 70's. In a tub or a PVC enclosure, you will want an under tank heater - heat tap, heat mats, heat pads. I recommend the flexwatt that you can get with the Animal Plastics enclosure or the ultratherm from Reptile Basics. If you have trouble keeping the ambient up in the PVC enclosure, you may want to get a radiant heat panel, which installs to the ceiling of the enclosure. For a glass tank, you will probably need a ceramic heat emitter installed over the cage to keep ambient temperatures appropriate. CHE gives off no visible light. Red lights are often given out like candy at PetCo/Smart places as good ways to provide heat at night. They are not. Ball pythons can see red light, and it messes up their day/night cycle. I don't have recommendations for CHE because I don't use them.

Thermostats
Any & all heat sources you have for your BP need to be controlled by a thermostat. Failure to appropriately control your heat source can lead to it quickly becoming 120F & injuring your snake. I highly recommend Spyder Robotics Herpstats. You can get larger ones w more probes so that you can control all your heat sources w one unit. They have a ton of good safety features & a lot of people on this sub can answer any questions you have on them. The cheaper ones are around $100ish. If that is too much for you, there are a lot of people who use the Jumpstart thermostats, but they have less safety features & can wear out quickly. They also make a loud clicking sound periodically. I cannot stress this enough, this is not a place to cut corners. You need a thermostat.

Thermometers
I already linked to my recommended combo hygro/thermometer. This thermometer is great because it has a small probe to measure "outside" temperatures. I use this probe to measure the floor on my warm side (I hide it on the ground under the substrate so I know the absolute hottest place my BP can get to). I place the unit itself on the cool side, so I know all my temps & the humidity on one unit. You will also want an IR thermometer gun (there might be better recs than this one). This is good for spot checking temperatures without moving around probes & also checking the temps of the prey items.

Hides
You want at least two similar, enclosed hides. Half logs are NOT suitable, they are too open & they stress out the BP, as they can't watch both ends at once for a predator. Some of the best hides are these ones from Reptile Basics. They are enclosed on all sides with just a small entrance. They are dishwasher safe & also very cheap. You want them to be similar if not identical, so that the snake does not have to choose between feeling safe & thermoregulating. You will want one on each side of the temperature gradient. Feel free to add more that are different for diversity in the enclosure. I also have some fake vines/leaves in mine so that she feels more invisible. Go to a craft store or the fish supplies for these, the ones marketed for reptiles are way overpriced.

Water dish
You will want a water bowl that is large enough for the BP to soak in. This should be changed daily, as they like to poop & pee in their water. You'll want something sturdy as they like to tip them over. I got some crock dishes from Reptile Basics. You don't need any water treatment for the snakes water unless you treat water for yourself. If you tap is safe for human consumption, it's safe for your snake.

Feeding
BP's eat every 5 - 7 days as hatchlings and yearlings, as adults they can go longer. BP's are NOTORIOUSLY picky eaters. The ideal IMO for a BP is a proper sized rat fed either pre-killed or frozen/thawed. I feed frozen/thawed rats from Perfect Prey. Just a heads up - they ship with fiber glass insulation & dry ice. I try to open the packages outside so my cats don't get into it. They come in freezer bags and I just store them in my regular freezer. If even one thing is wrong in your husbandry, your BP will likely not eat.

How Much To Feed
The feeding amount depends on the weight of the BP. You will want a digital kitchen scale - you can get one cheaply at any box store. While under 750g, you want to feed about 10%-15% of their body weight about every 7 days. Once they are in their second year you want to feed 7%-10% of their body weight, after they are in their third year, you want to feed about 5% every 7 to 14 days. I document all feeding days and the weight of the prey in my google calender.

You should be weighing your snake at least once a month to track how much you should be feeding. You should not disturb or move or handle your snake for at least 48 hours after feeding.

Frozen / Thawed
I get the rat out the night before the day I want to feed. I put it in the fridge. About two hours before I feed, I get it out of the fridge and put it on the counter to get it to room temp. And then I soak it in a zip lock bag in warmish water (I use a temp gun to get water around 110F) for about 20 minutes, and use a temp gun to make sure the rat is around 100F, and then I run the head under running hot water until its 110F. The head of the prey should be warmer so the snake has a target. I then use tongs to move it around in the enclosure to mimic it being alive. She (usually) strikes pretty quickly. If she doesn't, I leave it in overnight, and throw it out in the morning if she doesn't eat it.

I prefer frozen thawed cause I can buy cheaply in bulk. It's also safer. As BP's get bigger, they require larger prey - and rats have sharp teeth and sharp claws and can seriously injure your snake.

Myths of Cage Aggression
You do not need a separate cage for feeding it. This is a myth. The best way to reduce stress at feeding time is to feed in their regular enclosure. This minimizes the risk of regurgitation.

Substrate
Stay away from aromatic woods - such as pine. A lot of people like to use coconut husk, unprinted newspaper, or paper towels. There are pros and cons to each. I like paper towels, they are cheap and easy to clean up messes with. I use PVC enclosure so I don't need a substrate that helps with humidity like coconut husk. This should be spot cleaned whenever a mess is made. Aspen chips can mold super easily so not really recommended. If you have a chip type substrate and are worry about ingestion of substrate while feeding, put a plate down before hand.

Shedding
Hatchlings shed more frequently, but you should expect regular shedding. Usually the most visible sign they are about to shed is them getting cloudy or "blue" eyes - just google image search for "ball python shed blue eyes". Once they "go into blue" you want to leave them alone as much as possible. Check in on them to refill their water & make sure their humidity is correct, but don't handle or disturb them while they are shedding. You will probably see them remove their skin about a week after they go blue. Right right before they shed, their eyes will clear up, but don't be fooled - if you haven't found their old skin they haven't shed yet. Once you have their old skin, you will want to remove it & inspect it. You might need to moisten it, but unroll it (there might be a poop in it) carefully & look for eye caps and make sure the whole skin is in one long piece. Then inspect the snake for any stuck shed. Don't pull off the stuck shed, but soak your BP in some warm water & it should come off mostly on its own. Stuck shed is usually a sign that humidity is off - so try to identify ways to increase humidity.

u/_ataraxia · 2 pointsr/snakes

since i was tagged, i'm going to post my BP care guides and product recommendations. i will also address your specific questions at the bottom of this comment. read everything thoroughly, come back with any questions.

glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. it's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

  • http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-the-basics-and-then-some
  • http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-common-problems
  • http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-feeding
  • here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  • pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  • spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  • heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  • a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  • a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  • a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  • an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  • these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.

    your BP should be equally comfortable living in any climate, because you should be regulating his environment inside his enclosure, which it doesn't sound like you're doing properly right now. the information above will help you with that.

    frozen rodents can be purchased at many pet stores, reptile expos, and online. some of the most popular vendors online are perfect prey, big cheese, layne labs, and rodentpro. if you check the new england reptile groups on facebook, you may be able to find a good supplier in the area you're moving to. i know there's a big expo in new hampshire twice a year, but you probably need to find something before that. you can buy frozen rodents in bulk and store them for up to six months in regular freezer bags, or up to a year if they're vacuum packed.

    i've never shipped an animal so i don't have any specific recommendations or there, except to say that you can ship reptiles via UPS, fedex, etc. how are you traveling?
u/birdsbirdsbirdsbirds · 1 pointr/snakes

Don't apologize! You're doing exactly the right thing. I wish more future snake owners had your foresight and willingness to do research/set things up ahead of time.

Great choice with Animal Plastics. Might I recommend either a T8 or T10 instead of the A10? For a lower price, you get more floor space and still adequate vertical room. BPs tend to wander horizontally rather than vertically anyways (and you don't want them falling more than a couple inches, since they're heavy-bodied, "plop" snakes). The T8s are very popular, but I personally have a T10 and love it.

------------------------------------------------

SET-UP INSTRUCTIONS: Sorry if any of this is a repeat for you...

Heating - You may have already seen this but, ANY heat source must be regulated by a thermostat. Jumpstart is a cheap option, and I recommend getting a Herpstat Intro+ or 1 if/when you can afford it.

Heat source depends on your local conditions. For people in warmer climates (ambient room temperature always above 70 degrees), a strip of Flexwatt or other heat tape on one side of the enclosure provides an adequate hot spot. If you live in a colder climate, you may need a radiant heat panel as well to maintain 75+ degree temps. Reptile Basics sells RHPs you can install yourself, or call ProProducts and they'll ship a unit to Animal Plastics to install for you. (Each heat source needs its own thermostat, OR use something like a Herpstat 2)

You can use a heat lamp, if you order your AP cage with a hole in the roof. However, heat lamps aren't as effective or efficient as RHPs, and can drain humidity.

Lighting - The pre-installed fluorescent is fine. I bought a cheap aquarium light, and hot-glued it to the ceiling. I like having multiple color options, and the ability to turn it on from outside the cage.

Bedding: I really like coco husk, like ProCoco or Reptichip. Cypress mulch is also good, but not eco-friendly. Other people use coco mulch, like EcoEarth, though it can get dusty/messy when dry. Reptibark is also fine if you like the look. All are close enough that you can't go wrong whatever you choose.

Fortunately in a PVC enclosure you won't need to worry too much about substrate. I live in a dry state, and can still get away with bare newspaper most of the year. I still use substrate mainly for aesthetics.

I think that covers it? Great questions. Let me know if you have any more! I also recommend reading over _ataraxia's BP care guides. She gives a lot of good advice for beginners.

u/Neversun · 1 pointr/snakes

I would recommend using this thermostat because it's cheap, with any heat mat you have. Zoomed's are good because they stick flush to the tank, Flukers is also good but isn't sticky so you have to tape it. To stop it from burning the carpet, I elevate mine with little furniture feet or other equally sized objects on each corner, so it's still sturdy, but gives ~1in of airflow under the tank to allow the heat mat to dissipate.

If you could get the hot side up higher, that would be better. If that's surface temperature, he may have slower digestion than he would normally, and the lower temps may be contributing to his lethargy. I usually offer a hotspot of around 90 for tropical boas so they can rest and digest there to increase their metabolism. If you have an IF temp gun already, that's killer! (If you're super poor and don't want to purchase the thermostat, if you buy the heat mat and religiously check its heat for the first few weeks, it may be alright. heat mats don't usually fuck up if you install them properly and let them get airflow, but any higher than 95F and your snake will not use the spot at all, and can be harmed by continuous exposure to higher temps) The cool side should be no lower than 78 or so (though nighttime drops and winter drops are acceptable but again, this may contribute to health problems or lethargy)- if you live somewhere cold, you could move the red bulb to the cold side and put the heat mat on the hot side, and just turn the lamp off at night (while still being sure to check the temps).

The humidity is a problem though- he could definitely use more like 60%, and lower humidities can cause URIs in boas easily. I can't exactly tell what kind of substrate you have, but in my experience, boas do better on "richer" substrate than wood chips. Coco husk or coco fiber, cypress mulch, Eco earth, and other more soil-like substrates hold humidity a lot better. You can mist them daily and keep your humidity perfect. If you don't want to change the substrate fully (which is totally fine, I keep all of my snakes on kiln-dried pine and aspen (kiln-drying removes most if not all of the harmful phenols from pine shavings so it's safe to use IF kiln-dried) so I don't switch for different species (though I probably will once I get my tegu, as he needs a soil substrate for higher humidity, and my boa will enjoy it too). If you don't want to switch, make a small hide box he can curl up in and feel nice and safe, and fill it with sphagnum moss. It's super cheap, just get organic or pesticide-free. If you mist this daily, it'll maintain a microhabitat with ~100% humidity for the whole day. This means your boa can choose if he feels dehydrated, to go and balance his body in the humid hide. I would still recommend getting the overall humidity to 60%, but I like to also provide inexpensive alternatives because I get it.

I've also noted that snakes will climb on pretty much anything as long as it's safe for them. You could use old ceramic pots, an old basket handle, some scrap metal you have sanded down, whatever- as long as it's been cleaned and treated, and is "soft" enough to not damage the animal. For wood, I rarely sand it down unless it's an actual wood cut that is being made. In nature, they encounter things like rough bark and stones, and I always see my snakes rubbing their faces on the roughest surface in their cage to shed.

I hope this helps! I'm fairly experienced with boas, so if you ever need any more help down the line, seriously feel free to PM me any time. :) I love helping people with snakes and giving them new ideas to make their pet even happier.

u/mothaway · 16 pointsr/snakes

For thermostats, the Hydrofarm Jump Start one for seed germination is the best bang for your buck. For UTH, just forgo the pet store stuff and jump directly to an Ultratherm in my opinion, they're generally more reliable -- but anything is better than nothing for this poor animal.

Thank you so so much for giving him a home... and if things don't work out, don't blame yourself. He's a sick animal that's been through a lot. You trying to help is more than most have done for him. You're a good person OP.

He's... gonna have issues. PVC pipe makes a great hide, and an overhead heater is better than nothing. I'd honestly recommend keeping him straight on paper towel for the time being, it's easier to clean and check for problems until he gets settled into trying to be a healthy snake, and it's cheaper to replace than substrate. A simple bowl, two hides, paper towels. That's the basics they need and for a sick animal, it's probably the way to go because if he is sick, it's a lot easier to sterilize that and a lot cheaper than replacing the bedding every week.

You know it's coming -- if you CAN get him to a vet, I would do that ASAP. If not... I get it. What you can do personally in the meantime is check him over for snake mites (like snake fleas, really small, like specks of black pepper moving over him,) and listen to how he breathes. If you hear clicking when he breathes, it's a strong sign of a respiratory infection. Those can be very dangerous, and you're gonna need to pick up antibiotics for him if that's the case. Since he's probably definitely underweight, fighting it off will be hard for him -- my vet told me to keep the ambient temperature in the enclosure a few degrees higher to help fight them off, and when my corn was battling his, it helped immensely. Heat is going to be a lifesaver for him in general... the thought of what he's endured is making me choke up in all honestly. I'm angry for him. But that's neither here nor there; an overhead heat source will do until you get an undertank heater!

That done... just... give him some time to settle in. A week before you touch him or try to feed him, unless you're gonna run him to the vet. He's been through a lot. He needs some time to feel secure and safe in this huge new environment. Once he's had that time to settle, try him on a nice frozen-thawed feeder of appropriate size, maybe even smaller just so you don't overload him all at once. If he's stubborn, hit the head with a hair-dryer to heat it up a little more than room temperature (not too hot!) and see if he'll take it then.

(Be sure to thaw the rest of it first, naturally. No offense meant whatsoever, I've just... seen some things in my time.)

If not, no pressure yet. This will take time. Leave it in there with him overnight, some of my snakes won't feed from tongs and prefer to find it on their own, and he might be similar. Him not constricting isn't too bad on its own, some of my snakes are like that -- but the reason for him doing it is almost definitely his health. He's probably pretty weak.

If he won't take it by morning, toss it. You can try again another time. If he doesn't eat after a week or two, you might need to source a freshly-killed mouse to try him on... given his state, I'd be terrified to try live even as a last resort. Again, a vet can advise you on what to do here, but if there are any snake-savvy folk around you that you can ask, they might have advice too. I'm sure the people here can give some great advice, too, but nothing will really compare to a vet being able to have hands-on time with the animal and to diagnose and advise him directly.

Does he look... wrinkled at all? He might have a stuck shed if he does- after he's had time to settle in, maybe try to give him a soak in some nice warm (not hot!) water if so, and then put a towel in his enclosure for him to rub it off on. May take a few tries... slow and steady will help this fellow, and be warned that a lot of snakes like to go to the bathroom in warm water. You'll have to take him out, wash everything good, and put him back into a clean container if he does. They always do in my house...

This is long, so TL;DR:

-Thank you!

-Vet if possible

-Quarantine him to keep an eye on him. Paper towels/butcher roll, two hides, heat, water bowl. Sterilization over Beautification and all of that.

-Give him a week to settle in before you try to feed or handle him

-Check for respiratory infection, parasites, and other issues with his health

-When you do try feeding for the first time, try frozen thawed first

-If he won't feed from tongs, leave it in there overnight with him

-If he won't take that, toss it and try next week

-If he doesn't eat after a few tries, try a freshly-killed mouse

-You're doing good, but this will take time and it won't be easy

-Good luck!

Snakes are resilient. I have faith in this one... keep us posted!

Edit:// I can't format text on reddit very well.

u/skittlekitteh · 2 pointsr/snakes

Here's u/ataraxia's classic link dump I found on a other post. Although the informstion is written for bps (most common snake people have trouble with it seems- mostly due to the humedity) but the suggestions could definitely help you for the humedity aspect needed for your boa.


You should definitely read it through.

i'm going to dump a bunch of helpful links on you. the first three links are detailed care sheets, then a tub tutorial, and the rest are product recommendations. read everything thoroughly, come back with any questions.

glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. it's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

  • http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-the-basics-and-then-some
  • http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-common-problems
  • http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-feeding
  • here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  • pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  • spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  • heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  • a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  • a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  • a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  • an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  • these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.
u/beefjeeef · 9 pointsr/snakes


First of all. It's very good you recognize that you need help in learning how to care for the snake.

Second, here is a big link dump created by another regular user u/_ataraxia all credit for this goes to her.

the first three links are detailed care sheets, then a tub tutorial, and the rest are product recommendations. read everything thoroughly, come back with any questions.

glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. it's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

  • http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-the-basics-and-then-some
  • http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-common-problems
  • http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-feeding
  • here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  • pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  • spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  • heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  • a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  • a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  • a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  • an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  • these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.
u/Vaporhead · 8 pointsr/snakes

u/ataraxia has amazing information for ball pythons. You should definitely read it through. Glass tanks are not ideal for Bps, so this should help. Here is her normal dump of information I took from another post.

i'm going to dump a bunch of helpful links on you. the first three links are detailed care sheets, then a tub tutorial, and the rest are product recommendations. read everything thoroughly, come back with any questions.

glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. it's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

  • http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-the-basics-and-then-some
  • http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-common-problems
  • http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-feeding
  • here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  • pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  • spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  • heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  • a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  • a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  • a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  • an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  • these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.
u/Cadder-12 · 7 pointsr/snakes

Here's what u/_ataraxia posted yesterday in another topic. This should answer any and all questions you may have.

i've been paged, so here's my link dump. the first three links are detailed care sheets, then a tub tutorial, and the rest are product recommendations. read everything thoroughly, come back with any questions. let me know if any of the links don't work.

glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. it's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

  • the basics and then some
  • common problems
  • feeding problems
  • here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  • pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  • spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  • heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  • a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  • a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  • a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  • an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  • these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.