What do I need

[Alex Dew]

Hey all

This is my first post on here so sorry if its not that good.

Well have a Corn snake already and getting a 1 1/2ft Ball Python this coming saturday and I was just checking again what i need for it in the viv and also what would be nice for it in the viv. So can anyone help me???

Thanks

Alex

[Big Mike]

Welcome to sSnakeSs.com :)

The very minimum you need is an escape proof enclosure with a controlled heat gradient. Temperature measurement is important. Make sure you measure the temp right on the floor surface of the viv. Once you have that, you can think about what else should be provided. A hide(s) should be put in, preferably one on either side of the temperature gradient. Water dish, could be big enough for snake to soak in if low humidity is a problem. Substrate...newspaper is the cheapest & easiest thing to use. Do not use wood chips that may contain cedar. Lighting is not required (if heating by another method…UTH etc). Lighting can be provided and is best used in conjunction with a timer.

After that it's all esthetics. Whatever you think would look good and be safe for the snake.

[lilyskip]

Hey! Welcome to the site!

In my bp's tank, I a digital thermometer with a sensor, so the sensor goes on the floor of the hot side, and the thermometer itself is on the cool side. I have a heat bulb and clamp above the hot side, and an undertank heater below the hot side. There is a quarter-log hide on that side, also. The cool side has a water bowl (the size of a dog dish) and part of a box that I cut holes in to make a hide. I have it lined with newspaper.

As far as aesthetics, I put in a bendy vine and a cheap, tacky plastic shrub. It turns out, though, that Huxley *loves* slithering through the shrub (figures...no accounting for taste), and often uses it as a hide, and really enjoys climbing on the vine (it's not too high, so when he falls...they are clumsy...he doesn't hurt himself). You can also get one of those stick-on backgrounds for the back of the tank that have panoramas of scenery...I always think those look nice for display tanks.

Good luck! Post pics when you get 'em!

[mango]

Hi and welcome to snakes. I as of yesterday became a bp owner and I am currently trying to fill up a 20 gal to make it seem smaller for my 4 month old bp. She's got 3 hide boxes, a paper towel tube and a toilet paper tube for toys, she has a large pickle jar layed on it's side (wedged so it cant move and hurt her). I use a uth with a rheostat and a digital theremometer just like lilyskip has hers set up but I don't use lights.
Best of luck and keep us posted!! :D

[Alex Dew]

Thanks for all the Help everyone, as soon as I get him or her I will post some pics.

Now this is prob a really stupid question but in the wild some snakes live with cactus and do u think a corn or Ball python wouldlike one or two in their viv???????

thanks

Alex

[HeatherRose]

Probably not a cactus ;)

There are lots of succulent (the cactus family? I think) plants from the desert regions that aren't spiky and are really nice looking...some even flower, and would be great for a viv.

Check your local nursery or plant shop, my mom's recently gone nuts and my house is FULL of all of these really neat cactus-y plants :D I'm thinking of some for a viv as well :)

[mango]

Is it ok to put a live plant in with a bp? Are there any that aren't good for them? I've been wondering. =D

[marisa]

Alex Dew- The best advice anyone can give you is make it simple at first. After the Ball Python is eating good and on schedual you can then mix it up a bit. But for now all you really need is a small enclosure, secure..heating element controlled with a thermastat or some other way, two tight fitting dark hiding spots and a large water dish. :D You'll also find a thermometer a must have, and a humidity gauge really helps.

Eight lives here:
<img src="http://members.rogers.com/mattl/enclosurejuly.jpg">

Good luck with him! You'll love having it!

Marisa
P.S. My "live" plant gets 100% destroyed everytime Eight has a scoot around the cage. Unless you want to constantly replace plants, leave them out of the enclosure. I have a huge pothos and just pinch of a few leaves when mine needs replacing.

[mango]

looks nice =D

[sapphire_moon]

My male bp (40 gal tank) I use news paper UTH and a folded pillow case over the UTH as a kind of "bed".....A half log over the UTH, and I have the fake plant stuck on the side of the tank and he uses that as a hide..........a large water bowl (dog bowl) and a crawl stick like in the picture of Eight. And in my new baby bp cage she has news paper, half log, over the UTH and a old butter bowl with duct tape around it to make it dark (absolutely no edges come up, I check everday. That is until this friday when I get a new hide)........and a medium sized water bowl (dog bowl)

[Solid Snake]

Keep it simple and small. Bp's dont need much room and stress easily. wrap the tank with something so its dark. they seem to eat better when they think they're more secure.

all u need is a bowl of water, 2 hides if possible and a heating source. I keep all my BP tanks simple and plain since they hardly ever use it.