Now that we've settled into our new living situation, myself and my partner are ready to seriously consider the ball python we've both wanted for quite a while. I've been doing tons of research but so far what I've figured out is that there are approximately one thousand ways to care for your bp and just as many opinions on which is the best method.
I thought I'd join a couple of the forums I've been lurking on to actually directly ask, instead of trying to piece together answers and opinions from a dozen different threads that are spread out over several years! I want to be sure of what I'm going to do as far as our snake's habitat before we really start thinking about which snake we want, and ideally we'll have the habitat here and set up a day or two ahead of the snake so we can iron out the particulars of setting the thermostat to the needed temperature and getting humidity up to where it needs to be, etc.
First questions first, though. One of my main concerns is that I've seen people mentioning high-traffic areas being a no-no. Right now we have a large, sturdy stand that used to hold our TV, and ideally we'd be using it for the habitat/snake, but it's in the den and we live in basically a 3-room apartment -- bathroom, den, bedroom (kitchen upstairs with the folks) so there's not much room to isolate the snake. I'll totally admit I'm partial to the idea of being able to watch our snake when my insomnia is acting up and therefore I'm in the den on my laptop in the wee hours while boyfriend sleeps in the bedroom, but would it be better to have the enclosure on the dresser in the bedroom, where there's also more natural light during the day (the basement area we live in is partially underground, the den itself has no windows) and where it's overall quieter at night? There's also the factor of the vent being in the den, so it might be easier to regulate habitat temps and humidity in the bedroom, where it's further away. I toyed with setting up in the bathroom (very low traffic, bonus humidity when we shower) but there's just not enough room to have everything in there without running the risk of bumping into things.
Also, we have 2 dogs. Not large enough to really get a great view at the top of the stand even now, but tall enough to poke their noses up there if they want. A tank would probably be a curiosity at first, but mostly they sleep and eat, so I don't predict a lot of sniffing and prodding at it. Would it be reasonable to take that on a case by case basis, and relocate the tank to an out of reach location if they become a problem?
Beyond location issues, right now I'm torn on the pros/cons of using a tub (i.e. sterilite or zip-lock weatherproof) vs. a glass terrarium. I've seen a lot of opinions stating that all a terrarium is good for is aesthetic, but just as many opinions stating it holds heat and moisture better than a tub would. I've also seen a few opinions floating around that reaching down to pick up your snake can invite nerves more than reaching from the side would, which would only be possible if I invest in a terrarium with a sliding glass door as opposed to the tub or a terrarium that opens from the top. I haven't seen as much about plastic terrariums (unless I'm just not paying attention) but they seem to exist? Maybe I'm not realizing that a lot of terrariums mentioned are plastic, not glass. Either way, terrariums obviously seem to be the more expensive option, but I'm not in any rush and would rather take time and save up a chunk for the right habitat and take longer to get the snake if it would definitely benefit the snake's wellbeing. However, what I'm guessing is that there's probably no 100% single correct answer on this particular topic, but getting a few more opinions directly on the issue might help me make a decision on what's best for our situation. I will say it does seem like sterilite tubs will be easier to secure, and making sure the habitat is escape-proof is essential. Our dogs have basically no prey drive but an escape while we're gone could still go badly... not to mention the rest of the house it could get to!
Aside from the type... lots of differing opinions on the progression of housing a juvenile > adult. I've considered getting a sterilite that's smaller than the endgame goal and upgrading to a terrarium when the snake reaches adult size, or close enough to count. But I've seen some opinions that state providing ample hides and maybe foliage to block some of the view out and up would be enough to suitably house a juvenile in a larger terrarium (or tub for that matter).
If I have a juvenile in a larger habitat I'll end up stuffing several hides in there to take up space so it's more inviting, but if not my ideal is to have room for 3 different hides (one for hot spot area, one midway, and one for the cool end) and upgrade habitat size as needed to fit snake, hides, and water dish. I haven't found a lot on where to place water dishes, I'm not sure if cool end is better in case snake is trying to cool off (though if it's both in the cool end & soaking to cool off I'd be concerned my overall ambient temps are running a little too high for comfort, whether due to snake pref or because my heating elements are borked) or if hot end might encourage quicker evaporation and therefore a helpful boost to humidity?
Basking spots -- necessary, beneficial, optimal, even worth it at all? I didn't realize BPs would climb at all, and I'm not even sure how one would go about installing a large enough branch in a habitat to begin with, but I'm sure google and youtube would show me the way if it's something that can actually benefit the snake.
I think I've settled on cypress mulch for substrate, but I'll probably start with paper towels so on the off chance snake comes with mites, I can spot them easier and treat/sterilize easier.
Okay, onto heating. I know I'm asking a TON of questions but I promise I've already done research... I'm just looking for direct opinions (or answers, if there's a general widely-accepted "right way") for my exact questions. I see a lot of people saying RHPs or CHEs are better for various reasons -- simulate the heat from sun, don't fail in a potentially harmful way like UTHs do, last longer (?), provide ambient temps while UTHs are only good for hot spots, etc etc, but then I've seen a lot arguing against because BPs are nocturnal anyway so they don't get their heat from the sun. I've seen people advocating for a combo of a UTH and a bulb, RHP, or CHE, and I'm kind of fond of that option, but would it be overkill, especially if I end up going with a smaller habitat first and upgrading later to a larger one as the snake needs more room? Would it still be overkill even in a larger (up to 40g) terrarium? As far as UTH failing concerns, my setup at the start is going to have, at minimum, a thermostat (hopefully with the capability to set temp variations to mimic daytime > nighttime temperature shifts) attached to whichever heating element(s) we use with a probe about 6" above substrate, and we'll have a temp gun to spot check wherever and however often we'd like... eventually I'd like to have a thermometer at the cool end and at the hot spot so I can glance over and be reassured, but since I'll be paranoid for a while anyway and would probably use the temp gun as well as checking the thermometer, might as well just start with that one. Though, I'm open to budgeting for the thermometers to be included from the start if there's a viable reason. Part of the appeal to me about having a UTH and a CHE (which is probably what I'd go with) is if one decides to stop working, I have another heat element already present. I will eventually be buying a backup for each element but probably not within the first couple months of buying the originals.
Hydrometers... do I need one at both hot & cool end? If not, which end, or should it be middle? Where in the tank should it be placed?
Feeding tubs -- I either see them mentioned as necessary or not mentioned at all, so I'm wondering if they're a given? If so, about how large should I be getting for juvenile & adult?
That's all I can think of for now... I know, y'all have barely anything to reply to. :P No, really, thanks if you've actually made it this far in reading, and if you actually take the time to reply (to even just 1 question) you've earned my undying gratitude. Mostly I'm running through potential options for our setup and looking for opinions on whether I'm on the right track and which choices you'd pick and why; if it's not personal pref but not something considered common knowledge (not easy to find via google, but there's a husbandry reason, like snake health or safety), providing citation would be preferred because I like being able to backup individual statements that are presented as fact with my own research. No offense! Just want to make sure I do this the right way if I'm gonna do it.
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