the new guy + help

[TheVoid]

yo
I'm pretty new to snakes, and I signed up here because I want to know as much as I can before owning one. Even though I'm excited to get a snake, I want to make sure it is as comfortable as possible in it's new home, and I want to do the best I can to maintain it well.

A few things about me: I'd rather not share my name or gender online, so if you want to address me, just call me Ig. I like science, space, snakes (obviously), art, and writing. I'm an ENTP-T, an aries, and pretty much a Chaotic Neutral.

I live on the east coast of Florida, and I was wondering, since we have a humid climate and some common domestic snakes (such as corns) are native or do well in the wild here, would it be alright to keep a Ball Python (in a tank, of course) outside?

I'm choosing to get a Ball Python because they're the most popular snake out there. I'm not a person to jump on the bandwagon for anything, but since they're the most popular, they have the most information about them online. I figured most of the members of this site are python people, and while online articles are good to read, sometimes experience is the best way to learn. I wouldn't want to do anything majorly wrong to hurt my python. I care about animals deeply.

The reason I want to keep it outside is because my parents aren't quite familiar with snakes yet. They consider them slimy and somewhat evil, and are afraid the snake will bite. The thing they're most afraid of is the snake escaping (mistakes DO happen, but I already learned my lesson with cages the hard way). We have two small dogs, and while the snake would most likely seek out a dark, warm place, I wouldn't want to risk it. Another thing is the smell. My whole family has a very keen sense of smell, and my parents already complain about the smell of the dogs. I have yet to convince them of what a snake is really like, but I'm on my way!! If I don't get a snake now, I most definitely want to get one when I'm older.

Sincerely,
Ig.

[Andy_G]

Welcome to the forum!

- The thing I would be worried when keeping something outside in a tank would be the sun. Glass tends to hold/magnify the sun's heat sometimes, and it may get entirely too hot for a snake, so I would recommend against that unless you have an area that is shaded at all times. Another worry would be predation...a clever predator could easily get into a tank and hurt, kill, or eat the snake.

- Ball pythons have a really big following, but that doesn't mean it is a species that will suit you, they aren't for everyone. I personally am not a fan of keeping them myself. I had a few about 14 years ago and found out that they just weren't for me.

- All snakes have the ability to bite, and most keepers are bitten at least once. The bites from your small dogs would put a snake bite to shame. Snakes have little to no smell except when they pass waste. As far as escape is concerned, you need to have an escape proof cage for it so that doesn't happen...but it sounds like you already found that out. I'd imagine your dogs would probably kill or hurt the snake if it escaped...or maybe just alert you of it's whereabouts.

You've taken a great first step by joining us here. Keep asking questions!

[Scubadiver59]

Welcome to sSNAKESs!

[Snakemanswife]

Ig,

First of all, welcome. Owning snakes can become an addiction of sorts. (We have 10.) We have 8 ball pythons and like any other pet, they are their own "person". No one can tell you what is right for you and it may take trial and error to learn. We have owned snakes for 5 years and have learned an immense amount in that time. We don't have any snake that will get much over 6ft. That is our rule. We are comfortable with shorter snakes. You will find your niche. Just remember that patience is key.

[ThirteenRavens]

keeping something outside in a tank would be the sun

My cousins thought this would be "ok" to do up here in Montana with their iguana...needless to say, the poor little thing baked to death...not a great idea imo...

I have 8 snakes (of various species/sizes) and none of them smell...granted, if you don't clean their poop out of their enclosures regularly, that will smell but the snakes themselves, if their habitat is kept clean, don't stink.

[akane]

You need a very different enclosure design than any glass or plastic for that. Really it's just not going to work. At least not without a ton of effort and risk. You can't make a micro climate in a tank with the variations of the outdoors compared to the more stable conditions of indoors even when people don't really run ac/heat and your environmental conditions probably still aren't good enough to open the cage up to it. You need proper protection and proper ventilation in the right amounts that you probably won't find easy info for since people don't often keep such snakes fully outdoors instead of at least a garage (consideration should be taken for car fumes if used) or a shed (can be a heat trap if not setup for animals). Florida is just within tropical but it is not Africa and ball pythons are rarely wc even within several generations these days. Despite temps they evolved to indoor bred animals kept under constant conditions still require adjustment back to the steady changes of the outdoors. If it's even possible for some species. Then you've got storms and predators. The harm and loss to your outdoors animals is an incredibly high risk by comparison that people have to weigh when deciding to go to outdoor enclosures for anything even if it's not a typical prey animal. You are containing a chunk of lazy meat in an easy location for predators and pests and as you know escape if you don't do your research on caging. Much more effort goes into the building of even basic safe pens outdoors than indoors. Along with deciding the best location around the house or other buildings based on weather and predator protection with often secondary structures needed to help the base enclosure at least part of the year. Hang out on any group raising poultry, rabbits, and other small livestock outdoors and you'll quickly learn the headache and heartache that your more predatory animal is not immune to.

Then you've got it all perfect and someone finds a way to steal your animal because they can or because they think you are keeping it in improper conditions (lost rabbits that way) and want to "save" it even if you are following all laws and guidelines for housing. You can padlock but wire cuts, screws are designed to come out, and nails are even easier.

Have you thought of asking to start with something smaller so it's less intimidating and seems less messy? I list them all the time but the rosy boas are great starters at 2-3', take a heck of a lot to make bite, aren't lean like some species but don't have much mass behind them or desire to climb to escape so lids are easy to secure, if they did escape they won't harm anything, on the rare occasion a full adult bit as a last chance defense before dying to a dog you probably wouldn't even find the bite on a fairly small dog, and they produce little waste in a dry enclosure so they really should never smell even if you are late to clean. With proper substrate, small water sources, and ventilation ambient humidity is not usually an issue even for these desert dwellers in more humid climates and small amounts of waste still dry quickly. There are a few related species but if your original goal was a ball python the rosy boa seems it would be the most appealing of that group. There are also some smaller king snake species or subspecies Lampropeltis - only compiled from 2 sources so not a complete listing of species and their info.

[TheVoid]

Thank you so much!! That helped me a lot!

[TRD]

There are many interesting snakes native to Florida or the direct surroundings. Many King/Milksnakes which will not require any special adaptations to living outdoors in your area expect a reproduction of their natural habitat (sun/shade area's, moisture, etc). They should not be housed in a closed glass enclosure, but with a decent screen top (small enough to keep the snake in, high enough so the snake doesn't rub it's face into it, and strong enough to avoid predation), ventilation, and protection against rain (so he won't drown) it can be done I suppose.