need advice

jodiwilder73 · 12-20-12, 12:55 AM

my 15 year old son would like to have a ball python. I was at the pet store and i need to know what to get for the python. They had starter kits but they were kind of expensive, i have a pretty tight budget to work with. I would very much appreciate any advice you might have. Thank you jodi

infernalis · 12-20-12, 06:08 AM

Those starter kits are a rip off. They assemble a few items, package it fancy and mark it up.

A $1 plastic water bowl from wal mart holds water just as well as a "snake" water bowl from a pet store with a $14 price tag.

KORBIN5895 · 12-20-12, 06:16 AM

Also a Rubbermaid tote will work just as well as a glass aquarium. The hardest thing for you to find will be a thermostat and a proper heat source.

Lankyrob · 12-20-12, 06:35 AM

You NEED

Heater WITH thermostat - there needs to be a hot end at 91f and cold end no lower than 78-80f
Something digital to measure humidity (which MUST be kept above 55% and higher still during sheds)
Two hides (one for the warn end and one for the cold end)
Waterbowl
Sometype of substrate. (i prefer bark but there are many options)

You can also then addd branches, fake plants etc but this is more for your benefit tham the snakes

As a first snake it may be worth looking at corn snakes as they have no real humidity needs, butif you do go for the ball python get the snakes home set up and running with stable conditions for a week or so BEFORE getting the snake

KORBIN5895 · 12-20-12, 10:20 AM

If you do get a corn you won't need the heat source and thermostat.

EmbraceCalamity · 12-20-12, 11:11 AM

Also: NEVER LISTEN TO THE PET STORE PEOPLE. They might mean well and seem like they know what they're talking about, but many people and their new pets have fallen prey to bad information (we see it on here all the time, and many of us have experience with it as well).

~Maggot

jodiwilder73 · 12-21-12, 12:39 AM

Thank you everyone for your advice and help. I now have some good advice to move forward with. Thanks again
Jodiwilder73

Corey209 · 12-21-12, 04:04 AM

For a ball python I'd recommend getting a 40 gallon tank but a 20g will work for a year or so. Get an under the tank heater (zilla, zoomed, exo terra all make them) made for the size of your enclosure whether it's 20 or 40 gallon and cover one side of the bottom. I'd also recommend placing something on the corners of your tank (the little sticky circle multipurpose pads) so that you can have airflow so the glass doesn't crack. If you want to use substrate for looks then I'd recommend getting dry bricks of coco fiber because you can make a whole lot of it for the same price as a bag of coco fiber that's not compacted. Otherwise just use paper towels/newspaper. If possible when you buy a tank look for one that has a sliding top and not a generic top that comes off you'll need to buy clips for.

reptileexperts · 12-21-12, 04:04 AM

For a young snake for its first year:

12 qt sterlite tub - walmart, target, home depot

Chipped Aspen - most places - cheapest at petco.com for lizard litter

Thermostat - Hydrofarm: Amazon.com under $30 works fine

Undertank heater - Zoomed small 10 gallon heater will work just fine and is available on amazon for under $15

small - Medium (medium if you live in a dry area in order to have a little bit better surface area to increase humidity) Crock Water Bowl - walmart, amazon, reptile basics I beleive the brand is nesse

Couple hides - can be cheap or $$$ just make sure to get two that are easy to clean.

All in all, for under 50-60 bucks you can get a setup like this that will work for the first year of its life and can almost all be adapted for it later (t-stat can at the least and thats half the budget anyways!).

reptileexperts · 12-21-12, 04:06 AM

Oh and an accurite thermometer / hygrometer. Walmart - 14 bucks can be used for its entire life just replacing some AAA batteries.

Gungirl · 12-21-12, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corey209

For a ball python I'd recommend getting a 40 gallon tank but a 20g will work for a year or so. Get an under the tank heater (zilla, zoomed, exo terra all make them) made for the size of your enclosure whether it's 20 or 40 gallon and cover one side of the bottom. I'd also recommend placing something on the corners of your tank (the little sticky circle multipurpose pads) so that you can have airflow so the glass doesn't crack. If you want to use substrate for looks then I'd recommend getting dry bricks of coco fiber because you can make a whole lot of it for the same price as a bag of coco fiber that's not compacted. Otherwise just use paper towels/newspaper. If possible when you buy a tank look for one that has a sliding top and not a generic top that comes off you'll need to buy clips for.

Some bad information ^ ...

Tanks with screen lids are horrible for ball pythons... you don't cover 1 side of the bottom with a heat mat you cover 1/3. Your glass will not crack as long as you have your heat source on a thermostat which is a must have..

KORBIN5895 · 12-21-12, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gungirl

Some bad information ^ ...

Tanks with screen lids are horrible for ball pythons... you don't cover 1 side of the bottom with a heat matt you cover 1/3. Your glass will not crack as long as you have your heat source on a thermostat which is a must have..

I agree with most of that Kat except for the glass cracking. If there isn't ventilation the glass will crack because space under the tank will just become a mini oven. Mine was on a t stat and it cracked.

Gungirl · 12-21-12, 08:50 AM

Oh...I have never heard of that happening Kevin. How hot was your mat set at and was your probe properly placed?

I ran a heat mat on a glass viv for 2 yrs with it set to 95f no air gap and I never had an issue. Maybe I was lucky.. idk I don't run heat mats or glass vivs any longer though.

KORBIN5895 · 12-21-12, 08:57 AM

It was set on 95-98 because I used three inches of cocohusk. I never noticed when it happens but I went to move it a few months back it was cracked.

You know what? I think my snakes may have spilled water on it once. That may have caused the crack.

dbank999 · 12-21-12, 09:05 AM

Whatever you choose for substrate, make sure it has no pine or cedar, as these are toxic to the snake. Thought I'd add that since it hadn't been mentioned. I personally use cypress mulch mixed with coco husk.

Imo, glass tanks work fine as long as you modify the screen lid to limit ventilation. I use duct tape (not "duck", but the actual tape for heating ducts, essentially it is a metal tape ~$12 for a roll at lowe's or home depot - enough to do about 6 x 40 gal tanks). I have had my male ball python in three glass tanks (10 gal, 20 gal long, 40 gal long) for a year and a half with no problems maintaining humidity. But that is my personal experience, yours may vary! But I feel if you take the extra time and effort you can make a glass tank work.