ball python help please..

Iceman · 09-02-03, 01:19 PM

im getting one later this week,i was gonna buy everything at rep amazone here in mtl,but i dont know,i think he was just trying to make money,cause i had a rock cave in my hand,medium sized,and i thought i baby bp would fit fine..but he said no,and brought me this huge one,half the size of the tank i just bought there,and said,thats the smallest i could use..so i didnt buy it..i wasnt sure,how big a baby ball python is..so all i bought is the tank,steel clips for the top,and the lid with the a door,and lock...he was telling me dont use any substrate,use the repti carpet...lol,and he sold a leo in front of me,and told the kid that sand is the best,i just had a mild giggle to that..lol..i thought sand was dangerouse..anyway should i use some sort of substrate?or the carpet?and should i get a water bowl that he could fit in?or a smaller one is ok?

thanks guys

CyberGypsy · 09-02-03, 02:08 PM

A baby bp doesn't need a hide nearly that big. I have 2 babies that are probably a little less than 18" and they are quite content in a light bulb box. The smaller, the better. They prefer to be able to feel the sides of the hide around their bodies, it makes them feel more secure.
Substrate is up to you. Alot of folks just use paper towels and newspaper. I would use paper towels to start, and just keep looking around and checking out the pro's and con's of different substrates.

daver676 · 09-02-03, 02:21 PM

Anything small and dark will work for a hide. IMO store bought hides are a rip off. I'm currently using a half shoe box. Good substrate to start with is newspaper so you can easily examine the droppings, and check for mites.

Dave

lilyskip · 09-02-03, 03:33 PM

I agree with dave...one of my hides is store bought, and the others are just made from cut-up boxes. He also likes a plastic bush that I got, as well. Don't go in for the caves and stuff, unless you are paying only for aesthetics.

stkkts · 09-02-03, 03:41 PM

MY ball python has always had a big half cork log as a hide. But he was full grown when I got him. For years I used and ecoearth like product as a substrate. I recently switched over to papertowels. I like it much MUCH better. It obviously doesnt make for the most realistic looking habitat, but im pretty sure the snake doesnt know.

My baby carpet python on the other hand has a calculator box as a hide.

Jeff_Favelle · 09-02-03, 04:30 PM

1) Repti-carpet is garbage for Ball Pythons.
2) Aquariums are garbage for Ball Pythons.
3) Big hides are garbage for Ball Pythons.
4) Screen tops with clips are garbage for Ball Pythons.

Baby Ball? Rubbermaid, aspen chips, small plywood/ceramic hide, and away you go.........

HetForHuman · 09-02-03, 05:20 PM

listen to what Jeff is saying, he knows what he is talking about.

i used to use aquariums, just as most people did, but using a rubbermaid or a custom built enclosure is the only way to go.

you can build your own enclosure for prob less than 50 bucks, and i can almost gaurantee that it will be cheaper than buying a glass aquarium with all the fixins.

Iceman · 09-02-03, 05:30 PM

oh my god!i just came back from magazoo,i held a 4' ball,and some smaller ones,but not babys,there about 2' long,and an 1 1/2 inch thick,6 months old i think?anyway,im pretty sure im getting one of those..they were so amazing,ok heres how i put it,i got a 15 gallon tank,(pretty good size,for now,maybe a few months)heat wave heat pad..the woman said the forest blend sub strate is good..a big water bowl,and a log..sound good?sounds good to me..remember,this tank,is only for maybe 1 or 2 months...,and they were all the same price,even the big ones!
so tell me,how i will set it up,good?oh,im not using a rubber maid,thats for the mice i feed him/her..lol

lilyskip · 09-02-03, 06:27 PM

15 gal will get too small pretty fast, but if you already have it and can't return it, then it will be okay for a little while. what is the 'forest blend substrate' composed of? you could probably use at least two hides, too (that's where a cut-up box comes in).

Iceman · 09-02-03, 06:34 PM

it's made of like bark and stuff,like the bark blend,i wanted to use nice store bought rock hides,but it will be to big for them,i'll try to use something..i dont know,i could buy a half a log?they were pretty big,and water bowl also,they said it has to be able to curl up inside it..or lord..i'd have to use a dog bowl..at the store,they used sand in there bp tank,(which had like 4 or 5 bigger bp's,and 3 smaller ones,)between 3-4 feet..i may use sand..i dont know..,and could i buy it all,and put everything in,and then the snake,or like a day or 2 before?....i need oppinions

sapphire_moon · 09-02-03, 07:15 PM

don't use sand, use newspaper or something....15 gal is to small, but if thats all you got it will work for like 1-2 months. Use a bowl that is big enough for it to soak in if needed. a dog bowl is probably what you need, I have my 2 ft bp in a 20 gal long, with a med size dog bowl...I suggest taking the time to set up your tank before hand, I've noticed that the transaction is smoother when your cage is all set up...

Iceman · 09-02-03, 07:28 PM

yeah but an actuall substrate?not sand,like forest blend or something?yeah,im setting it up wednsday,and buying the bp on thursday..and lighting..whats the best kind?a lamp,and a repta sun basking light?or they have differint kinds?

lilyskip · 09-02-03, 09:14 PM

they don't need a basking light since they're nocturnal. if you want one, it doesn't hurt, though. set up the cage first then look at the temps. if you need more heat, use a black light at night or a regular light during the day on a clamp or something similar. you don't really need a bark substrate, unless you want the setup to look a certain way. i use newspaper, and cleaning is EASY. And I agree with sapphire...set everything up FIRST, experiment with temps, locations, etc., then go back and buy the snake when it's all ready!!

sapphire_moon · 09-02-03, 09:29 PM

I've heard that black lights hurt their eyes or something like that??? I've heard that infared (red) lights are better to use. Just read it somewhere, not sure where though! Just use a reg. 40 watt bulb....I would wait a few days to get the snake though......so you can keep a check on the temps and such and make sure they don't go to high or to low.

stkkts · 09-02-03, 09:34 PM

black light is just a regular incandescant house light with a black coating. Its not a true black light. Either way, I dont think it hurts their eyes.

I think you should definately set the snake up on newspaper or papertowels initially. It will help detect if perhaps the snake has mites. I know alot of people use newspaper. My only problem with newspaper is this. When you read one, look at your fingers afterwards. They are smudged with black ink. Now imagine if you had to sleep on that. Its just kind of makes the snake look dirty. Just my $0.02