Making Terrain + branches

[NYbirdEater]

I've had a ball pythno for over a year now and she's getting big enough for a tank change. I want to use a huge tank so she will grow more and I want to make the terrain that the substrate can sit on and also build into it a large water pool. What are the correct materials to use that won't harm the snake that I can mold as 1 solid piece?

I'm also havng trouble finding good branches for the snake to climb. I thought it would be cool in a large tank to have a section of an actual tree with a branch, that's laminated or something so no parasites can get to it. Cork bark is just too dam flimsy and doesn't look to nice anyway. Any suggestions are welcome. thanks

 

[Darwinsdad]

I have a 4 foot ball in a 40 gal. set-up. I use the reptibark(but am considering changing to green carpet) and some driftwood pieces I put together for it to climb around on. For a water source I put in a plastic storage box big enough for it to submerge in and soak. There is also a wooden cave in there for it to hide when it wants.

 

[atavuss]

I have an adult BP in a 4' tall by 2' square reptile terrarium, it has a screened top and a screened front panel for access. I have a 4' long piece of sandblasted grape wood in the enclosure and sometimes the BP will crawl around on the wood.

 

[Thoth]

You can use foam resin,(its a two part resin you can get from most atrt supply stores Assuming your in NYC, Pearl on Canal St. carries it or did the last time I was there.)

You can do a couple of things with it you can either:
1. Pour in it into the bottom and after it cures the cut out and area to become the pool.
2. Tilt the tank to one end pour in the foam and when it cures and your right the tank you get a sloping beach into the water
3. You can place a small tub/basin in the tank and pour the foam around it. If youwrap the basin with platic wrap/aluminum foil or coat in petroleum jelly; you can then remove the basin after the resin cures. This would make cleaning or changing the water real easy all you do is remove the basin.

For the tree/branches:
1. Assuming you're in NYC then try trolling Central park esppecially after a bad storm for large fallen branches.
2. Or you can piece together something from PVC pipes and cover with simulated bark.
3. Or get piece of 4x4 or wooden fence post drill large holes (basically big enough so that the dowels are big enough to support the snakes weight) and glue in wooden dowels that fit the holes.

 

[LPacker79]

I've had a ball pythno for over a year now and she's getting big enough for a tank change. I want to use a huge tank so she will grow more

I'm not sure if you meant how that sounded, but the size of the enclosure doesn't influence the size your snake will attain. That's determined by genetics and feeding.

Anyways.....you can take a torch to some PVC pipe and burn it (don't melt it). It will turn brown, rather pretty actually. Then simply wash it real well and stick it in the enclosure.

 

[NYbirdEater]

Cool. I'll give Pearl a call and see if they have it. Getting to Canal St. is easy from where I live. Thanks for the info.

As far as the snake's size, I know genetics and feeding determine how it grows but almost every BP owner I've talked to said that the snakes tend to grow a bit larger if they have room to stretch out all the time. Similar to fish tanks. Unless that's just an old wive's tale.

At any rate, I still think it would be nicer for the snake to have more room to climb and a large watering hole, plus I could add more things in the tank to give the snake shade.

 

[Israel2004]

The fish thing is untrue.

 

[Bry]

Yup, your ball python is not going to grow or shrink regardless of what size enclosure you have it in. I'd be careful not to provide it with "too much" space. Too much space can actually make them feel unsafe. Snakes DO live on entire continents, but they live in a rather confined area, and spend the majority of their time in hiding.