Picked up my first Ball Python

[Yrat]

I found a local ad on craigslist from a girl who was giving up her BP because she didn't have time to handle it anymore. She was asking $120 for a four year old snake, PLUS the 55gallon tank with screen top, completely furnished, two heat lamps and a heat pad. She also gave me her last two frozen rats. I jumped at the offer and now have my first ball python.

This snake is amazing. The girl told me she has never once bitten anybody. I have been holding her constantly for the last couple days, she'll drape around my neck and sit there for hours. The best part is, she recently moved from mice to rats with absolutely no problem. I was told she took the first rat offered to her with no hesitation. None of the finickiness that BPs are notorious for. So I figured I'd let the snake settle in from the move for a few days, and offered the first meal last night. She struck it almost as soon as I could lower it into the cage. I am one happy camper.

I will load up some pictures of this beautiful snake later on today.

 

[ballpython2]

I found a local ad on craigslist from a girl who was giving up her BP because she didn't have time to handle it anymore. She was asking $120 for a four year old snake, PLUS the 55gallon tank with screen top, completely furnished, two heat lamps and a heat pad. She also gave me her last two frozen rats. I jumped at the offer and now have my first ball python.

This snake is amazing. The girl told me she has never once bitten anybody. I have been holding her constantly for the last couple days, she'll drape around my neck and sit there for hours. The best part is, she recently moved from mice to rats with absolutely no problem. I was told she took the first rat offered to her with no hesitation. None of the finickiness that BPs are notorious for. So I figured I'd let the snake settle in from the move for a few days, and offered the first meal last night. She struck it almost as soon as I could lower it into the cage. I am one happy camper.

I will load up some pictures of this beautiful snake later on today.

Congrats on your new snake. thats a great price for a ball python that age (because it as some size on it) plus they gave you a tank with all the accessories which would have cost you more with just the tank alone.

The only thing i would say is you dont need that heat lamp at all. the only thing the heat lamp is going to do is take away humidity from the tank which is what helps your snake shed.

All you need is the undertank heater and two hides. one for each size of the tank.

My ball python is actually in the shedding mode process so i'll take new pictures of it after it sheds. enjoy your ball python!!!

 

[arachnocat]

Awesome! That's the next snake I'm going to get. I'm saving up a bit of money for one. They're really great.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Awesome deal! Just be careful you don't do TOO much handling - and no handling at all on feeding day and for at least 24 hours after eating. These can be nervous snakes, and the last thing you want from a new arrival is having to deal with a regurge.

 

[bamato]

Awesome deal! Just be careful you don't do TOO much handling - and no handling at all on feeding day and for at least 24 hours after eating. These can be nervous snakes, and the last thing you want from a new arrival is having to deal with a regurge.

mmmm.... regurges..... gotta love those.

Congrats though! And like said above, ditch the heat lamps. Belly heat is really all you need. It's all I ever use and I've been keeping snakes for 15 years If it were me, I'd cover 1/2 to 3/4 of the top with saran wrap to hold in some humidity. Good luck!

 

[arachnocat]

Would a 20 gal. long tank be too small for a large adult (4 feet)? I found some conflicting info about tank size for adults. Some people say they shouldn't be kept in anything larger because they get stressed, others say bigger is better.
Just trying to figure out how much space I'm going to have to make in my room when I finally get one.

 

[Fluke]

i think they say rule of thumb- smallest cage for snake is the length and with of cage added together = length of snake?

so a 20l, 12+30= 42. TOO small of cage for ball python.
i would look into a 30 or a 40 breeder as next size up

 

[arachnocat]

That's what I needed to know. Thanks!

Lets see a pic of your new girl!!

 

[Mushroom Spore]

My personal rule of thumb (not sure where I picked it up, probably one of these forums a few years back) is that the tank is big enough as long as the snake can stretch out completely. Now this is a rule I'd use for lazy, inactive snakes like ball pythons...for something zippy like a corn snake I'd offer more room and climbing items. But a ball python generally won't use a ton of space, and they're usually lousy climbers because they're *burrowers* instead.

EDIT: And speaking of burrowing, you can essentially give your snake an extra "level" in the tank if you use aspen shavings instead of reptile carpet or something like that. I pile them about six inches deep, and my boy can dig tunnels or use his hides or roam the surface, and does all three.

 

[clam1991]

Awesome deal! Just be careful you don't do TOO much handling - and no handling at all on feeding day and for at least 24 hours after eating. These can be nervous snakes, and the last thing you want from a new arrival is having to deal with a regurge.

my science teacher in 7th grade fed his big bp before we went on break for a couple days we came back to a class that had no ventilation and the snake regurged a rabbit
it was terrible!!!

 

[hardlucktattoo]

my science teacher in 7th grade fed his big bp before we went on break for a couple days we came back to a class that had no ventilation and the snake regurged a rabbit
it was terrible!!!

Im not sure it was a BP they generally dont get big enough to feed rabbits to

 

[Yrat]

my science teacher in 7th grade fed his big bp before we went on break for a couple days we came back to a class that had no ventilation and the snake regurged a rabbit
it was terrible!!!

lol that sounds terrible


anyways, thanks for all the advice everyone. i couldn't get any new pictures tonight because she is sitting in her heated hut digesting the rat, but i do have a couple pictures of her last night with the meal

[/URL] [/IMG]

[/URL] [/IMG]

 

[Diggy415]

why don't you feed in a seperate container so those chips won't be digested, another newby hint. sad to see when they get fed in their cage with chips etc to consume and block them up them as well.

 

[snakemaster1]

I have been keeping reptiles ( snakes ) for over 25 years a twenty gallon tank is just fine for a ball python . This whole with x length of encloser sounds good but is completely impractical as a six foot long corn snake does not need a 4 x 2 ft cage. watch http://www.snakebytes.tv/ episodes for some excellent videos on snake care.

 

[arachnocat]

That does seem pretty large. I wanted to get some opinions about it though since all the care sheets say something different.
What a great snake you have!

 

[bamato]

I have been keeping reptiles ( snakes ) for over 25 years a twenty gallon tank is just fine for a ball python . This whole with x length of encloser sounds good but is completely impractical as a six foot long corn snake does not need a 4 x 2 ft cage. watch http://www.snakebytes.tv/ episodes for some excellent videos on snake care.

The only time I would recommend using the width x length method is when housing pythons that get very large and chunky. for example, burms, retics, anacondas. Ball pythons aren't REALLY active pythons, nor do they usually have a very large girth. There are always ways around this rule too. If your snakes enjoy the casual "climb" you can make multi-level cages that allow them to stretch out more as well.