Substrate and food crossover for a Ball Python

[gambite]

I currently have several tarantulas and some scorpions, and want to get a ball python. Can the foods and substrate I currently use be used for them as well. I have a bit of a stock of Forest Bed, the de-hydrated stuff. Would that be alright with one? If I handled the snake, would that substrate stick to them? I guess crickets would be a little small, but would super-worms work for them? And as for heat, should the pad be adhered to the tank or not? And is an under-tank placement better than on the side? And how does one keep the humidity up without getting the substrate (in this case, Forest Bed) wet? Perhaps a wide bowl?

Also, female grow larger than males, correct? Is that their only difference?

 

[K-TRAIN]

where did you get that information? ball pythons don't eat insects they eat mice.

 

[ZooRex]

Woah, Woah, Woah, dude hang on. If your getting a bp, you definiatly need to do some research. www.thesnakekeeper.com www.ball-pythons.net and www.anapsid.com are all great places to start. Now to answer your questions:

For substrate I use a mix of cypress mulch and straight peat. I feel this mixture creates one close to the ground cover found in Western Africa. Earthy, holds water (humidity), but easily dries out. It rather cheap, i think it was $4 for a large bag of each. Forest-bed might work but its not what I'd recommend.

Ahh K-TRAIN beat me to it while I was writing this post...
What are you talking about!!!? No offense but where did you get the idea that bps are insectivores? Sounds more like an april fools joke to me. Honestly dude, start them on rat pups first, it makes the future alot easier.

Yes, get an heat pad they work very nicely, you can addhere then underneath or just leave them unatatahed it works eithor way. Be sure to leave about 1/8" space under the tank for proper airflow, to reduce any fire hazard. And yes, you want to create a thermogradient so your snake can thermoregulate. You want the pad on one side of the enclousre, with a hide over it aswell as a hide on the cooler side. Good luck~ Rex

 

[Mushroom Spore]

I guess crickets would be a little small, but would super-worms work for them?

Uh, no ball python on God's green earth is going to eat insects of any kind. They eat rodents. Mice, rats, gerbils, hamsters, whatever. Not crickets. (Rats are the best, pre-killed THE best because snakes have died when their desperate prey animals get lucky.) The general rule is that they'll take a prey item roughly the width of the fattest part of the snake once every week or two.

And as for heat, should the pad be adhered to the tank or not? And is an under-tank placement better than on the side? And how does one keep the humidity up without getting the substrate (in this case, Forest Bed) wet? Perhaps a wide bowl?

Undertank heaters go UNDER the tank, yes. Keep humidity up with a wide, deep bowl (water should never be more than a couple inches deep, but the bowl itself should be deep enough that the snake can get IN there without spilling water into the substrate) and restricting about 80-90% of the screen top if you use a screen. Folding some wet paper towels and putting them on top of the screen but under whatever the screen is covered with will also give you a huge humidity boost for about a day.

Also, female grow larger than males, correct? Is that their only difference?

Yes.

 

[DrJ]

Frozen thawed is actually the best way to go for feeding, but you have to make sure the item is warm when you present it, or the python may not eat it. Heat the frozen rodent in warm water...I usually put it in a ziplock back first to keep it dry, as they prefer dryness as well. To help the conversion process to F/T, use tongs to dangle the rodent as if it were still alive. That will get the snake's attention.

I use shredded aspen shavings as my substrate, and I really like it. I keep my ball in a 40 gallon breeder as well, and she is growing fast! Balls average 3.5-4.5 ft in length, but can grow to 6'. The record largest ball was 7.5'! So, no worries as far as this getting too big for you, and if you get a male, it will more than likely stop growing at the 3.5' range. Males also have bigger "spurs" than females do. These are the little spike-like things near the vent. This isn't a sure-fire way to sex, but you can get a good idea based on the spur size.

 

[Beardo]

LOL.

I don't know about you guys, but my Ball Python LOVES superworms.

LMAO