Ball python
Python Regius
Nicknames: Royal Python (in the UK), BP, Balls
Origin/Habitat:
The original habitat of a snake can be a great determiner of what kind of heat, light, and humidity they need. BPs originate from various regions of western Africa. Generally they stay underground in rodent burrows (after eating the inhabitants of course).
Size:
The average size of a Ball Python is 3’-5’. Females tend to get larger than males. They are are likely to meet the 5’ marker, but rarely can grow larger. Males will generally stay 3’-4’. Ball Pythons are more “girthy” than other snakes.
Is a Ball Python Right For You?:
Ball Pythons are (in my opinion) the best beginner pythons for anyone. They generally have a very good temperament and are easy to care for. Before you get any pet including a BP be sure: you are financially able to pay for its food, have a big enough enclosure, and you're educated on the subject. Buy a book! Read care sheets like this one!
Selecting and Purchasing your Ball Python:
There are several options when looking for your Ball Python. If you want my opinion, then I will tell you to buy directly from a reputable breeder as opposed to a chain pet store. Most pet store snakes and lizards are imported from their original countries of origin as eggs and raised in reptile ‘farms’. But, I know some people who have had no problems whatsoever with their store bought reptiles. So I will give you info on both options. I may use some abbreviations so I will tell you what they mean. C.B.B means Captive Born and Bred, so the reptile was bred in captivity and born in it as well. C.B means Captive Born, whether or not it was bred in captivity is an issue. W.C means Wild Caught, which pretty much speaks for itself.
Pet Store
If you buy from a pet store you must be very careful and diligent to discover if they are offering you a healthy animal. Not all pet stores are created equal! Ask to see the snake. Does it seem alert and not lethargic? Shyness is okay, Ball Pythons are known for that. Look at the scales closely. If you see any small red or black dots anywhere, that would be mites. Any more visible white dots are ticks. I have info on them on this care sheet. These parasites can be a pain to eradicate and if untreated could seriously harm the snake.
Look at the scales again, are there any visible injuries, odd patterns, or cuts? Most importantly, look at the head and mouth. If the mouth seems ajar, if there is white cheesy substance, or even saliva around the mouth than the BP may have Mouth Rot.
If this is all clear, ask to see the snake's feeding record. If they cannot provide this I would consider walking away. The snake should have some established feedings under its belt before you purchase them.
Breeder
If you buy from a breeder, you need to make sure that he/she is reputable and trustworthy. There are many ways to do this, but first you need to find a breeder. You can either deal with one online, search for one near you, or go to a Reptile Show. Go to my links section and check out Kingsnakes. They have a list of breeders and reptile shows. I've purchased several Ball Pythons online, so check out my Approved Breeders List!
If you're looking elsewhere I can tell you this: Go to Fauna Classifieds and check on the Board of Inquiry (BOI). You can find breeders/dealers there AND find out whether or not they are reputable or not. By reputable I mean that their business dealings were sound in terms of payments, shipping, and refunds. Also their snakes were properly packaged, healthy, and sexed correctly. The pro of buying from a breeder is that most of the times they hatched your baby themselves. They have firsthand knowledge of their care. If buying an older snake, they can likely guarantee its health and background. Bottom line, is if you find a good breeder and pay for quality, then you will receive a quality, healthy Ball Python.
Caging:
Caging is an important aspect to any reptile. Too little or too big of a cage could stress your snake out. But you must make sure that your cage is properly secure to prevent escapes. There are two different methods I would take when choosing a house for your Ball Python: plastic Rubbermaid/Sterlite enclosures or glass aquariums.
Glass Aquariums
For a hatchling or young BP I would suggest a 10-20 gallon tank to start. Young BPs do not like open spaces and prefer to feel secure. The snake should be able to stretch out in it. I advise crumpling up wads of newspaper to put in the tank to enhance their feeling of security. Adult males may need a 30 gallon. Adult females could eventually need a 40 gallon.
But a word of caution…you must have a very secure lid on the enclosure. Ball Pythons are very tricky and very good at escaping! Thankfully, they do make clips to place around the screen lid that work great. The lid must provide ventilation, but should not pose a threat to your snake. A snake can injure itself on metal or wire if it rubs against it. Also, metal surfaces can become quite hot under a light.
Pros of glass tanks: aesthetically pleasing, easy to view snake
Cons of glass tanks: doesn’t hold humidity very well, can be heavy, sometimes difficult to clean, can get expensive in larger sizes.
Plastic Tubs
Rubbermaid plastic enclosures are also a good home to have for your Ball Python. They're my prime choice! For young hatchlings you can go smaller, less than a 28qt. Adult males can usually be in 28-32qts and females will almost always need 41qts.
For ventilation, take a standard tipped soldering iron and burn holes into the plastic. It gives you perfectly round and smoothed holes. I would suggest against drilling holes. For one it can cause cracking to the plastic and can make rough edges that could harm your snake.
Pros of rubber tubs: inexpensive, easy to clean, can be stackable or built in rack form to optimize space
Cons of rubber tubs: not clear so not as aesthetically pleasing
Substrate:
Substrate is what is on the bottom of your snake’s aquarium to pick up waste and such. If you don’t really care what the enclosure looks like, then use newspaper or paper towels. It is cheap, easy to clean, and safe.
If you just NEED to have the tank look nice and pretty there are other things you can use such as aspen, various reptile-made woods (ReptiBark) and cypress mulch (beware of humidity). The downside is that you have to be sure the snake doesn’t ingest any of it. Here is a list of things NEVER to use: cedar (it is highly toxic to your snake), gravel or rocks (of any kind), and sand.
Hides
Snakes love to be in dark places where they feel secure. Hide boxes can be anything from a Kleenex box to an upside down flowerpot to a fancy store bought one. Anything where your snake can get in and curl up into, works. Usually I try to find a hide that will accommodate the snake while touching the sides of it. This helps them feel snug. I personally use Kleenex Boxes and empty Pop boxes. Although it is not needed, you can put various fake plants make your tank look better. As mentioned above, placing things to "clutter" the tank makes younger BPs feel secure. But to quote another care sheet, “The more things you have the more things you have to clean!”
Water
Always have fresh water available for your snake at all times. I suggest a ceramic bowl that is difficult to tip. Ball Pythons aren't big on soaking in their dishes, so no need to get a huge dish. Sometimes larges dishes do help maintain humidity. Be sure to clean and disinfect it as needed.
Temperature:
This is a very important section, so I wouldn’t skip any aspect of it. Let me just say this right now…NEVER USE A HEAT ROCK. It will burn your snake and can kill them. You would think that your snake would move off of it, but it won’t.
Heating is a big factor in your Ball Python’s health. It helps them digest food and keep their body at a comfortable temperature. Reptiles cannot thermo regulate their bodies like we can. Their bodies remain the temperature of whatever the room is. Because of this they have to have a choice of a warmer section and a cooler section, in their enclosure. During the day, at the “hot” end of you aquarium, temperatures should range from 88°-94°. The ambient temperature should be around 80°-84°. You can find other ranges within 2 degrees or so. Temperatures should never drop below 75°.
You must purchase a digital thermometer to manage temperature. Personally, I hit up Walmart for this. You can get an all-in-one thermometer/hygrometer for less than $10 complete with a probe to check both sides. Please do not use stick on dials or tapes from most pet stores. The temps have been proven to be wildly inaccurate.
Heating:
UTH
‘UTH’ stands for Under Tank Heater and as you guessed, goes underneath or on the side of the enclosure. Ball Pythons benefit from "belly heat" to help them digest, so I suggest placing them beneath the enclosure.
Flexwatt is the most common UTHs used by major breeders. It is a strip of heat tape wired up and ran along te bottom of the enclosure. Generally, if you're not heating a large area and you only intend to have one snake at a time you can forgo it. Other options include preassembled units available from ZooMed. I have used ZooMed UTHs in the past with no issues other than the adhesive does lose its stickiness quickly. For both you need to make sure the heat doesn’t get trapped between the enclosure and whatever you place the enclosure on. Some people elevate their tanks from where they sit or they just elevate it from the UTH itself. This prevents hazards.
**Important Note: You must use UTHs in conjunction with a Thermostat or Rheostat**
Thermostats control the temperature of your UTH using a probe placed on the UTH itself. Heat tape can reach blazing high temperatures around 115°! Without a thermostat, this can seriously harm your snake. Some good thermostats include Herpstat and Ranco. You can also purchase cheaper versions from Zilla or Big Apple Herp. Rheostats work similarly to thermostats, except they use a dimmer function to reach appropriate temps.
Overhead Heat
Another effective method of heating is by using overhead heat via a dome lamp. You can accomplish this using a red light bulb, red being not visible to them at night, or a ceramic heater. Ceramic heaters only provide heat, no light, but must be used in conjunction with a ceramic socket dome light.
Lighting
Ball Pythons do not require any additional lighting requirements such as UVA/UVB lighting. They will stress with constant lighting, so providing a natural day/night cycle is a must.
Humidity:
Ball Pythons appreciated a humidity of about 50%. Raising it to around 60% during shed can help! Squirt bottles can help accomplish this as well as larger water bowls. Invest in a hygrometer.
Feeding:
I won’t lie to you. Ball Pythons can be very finnicky. They have been known to go off feed in the winter months and if they are stressed. It is true Ball Pythons can go a very long time without eating. My first male went off feed every winter for 4 months without skipping a beat.
Hatchling BPs can eat every 5-7 days. Juvenile ball pythons can eat every 7-10 days. Adults tend to eat every 7-12 days, sometimes longer. Most breeders suggest feeding rats as opposed to mice as they are more nutritionally sound. I only feed my BPs rats, even as hatchlings.
You should feed your Ball Python an appropriately sized rat in comparison with the widest part of its body. The biggest rat that fits is what you feed.
Live vs. F/T or PK
This has been a long standing debate in the reptile world. It used to be frowned upon to feed live for the dangers it poses toy your snake, but nowadays it's been proven to be safe if proper precautions are taken.
F/t stands for frozen/thawed in which you buy the prey already dead and frozen to thaw it out for your Ball Python. PK stands for prekilled, in which either you or the feeder store euthanizes the prey humanely before presenting to your snake. Pros include: no chance of injury to your snake, no chance of parasites, easy to store, can be bought in bulk quantities.
Cons include: can waste food if snake does not eat, not all snakes will be willing to accept prey this way, can be costly with large collections
Preparing f/t prey is simple. You can use a Ziploc bag and place it in a bowl of hot water. After about 15 minutes it should be thawed and warm.
If offering prekilled or f/t, use tongs or some other kind of tool that will keep your hand away from the prey and snake. This prevents you from being bitten. All Ball Pythons are different. Some will strike at the prey, some won’t. Some prefer you to wiggle the prey to pretend it's moving. Others prefer you drop it in and leave.
Live prey can be offered, but under supervision. Remove the prey from the enclosure if the snake is not interested. Under no circumstances should you leave the prey overnight. Be very vigilant to prevent any bites or scratches from the prey.
Pros include: more aggressive feeding response, can be cheaper, less wasteful
Cons include: prey can attack the snake, can pass on parasites to your snake
Shedding:
Shedding is something that all snakes (and owners) must go through. An indicator that a snake is going to shed is that its eyes will turn a milky blue color, its belly scales may turn somewhat pinkish, and the scales will dull. The eyes are the best indicator. They will turn blue and then fade. Usually about 3 or 4 days later your Ball Python will find something tough to rub against and shed.
A good shed would be in one whole piece, but it can be difficult to achieve. Scars from feeding live mice and parasites can lead to a shedding disaster. By this I mean shedding in bits and pieces. To help your snake out, be sure to keep the humidity levels higher than normal, but not above the limit.
A common and helpful thing to aid shedding is to put your BP in the bathtub or sink for a soak. You can also put him in a bucket with a top that has holes punched in it for air. The water should be warm, but NOT hot and NOT cool. Let your snake soak for about 15 minutes before taking him or her out and drying them off. I usually recommend this for BPs that may have scars or past difficult sheds.
One thing to look for after a shed are retained eye caps. Snakes have scales over their eyes. Sometimes they do not properly come off after a shed. You should be able to tell they are there, especially if the old skin didn’t show them. There are a couple of ways to deal with it. You can take a Q-Tip and dab it with mineral oil, then proceed to wipe it on the snake’s eyes. This may cause it to come off, it may not. Another thing to do is take a piece of tape around your finger with the sticky side out and gently rock back and forth on the eye cap. Usually this will cause it to come off. But neither of this works, consult a vet ASAP.
Health Problems:
Mites: Mites are small black, red, or white dots on your snake. They get under the scales, in the eye sockets, and mouth of your snake. My first BP purchased from a crappy pet store had mites and I was able to eradicate them using home remedies.
Put your snake in a warm bath with Betadine solution. Add solution to the water until it's a coffee color. This will kill many of the mites by drowning and should help small injuries they may have caused. But mites are tricky. They will congregate on your snake’s head to avoid the water. Dip a Q-Tip into the water and wipe away any visible mites. After taking your snake out of the water and drying it, put a small coat of mineral oil on it. Pay close attention to the eyes when doing this, dab a mineral oiled Q-Tip on the eyes.
The next step is to clean the enclosure. You can buy Prevent-a-Mite online and at stores. Be sure to read the label of how to use it. Personally, I used a 1:10 bleach solution in the enclosure and let it sit. Be sure to rinse thoroughly. After drying, take the vacuum cleaner and suck up around the corners and crevices. White, dusty material can be mite eggs.
As always, a trip to the vet is always a good idea to ensure the mites are gone. Vets can also provide mite medication and check for internal parasites.
Ticks: They are easily visible white dots on your snake and are more dangerous than mites. Remove as many as possible and follow the same instructions stated above for the mites.
Respiratory Infection: Also known as RI, is a common problem in many snakes as well as Ball Pythons. It is due to low temperatures and too high of humidity. Some indicators of an RI is a wheezing or popping sounds as your snake breathes. This is caused by a build up of fluid in the lungs. You may also notice your snake "open mouth breathing." If this is occurring you need to take a gander inside your BP’s mouth. To do this, hold him gently at the base of the head and massage the corners of the mouth. Be sure to have something to place his bottom end on, or someone else to help you hold him. If you see a mucous-like substance that seems bubbly, than you have an RI on your hand. There are no ironclad home remedies for this, take your BP to the vet immediately.
Mouth Rot: Caused by high humidity. Indicator is if your BP seems to have his mouth ajar for an extended amount of time. Also, check to see if there is any cheesy-like substance around the mouth. Trip to the vet is needed.
Internal Parasites: Ball Pythons can also suffer from internal parasites such as worms. To correct this you should take your new BP to the vet ASAP.
Determining Gender:
Unfortunately, there is no visual way to confirm the gender of a Ball Python. If you do not know the gender of your snake, I highly suggest asking an experienced hobbyist to sex it for you. The two methods listed below can harm your snake if not done properly.
Probing is one way to determine your Ball Python’s gender. You can have this done by your vet or a very experienced owner/breeder. In this process a small metal probe is inserted in the snake’s cloacae as far as it will go. From there you count the sub nautical scales (big belly scales) until the end of the scales. Males will go deeper, about 7 or 8 scales. Females only go 4 or 5. But some people say differently.
Popping is the other way to sex a snake and generally works best on younger babies. When popping, gentle pressure is placed forward towards the snake's cloacae to invert the hemipenes in males and lack thereof in females. Check out Justin Kobylka's video on Youtube! (I provided a link on the Snake FAQ page)
Escaped Ball Python!:
Okay, don’t panic. Easily said than done right? Most snakes are found within 10 feet of their enclosure. Look everywhere! Under every dresser, in every pile of clothes, anywhere! Also look up! They are good climbers as well. Remember: anything they can fit their head into, they can fit the rest of them into.
Some things you can try: set up some heat lamps and hide boxes and put plastic bags near them so if your snake passes by you can hear it; leave a thawed mouse under one of the lights with a hide box.
Don’t get discouraged. I personally know people who have found their snakes weeks, months, and even years after they escaped. Me included ;)
My Ball Python Won’t Eat!:
A very common problem unfortunately, is finicky Ball Pythons. Fasting is not always a threat to your BP as long as it isn’t losing any weight. Many go off feed in the winter months. I suggest investing in a cheap digital gram scale to keep track of your snake's weight. Note their starting weight and subsequent weekly weights while off feed. If your snake starts to lose weight and you notice skin folds, take him/her to the vet. I really suggest against force feeding as the stress is immense for your snake.
First you need to determine why your BP isn’t eating. Are your temperatures correct? Is the humidity in check? Are you handling your BP too much? Is their enclosure too big? Does your BP have internal or external parasites? Does he have an RI? Correct any of these problems and try again.
If that doesn’t work, you may need to try a different food. Try buying brown mice/rats or black mice/rats. In the wild, BPs eat things called Gerboas which are pretty much gerbils. Try live if you're feeding f/t. Try prekilled if they won't take live or f/t.
Origin/Habitat:
The original habitat of a snake can be a great determiner of what kind of heat, light, and humidity they need. BPs originate from various regions of western Africa. Generally they stay underground in rodent burrows (after eating the inhabitants of course).
Size:
The average size of a Ball Python is 3’-5’. Females tend to get larger than males. They are are likely to meet the 5’ marker, but rarely can grow larger. Males will generally stay 3’-4’. Ball Pythons are more “girthy” than other snakes.
Is a Ball Python Right For You?:
Ball Pythons are (in my opinion) the best beginner pythons for anyone. They generally have a very good temperament and are easy to care for. Before you get any pet including a BP be sure: you are financially able to pay for its food, have a big enough enclosure, and you're educated on the subject. Buy a book! Read care sheets like this one!
Selecting and Purchasing your Ball Python:
There are several options when looking for your Ball Python. If you want my opinion, then I will tell you to buy directly from a reputable breeder as opposed to a chain pet store. Most pet store snakes and lizards are imported from their original countries of origin as eggs and raised in reptile ‘farms’. But, I know some people who have had no problems whatsoever with their store bought reptiles. So I will give you info on both options. I may use some abbreviations so I will tell you what they mean. C.B.B means Captive Born and Bred, so the reptile was bred in captivity and born in it as well. C.B means Captive Born, whether or not it was bred in captivity is an issue. W.C means Wild Caught, which pretty much speaks for itself.
Pet Store
If you buy from a pet store you must be very careful and diligent to discover if they are offering you a healthy animal. Not all pet stores are created equal! Ask to see the snake. Does it seem alert and not lethargic? Shyness is okay, Ball Pythons are known for that. Look at the scales closely. If you see any small red or black dots anywhere, that would be mites. Any more visible white dots are ticks. I have info on them on this care sheet. These parasites can be a pain to eradicate and if untreated could seriously harm the snake.
Look at the scales again, are there any visible injuries, odd patterns, or cuts? Most importantly, look at the head and mouth. If the mouth seems ajar, if there is white cheesy substance, or even saliva around the mouth than the BP may have Mouth Rot.
If this is all clear, ask to see the snake's feeding record. If they cannot provide this I would consider walking away. The snake should have some established feedings under its belt before you purchase them.
Breeder
If you buy from a breeder, you need to make sure that he/she is reputable and trustworthy. There are many ways to do this, but first you need to find a breeder. You can either deal with one online, search for one near you, or go to a Reptile Show. Go to my links section and check out Kingsnakes. They have a list of breeders and reptile shows. I've purchased several Ball Pythons online, so check out my Approved Breeders List!
If you're looking elsewhere I can tell you this: Go to Fauna Classifieds and check on the Board of Inquiry (BOI). You can find breeders/dealers there AND find out whether or not they are reputable or not. By reputable I mean that their business dealings were sound in terms of payments, shipping, and refunds. Also their snakes were properly packaged, healthy, and sexed correctly. The pro of buying from a breeder is that most of the times they hatched your baby themselves. They have firsthand knowledge of their care. If buying an older snake, they can likely guarantee its health and background. Bottom line, is if you find a good breeder and pay for quality, then you will receive a quality, healthy Ball Python.
Caging:
Caging is an important aspect to any reptile. Too little or too big of a cage could stress your snake out. But you must make sure that your cage is properly secure to prevent escapes. There are two different methods I would take when choosing a house for your Ball Python: plastic Rubbermaid/Sterlite enclosures or glass aquariums.
Glass Aquariums
For a hatchling or young BP I would suggest a 10-20 gallon tank to start. Young BPs do not like open spaces and prefer to feel secure. The snake should be able to stretch out in it. I advise crumpling up wads of newspaper to put in the tank to enhance their feeling of security. Adult males may need a 30 gallon. Adult females could eventually need a 40 gallon.
But a word of caution…you must have a very secure lid on the enclosure. Ball Pythons are very tricky and very good at escaping! Thankfully, they do make clips to place around the screen lid that work great. The lid must provide ventilation, but should not pose a threat to your snake. A snake can injure itself on metal or wire if it rubs against it. Also, metal surfaces can become quite hot under a light.
Pros of glass tanks: aesthetically pleasing, easy to view snake
Cons of glass tanks: doesn’t hold humidity very well, can be heavy, sometimes difficult to clean, can get expensive in larger sizes.
Plastic Tubs
Rubbermaid plastic enclosures are also a good home to have for your Ball Python. They're my prime choice! For young hatchlings you can go smaller, less than a 28qt. Adult males can usually be in 28-32qts and females will almost always need 41qts.
For ventilation, take a standard tipped soldering iron and burn holes into the plastic. It gives you perfectly round and smoothed holes. I would suggest against drilling holes. For one it can cause cracking to the plastic and can make rough edges that could harm your snake.
Pros of rubber tubs: inexpensive, easy to clean, can be stackable or built in rack form to optimize space
Cons of rubber tubs: not clear so not as aesthetically pleasing
Substrate:
Substrate is what is on the bottom of your snake’s aquarium to pick up waste and such. If you don’t really care what the enclosure looks like, then use newspaper or paper towels. It is cheap, easy to clean, and safe.
If you just NEED to have the tank look nice and pretty there are other things you can use such as aspen, various reptile-made woods (ReptiBark) and cypress mulch (beware of humidity). The downside is that you have to be sure the snake doesn’t ingest any of it. Here is a list of things NEVER to use: cedar (it is highly toxic to your snake), gravel or rocks (of any kind), and sand.
Hides
Snakes love to be in dark places where they feel secure. Hide boxes can be anything from a Kleenex box to an upside down flowerpot to a fancy store bought one. Anything where your snake can get in and curl up into, works. Usually I try to find a hide that will accommodate the snake while touching the sides of it. This helps them feel snug. I personally use Kleenex Boxes and empty Pop boxes. Although it is not needed, you can put various fake plants make your tank look better. As mentioned above, placing things to "clutter" the tank makes younger BPs feel secure. But to quote another care sheet, “The more things you have the more things you have to clean!”
Water
Always have fresh water available for your snake at all times. I suggest a ceramic bowl that is difficult to tip. Ball Pythons aren't big on soaking in their dishes, so no need to get a huge dish. Sometimes larges dishes do help maintain humidity. Be sure to clean and disinfect it as needed.
Temperature:
This is a very important section, so I wouldn’t skip any aspect of it. Let me just say this right now…NEVER USE A HEAT ROCK. It will burn your snake and can kill them. You would think that your snake would move off of it, but it won’t.
Heating is a big factor in your Ball Python’s health. It helps them digest food and keep their body at a comfortable temperature. Reptiles cannot thermo regulate their bodies like we can. Their bodies remain the temperature of whatever the room is. Because of this they have to have a choice of a warmer section and a cooler section, in their enclosure. During the day, at the “hot” end of you aquarium, temperatures should range from 88°-94°. The ambient temperature should be around 80°-84°. You can find other ranges within 2 degrees or so. Temperatures should never drop below 75°.
You must purchase a digital thermometer to manage temperature. Personally, I hit up Walmart for this. You can get an all-in-one thermometer/hygrometer for less than $10 complete with a probe to check both sides. Please do not use stick on dials or tapes from most pet stores. The temps have been proven to be wildly inaccurate.
Heating:
UTH
‘UTH’ stands for Under Tank Heater and as you guessed, goes underneath or on the side of the enclosure. Ball Pythons benefit from "belly heat" to help them digest, so I suggest placing them beneath the enclosure.
Flexwatt is the most common UTHs used by major breeders. It is a strip of heat tape wired up and ran along te bottom of the enclosure. Generally, if you're not heating a large area and you only intend to have one snake at a time you can forgo it. Other options include preassembled units available from ZooMed. I have used ZooMed UTHs in the past with no issues other than the adhesive does lose its stickiness quickly. For both you need to make sure the heat doesn’t get trapped between the enclosure and whatever you place the enclosure on. Some people elevate their tanks from where they sit or they just elevate it from the UTH itself. This prevents hazards.
**Important Note: You must use UTHs in conjunction with a Thermostat or Rheostat**
Thermostats control the temperature of your UTH using a probe placed on the UTH itself. Heat tape can reach blazing high temperatures around 115°! Without a thermostat, this can seriously harm your snake. Some good thermostats include Herpstat and Ranco. You can also purchase cheaper versions from Zilla or Big Apple Herp. Rheostats work similarly to thermostats, except they use a dimmer function to reach appropriate temps.
Overhead Heat
Another effective method of heating is by using overhead heat via a dome lamp. You can accomplish this using a red light bulb, red being not visible to them at night, or a ceramic heater. Ceramic heaters only provide heat, no light, but must be used in conjunction with a ceramic socket dome light.
Lighting
Ball Pythons do not require any additional lighting requirements such as UVA/UVB lighting. They will stress with constant lighting, so providing a natural day/night cycle is a must.
Humidity:
Ball Pythons appreciated a humidity of about 50%. Raising it to around 60% during shed can help! Squirt bottles can help accomplish this as well as larger water bowls. Invest in a hygrometer.
Feeding:
I won’t lie to you. Ball Pythons can be very finnicky. They have been known to go off feed in the winter months and if they are stressed. It is true Ball Pythons can go a very long time without eating. My first male went off feed every winter for 4 months without skipping a beat.
Hatchling BPs can eat every 5-7 days. Juvenile ball pythons can eat every 7-10 days. Adults tend to eat every 7-12 days, sometimes longer. Most breeders suggest feeding rats as opposed to mice as they are more nutritionally sound. I only feed my BPs rats, even as hatchlings.
You should feed your Ball Python an appropriately sized rat in comparison with the widest part of its body. The biggest rat that fits is what you feed.
Live vs. F/T or PK
This has been a long standing debate in the reptile world. It used to be frowned upon to feed live for the dangers it poses toy your snake, but nowadays it's been proven to be safe if proper precautions are taken.
F/t stands for frozen/thawed in which you buy the prey already dead and frozen to thaw it out for your Ball Python. PK stands for prekilled, in which either you or the feeder store euthanizes the prey humanely before presenting to your snake. Pros include: no chance of injury to your snake, no chance of parasites, easy to store, can be bought in bulk quantities.
Cons include: can waste food if snake does not eat, not all snakes will be willing to accept prey this way, can be costly with large collections
Preparing f/t prey is simple. You can use a Ziploc bag and place it in a bowl of hot water. After about 15 minutes it should be thawed and warm.
If offering prekilled or f/t, use tongs or some other kind of tool that will keep your hand away from the prey and snake. This prevents you from being bitten. All Ball Pythons are different. Some will strike at the prey, some won’t. Some prefer you to wiggle the prey to pretend it's moving. Others prefer you drop it in and leave.
Live prey can be offered, but under supervision. Remove the prey from the enclosure if the snake is not interested. Under no circumstances should you leave the prey overnight. Be very vigilant to prevent any bites or scratches from the prey.
Pros include: more aggressive feeding response, can be cheaper, less wasteful
Cons include: prey can attack the snake, can pass on parasites to your snake
Shedding:
Shedding is something that all snakes (and owners) must go through. An indicator that a snake is going to shed is that its eyes will turn a milky blue color, its belly scales may turn somewhat pinkish, and the scales will dull. The eyes are the best indicator. They will turn blue and then fade. Usually about 3 or 4 days later your Ball Python will find something tough to rub against and shed.
A good shed would be in one whole piece, but it can be difficult to achieve. Scars from feeding live mice and parasites can lead to a shedding disaster. By this I mean shedding in bits and pieces. To help your snake out, be sure to keep the humidity levels higher than normal, but not above the limit.
A common and helpful thing to aid shedding is to put your BP in the bathtub or sink for a soak. You can also put him in a bucket with a top that has holes punched in it for air. The water should be warm, but NOT hot and NOT cool. Let your snake soak for about 15 minutes before taking him or her out and drying them off. I usually recommend this for BPs that may have scars or past difficult sheds.
One thing to look for after a shed are retained eye caps. Snakes have scales over their eyes. Sometimes they do not properly come off after a shed. You should be able to tell they are there, especially if the old skin didn’t show them. There are a couple of ways to deal with it. You can take a Q-Tip and dab it with mineral oil, then proceed to wipe it on the snake’s eyes. This may cause it to come off, it may not. Another thing to do is take a piece of tape around your finger with the sticky side out and gently rock back and forth on the eye cap. Usually this will cause it to come off. But neither of this works, consult a vet ASAP.
Health Problems:
Mites: Mites are small black, red, or white dots on your snake. They get under the scales, in the eye sockets, and mouth of your snake. My first BP purchased from a crappy pet store had mites and I was able to eradicate them using home remedies.
Put your snake in a warm bath with Betadine solution. Add solution to the water until it's a coffee color. This will kill many of the mites by drowning and should help small injuries they may have caused. But mites are tricky. They will congregate on your snake’s head to avoid the water. Dip a Q-Tip into the water and wipe away any visible mites. After taking your snake out of the water and drying it, put a small coat of mineral oil on it. Pay close attention to the eyes when doing this, dab a mineral oiled Q-Tip on the eyes.
The next step is to clean the enclosure. You can buy Prevent-a-Mite online and at stores. Be sure to read the label of how to use it. Personally, I used a 1:10 bleach solution in the enclosure and let it sit. Be sure to rinse thoroughly. After drying, take the vacuum cleaner and suck up around the corners and crevices. White, dusty material can be mite eggs.
As always, a trip to the vet is always a good idea to ensure the mites are gone. Vets can also provide mite medication and check for internal parasites.
Ticks: They are easily visible white dots on your snake and are more dangerous than mites. Remove as many as possible and follow the same instructions stated above for the mites.
Respiratory Infection: Also known as RI, is a common problem in many snakes as well as Ball Pythons. It is due to low temperatures and too high of humidity. Some indicators of an RI is a wheezing or popping sounds as your snake breathes. This is caused by a build up of fluid in the lungs. You may also notice your snake "open mouth breathing." If this is occurring you need to take a gander inside your BP’s mouth. To do this, hold him gently at the base of the head and massage the corners of the mouth. Be sure to have something to place his bottom end on, or someone else to help you hold him. If you see a mucous-like substance that seems bubbly, than you have an RI on your hand. There are no ironclad home remedies for this, take your BP to the vet immediately.
Mouth Rot: Caused by high humidity. Indicator is if your BP seems to have his mouth ajar for an extended amount of time. Also, check to see if there is any cheesy-like substance around the mouth. Trip to the vet is needed.
Internal Parasites: Ball Pythons can also suffer from internal parasites such as worms. To correct this you should take your new BP to the vet ASAP.
Determining Gender:
Unfortunately, there is no visual way to confirm the gender of a Ball Python. If you do not know the gender of your snake, I highly suggest asking an experienced hobbyist to sex it for you. The two methods listed below can harm your snake if not done properly.
Probing is one way to determine your Ball Python’s gender. You can have this done by your vet or a very experienced owner/breeder. In this process a small metal probe is inserted in the snake’s cloacae as far as it will go. From there you count the sub nautical scales (big belly scales) until the end of the scales. Males will go deeper, about 7 or 8 scales. Females only go 4 or 5. But some people say differently.
Popping is the other way to sex a snake and generally works best on younger babies. When popping, gentle pressure is placed forward towards the snake's cloacae to invert the hemipenes in males and lack thereof in females. Check out Justin Kobylka's video on Youtube! (I provided a link on the Snake FAQ page)
Escaped Ball Python!:
Okay, don’t panic. Easily said than done right? Most snakes are found within 10 feet of their enclosure. Look everywhere! Under every dresser, in every pile of clothes, anywhere! Also look up! They are good climbers as well. Remember: anything they can fit their head into, they can fit the rest of them into.
Some things you can try: set up some heat lamps and hide boxes and put plastic bags near them so if your snake passes by you can hear it; leave a thawed mouse under one of the lights with a hide box.
Don’t get discouraged. I personally know people who have found their snakes weeks, months, and even years after they escaped. Me included ;)
My Ball Python Won’t Eat!:
A very common problem unfortunately, is finicky Ball Pythons. Fasting is not always a threat to your BP as long as it isn’t losing any weight. Many go off feed in the winter months. I suggest investing in a cheap digital gram scale to keep track of your snake's weight. Note their starting weight and subsequent weekly weights while off feed. If your snake starts to lose weight and you notice skin folds, take him/her to the vet. I really suggest against force feeding as the stress is immense for your snake.
First you need to determine why your BP isn’t eating. Are your temperatures correct? Is the humidity in check? Are you handling your BP too much? Is their enclosure too big? Does your BP have internal or external parasites? Does he have an RI? Correct any of these problems and try again.
If that doesn’t work, you may need to try a different food. Try buying brown mice/rats or black mice/rats. In the wild, BPs eat things called Gerboas which are pretty much gerbils. Try live if you're feeding f/t. Try prekilled if they won't take live or f/t.
I wrote this myself, none of it was taken from anywhere else unless I quoted it. I would appreciate if you linked back to this site if using the information.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding my care sheet (especially errors) or Ball Pythons in particular, feel free to e-mail me at [email protected]
Thank you!
If you have any questions or concerns regarding my care sheet (especially errors) or Ball Pythons in particular, feel free to e-mail me at [email protected]
Thank you!