Care Sheet for Ball PythonsAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 0 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 06/25/2009 |
Main Category: | Snakes |
Sub Category: | Ball Pythons |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | TiffRockz |
Years Experience: | 3 to 5 Years |
Species: | The Ball Python (Python Regius) |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | N/A |
Sexing and Characteristics: | There are 4 ways to tell the sex of a Ball python, or any python and boa constrictor. Here are the 4 ways to tell the sex of your Ball python:
TAIL LENGTHS:
Males will have longer tails than females to hold their hemipenes. Females have a shorter tail that usually tapers quicker since they have no space in their tail to hold hemipenes. *Note- all snakes have their sex organs located at the case of their tails.
SPURS:
Males will have larger spurs that they use for two things: tickle or scratch the female during courtship and used to scratch at males when fighting. Females, however, have small or no spurs at all because they are not used for anything. *Note- the spurs are located on each side of the cloaca (vent).
PROBING:
This should be done by a professional because if you have never done it before you could cause serious injury to your snake. Probing is where you take a lubricated probe and stick it straight up the snake’s tail through the cloaca. The farther the probe goes up the tail, you know it’s a male. Females have tiny scent glands so when you probe a female the probe won’t go as far up the tail.
POPPING:
Before doing this, you should do much research before attempting to pop your snake. If you aren’t sure about popping your snake, have a professional help you so you do not cause serious injury to your snake. Popping is everting the hemipenes from the pockets in the base of the snake’s tail. When you pop a female, you will notice barely anything everting since the scent glands are small. |
Mostly Active During: | Night |
Substrate and Water Needs: | There are 3 substrates that I recommend you should use for your Ball python that are safe which are Cypress Mulch, Aspen Bedding, and Eco Earth. These substrates are safe for your Ball python to use, and they are easy to spot clean. You will only need to clean the enclosure every 1-3 months, depending if you spot clean the enclosure which I highly recommend.
Cypress Mulch holds in humidity very well and can be misted whenever the humidity in your enclosure is lower than it should be. Some people may say that it carries external parasites such as mites but that is false because many people haven’t had any problems with this substrate.
Aspen Bedding is great for Ball pythons. It should not be misted often though because misting it too much can make it grow mold which you do not want to happen. It should only be lightly misted if you were to mist it.
Eco Earth is another great bedding to use for Ball pythons. It needs to be misted 1-2 times a day, and it comes in a block. You put the block of Eco Earth in a tub of water and the substrate will separate so you can mix it around. Make sure you only fill the tub half way up the block with warm water.
Make sure you get a water dish that is large enough for the snake to fit it’s entire body inside of it. The snake will use it to soak and drink from it so clean water should be available daily. The snake will soak in the water dish to loosen up it’s skin to shed or when the enclosure is too warm. If you notice the snake has defecated in the water dish clean it out immediately. Clean the water dish well with warm water each day so the snake has clean water. Tap water is just fine to use for the snake’s water source. |
Lighting and UVB: | Ball pythons need a light on 12 hours during the day and off 12 hours during the night. The bulb should be either a sunglow or basking bulb. The bulb can be between 50-75 watts to achieve the correct temperatures so you may need to try out different watt bulbs to get to the correct temperatures. Make sure you leave the lamp on only one side of the enclosure so the snake has a warm side and a cool side. The snake is most likely to be on the warm side, but if it gets too warm the snake will go to the cool side of the enclosure (which is also where the water dish should be) to cool off. Snakes need to regulate their body temperature so you should provide both a warm side and a cool side.
There should be no certain lighting for the night time since these snakes are nocturnal so do not purchase any lighting for the night because the snake does not need it since it’s nocturnal. You can purchase a heating pad to turn on during the night if the enclosure gets too cool for the snake. The heating pad should only cover 1/3 of the snake’s enclosure.
Ball pythons do not need any UV lights at all, just having the heat lamp and heating pad is just fine. The heating pad is also optional to use, so you do not need it unless your enclosure gets too cold at night. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | The warm side of the enclosure should achieve temperatures between 88F-94F, but it is also OK if the temperatures go up a few degrees just make sure the temperatures do not go 100F and over.
The cool side of the enclosure should achieve temperatures between 80F-85F, but it is also OK for the temperatures to go up a few degrees.
The humidity levels should be between 50%-60%. When the snake is shedding/molting you should raise the humidity level between 65%-75% by misting the enclosure with warm water. When the snake is shedding/molting you should mist the enclosure 1-2 times a day, or whenever the humidity is lower than it should be. |
Heating and Equipment: | The heating in the enclosure should just be a heat lamp, but a heating pad is optional. If your enclosure gets too cool at night for your snake you should use a heating pad during the night time. Never use a heat rock because those can severely burn your snake. Heat rocks are known to leave severe burns on your snake so that is why you should never use them.
You will need a hide, water dish, two thermometers, hygrometer, and any cage decorations would be fine. The hide should be large enough for the snake to fit in, but do not purchase a hide that is too large because the snake will not feel secure. A half-log hide will do. The water dish should be large enough for the snake to fit it’s whole body into because the snake will soak in it when shedding/molting or to cool off. Two thermometers will tell temperatures on both ends of the enclosure, so put one thermometer on the warm side of the enclosure and the other on the cool side. Also, keep the thermometer on the outside of the cage. The hygrometer tells you the humidity of the enclosure so put this in the middle of the enclosure. You can have sticks for the snake to climb on and plants (fake decor plants) to provide more hiding places or just for the cage decor. |
Caging Provided: | Baby Ball pythons can live in a 10 gallon enclosure until the snake seems too large for the enclosure. Adult Ball pythons will need a 40-55 gallon enclosure. You can either do two things: Buy different sized enclosure as the snake grows or buy a 40-55 gallon enclosure to last the snake it’s entire life. If you do purchase a 40-55 gallon enclosure, provide many hiding places so the snake feels secure. Try not to have a large open space in the enclosure because because the snake will not feel secure. Provide many hides which can be half-log hides, fake rock hides, and plenty of plants and sticks. |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | Ball pythons should be fed a good sized mouse or rat on a weekly basis. You should feed the snake a mouse or rat about the same size as the middle part of the snake’s body. I recommend feeding your snake frozen/thawed mice/rats (F/T) to avoid injury or even death from feeding live mice/rats. Live mice/rats are known to cause the snake serious injury if left alone with the snake for too long. The mice/rats will bite and scratch at the snake causing serious injury, and possible death. If you do feed live, I highly recommend supervision so the mouse/rat does not harm the snake. When the snake is constricting the mouse/rat, make sure there is no possibility of the mouse/rat biting the snake. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | |
Maintenance: | On a daily basis, clean the water dish out with warm water and scrub it well. Check the enclosure for any signs of feces, and if there is, simply pick up the feces with toilet paper or a tissue and flush it down the toilet or throw it in the trash can. If the humidity is low, simply raise it by misting the enclosure with warm water. |
Some Words on this Species: | Ball pythons come from parts in Africa and are now bred around the world. They have many different extraordinary morphs and more to come. They are very friendly snakes and like to hang out. These snakes seem to like to be handled and are great eaters. Many people say these snakes can be finicky eaters but I don’t believe that because these snakes truly are great eaters. I think anyone who kept this snake as a pet would very much enjoy it. These snakes are so beautiful and are one of the greatest snakes for a beginner. |
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