Care Sheet for Ball PythonsAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 0 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 08/24/2005 |
Main Category: | Snakes |
Sub Category: | Ball Pythons |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Slytheryn |
Years Experience: | 1 to 2 Years |
Species: | Ball Pythons |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | N/A |
Sexing and Characteristics: | Sexing is best done by a veterinarian or a herpetologist. However, you can sex the snake by probing, or if you look at the vent, the female will have smaller spurs than a male will. The only way that is 100% is to have the snake probed. Some people believe that a male has longer patterns on his body than a female does, but I still recommend probing. |
Mostly Active During: | Night |
Substrate and Water Needs: | For the bedding I use fur bark. Some people believe this to be too messy. I feel it gives my snakes a more natural environment. I keep a hollowed out half log for both my snakes to use as a shelter. It helps so they don’t get stressed out. For water I use a large dish, I find my snakes do like to bathe themselves in and I put clean water in there every two (2) days. I add seven (7) drops of Mistimize Conditioner. This keeps the impurities out and removes chlorine from the water. Once a week I fill my bathtub up with about one and a half (1 1/2) inches of water at room temperature and under constant supervision I let them swim or soak for a few minutes. My snakes really seem to like that. |
Lighting and UVB: | I keep a 100 watt Repti Basking Spot Lamp over my snakes tank. I don’t keep it right on the top, but it is about 12 inches from the top over the same side as my under tank heat pad, so that they still have a cool spot when needed. The cool spot is where the water dish stays. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | I find that the ideal temperature for my snakes is at about 80-85 degrees and the cool side is about 70-75 degrees. The water is I find that their humidity has been perfect. They shed almost in a single skin instead of patches. I find that we have not had a problem with the milk caps remaining on their eyes. And never have they been aggressive or irritated by touch. |
Heating and Equipment: | As mentioned above in the lighting section. I use a 100 watt computer designed "Double Reflector" Basking Spot Light. The double reflector focuses 35% more light/heat in the beam than other reflector bulbs. I also have the under the tank heat mat and it covers about 1/3 of the tank. |
Caging Provided: | I have a 30 gallon long glass tank that I keep both my Ball Pythons in. Right now my male is approx. 2 1/2 feet long and my female is about 1 1/2 feet long. eventually I will move them into a fifty (50) gallon long tank. I keep their tank covered with a screen top that was made for the tank. **Important- Snakes are great escape artists. I keep clips on the cover to the tank at all times when I am not playing or holding my reptile pals. |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | I feed my male 3 mice and my female 3 fuzzies. I use a separate tank for the feeding than I do for their living in. I find that separating their feeding environment from their living environment keeps them from a learned behavior of striking when the tank gets opened. They are not expecting to eat in their tank so they are more docile. After they eat in their separate tank I move them back to their regular tank and I don’t pick them up for about 24 hours to allow for proper digestion. Also, I stun the mice before feeding my male and hold the mouse by the tail with tongs and feed it to the snake. I did this till he was used to eating already dead mice. This also keeps the striking reflex down to an extreme minimum. My female eats three (3) live fuzzies. When I move her to mice, then I will start to stun the mice like I do for the male. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | The only type of supplement I use is in the water and that is the mistimize conditioner. Remember your snake, like snakes out in the wild get their vitamins and calcium from the rodents they eat. |
Maintenance: | Maintenance is very little to almost none. All you have to do is keep the environment clean, change the water every day to every two days. Add conditioner drops to the water, and clean the droppings as they appear. |
Some Words on this Species: | The only words I can say on this species, The Ball Python is the number one starting snake for someone first learning to raise and care for snakes. I have found that my male Slytherin and my female Colt are very lovable and enjoyable. Just feed in a separate spot than their living spot, a clean tank and fresh water and your Ball Python will give you years of enjoyment. One thing to remember, your snake, if kept healthy can and will grow from 5 - 9 feet and will weigh from 20 to 35 pounds. |
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