Ball Python Care
reptiles
 

Ball Python Care


Ball Python
Picture by Cody Campell

The ball python is known among breeders and pet owners to be a gentle and curious snake that requires minimum ball python care if set up right. If threatened it will most probably not try to attack you but hide or roll into its favourite ball-shaped defence position. It is therefore a good snake for people with low or medium know-how, although it is not recommended for beginners due to its sheer size and ability to escape from almost any enclosure. Also, for great ball python care, do not have more than one in each enclosure. One of the snakes will starve to death if they don’t eat each other before that.

Ball python care - The enclosure
The enclosure for the ball python should be quite large as this is a large snake, but it should also be quite shallow to ensure the best ball python care. Being a ground-dwelling snake, as the ball python is, it can be stressed by having too much space above it. Just enough for a small climbing tree for the snake to hang out in is proof of great ball python care. Another great ball python care proof is giving it the possibility to move from hiding place to hiding place, there should at least be hiding boxes in the both of the far sides of the enclosure. Although the ball python is not an aquatic snake, great ball python care demand a small pool for the snake to bathe in. As a ball python care rule, try to plan the enclosure as much as possible as a comfy snake is a happy snake. Artificial light is not really necessary as this is a nocturnal snake. But if you still want it, for best ball python care try to set a timer for 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night. Last but not least, you will have to fight and endless fight with your snake about the security of the enclosure, it will try to break out when you least expect it. Therefore a great ball python care tip is to have a lock mechanism as difficult to bypass as possible from the start and not be surprised when the snake is gone. The ball python is your regular Houdini, rest assure.

Ball python care - The temperature and humidity
For great ball python care, buy a digital thermometer with a probe if you don’t already have one. Your snake will require external heating and for good ball python care you will need to know the temperature in both the hot area and the cold area. The air in the enclosure should be 90F- 93F (33C) degrees on the heated side and 80F-85F (28C) degrees on the cool side. To regulate the heat source manually from time to time is a sign of great ball python care, the heat is important for your snakes well being. While humidity is not as crucial with the ball python as with other snakes, a good ball python tip is to buy a digital hygrometer and install it anyway. You will not want it to get to dry and inflict discomfort on your snake but you wont either want it to get to wet as this could give your snake skin diseases. That would be a sign of really, really bad ball python care.