Housing for a Ball Python
Caging
Snakes are
escape artists. They can squeeze and slide through very small holes and cracks.
A home for a Ball Python should be escape proof.
Aquariums
and Neodesha cages work best. Here at eherp.com are Neodesha cages which
are considered to be the best cages available for reptiles.
A long 20 gallon tank is the minimum
for an adult Ball Python. A long 30, 40, or 55 gallon tank is preferred. As for
the Neodesha cages, go with the 36" or 48" models.
I recommend a tank that's at least as half as long as the
length of the snake. If the snake is 48" long I would say to but a tank that's
at the minimum of 24" in length.
A top
cover is needed. Most stores such as Pet Supplies Plus carry screen covers for a
reasonable price. Ball Pythons are very strong. A securing device must be
installed with these covers. For the Neodesha cages use sliding glass to keep
ball pythons inside.
Heating
Overall
temperature
should be 80-85° F in the day.
A basking spot should be created
which should be 90-95° F
At night the temperature
should be 75-80° F
Heat can be generated by ceramic
heaters, heat tape, and heating pads. Regular light bulbs can be used to heat
but can dry the air out quite a bit causing bad sheds. Heat pads and heat
tape is the best source of heat.
A thermostat is a good way to control
temperatures in heat pads and tape. Thermostats can control the heating
system and shut off the pad if the tank gets too hot.
NEVER USE A HEAT ROCK. Ball Pythons do not
have nerve cells on the bottom of their bodies. Ball Pythons will lay on the
heat rock until it fries itself to death!
Substrate
A substrate (what to put on the bottom of the
cage) can be a simple as newspaper. Other substrates include Astroturf, carpet,
moss, and various wood chippings. NEVER USE CEDAR!
Lighting
Ball
Pythons should have around 13-14 hours of light a day. 10-11 hours should be
produced in the winter for successful breeding.
Hiding
Ball
Pythons need places to hide. A simple shoe box will make a good hiding spot. Any
enclosure to hid from light is recommended. At eherp.com there are manufactured
hid spots which work extremely well and look nice.
Water
A bowl of
water should also be placed in the enclosure. The bowl should be large
enough to have the Ball Python be able to soak most of his entire body in it. A
simple dog bowl is fine.
Humidity
The humidity in the tank should be
between 60-70% but 70% is about right.
T-Rex hygrometer was $11 at Pet Supplies Plus and is very reliable
Miscellaneous Materials
A
rough object should also be placed in the tank. Ball Pythons need something
rough to scratch their skin against when shedding. A rough rock of some sort
will do. Some pet stores carry rocks which are perfect for shedding skin.
Plants
can also be placed in the tank to add flavor to the environment. I recommend
using plastic plants only. A basic rule of thumb, do not use a plant which has a
strong smell to it.
These are pictures of my tank, which I built myself. I currently am using 3 light bulbs (60 watt), a ceramic heater, and a under the tank heater. THIS TANK IS FOR SALE!!!! Email me at MHarvey124@neo.rr.com for information and pricing
This is my new tank! I must say this is the best tank I ever bought and invested my money into. If your going to buy this tank I recommend buying the heated model. It works really well with heating and keep the air temperatures warm. The third picture to the right is how the sliding glass locks into place. There are two holes at each end of the glass and the tank. This little pin slides through the holes and tighten the screw to securely fasten the glass although just placing the pin through the holes does well enough. There is a lighting fixture on the top of the tank containing two 24" light bulbs that do a really nice job lighting up the tank. I have the same plastic plants in this tank that I had in the tank above. The water dish is a ceramic bowl my mother made and I found a piece of driftwood on the shores of a local reservoir. The black hide box is a commercial one bought from eherp.com. This hide box is by far the best I have ever seen or made. If you have any questions about this tank or the one above please feel free to email me at MHarvey124@neo.rr.com.