Ball Python General Question?
Please, if you could, tell me everything you know about the thinking of Ball Pythons. Things like an ideal set-up, what i should put at the bottom of the tank, the best entity i can feed it. There is no wrong answer here. i have been doing research for a few years because i be interested in getting a snake (Ball Python to be specific) and my girlfriends is going to get me one for Christmas. Any and all "positive" comments, suggestion and information is greatly appreciated.
Answers: A reptile aquarium large enough for the snake to stretch out. A secure large screen lid. Preferably a sliding lid. A basking light near a 30 to 60 watt heat bulb. An under tank boil mat big enough to cover about 1/3 of the tank (on one side) a voluminous water bowl big enough for the snake to get into whether it wants to soak. A hide box large satisfactory for the snake with a couple inches of bedding that holds moisture (like vermiculite and sphagnum moss) for ease of shedding and security. This box can fairly go over the heat mat area. For the reservoir substrate itself, for a baby id recommend something easy to verbs with layers. Like many layer of newspaper over a reptile tank carpet.
If the nouns where the heat mat is gets too hot, put more layer over it or a piece of cardboard under the newspaper to diffuse the heat so you don't burn the snake. (this is adjectives for babies).
The thing about substrates to remember is this. Most are dangerous whether injested. If you use a seperate container for feeding (recommended) then the type of substrate is up to you. Anything other than wood shaving would be ok as long as it isnt sand. Use a dry substrate contained by the tank and a moisture holding substrate in the hide box. Changing solitary has to be done when it gets wet and you detect an odor. You can measure out the solid waste. The substrate in the box wont have to be replaced vastly often because the snake will never use the bathroom in its hide box. Just create sure it doesnt stay in there long adequate to grow mold. Its a good idea to always put a few layer of newspaper under it if you use substrate contained by the tank, to make changing it out easier and so it doesnt take stuck to the bottom of the tank.
I personally use aspen pellets for the dry bedding. Its spongy and controls odor the best but it has to be replaced more often because it quickly begin to break down and crumble to a dust. I use vermiculite when my female is gravid with eggs. In the tank and the nest box, but this is with the sole purpose temporary. Otherwise i use a dry bedding for the tank and vermiculite for the nest box.
You can buy a reptile aquarium with a sliding lid built within. These tanks are wider and shorter so reptiles have more floor surface.
Get a place for him to hide, drink, a wishy-washy for one side, heat pad for the other. 2 hides one on respectively side would be best. Put water in the middle.
