I'm going to be getting some simple, cheap, wild coloration ball pythons soon and I was wondering if I could keep a 1.1 pair in a 30 gallon long. If not, would it be because of a size restriction or bad relations? Also, I'm confused by the dizzying array of frozen mouse shops. which is a good, reputable store with cheap, nutritious mice? Also, which size would I need for 900-1000 gram snakes?

If you haven't gotten a chance to, read over the ball python care sheet, it should help with enclosure size. It does seem to recommend that one should be in about the size of a 40 gallon breeder. Breeder tanks are shorter in height but they have more floor space (wider). I guess it would depend on how large your bps are going to be when you get them. But usually for enclosure size bigger is always better.

Ball Python Caresheet (Python regius) - Reptile Information - Caresheets Database

As far as frozen mice, there are a few people on here who use RodentPro.com, I do as well and I find them to be a good price for what I need, though I am able to store a large amount in one of my freezers and keep them for several months. For size, you can go with an prey item slightly larger than the widest part of their bodies.

Hopefully someone with more experience with bps can help since I myself don't own any.

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yes i am a she ^_^

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For a pair I would go no less than a 55 gallon tank. I have a 1.1 pair that have lived in a 55 gal for years!
But they have been together since they were hatchlings.
I too use RodentPro. But unless you have several snakes and can order in quantity the shipping wipes out anything you would be saving.
Go to Rodentpro.com Frozen Feeder Rodents and you can see the sizes of the feeders.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I'll probably just go with one male to start out with since they stay a good deal smaller then females and are 5 times cheaper, only $10!

WOW! I have never seen a ball python for 10 dollars! Where are you geting them at that price.
And males aren't really that much smaller than females.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

» For Sale-Ball Pythons
CB, to boot. $10 for male, $50 for female or pair, free shipping for orders over $100 So you could get two sexed pairs for $100 shipped!

I know nothing about these people but for those prices I would be VERY suspicious!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

No doubt, share your connection, lol. I too kept 2 BP's in a 55 gl for many years. It gives them plenty of space seperate when they want.

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MARSHA

:D I'm smiling because I have no idea whats going on!

The prices they are asking sound very much like the prices that are asked for imported wild caught animals in quantity.
Be careful

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I wouldn't buy one for that cheap. Would be too suspicious of bad health and/or poor housekeeping.

I was considering keeping both my balls together in a custom made multi level tank, but decided against it after doing some research and finding these pages:

(from: Can You House Two Ball Pythons Together? )

Ball pythons are solitary animals and the only time they should be put together is male being introduce to a female during breeding season and during breading season only. Even then this is not a permanent housing situation as the male will only spend several days at the time with a female (This also require that both are the proper weight)

2 Ball Pythons housed together can create problems such as stress, going of feed, spreading of diseases, parasites, mites, you are also at risk for serious injuries and sometimes even death.

Now some people will tell you they house their Ball Pythons together and have done so for several years and that they have not experience any problem. Some people will tell you that cannibalism among Ball Pythons does not exist or is very rare and will only happen if both snake are different sizes


So I will finish with this, apparently those 2 Ball Pythons were housed together and were probably fine... until that day! So...



Even though cannibalism among Ball Pythons is rare, is housing Ball Pythons together worth the risk?





All it takes is for one to mistake another as food.



Here are pictures of a red tailed boa that ate a ball that was the same size and then regurgitated it:
(images are from http://pinkladyconstrictors.com/?page_id=10 )

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i'd be better off opening my own small zoo.