Hi. I currently have only a green iguana which is doing very well, and I do have experience with herps, but not pythons nor snakes.

I am planning on getting a ball python.

I have read and researched how to care for them, but have several questions. I hope I can get some answers here:

1) FEEDING - Since ball pythons in the wild eat amphibians, smaller snakes, lizards etc., why are herpetoculturists feeding them rats, that they do NOT eat in the wild? As a result, they are labelled as "finicky eaters".
2) Is it ok to feed a more varied diet instead of just rats/mice? Can I feed them frogs too and if so will they take to them more readily since that is one thing they do eat in the wild? In fact, my girlfriend is the designated person to care for my herps when I go on a trip (haven't happened yet), and she has no problem with the iguana. She isn't afraid of snakes either, but IS extremely afraid of mice! I wonder if frogs can be a replacement food if I end up having to leave for a couple weeks.
3) I was told that they also eat gerbils in the wild, and that one can scent rats with gerbils. However, I was also told that hamsters have the same scent effect, and that I can feed hamsters if the snake refuses rats. Hamsters are the same price as rats where I live, so is this an option or will it not make any difference?
4) HUMIDITY - I have read in various care sheets that ball pythons need relatively HIGH humidity. However, on Melissa Kaplan's website, she says that everyone is giving their balls too high humidity and that they are actually used to warm and dry climates on Africa, and that only a water bowl is required for soaking, and that high humidity is actually harmful and causes skin problems. Which is true?
5) HEATING - I plan on using a regular basking bulb for daytime heat (ok?), and at night, I can't decide between an under the tank heating pad or one of those blue/red light bulbs. I know that the blue or red lights are bad for iguanas as it disturbs their sleep. But since Balls are nocturnal, is this an issue? Will it affect them adversely? Or should I go with an under tank pad? I strongly prefer a bulb if it won't affect them as I can use a dimmer to adjust temperatures.
6) Is it ok for me to use a regular aquarium tank (40 gallon) with a custom made screen top? If so, how do I secure the screen top so it can't escape? I can't drill into the glass to make a hinge, and as the snake gets stronger I worry it will be able to open it. I was thinking perhaps of making something that can be sort of a clip-on to the top of the tank?
7) Am I better off with a side opening vivarium? They are not available anywhere here actually, so I am actually stumped on that.
8) I will of course select a healthy snake, but I understand that Inclusion Body Disease (inclusion body disease) is common in pythons and can be asymptonmatic but lethal. Does inclusion body disease only affect boids? Or can it harm my iguana too? What other risks to the iguana I already have by bringing home a new animal?
9) One more thing, if I do the undertank heating pad, do you have links to specific recommended products? They are ok to be under glass,plastic etc. right? And should I put it only under HALF the tank to provide a thermal gradient at night?

Hope I will get some answers for these. Thanks!

1) Ball pythons can be fussy feeders, it is a typical ball python trait, particularly with males around breeding season, but this can be true of many species.

2) A varied diet is always better - however, in answer to this question and Q3, feeding items such as gerbils and hamsters and frogs can be difficult and not advisable, particularly because if the snake takes to those food items it can be difficult to get them back onto rats and mice. Ball pythons may also be less likely to take such items as frogs, as they are not really part of their natural diet, as they are with species such as Hognoses. It is also advised, although I'm sure you know this, to only feed pre-killed items.

4) Ball pythons do best with moderate humidity - levels of 50-60% and higher during sheds. Extrememly high humidity should be avoided, as should lower humidity, as both can cause respiratory infections among other problems.

5) It depends on what you keep the snake in as to what you use as a heat source - ceramic heaters, attached to thermostats of course, and guarded, are probably the best heating you can use, but UTHs and bulbs can work just as well. We keep our ball pythons in plastic racks, and use heat cable as an under tank heater, attached to a thermostat, on at all times, and this heats the enclosures to the right temp suitably. In other enclosures we use guarded bulbs, others ceramics, so it depends on various factors, such as tank size, tank material, etc. A background heat at night will suffice, but night lights can be used, but nothing emitting light as such should be used as it will affect their photoperiod as it would with a diurnal reptile.

6+7) Again this depends on various factors, such as what you have available to you, what you prefer to use, which keeps the environmental factors best. You need an educated guess with this one - we use wooden enclosures, glass tanks and plastic racks with all our snakes, and have preferences for different types depending on the snake's needs and habits and so on.

8) inclusion body disease only affects boids, as far as research is aware. It actually has many symptoms, including "star-gazing" for example, and is in fact quite rare. It is a killer but I wouldn't be overly concerned with something like that. Look out for other signs of a generally healthy snake - watch for mites, check for feeding records, a good girth and strong muscle structure, not aggressive but alert and active, bright eyes, unless in shed of course...

Any new animal brought home should be put into quarantine for at least a period of 3 months, to watch for signs of health, to make sure the animal is eating and defacating normally, and so on. When you bring a new reptile in, keep it in an enclosure away from, preferably in another room, to your ig and any other reptiles, keep its enclosure as simple as possible so you can spot warning signs more easily and make sure hands are clean between handling animals to stop anything from spreading. It is also advisable to have a vet check and a faecal exam with a specialist reptile vet if you are worried about things like illness.

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"If you know everything you may as well blow your brains out because the reason for existence is to learn more everyday." - Mark O'Shea, 2004

OH YES, one more thing, if I go with a Ceramic Heat Emitter at night, can the temps be adjusted with a dimmer much like a lightbulb?

Thanks Rachel. What exactly IS "Star-Gazing"? Looking into space?

Ok so if I go for an acquarium with a screen top design, I probably shouldnt use a Ceramic Heat Emitter, right? As the Ceramic Heat Emitter would be above it and the heat would rise UP away instead of decend into the tank?

If I go for a Under Tank Heater, what brand is recommended?

Reptile specific Under Tank Heater is more easily available to me. I have heard some say that reptile Under Tank Heater such as Exo-Terra are better than human versions, and some say they are worse and unpredictable. What's the deal with that?

Where would I get a human heating pad if that's better and what are the requirements etc. I should look for? I know it must NOT have an auto-off feature, and hsould have hi-med-lo settings. Anything else?

AH I'm not sure what my setup's gonna be. Why not everyone show pics of your setups and heating or describe it so I can get some ideas?

hello, as a new python owner myself there is still some things I probably need to learn,but from what Ive read youre doing the right thing by researching before before you get the snake. Um some things ive picked up are choices,make sure you provide your python with a warm and cool side and that it has multiple hides so it can choose where it wants to be(humid,warm,a basking spot,and the dish to soak are a good start). For heating I use an under tank heating pad(Under Tank Heater) to achieve the correct belly temp and some sort of bulb to achieve the correct ambient temp.Keep a warm side and a cool side. I use a regular 60 watt bulb and for those cold nights I add a black light. That is my cheap version though. The Under Tank Heater also helps me offer the warm hide the humid hide and to heat a bowl of water I keep in the aquarium to provide humidity,and when the levels get low I mist the aquarium. An aquarium will be fine but if you have the money to go another route and thats how you want it go with a vivarium. I guess that is what it really comes down to,how you want to present your reptile. Yes you can provide and adequate enviorment with an aquarium, but if the viv is for you than go for it.I cant speak on how to heat or keep the correct humidity levels with a viv so someone else can chime in on that one. For space, I think to much space can stress your snake out, I think the most that you will ever need is maybe a 20 gallon or so when full grown. And my top is just a screen top with 3/4 of the top covered with plexi-glass drilled for ventilation(to help keep humidity in) and Ive secured it with a regular bungee cord,kinda tacky but it works. About humidity all Ive ever read was 40-60% so thats where I keep it. And honestly never heard about feeding frogs but I dont know it may be possible. Ive always read that they live in the rodent burroughs because they like the confinement and that they ate the rodents(mice,rats,gerbils,hamsters etc.) those are the cheapest and easiest to come by.Elvis ,my BP, was already a couple years old (or rather 1.5 lbs,and 32 in)when I got him so I switched him to f/t rats and he is doing fine.Yes finicky but he eats when he is hungry. Elvis is more tame and has less aggression and claws and tail than my old igs Oscar or Reptar. He is a reptile my 2yr old can enjoy too. The picture is an older pic the tank has changed a little but here is hat I have, this was the day I changed from mice to f/t rats I had the rat on the top of the aquarium thawing and he was serching for it

Attached Images

Copy of Elvis in his tank#3.jpg (44.6 KB, 10 views)

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1.0.0 BP(Elvis)
0.1.freezer full Rats
1.1.0 Cats(Thunder,Dicey)


Future Herps:Common or Red Tail Boa

I need to address a few things.
Where did you get this idea? BP's in the wild feed almost exclusively on rodents, such things as gerboas and rats. If you look at a BP's face you will see a row of pits around the lips. These are heat sensors that enable the snake to find their warm blooded prey in the dark.

You can feed a varied diet but it is unnecesssary. BPs do not eat frogs.

Going for a couple of weeks without being fed is no big deal. BPs are known to fast for months voluntarily. As for the GF being afraid of mice. FT is the answer as well as being safer for the snake. You just thaw them out, warm them up and dinner is served!

Rats are the preferred feeders. They have a lot more meat on them than hamsters and gerbils. BPs are notorious for getting hooked on gerbils and not eating anything else. Stick with plain old rats.

Ball Pythons live in the African savannah and grasslands. This is an arid region but they also have access to places of higher humidity if they need it. When they go down in to a burrow or other excavation the humidity is much higher. If you provide them with a humid hide or simply increase humidity when shedding they will do fine. They do not live in a swamp and excess humidity can be harmful. A constantly wet substrate will lead to blister disease.

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A regular household bulb will do fine for heating. I use a Ceramic heating element for the heat and it runs 24/7. If your night time temps do not drop below 70-75 degrees no additional heating is required.

I use a standard 55 gal tank for my pair. The screen top will work but it will make it more difficult to control humidity. I would close off part of the screen while still leaving enough opening for air flow. To secure the top is simple. There are commercially available clips that attach to the top and the tank.
A set up I use for my boa tank is very simple and uses velcro. There is a strip of the bottom section of the velcro on top of the lid and a corresponding strip on the side of the tank just below the lip of the screen top. A single strip of the top part of the velcro attaches to the top of the corners and then is pulled down to hook the velcro on the side of the tank. The top strip of velcro is making an L from the top to the side. Does that make sense?
All my viv's open from the top except my ig cage. While a side opening viv is nice we have been doing without them for years.

To the best of my knowledge inclusion body disease is exclusive to boas and pythons. And there is no cure.
The main danger to your iguana is mites and possibley other diseases or parasites that the new snake may be carrying. Simple quarantine proceedures and cleanliness should reduce any hazard.

I use Human type heating pads under my sterilites. The standard reptile heating pad might get hot enough to blister a plastic bottom but I will let others speak to that as I have no experience with them. And you only put the heat source on 1/3 of the bottom so the snake can get off the hot part when needed.

If I have confused you let me know.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Merlin, with regards to 1), It is from Melissa Kaplan:
http://www.anapsid.org/ball.html
Third paragraph. I've been told by several that is wrong, but I always thought MK was reliable?

With regards to the GF, she is afraid of mice, live or frozen!!! She literally breaks out into a red rash all over her face and chest even when she sees HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS of rats on witch displays etc. But the most I will ever be away would be about 3 months, and that happens every few (4 - 5) years, so I think it will be ok since you say that they won't starve if not eat for that period of time.

Ok, regarding heating. Let's say that night temps CAN fall below 75 degrees. What should I use as a night heat? I gather the following would work:
1) Undertank heater pad - However, I was also told this doesn't increase AMBIENT air temp, but only the "belly" temp? I take it that it heats the glass bottom but not the air much? Is this true? If there are months when the temp drops below 75 at night, what can I use at night? Do you NEED to give both ambient temp heat and belly heat (whatever that means)?
2) Blue/red light - no one has told me if that is ok yet?
3) Ceramic Heat Emitter - Ok, let say if I go with a open top enclosure like Merlin does, the Ceramic Heat Emitter would obviously have to go on top above it as a lamp would, right? But since it is not a light beam like a lamp, wouldn't the heat just go UP instead of into the tank? I do know from experience that when you heat a plastic tank from the side, that the inside actually does NOT get much heat at all, and it just heats up the plastic walls.

Merlin, you use an acquarium. How do you secure the screen top?
Big daddy suggested bungy cord and I will research into that.
I basically need a set up where I can bring the snake home for a while for the first week and I can build a perfect one later, as I did for the iguana. I'm sure it will do better regardless than where it is now. I know a lot of people use those huge rubber storage boxes for starters... I know its about choices but want to know what works best.
Please help me sort this out, or at least get a shopping list down before the snake is snapped up by some other people.

By the way, it won't be colder than 75 here at night for a few months but I know it will towards the end of the year and I want to be prepared for EVERYTHING right off the bat. I know some of you will think Im paranoid and maybe I am but I think its better to care too much than too little when it comes to getting a live animal.

MK is fairly knowledgeable regarding iguanas but on this point she is apparently confused. I have never heard of any ball python feeding on anything but warmblooded prey. In fact one of the problems people have with feeding FT is not getting the prey warm enough. If its not warm they won't hit it.

Not feeding for three months is not a big thing in the life of one of these snakes. My male has routinely fasted for 5-6 months each winter. just make sure that they have water.
Ambient heat is the heat of the air in the enclosure. Belly heat heats the body of the animal. If the snake's body is warm but the air it is breathing is too cool it can lead to respiratory problems.

The Under Tank Heater will heat the air by nature of the fact that the heat will rise. As long as the ambient temperature in the room isn't too cold this will suffice. You will just have to check the air temp with a thermometer.

A Ceramic Heat Emitter does project heat like a light bulb. The way it is designed points the heat a particular way. Of course you also have a reflecting dome on the Ceramic Heat Emitter.

I personally don't care for any light emitting night heat source. However since they are active at night one of the blue reptile lights would probably be acceptable.

I described my tank closure in the post above. There is a peice of velcro on the top of each corner and then below it on the side of the tank. You use the other section of the velcro as a latch hooking it on the top and then pulling it down and attaching it to the velcro on the side of the tank.
Paranoid,...no,...thorough,....YES!
We LOVE hearing that attitude from new keepers.
Its a much better way of looking at things than,
"Hey I got this thing, what do I do with it now?"

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Sounds like you got some thorough help there Anthony.

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0.1.0 Brazilian Rainbow boa (Sakura)
1.1.0 Leopard geckos (Tasuki, Sango)
2.0.0 Ball pythons (Tsume, Kenshin)