Looking for tips and maybe a buyer for my first snake I’m very excited and have wanted one for a long time
Here is a general guideline for BPs.
Enclosure Size:
Babies- 20gal long, or 12qt bin for temporary housing.
Juveniles- 20-40gal long, or 60qt bin for temporary housing.
Subadult- 40-120gal long
Adult- 120gal
Cage Parameters:
Basking- No higher than 90°F
Warm end- 84-86°F
Cool end- 72-75°F
Ambient humidity- 55-60%
General Setup:
•Plenty of places to hide, Ball Pythons like dark snug areas (at least 2).
•Fake plants for clutter, BPs can easily smother live plants so they’re not reccomended.
•Coconut chip bedding is better than Aspen shavings, it holds humidity more, it is not dusty and is much more tolerant of moisture.
•UTH or DHP are much better for heating than heat lamps, heat lamps are far too drying and tend to overheat easily. Always make sure you have a thermostat hooked up to the heating element to ensure you are getting the correct temperature.
•A water bowl that is big enough to allow the BP to sit in if desired, make sure it is sturdy enough that a BP cannot flip it over and spill its contents.
Feeding:
Frozen-Thawed is always preferred over live rodents. Live rodents, especially rats, run the risk of seriously injuring or killing BPs. F/T rodents are also more available to order in bulk online and ship to your residence.
Baby feeding- 15% body weight (grams) 1x a week.
Juvenile feeding- 15% body weight (grams) every 10 days.
Subadult male feeding- 10% body weight (grams) every 10 days.
Subadult female feeding- 15% body weight (grams) every 10 days.
Adult male feeding- 10% body weight (grams) every 14 days.
Adult female feeding- 15% body weight (grams) every 14 days.
Note- Having a good scale that can accurately measure your snake’s weight in grams is very helpful in monitoring growth and deciding on which prey size is suitable.
Note 2- Ball Pythons can be very picky eaters if their setup or parameters are subpar, be mindful that your setup is adequate before bringing one home. Male BPs can be picky once they reach sexual maturity (usually around the 1 year mark and onward during winter-spring) so expect males to occasionally go off of food.
We cannot reccomend any specific seller as it is against Community Guidelines. However MorphMarket has a wide array you can choose from.
Some of the highest quality feeders in the US are PerfectPrey and ColdBloodedCafe; people who rescue or own raptors (birds of prey, eagles, falcons etc) also get this feeder brand. It’s a little pricey for shipping, but it’s entirely worth it to make sure you and your pet have the best experience possible (never buy in store feeders unless you live in Florida… those smell bad 9 times out of 10 and are NOT safe for your pet)
Also, MOAR PLANTS (for a bp, fake plants) are ALLLWAYYSSS BETTTERRR they make snek hapi, which make u hapi. Don’t bother yourself with how the plants look to you, just make sure you’re utilizing as much space for enrichment opportunities as you can. Bps are also “semi-arboreal” which just means they like the occasional perch.
Frankly, ive only had one bp, I love reptiles, I study biology for fun, its so worth it to see them grow and thrive and laugh at yourself when you freak out about small things (unless.. Theyre not small… but I was freaking out because my snake’s sheds are usually crumpled, so Yk)
And technically, because technically, I’m not suggesting any one particular seller, so DO NOT buy morphs that are known for having issues like spider, spotenose, and a couple others. IMO, it’s honestly a little cruel to breed something thats going to have a physiological or neurological issue even when you do everything else perfectly.
The info Christina (csmreptiles) provided you is a good starting point
I will follow up withe the three most important things you need: Research. More research. Even more research
I am not being flippant or a jerk by saying this. I would say it to anyone that is looking to get into the hobby. Far far too many people have entered into this hobby with the mindset that a five minute Google speedrun is all they need. You have already taken the first solid steps by asking questions here and that is great. I am encouraging you to do more. Dig deep through the forums… Read threads (please do not necro them)… Figure out who the reliable and informative members are and consider dropping them a DM… Talk to breeders… Look up research papers if that is your thing… Write a report (seriously. I have mentioned multiple times here on the boards how I made both of my kids do this before I let them get animals they wanted)… Make
Sure
You
Can
ID
Morphs
On
Your
Own
(Sorry… This is a personal gripe for me because I see way too many people breeding things they cannot even identify because they never bothered to actually learn and it frustrates me to no end)…
Ask questions. Ask more questions. Ask even more questions
Something I don’t see mentioned yet is the importance of locating a reptile vet who is accessible to you. Reptiles can become ill as do humans for various reasons . It’s best to have a vet lined up. Proactive is always better than reactive.
Keep in mind that a trip to a reptile vet is pricey. Be prepared to shell out some cash. People often try to get an illness diagnosed on social media. Your animal deserves the right to be treated by a medical professional…..
Edit to add: I meant this post to go to you @skipperb
Can confirm. I just had a $500 visit last week. The previous issue was $2000 over a couple visits.