Download Hectic Life Reptiles Ball Python Care Sheet

Hectic Life Reptiles Ball Python Care Sheet
Jessica and Nick Ambrose (254) 702-1235
Enclosure: If you are just maintaining one or two animals, your most economical
option will be a traditional enclosure like an aquarium. Aquariums were all that was
available for years, but now there are specially designed reptile cages that are more ideal.
If you choose an aquarium with a screen top, I recommend putting some weight on it,
such as a concrete brick or buying metal cage clips. The enclosure should be of adequate
size to comfortably house the snake as it grows.
Heat/Humidity: I recommend using an under tank heater that covers about 1/3 of the
bottom of the enclosure. Avoid hot rocks as these can inflict sever burns and are not
good for snakes. Get a thermometer and lay it in the cage above the heater, adjust the
heat pad or heat cable as needed until one side of it is at 95 degrees. It is not critical to
measure the cage humidity. Misting the cage a couple of times per week is usually
adequate. As with many aspects of good husbandry, watch your animal, if they are
having dry sheds or shedding in patches, mist more often to try and raise the humidity. If
they are shedding in a single shed do not change anything. Check the sheds to ensure that
the Eye caps (lenses of the eyes) have shed, if not please contact me.
Substrate: There are several good choices for substrates that will work well. I like
Aspen bedding, but newspaper or reptile carpet will work as well. However, if you do use
aspen bedding be sure to feed your snake at a different location, if aspen is ingested it can
cause death. It is best to get substrate that can be changed out and then the entire cage can
be sanitized. When you add the substrate, it should stay around 88-94F on the substrate
above the heater. This will allow the animal to thermo-regulate or choose its own
temperature.
Water: Fresh, clean water is one of the most important parts of maintaining a healthy
ball python. Clean water should always be provided. The water should be changed and
the water bowl sanitized at least once a week. We have found that the Pyrex dishes
available at any Wal-Mart are the best. They are almost impossible to spill which can be
a real problem with some snakes. Make sure that the bowl is able to fit the whole snake.
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Furnishing: Any branches or plastic plants should be arranged in such a way that they
are easy to remove for cleaning. A hide box should also be provided. This hiding place
will give your snake a place to go to feel secure and reduce the stress of captivity. Many
will say Ball pythons are not arboreal (tree climbing) however, some prefer to be in a tree
rather than a hide box. Take this into consideration and give the snake the option.
Feeding: Ball Pythons will feed readily on rats and mice. There are periods of time
during the year when fasting is common. Sometimes the fast can last several months and
seems to be part of the normal life cycle of a Ball Python. It is possible to feed Ball
Pythons thawed prey items. This will make feeding very convenient because you can
keep food items in the freezer at all times. If you choose to feed live prey, the live prey
should be killed prior to being fed. Do not place a live rodent in with your snake, as they
can cause severe damage to the eyes and scales of the snake.
Problem Feeding: When you first receive your Ball Python, introduce it into the
enclosure and allow it a couple of days to settle in before attempting to feeding. If you
find after waiting a couple of days, that your snake still does not want to eat for you,
follow these instructions.
1. Get a LIVE small mouse or rat fuzzy.
2. At night, not just dark, but at NIGHT, open the enclosure and place the prey item
in the cage. Secure the lid.
3. Turn the lights off in the room and LEAVE. Do not sit and stare through the
glass even in the dark, just leave.
4. After an hour, sneak into the room, make sure the snake is not in the process of
eating before you turn on the lights. If the prey item is still uneaten, remove it and do not
attempt any feeding for at least 5 days.
5. Repeat these steps every 5 days for 3 attempts. Do not try to feed every day.
This can stress the already stressed animal. It also lessens the scent and heat
stimuli of the food.
If you purchased your snake from us, please contact us after the first time this does
not work. It is nothing to be alarmed about, but we want to be involved in getting
things on the right track. Sometimes shipping can stress an animal out and make it
stop eating for a few weeks. Please call us and keep us informed of any problems
with your reptiles. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free
to call us.
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