How does this sound for a Ball Python setup?

Question

40 gallon tank with secure lid- 130
Thermometer/ Humidity gauges- 11
Substrate (Aspen)- 10
Large Water Dish- 18
Hiding- 14


**What kind of lighting do ball pythons need/want? I would like to be able to seen my snake too

Answer 1

if the snake is a baby the 40 gallon will prob be to big could stress the snake out and cause it not to eat.. i would go with a 10 gallon for a baby

Answer 2

If this is a baby, the cage is way to big. They will become stressed out and not eat (already a problem with BP's) I suggest a 20g or having a piece of wood/plexi cut to the height/width of cage and seperating the 40 into a smaller cage for the time being.

Use digital with a probe, not stick on gauges/thermometers. Stick on's are well known for being several degree's to high/low and you can't move them around. As mentioned, add a thermostat/rheostat if you can afford one as it will help. If not, just check your temps every day or so. Getting too hot is more of a problem than cooling down. Remember to take into account the ambient temp of your own home, this will affect the temp of your cage.

Aspen is the perfect substrate for a ball python, other than newspaper.

It is better to provide belly heat in the form of a human heating pad(you can control the heat!) or reptile heating mat, both to be placed outside the cage. There are also forms of heating cables/vine/rope available which can be placed in the cage, on the bottom, wrapped around climbing branches or even around rocks/bricks. Careful of where you put them and the temp they emit. Remember to only have the heating in 1/3 to 1/2 of the cage, giving the snake a choice of temperatures to choose from

As for viewing light, try a normal househould light or use florescent lighting as it does not put off much excess heat. A little UVB will not hurt your snake and in some cases has proven to increase the depth of their colors.

I would be sure to add a humid hide to the cage. Take an appropriately sized container w/lid, cut a small hole on the side for an entrance and place on the warm side of the cage. Fill the bottom with damp newspaper, paper towel or moss. This way when the BP needs extra humidity, he will have access to it.

One other item to invest in.... a plastic storage box w/ lid and a few holes poked in for air for feeding. Walmart has them cheap. Be sure its not to big but do give him some room to move around his food. Always feed your snake outside of his cage.

Answer 3

Yeah, a baby could be kept in a 40 gallon, but have a lot of hides in there. You need an under tank heat pad--snake digest with belly heat. A digital probe thermometer is best--stick the probe down on the glass over the UTH. Use a thermostat or dimmer switch to keep temps about 85F.

Answer 4

add a thermostat or rheostat to keep the temps within reccomended ranges and all looks good. lighting doesnt matter. ambient sunlight should suffice just remember that sunlight (direct) adds to the temp inside the tank.. uva and uvb rays arent required. the snake gets all nourishment from the prey it eats.

Answer 5

As Mystic said, you really just nead a heat lamp over one side of the tank, so it can cool off if it wants. My lights are usually just on from 10 am to 9 pm, it's normal for it to cool at night.

Answer 6

Good advice to add thermostat or rheostat, but you will need a heat pad to use it on.

Balls are nocturnal, so lighting is not needed. It is more often just used for display purposes. Any light will work really

Answer 7

I recommend that you buy a real snake cage. The lid is not "secure" regardless of what they tell you at the pet shop.
If you don't believe me, just check out all of the "help, my snake escaped and I can't find it" questions here on yahoo answers.