Ball Python Care
Information about Ball Pythons (Python regius)
Python regius - is a nonvenomous python species found in Africa. They are also known as Royal Pythons or the more popular Ball Pythons. They are the smallest of the African pythons and popular in the pet trade for being docile and having so many readily available morphs. A ball python is a friendly snake and an open coloring book for breeders that know what they are doing breeding the morphs.
Ball pythons make a great snake for a beginning snake owner. Parents please click here to see why ball pythons are a great pet for your child!
All about Ball Pythons
Ball pythons get their name because when threatened or confronted, the ball python rolls themselves into a tight ball, tucking their head inside their coils, and avoids the situation at every opportunity. Ball pythons are known for being the most forgiving snake for new handlers as they would usually rather do anything than actually strike at you. Ball pythons grow to a maximum size of 3-5 feet, are not anywhere near as large as many of the other constricting snakes that can be kept as pets. Ball pythons are NOT the gigantic pythons you may read about in the news. These are small pythons and as close to a harmless snake as you can buy. If you ever see a ball python that strikes wildly or otherwise acts in a mean manner, the poor ball python has not been taken care of properly and is probably starving. You should not buy a ball python like this unless you are prepared to dump $60 worth of rats into its mouth relatively quick to get it back to the normal ball python it wants to be! A vet visit or two along the way is likely as well. Don't buy it to 'save' it. You are just encouraging a seller that is mistreating his ball pythons to continue.
Commitment
Ball pythons can live for a long time with proper care, up to 50 years, although 20-30 years appears to be more typical. Please be prepared to provide the ball python with a home for the entirety of its life before purchasing it. Always do your homework before the purchase of any pet! There are way too many pets on craigslist already and I don't want to see one of my beautiful babies end up there unwanted. Also, ball pythons cost money to purchase, depending on the morph or color/pattern, it can be cheap to very expensive, but that's not all; The proper setup isn't drastically expensive but isn't cheap either and should be considered. See below. Then the ball python food costs money every week or two. So please don't take the purchase of a ball python lightly. If you purchase one, you need to meet all their needs, including a vet visit if necessary. There are no 'disposable' pets!
Choosing a Ball Python
Look for a young, captive bred (CB) ball python, from a breeder- not a pet store. Breeders can almost always beat pet store pricing (don't believe me - ask me! :), provide healthier ball pythons, and provide you an additional information resource before and after the sale that a pet store usually cannot provide (WC, CH or CB, lineage, eating charts, weight history, help, etc.). Choose a ball python that has a well rounded body, clean/clear eyes and vent, and that shows no signs of respiratory problems (wheezing when held, mouth open a lot, mucous around or large bubbles in the mouth, or nasal discharge). Look for a ball python that is alert, curious and gently grips your hand/arms when handled. Find a ball python that looks as interested in you as you are to him/her. The ball python may be a little skittish at first when held but should calm down after only a minute of handling. If you can, ask for a feeding demonstration to be sure the ball python readily takes a meal.
Looking for a healthy CB ball python for sale, see what we have available!
Captive Bred Ball Pythons are the Best
Wild caught (WC) ball pythons are somewhat notorious for refusing to eat. They also tend to be very stressed from capture and transport and very often have a large parasite infestation that you don't want inside your ball python! Captive bred (CB) ball pythons do not usually have these issues and tend to be a little more expensive to purchase, but they are well worth it! If the price looks too good, ask if its wild caught (WC) or captive hatched (CH). If the ball python is not captive bred (CB), you don't want to purchase it. All of our breeders are CB ball pythons and all of our babies are therefore CB as well.
Looking for a healthy CB ball python for sale, see what we have available!
Quick setup for a baby Ball Python
Setup for a ball python can sometimes exceed the purchase price of the ball python, so please consider this before buying!
Here's the quick and dirty on setup for a single CB ball python baby:
1 - 10 gallon aquarium with lockable screen top for reptiles (Petco often has new aquariums for sale 1$ per gallon for its Pet-Co shopping club members(club membership is free), or craigslist sells aquariums for almost nothing- but please clean the heck out of it and make sure its escape proof before buying it!) With most pets, you go ahead and buy the biggest enclosure you can afford as the pet will grow into it. Ball pythons do NOT work that way. A large aquarium will stress a baby ball python and cause them to stop eating. The aquarium must grow with the ball python. Sorry! They need to feel safe to thrive and a smaller piece of land to control makes them more comfortable.
1- small luggage combo/key lock to lock the lid of your aquarium. Parents keep the key or combo. Remember safety 1st. Check Amazon.com
1- small Under Tank Heater (UTH) pad made for heating reptiles. The UTH is placed on the outside bottom of the aquarium on the warm side. Plug this UTH into the Thermostat. Place the Thermostat probe right next to the UTH pad under the tank so its touching the bottom of the aquarium glass that the UTH is heating. Check lllreptile.com or bigappleherp.com
1- Thermostat made for reptiles. Thermostats are mandatory for proper care of your ball python. Set to 90 degrees for the warm side. Check lllreptile.com or bigappleherp.com
2- Thermometer gauges. Put one on each side of the aquarium (hot and colder side) to monitor the proper ten degree gradient (80-90F). Check lllreptile.com or bigappleherp.com
1- Water bowl with flat heavy bottom so water bowl cant be tipped by weight of the ball python on it. Place the bowl on the colder side of the aquarium. Keep filled 1/3 way up with fresh water. Check Thrift stores or Wal-Mart
1- Batch of newly printed (few days old) newspapers from any newspaper publisher for substrate. Make sure the newspapers were stored inside with no chance of bugs getting into them. They're FREE! Free is good!
1or2- Hide boxes. Don't spend more than a dollar here. You probably have small butter tubs or some small tub in your refrigerator (non-see through) that can be emptied, cleaned and cut to the right size for your ball python. Just make them just high enough for your ball python to get under them and feel the hide on his back and sides. Provide a decent size opening that's just big enough for him to pull his food in through. Try to provide a hide on both sides of the aquarium (hot and warm side).
1- Big bottle of Germ-X or Anti-bacterial soap.
1- Buy cleaning supplies to be used ONLY with your reptile. A scrub brush just for your reptile and not your family dishes too, Yuk city!
1- Get a good supply of properly sized F/T feeders for your ball python to eat!
Anything else you want to put into the aquarium should either be thoroughly cleaned with very diluted bleach mixture or if its made of wood or something, boil it first. Keep the aquarium clean like you're an OCD freak! =)
Place the aquarium some where in your house that is warm and safe from main traffic and out of drafts. A lot of traffic will stress the ball python. Get your aquarium setup right, nice and warm before purchasing the ball python.
Detailed Housing
Ball pythons are not very active snakes, so a smaller enclosure is fine (10-20 gallon tank for younger snakes, 30 gallon tank for an adult) with a securely fitted top and clips or sliding screen to keep them locked in (escape proof!).
-Substrate: newspaper (free and clean [no bugs] from most newspaper printers), simple paper towels, or reptile carpet is preferred over shredded bark or aspen wood. We prefer newspaper for our breeders and paper towels for our babies. If you do use newspaper, know that the printer ink from the newspaper will make your ball pythons colors a little darker or duller temporarily until their next shed cycle. You can get newspaper without printing ink on it, but then I doubt it will be free. I like free! Never use pine or cedar anywhere near your ball python. Both emit oils and fumes that are toxic to your ball python. Use Aspen if you must use a wood bedding.
-Furnishings: dark hide boxes just large enough for the ball python to pull his food through, they like to feel securely enclosed on all sides. A perfect hide touches the snake on all sides including from above and provides a big enough entrance for them to get into and pull their food through. You can purchase one from a local pet store or you can make your own which doesn't take much effort or imagination to cut the cost.
-Temperature: Ball pythons being nocturnal need to get heat from below on their bellies to digest meals properly. Under tank heating (UTH) pads work fantastic with a reptile thermostat to control the temperature from getting too hot and burning your ball python. If you are using an aquarium to house your ball python, an easy way to provide a proper gradient of heat is to put the under tank heater (UTH) pad under one side of the tank heating only 1/3 of the tank floor area. This side of the tank should be maintained at 90 degrees with a reptile thermostat connected to the UTH. In this way the middle of the tank should be approx 85 degrees and the farthest away from the heater (other side of the tank) should be approx 80 degrees. This allows the ball python to move about to the temperature that best suits him. Place the water bowl on the cooler side. At night the temps can drop slightly but temps should never go below 75 degrees. NEVER use heat rocks! Heat rocks will certainly burn your ball python's belly sooner or later. Put a thermometer on each side of the aquarium to monitor temperatures. Put a hide on each side so the ball python doesn't have to give up security to adjust its belly warmth.
-Lighting: Ball pythons, because they are nocturnal, do not have any special lighting requirements other than normal night/day cycles as they need their warmth on their bellies to digest properly. If you choose to have a light above your enclosure (not required), incandescent bulbs should not be used at night. Instead, use red or black (night) bulbs with a timer to preserve the night/daytime cycle the ball python needs (12hr/12hr is fine). Any lights are better suspended over the enclosure rather than placed on to the top of the screen top. Please do not put a light inside the enclosure where the ball python can come into contact with it and burn itself. Any exposed light bulbs or heating elements will burn your ball python.
-Water & Humidity: Fresh, clean water should always be available for your ball python. Provide a water dish large enough for the snake to soak in if it wishes. Soaking is especially important during shed cycles. Ball pythons shed several times a year. This is normal as they grow. The humidity in the tank should stay around 60 - 75% to help with the shedding process. Place the water bowl on the cool side of the tank in a water bowl that cannot be tipped over by the ball python. If your ball python doesn't shed well (in one piece), (1) make sure your enclosure setup is correct, or (2) consider adding a small humidifier to the room with a timer that allows the humidifier to activate a few times a day for a few minutes.
Looking for a healthy CB ball python for sale, see what we have available!
Hygiene
-Ball Python/Enclosure: Keep the ball python's enclosure clean. This will save you so much money in vet bills! I promise you that you have won half the battle by just keeping the enclosure clean! See your ball python has made a mess, clean it up immediately. Don't wait.
-You or any other human that touches the ball python or it's enclosure: Wash your hands with either anti-bacterial soap or a Germ-X type hand cleaner before and after touching your ball python EVERY TIME! Get in the habit! Wash hands, handle the reptile, wash hands!
Holding and Picking up your Ball Python
First, hold and play with your ball python once every few days. Enjoy! Each time you hold your ball python should be an opportunity for each of you to grow more trust between each other. Approach and hold your ball python with confidence. They can feel your confidence and they in turn will feel more confident and safe. However, its important for you to know that excessive (every day) holding of your ball python is stressful to him/her. If you want a pet to pick up and hold each and every day, a different type of pet is probably best. Excessive stress affects the ball python's immune system and will make them vulnerable to sickness. Holding and spending time with them once every few days is great!
Second, when picking up your ball python, please realize your ball python is immediately trying to determine if you are friend or foe, food or a possible predator, or his best bud(you). You must clean your hands so that no smells remain of your dog, cat, etc that might trick your ball python into thinking your hand could be food. Use the Germ-X before picking the ball python up each time. Also, don't reach for their face or move too quickly. Surprise is not something they enjoy. Just confidently reach for the side of their body and lift the ball python up. The ball python knows that food is not going to be able to lift them up. If you open the enclosure and see your ball python is agitated or wary for some reason, distract the ball python with your other hand at a distance (remember they track prey by movement, heat, sight and smell), and pick him up with the other hand. The ball python will immediately switch modes to nice snake realizing that you are not prey. By the way, if your ball python frequently seems agitated, try feeding your ball python a little smaller rodent(s) more often. If you feed your ball python a medium rat once every two weeks, try a small rat or two each week instead. If your ball python isn't docile, content and inquisitive, evaluate what you are doing wrong and correct it.
Feeding
There is so much to be said about feeding ball pythons! I've found it easier to explain by a Q and A type format. I hope you agree.
What do I feed my ball python?
Ball pythons should be offered appropriately sized mice and/or rat feeders. We breed clean rats only here at Ball Python Cafe and that is what is provided to our ball pythons from birth. Mice stink Peeeeyouuu! Also, eventually as your ball python grows, mice aren't going to be able to cut it anymore as a proper sized feeder or food source. You will eventually have to transition your ball python to eating rats anyway. Mice are "snake candy" to ball pythons and once established on mice, it can be very difficult to get a ball python to change its eating habits back to rats, although it can be done. Stick with rats as food from the start!
How big should the feeder(s) offered be for my ball python?
A general rule is that the feeders size should never exceed the ball python's largest girth. However, I've found that a smaller feeder is better and easier on your ball pythons digestive tract! If your ball python does its business in the water bowl, then you fed it too big of a feeder and he/she needed the assistance of the water to pass it successfully. To give you some perspective, a baby ball python starts on live pinky rats or fuzzy rats. Fuzzy rats offer a bigger target for the baby ball python to aim at over a pinky. Spend awhile with fuzzy rats, then progress through rat pups, and weanlings as your ball python grows and feels more confident. Watch their reactions during feedings. WARNING: If feeding live rats to your ball python, when a rat opens its eyes at the pup or weanling stage, THEY ARE NOW DANGEROUS to your ball python and can potentially kill the ball python if left unsupervised. Please DO NOT leave live rats with their eyes open in the enclosure with your ball python overnight! Ball pythons are so docile, they will literally allow a rat to eat on them! When you begin to feed rats with their eyes open is a perfect time to transition to frozen/ fresh-thawed rats, instead of live rats. Juvenile to adult ball pythons up to 2000 grams (pretty big), are very comfortable eating small rat feeders at each feeding. Adult ball pythons over 2000 grams can be carefully offered medium rat feeders. Large rat feeders and bigger really have no place being fed to ball pythons at all.
How often should my ball python be offered feeders (a feeding)?
Baby ball pythons should be offered pinky or fuzzy feeders every four to five days. Ball pythons over 200 grams should normally only need to be offered feeder(s) once a week and then every two weeks as an adult. Pay attention to your ball python, feed more often if they seem to be hungry. A ball python in an S neck lying still looking at you through the aquarium is hungry and ready to eat.
How do I feed my ball python more than one feeders?
Your ball python should be offered feeders, one at a time - allowing the ball python to completely consume the feeder and move it to his belly before offering the next- until he/she refuses to eat or until he/she has eaten four feeders in one feeding. Never feed your ball python more than four appropriate sized feeder(s) in one feeding even if it still seems hungry. Ball Pythons go through growth spurts like humans and will frequently eat multiple feeders. They will also refuse food completely at times. As long as their weight remains stable, the ball python is completely fine. All completely normal. Use need a scale that measures grams up to at least 2400 grams, 5000 is better. Measure their weight often and keep track of it. Significant weight loss should prompt a trip to the vet and evaluation of your practices and the ball python's environment.
Can I underfeed my ball python?
It is very possible, over time, to underfeed your ball python. If you blindly only offer your ball python one feeder each feeding as it grows, you are more than likely underfeeding your ball python. This will lead to your ball python to possibly get aggressive when their enclosure is opened, and can become sick without the proper nutrition they need. If you hear of a "psycho" ball python, most likely the cause is long term underfeeding. I have purchased multiple female ball pythons that were described as completely healthy, then to get them home, feed them and they cant get enough! After being fed a large amount of food over 6 months, they become the nicest, happy ball python in the world. A ball python knows what their ideal weight should be for stages of its life, if they are under that weight, they will gobble food like their is no tomorrow to get to that weight. It is not abnormal for me to buy a 1600 gram female and find out it should have been a 2300 gram female. Once fed to their ideal weight, he/she becomes Mr. or Mrs. nice ball python as they should have been all along.
How do I use frozen/ fresh-thawed feeders?
Make sure the feeder is completely thawed out and heated to appropriate body temp to entice the ball python to eat. You can first stick the bag of feeder(s), into water to thaw over time. Microwaving feeders is debated heavily. I'm honestly not sure of the right answer on that, so I avoid it. Then I use a hair dryer to get the thawed feeders up to a nice live temperature for feeding. Night time is the best time to feed. With tongs or even better- hemostats, dangle the feeder head first in front of the ball python's hide box for a short while, slowly shake the feeders head and you will usually get the ball python to strike at it and pull the feeder into its hide box to eat. Then, leave the ball python alone to eat and give him about 24 hours alone time to begin digestion undisturbed.
What about using a separate feeding tub for feeding my ball python?
You can move the ball python out of its enclosure into a separate dark colored tub for feeding if you wish. The thinking is that the ball python will associate the tub with eating, and be less likely to confuse your hand coming into its enclosure for a feeder. This could make you and the ball python feel more confident when you reach into his enclosure to get the ball python out for handling. The success of this strategy is debated heavily. However, if you know how to pick up a ball python correctly out of its enclosure, you aren't likely to get bit anyway. Remember, its a ball python and one of its major benefits is that its docile and forgiving.
I'm still scared of the ball python, is there anything else I can do to protect myself?
If you are very afraid, use a glove to hold your ball python. I hope you will find that after a short while its unnecessary.
What if my ball python is in shed?
If your ball python is 'in shed' (blue eyes with dull skin), please skip feeding the ball python until he sheds properly. Ball pythons feel extremely vulnerable when they are in-shed and cannot see very well. Its best to leave them alone the few days it takes to shed and then pick up feeding again..
My ball python was in shed and had blue eyes/milky skin and now looks normal?
Ball pythons show the classic blue eyes and milky appearance until right before actually completion of the act of shedding. The ball python, on the day the actually skin shed, will look normal again right before starting to rub and begin the actual physical process of shedding his/her skin.
My ball python is driving me crazy with this eating/not eating! Its driving me nuts!?
Ball pythons are 'binge' eaters. This frustrates many new owners! Ball pythons eat over weeks/months, etc until they are full. Then they stop eating for awhile. They also may stop eating for many other reasons; shed cycles, breeding, changes to their environment, and yes even sickness. Because of their eating 'habits', you MUST track your ball python's weight at least monthly. A scale is a REQUIREMENT for proper ball python care. We do this with a small scale that measures grams we bought from Wal-Mart cooking dept. Doesn't cost much either ($20). The fact is that even captive bred ball pythons eat, then for seemingly no reason at all -refuse to eat for awhile. They can fast for weeks or months at a time. The ball python knows what its doing! There is nothing wrong with this -unless the ball python is losing significant weight! This is where the weight tracking becomes invaluable. The older the ball python is, the more weight they can lose without concern. Baby ball pythons cannot afford to lose much weight without concern. As long as you monitor the ball python's body weight during the fast and their body weight is maintained, you more than likely are doing everything right! Do keep offering feedings on your normal schedule and sooner or later, the ball python will start eating again! If a fasting ball python is going to drive you crazy, I'd recommend a milk snake. If you are sure you are doing everything right and your ball python begins to lose significant weight, the first thing to do is carefully examine the husbandry(cleanliness and setup of the enclosure) to make sure stress isn’t the culprit. Anything wrong with the ball python's setup or cleanliness will stress the ball python and their first reaction is always to stop eating. Consult a knowledgeable reptile vet or experienced ball python keeper for help if the fasting is prolonged (more than 6 months) or causing serious weight loss(down 10-20% or more).
What are some tricks to entice my ball python to eat?
If necessary, some tricks to entice a ball python to eat include dipping the feeder in chicken broth, trying different color (albino/non albino rats) or size of feeders, feeding at night, etc. Also if your feeding live and the food doesn't have its eyes open yet, you can try to put the ball python into a very confined space with the feeder (deli cup with air holes). This can cause the ball python to get so fed up with the feeder, they eat it just to get rid of it. There is a ton of tricks listed on the internet, if it sounds like something that will hurt your ball python, ask around your herp society or a vet first.
Like I said there is a whole book that can be written about ball pythons and feeding. The key is to monitor weight of the ball python. If he/she isn't losing significant weight, don't sweat it! The ball python manages its own weight and feeding very well.
New Reptile Introduction to Other Reptiles
If you already own other reptiles at home, any new reptile (including a ball python) you bring home should be quarantined away from your other reptiles. This is due to the risk of introducing parasites, infections and other diseases into your reptile group. Experts vary on the length of time a quarantine is necessary, but 3-6 months is not extreme.
Health Concerns
When you first get your ball python (hopefully before getting him), locate a veterinarian who treats reptiles. Check with local pet stores that sell ball pythons, the yellow pages of your phone book or better yet - your local herp society (OCHIS Oklahoma City Herpetological and Invertebrate Society is ours). If your ball python should get sick, you don’t want to be making frantic phone calls trying to find a veterinarian that treats reptiles. You also do not want to take your ball python to a regular veterinarian that has no experience with reptiles, he/she will probably accidentally kill your ball python. Hopefully, you’ll never need to call or visit the vet. The key to a healthy ball python is good hygiene and husbandry (housing conditions/setup). Keeping the ball python's enclosure clean is vitally important to keeping them healthy.
Listed below are a few of the more common ball python illnesses:
-Respiratory Infections: RIs occur when ball pythons are kept in enclosures without enough heat. Symptoms include wheezing when held or wheezing just trying to breath normally (most people think the ball python is hissing constantly), gaping of the mouth (don’t confuse this with an occasional 'yawn'), mouth bubbles, lack of appetite, and nasal discharge. Call your reptile vet, your ball python needs antibiotics! RI's are equivalent to kennel cough, and it is very contagious. If you have more than one reptile, please isolate the reptile away from others until he/she has been successfully treated with antibiotics and eating/full shedding again.
-Malnutrition: This will occur if your ball python isn't offered food for a really long time or you are not feeding your snake properly. This will usually result in a 'psycho' ball that strikes at anything that moves. Its not mean, its very very hungry! Feed it! When the ball python gets up to its normal weight again, it will be very tame as usual. We have bought several large females that acted quite aggressive but after gaining about 500-800 grams back in only a few months, they are perfectly docile and back on a regular feeding schedule.
-Burns: Burns should never occur because hopefully you are not using a heat rock and your incandescent bulbs should be outside of the enclosure so your ball python can’t touch/get burned by them. If your ball python does get a minor burn, swab it daily with a mild antiseptic and cover the burn with Neosporin. For serious burns, take your ball python to the reptile vet .
-Ectoparasites: These are parasites that live outside the body. The most common ectoparasites ball pythons can get are ticks and mites.
Ticks: can be seen when you inspect your ball python's body and are fairly easy to remove. First, put a small amount of Vaseline or alcohol on the tick. This will loosen the tick after a few minutes. Then, using your fingers, tweezers, or tick remover, gently pull the tick out. Figure out how your ball python got the tick and solve the problem.
Mites: are more of a problem. They are about the size of a pinhead, look like dots under belly scales, and difficult to see until there are a lot of them. They can cause stress, shedding problems, anemia, loss of appetite, and in some cases death to your ball python. The good news is that they are easy to get rid of, take your ball python out of its enclosure, isolate it elsewhere, coat the ball python liberally with dish soap from the head to the tail (go easy on the top of the head area and nose (your ball python will not enjoy this), scrub the ball python all over especially nooks and crannies like lower jaw, belly scales and vent. Then wash the soap off with luke warm water. Use your fingernails or something thin to remove dead mites from under belly scales. Do this once a week for three weeks. Also at the same time, thoroughly clean his/her enclosure, with everything in it, with bleach water every few days till you see no more signs of the mites. Please rinse down all bleach washed objects very well so the bleach doesn't affect your ball python. Repeat often for 30-60 days to kill any newly hatched mites.
-Endoparasites: These are parasites (worms) found inside your ball python. Just about all wild snakes have Endoparasites, a good reason not to buy a wild caught ball python. Your reptile vet can determine if your ball python has worms by looking at a fecal sample under the microscope. If worms are present, he/she will then treat your ball python.
-Abscesses: An abscess is a lump under the skin/scales. It occurs when the skin/scales have been damaged (like from a live feeder’s bite) and an infection sets in. Don’t try to treat this yourself. Take your ball python to your reptile vet. He/she will probably treat your ball python with antibiotics or in severe cases; he/she will surgically open the abscess, clean it, and then stitch it back up.
-Mouth Rot: This disease is caused by stress, mouth injuries, or living in a dirty enclosure. If your ball python has mouth rot, you will see patches of white cheesy looking gunk along his gums. In severe cases, the ball python's mouth may be forced open. To treat this, use cotton swabs to clean the white cheesy looking stuff off the gums and then use a cotton swab with hydrogen peroxide on it to wash the mouth. Do this every day until the mouth is back to normal. It may take up to two weeks for mouth rot to clear up. If you aren't comfortable doing this, please take your ball python to the reptile vet.
-Stomach Rot: This occurs when a ball python lives in a dirty enclosure and gets urine burn on his stomach. The belly scales will get bubbles. The stomach turns brownish or reddish and gets crusty. Take your ball python to your reptile vet to be treated.
***When you buy a healthy ball python, keep the enclosure clean and at the correct temperature and humidity levels, to avoid unnecessary trips to the vet.***
Some things that we use:
Anti-bacterial Dish soap: Ajax or Palmolive
Bleach water: 1 gallon of water with 2 tablespoons of bleach
Paper towels & newspaper
Small kitty litter boxes as hides for larger ball pythons & Folgers plastic coffee containers cut at appropriate height for the smaller ball pythons
Also, holiday clearance sale plastic cookie containers and plastic hearts can be cut easily to make excellent hides
Glass cereal bowls or flat Glad bowls make great water bowls- flat base and heavy when filled 1/3-1/2 (can’t be tipped over)
Just look around at Wal-Mart & thrift stores and you can find lots of things to use that will saves you a ton of money and do the job just as well as pet store bought items!
Its much better to spend your money on the proper equipment and supplies necessary to make a correct ball python setup (although not pretty) than it is to spend money on making the setup very pretty but incorrect.
Beautiful enclosure but your snake is sick?? Doesn't make a lot of sense, does it? =(
Looking for a healthy CB ball python for sale, see what we have available!
Also, one last thing I want to mention is reptile burnout. If you have bought your first ball python and think its the coolest thing since sliced bread, well your right -IT IS!!!! However, this does not mean you need to go out and buy more. Reptiles are addictive. However, its not an additive type of euphoria. With more reptiles, comes more responsibility. Any experienced reptile enthusiast has seen this cycle happen over and over. New herp person buys one snake, is stoked and has to buy more. They go nuts! They have to have a whole collection!! During this time, they lose track of the commitment necessary for each one of these magnificent snakes. The constant cleaning and expensive feeding that many snakes can bring will become more like a job than a hobby. Then you have "burnout" set in. The ball pythons don't get the care they need. The ball pythons don't get fed like they should. It ends up being a bad situation and the ball pythons suffer. Its not like Pringles, you CAN have just one. And that's OK!
Remember your ball python is counting on you to provide everything for them. They cant go to the fridge or water fountain and get it themselves! Enjoy your 'little bundle of awesome' and take great care of him/her!
Ball pythons make a great snake for a beginning snake owner. Parents please click here to see why ball pythons are a great pet for your child!
All about Ball Pythons
Ball pythons get their name because when threatened or confronted, the ball python rolls themselves into a tight ball, tucking their head inside their coils, and avoids the situation at every opportunity. Ball pythons are known for being the most forgiving snake for new handlers as they would usually rather do anything than actually strike at you. Ball pythons grow to a maximum size of 3-5 feet, are not anywhere near as large as many of the other constricting snakes that can be kept as pets. Ball pythons are NOT the gigantic pythons you may read about in the news. These are small pythons and as close to a harmless snake as you can buy. If you ever see a ball python that strikes wildly or otherwise acts in a mean manner, the poor ball python has not been taken care of properly and is probably starving. You should not buy a ball python like this unless you are prepared to dump $60 worth of rats into its mouth relatively quick to get it back to the normal ball python it wants to be! A vet visit or two along the way is likely as well. Don't buy it to 'save' it. You are just encouraging a seller that is mistreating his ball pythons to continue.
Commitment
Ball pythons can live for a long time with proper care, up to 50 years, although 20-30 years appears to be more typical. Please be prepared to provide the ball python with a home for the entirety of its life before purchasing it. Always do your homework before the purchase of any pet! There are way too many pets on craigslist already and I don't want to see one of my beautiful babies end up there unwanted. Also, ball pythons cost money to purchase, depending on the morph or color/pattern, it can be cheap to very expensive, but that's not all; The proper setup isn't drastically expensive but isn't cheap either and should be considered. See below. Then the ball python food costs money every week or two. So please don't take the purchase of a ball python lightly. If you purchase one, you need to meet all their needs, including a vet visit if necessary. There are no 'disposable' pets!
Choosing a Ball Python
Look for a young, captive bred (CB) ball python, from a breeder- not a pet store. Breeders can almost always beat pet store pricing (don't believe me - ask me! :), provide healthier ball pythons, and provide you an additional information resource before and after the sale that a pet store usually cannot provide (WC, CH or CB, lineage, eating charts, weight history, help, etc.). Choose a ball python that has a well rounded body, clean/clear eyes and vent, and that shows no signs of respiratory problems (wheezing when held, mouth open a lot, mucous around or large bubbles in the mouth, or nasal discharge). Look for a ball python that is alert, curious and gently grips your hand/arms when handled. Find a ball python that looks as interested in you as you are to him/her. The ball python may be a little skittish at first when held but should calm down after only a minute of handling. If you can, ask for a feeding demonstration to be sure the ball python readily takes a meal.
Looking for a healthy CB ball python for sale, see what we have available!
Captive Bred Ball Pythons are the Best
Wild caught (WC) ball pythons are somewhat notorious for refusing to eat. They also tend to be very stressed from capture and transport and very often have a large parasite infestation that you don't want inside your ball python! Captive bred (CB) ball pythons do not usually have these issues and tend to be a little more expensive to purchase, but they are well worth it! If the price looks too good, ask if its wild caught (WC) or captive hatched (CH). If the ball python is not captive bred (CB), you don't want to purchase it. All of our breeders are CB ball pythons and all of our babies are therefore CB as well.
Looking for a healthy CB ball python for sale, see what we have available!
Quick setup for a baby Ball Python
Setup for a ball python can sometimes exceed the purchase price of the ball python, so please consider this before buying!
Here's the quick and dirty on setup for a single CB ball python baby:
1 - 10 gallon aquarium with lockable screen top for reptiles (Petco often has new aquariums for sale 1$ per gallon for its Pet-Co shopping club members(club membership is free), or craigslist sells aquariums for almost nothing- but please clean the heck out of it and make sure its escape proof before buying it!) With most pets, you go ahead and buy the biggest enclosure you can afford as the pet will grow into it. Ball pythons do NOT work that way. A large aquarium will stress a baby ball python and cause them to stop eating. The aquarium must grow with the ball python. Sorry! They need to feel safe to thrive and a smaller piece of land to control makes them more comfortable.
1- small luggage combo/key lock to lock the lid of your aquarium. Parents keep the key or combo. Remember safety 1st. Check Amazon.com
1- small Under Tank Heater (UTH) pad made for heating reptiles. The UTH is placed on the outside bottom of the aquarium on the warm side. Plug this UTH into the Thermostat. Place the Thermostat probe right next to the UTH pad under the tank so its touching the bottom of the aquarium glass that the UTH is heating. Check lllreptile.com or bigappleherp.com
1- Thermostat made for reptiles. Thermostats are mandatory for proper care of your ball python. Set to 90 degrees for the warm side. Check lllreptile.com or bigappleherp.com
2- Thermometer gauges. Put one on each side of the aquarium (hot and colder side) to monitor the proper ten degree gradient (80-90F). Check lllreptile.com or bigappleherp.com
1- Water bowl with flat heavy bottom so water bowl cant be tipped by weight of the ball python on it. Place the bowl on the colder side of the aquarium. Keep filled 1/3 way up with fresh water. Check Thrift stores or Wal-Mart
1- Batch of newly printed (few days old) newspapers from any newspaper publisher for substrate. Make sure the newspapers were stored inside with no chance of bugs getting into them. They're FREE! Free is good!
1or2- Hide boxes. Don't spend more than a dollar here. You probably have small butter tubs or some small tub in your refrigerator (non-see through) that can be emptied, cleaned and cut to the right size for your ball python. Just make them just high enough for your ball python to get under them and feel the hide on his back and sides. Provide a decent size opening that's just big enough for him to pull his food in through. Try to provide a hide on both sides of the aquarium (hot and warm side).
1- Big bottle of Germ-X or Anti-bacterial soap.
1- Buy cleaning supplies to be used ONLY with your reptile. A scrub brush just for your reptile and not your family dishes too, Yuk city!
1- Get a good supply of properly sized F/T feeders for your ball python to eat!
Anything else you want to put into the aquarium should either be thoroughly cleaned with very diluted bleach mixture or if its made of wood or something, boil it first. Keep the aquarium clean like you're an OCD freak! =)
Place the aquarium some where in your house that is warm and safe from main traffic and out of drafts. A lot of traffic will stress the ball python. Get your aquarium setup right, nice and warm before purchasing the ball python.
Detailed Housing
Ball pythons are not very active snakes, so a smaller enclosure is fine (10-20 gallon tank for younger snakes, 30 gallon tank for an adult) with a securely fitted top and clips or sliding screen to keep them locked in (escape proof!).
-Substrate: newspaper (free and clean [no bugs] from most newspaper printers), simple paper towels, or reptile carpet is preferred over shredded bark or aspen wood. We prefer newspaper for our breeders and paper towels for our babies. If you do use newspaper, know that the printer ink from the newspaper will make your ball pythons colors a little darker or duller temporarily until their next shed cycle. You can get newspaper without printing ink on it, but then I doubt it will be free. I like free! Never use pine or cedar anywhere near your ball python. Both emit oils and fumes that are toxic to your ball python. Use Aspen if you must use a wood bedding.
-Furnishings: dark hide boxes just large enough for the ball python to pull his food through, they like to feel securely enclosed on all sides. A perfect hide touches the snake on all sides including from above and provides a big enough entrance for them to get into and pull their food through. You can purchase one from a local pet store or you can make your own which doesn't take much effort or imagination to cut the cost.
-Temperature: Ball pythons being nocturnal need to get heat from below on their bellies to digest meals properly. Under tank heating (UTH) pads work fantastic with a reptile thermostat to control the temperature from getting too hot and burning your ball python. If you are using an aquarium to house your ball python, an easy way to provide a proper gradient of heat is to put the under tank heater (UTH) pad under one side of the tank heating only 1/3 of the tank floor area. This side of the tank should be maintained at 90 degrees with a reptile thermostat connected to the UTH. In this way the middle of the tank should be approx 85 degrees and the farthest away from the heater (other side of the tank) should be approx 80 degrees. This allows the ball python to move about to the temperature that best suits him. Place the water bowl on the cooler side. At night the temps can drop slightly but temps should never go below 75 degrees. NEVER use heat rocks! Heat rocks will certainly burn your ball python's belly sooner or later. Put a thermometer on each side of the aquarium to monitor temperatures. Put a hide on each side so the ball python doesn't have to give up security to adjust its belly warmth.
-Lighting: Ball pythons, because they are nocturnal, do not have any special lighting requirements other than normal night/day cycles as they need their warmth on their bellies to digest properly. If you choose to have a light above your enclosure (not required), incandescent bulbs should not be used at night. Instead, use red or black (night) bulbs with a timer to preserve the night/daytime cycle the ball python needs (12hr/12hr is fine). Any lights are better suspended over the enclosure rather than placed on to the top of the screen top. Please do not put a light inside the enclosure where the ball python can come into contact with it and burn itself. Any exposed light bulbs or heating elements will burn your ball python.
-Water & Humidity: Fresh, clean water should always be available for your ball python. Provide a water dish large enough for the snake to soak in if it wishes. Soaking is especially important during shed cycles. Ball pythons shed several times a year. This is normal as they grow. The humidity in the tank should stay around 60 - 75% to help with the shedding process. Place the water bowl on the cool side of the tank in a water bowl that cannot be tipped over by the ball python. If your ball python doesn't shed well (in one piece), (1) make sure your enclosure setup is correct, or (2) consider adding a small humidifier to the room with a timer that allows the humidifier to activate a few times a day for a few minutes.
Looking for a healthy CB ball python for sale, see what we have available!
Hygiene
-Ball Python/Enclosure: Keep the ball python's enclosure clean. This will save you so much money in vet bills! I promise you that you have won half the battle by just keeping the enclosure clean! See your ball python has made a mess, clean it up immediately. Don't wait.
-You or any other human that touches the ball python or it's enclosure: Wash your hands with either anti-bacterial soap or a Germ-X type hand cleaner before and after touching your ball python EVERY TIME! Get in the habit! Wash hands, handle the reptile, wash hands!
Holding and Picking up your Ball Python
First, hold and play with your ball python once every few days. Enjoy! Each time you hold your ball python should be an opportunity for each of you to grow more trust between each other. Approach and hold your ball python with confidence. They can feel your confidence and they in turn will feel more confident and safe. However, its important for you to know that excessive (every day) holding of your ball python is stressful to him/her. If you want a pet to pick up and hold each and every day, a different type of pet is probably best. Excessive stress affects the ball python's immune system and will make them vulnerable to sickness. Holding and spending time with them once every few days is great!
Second, when picking up your ball python, please realize your ball python is immediately trying to determine if you are friend or foe, food or a possible predator, or his best bud(you). You must clean your hands so that no smells remain of your dog, cat, etc that might trick your ball python into thinking your hand could be food. Use the Germ-X before picking the ball python up each time. Also, don't reach for their face or move too quickly. Surprise is not something they enjoy. Just confidently reach for the side of their body and lift the ball python up. The ball python knows that food is not going to be able to lift them up. If you open the enclosure and see your ball python is agitated or wary for some reason, distract the ball python with your other hand at a distance (remember they track prey by movement, heat, sight and smell), and pick him up with the other hand. The ball python will immediately switch modes to nice snake realizing that you are not prey. By the way, if your ball python frequently seems agitated, try feeding your ball python a little smaller rodent(s) more often. If you feed your ball python a medium rat once every two weeks, try a small rat or two each week instead. If your ball python isn't docile, content and inquisitive, evaluate what you are doing wrong and correct it.
Feeding
There is so much to be said about feeding ball pythons! I've found it easier to explain by a Q and A type format. I hope you agree.
What do I feed my ball python?
Ball pythons should be offered appropriately sized mice and/or rat feeders. We breed clean rats only here at Ball Python Cafe and that is what is provided to our ball pythons from birth. Mice stink Peeeeyouuu! Also, eventually as your ball python grows, mice aren't going to be able to cut it anymore as a proper sized feeder or food source. You will eventually have to transition your ball python to eating rats anyway. Mice are "snake candy" to ball pythons and once established on mice, it can be very difficult to get a ball python to change its eating habits back to rats, although it can be done. Stick with rats as food from the start!
How big should the feeder(s) offered be for my ball python?
A general rule is that the feeders size should never exceed the ball python's largest girth. However, I've found that a smaller feeder is better and easier on your ball pythons digestive tract! If your ball python does its business in the water bowl, then you fed it too big of a feeder and he/she needed the assistance of the water to pass it successfully. To give you some perspective, a baby ball python starts on live pinky rats or fuzzy rats. Fuzzy rats offer a bigger target for the baby ball python to aim at over a pinky. Spend awhile with fuzzy rats, then progress through rat pups, and weanlings as your ball python grows and feels more confident. Watch their reactions during feedings. WARNING: If feeding live rats to your ball python, when a rat opens its eyes at the pup or weanling stage, THEY ARE NOW DANGEROUS to your ball python and can potentially kill the ball python if left unsupervised. Please DO NOT leave live rats with their eyes open in the enclosure with your ball python overnight! Ball pythons are so docile, they will literally allow a rat to eat on them! When you begin to feed rats with their eyes open is a perfect time to transition to frozen/ fresh-thawed rats, instead of live rats. Juvenile to adult ball pythons up to 2000 grams (pretty big), are very comfortable eating small rat feeders at each feeding. Adult ball pythons over 2000 grams can be carefully offered medium rat feeders. Large rat feeders and bigger really have no place being fed to ball pythons at all.
How often should my ball python be offered feeders (a feeding)?
Baby ball pythons should be offered pinky or fuzzy feeders every four to five days. Ball pythons over 200 grams should normally only need to be offered feeder(s) once a week and then every two weeks as an adult. Pay attention to your ball python, feed more often if they seem to be hungry. A ball python in an S neck lying still looking at you through the aquarium is hungry and ready to eat.
How do I feed my ball python more than one feeders?
Your ball python should be offered feeders, one at a time - allowing the ball python to completely consume the feeder and move it to his belly before offering the next- until he/she refuses to eat or until he/she has eaten four feeders in one feeding. Never feed your ball python more than four appropriate sized feeder(s) in one feeding even if it still seems hungry. Ball Pythons go through growth spurts like humans and will frequently eat multiple feeders. They will also refuse food completely at times. As long as their weight remains stable, the ball python is completely fine. All completely normal. Use need a scale that measures grams up to at least 2400 grams, 5000 is better. Measure their weight often and keep track of it. Significant weight loss should prompt a trip to the vet and evaluation of your practices and the ball python's environment.
Can I underfeed my ball python?
It is very possible, over time, to underfeed your ball python. If you blindly only offer your ball python one feeder each feeding as it grows, you are more than likely underfeeding your ball python. This will lead to your ball python to possibly get aggressive when their enclosure is opened, and can become sick without the proper nutrition they need. If you hear of a "psycho" ball python, most likely the cause is long term underfeeding. I have purchased multiple female ball pythons that were described as completely healthy, then to get them home, feed them and they cant get enough! After being fed a large amount of food over 6 months, they become the nicest, happy ball python in the world. A ball python knows what their ideal weight should be for stages of its life, if they are under that weight, they will gobble food like their is no tomorrow to get to that weight. It is not abnormal for me to buy a 1600 gram female and find out it should have been a 2300 gram female. Once fed to their ideal weight, he/she becomes Mr. or Mrs. nice ball python as they should have been all along.
How do I use frozen/ fresh-thawed feeders?
Make sure the feeder is completely thawed out and heated to appropriate body temp to entice the ball python to eat. You can first stick the bag of feeder(s), into water to thaw over time. Microwaving feeders is debated heavily. I'm honestly not sure of the right answer on that, so I avoid it. Then I use a hair dryer to get the thawed feeders up to a nice live temperature for feeding. Night time is the best time to feed. With tongs or even better- hemostats, dangle the feeder head first in front of the ball python's hide box for a short while, slowly shake the feeders head and you will usually get the ball python to strike at it and pull the feeder into its hide box to eat. Then, leave the ball python alone to eat and give him about 24 hours alone time to begin digestion undisturbed.
What about using a separate feeding tub for feeding my ball python?
You can move the ball python out of its enclosure into a separate dark colored tub for feeding if you wish. The thinking is that the ball python will associate the tub with eating, and be less likely to confuse your hand coming into its enclosure for a feeder. This could make you and the ball python feel more confident when you reach into his enclosure to get the ball python out for handling. The success of this strategy is debated heavily. However, if you know how to pick up a ball python correctly out of its enclosure, you aren't likely to get bit anyway. Remember, its a ball python and one of its major benefits is that its docile and forgiving.
I'm still scared of the ball python, is there anything else I can do to protect myself?
If you are very afraid, use a glove to hold your ball python. I hope you will find that after a short while its unnecessary.
What if my ball python is in shed?
If your ball python is 'in shed' (blue eyes with dull skin), please skip feeding the ball python until he sheds properly. Ball pythons feel extremely vulnerable when they are in-shed and cannot see very well. Its best to leave them alone the few days it takes to shed and then pick up feeding again..
My ball python was in shed and had blue eyes/milky skin and now looks normal?
Ball pythons show the classic blue eyes and milky appearance until right before actually completion of the act of shedding. The ball python, on the day the actually skin shed, will look normal again right before starting to rub and begin the actual physical process of shedding his/her skin.
My ball python is driving me crazy with this eating/not eating! Its driving me nuts!?
Ball pythons are 'binge' eaters. This frustrates many new owners! Ball pythons eat over weeks/months, etc until they are full. Then they stop eating for awhile. They also may stop eating for many other reasons; shed cycles, breeding, changes to their environment, and yes even sickness. Because of their eating 'habits', you MUST track your ball python's weight at least monthly. A scale is a REQUIREMENT for proper ball python care. We do this with a small scale that measures grams we bought from Wal-Mart cooking dept. Doesn't cost much either ($20). The fact is that even captive bred ball pythons eat, then for seemingly no reason at all -refuse to eat for awhile. They can fast for weeks or months at a time. The ball python knows what its doing! There is nothing wrong with this -unless the ball python is losing significant weight! This is where the weight tracking becomes invaluable. The older the ball python is, the more weight they can lose without concern. Baby ball pythons cannot afford to lose much weight without concern. As long as you monitor the ball python's body weight during the fast and their body weight is maintained, you more than likely are doing everything right! Do keep offering feedings on your normal schedule and sooner or later, the ball python will start eating again! If a fasting ball python is going to drive you crazy, I'd recommend a milk snake. If you are sure you are doing everything right and your ball python begins to lose significant weight, the first thing to do is carefully examine the husbandry(cleanliness and setup of the enclosure) to make sure stress isn’t the culprit. Anything wrong with the ball python's setup or cleanliness will stress the ball python and their first reaction is always to stop eating. Consult a knowledgeable reptile vet or experienced ball python keeper for help if the fasting is prolonged (more than 6 months) or causing serious weight loss(down 10-20% or more).
What are some tricks to entice my ball python to eat?
If necessary, some tricks to entice a ball python to eat include dipping the feeder in chicken broth, trying different color (albino/non albino rats) or size of feeders, feeding at night, etc. Also if your feeding live and the food doesn't have its eyes open yet, you can try to put the ball python into a very confined space with the feeder (deli cup with air holes). This can cause the ball python to get so fed up with the feeder, they eat it just to get rid of it. There is a ton of tricks listed on the internet, if it sounds like something that will hurt your ball python, ask around your herp society or a vet first.
Like I said there is a whole book that can be written about ball pythons and feeding. The key is to monitor weight of the ball python. If he/she isn't losing significant weight, don't sweat it! The ball python manages its own weight and feeding very well.
New Reptile Introduction to Other Reptiles
If you already own other reptiles at home, any new reptile (including a ball python) you bring home should be quarantined away from your other reptiles. This is due to the risk of introducing parasites, infections and other diseases into your reptile group. Experts vary on the length of time a quarantine is necessary, but 3-6 months is not extreme.
Health Concerns
When you first get your ball python (hopefully before getting him), locate a veterinarian who treats reptiles. Check with local pet stores that sell ball pythons, the yellow pages of your phone book or better yet - your local herp society (OCHIS Oklahoma City Herpetological and Invertebrate Society is ours). If your ball python should get sick, you don’t want to be making frantic phone calls trying to find a veterinarian that treats reptiles. You also do not want to take your ball python to a regular veterinarian that has no experience with reptiles, he/she will probably accidentally kill your ball python. Hopefully, you’ll never need to call or visit the vet. The key to a healthy ball python is good hygiene and husbandry (housing conditions/setup). Keeping the ball python's enclosure clean is vitally important to keeping them healthy.
Listed below are a few of the more common ball python illnesses:
-Respiratory Infections: RIs occur when ball pythons are kept in enclosures without enough heat. Symptoms include wheezing when held or wheezing just trying to breath normally (most people think the ball python is hissing constantly), gaping of the mouth (don’t confuse this with an occasional 'yawn'), mouth bubbles, lack of appetite, and nasal discharge. Call your reptile vet, your ball python needs antibiotics! RI's are equivalent to kennel cough, and it is very contagious. If you have more than one reptile, please isolate the reptile away from others until he/she has been successfully treated with antibiotics and eating/full shedding again.
-Malnutrition: This will occur if your ball python isn't offered food for a really long time or you are not feeding your snake properly. This will usually result in a 'psycho' ball that strikes at anything that moves. Its not mean, its very very hungry! Feed it! When the ball python gets up to its normal weight again, it will be very tame as usual. We have bought several large females that acted quite aggressive but after gaining about 500-800 grams back in only a few months, they are perfectly docile and back on a regular feeding schedule.
-Burns: Burns should never occur because hopefully you are not using a heat rock and your incandescent bulbs should be outside of the enclosure so your ball python can’t touch/get burned by them. If your ball python does get a minor burn, swab it daily with a mild antiseptic and cover the burn with Neosporin. For serious burns, take your ball python to the reptile vet .
-Ectoparasites: These are parasites that live outside the body. The most common ectoparasites ball pythons can get are ticks and mites.
Ticks: can be seen when you inspect your ball python's body and are fairly easy to remove. First, put a small amount of Vaseline or alcohol on the tick. This will loosen the tick after a few minutes. Then, using your fingers, tweezers, or tick remover, gently pull the tick out. Figure out how your ball python got the tick and solve the problem.
Mites: are more of a problem. They are about the size of a pinhead, look like dots under belly scales, and difficult to see until there are a lot of them. They can cause stress, shedding problems, anemia, loss of appetite, and in some cases death to your ball python. The good news is that they are easy to get rid of, take your ball python out of its enclosure, isolate it elsewhere, coat the ball python liberally with dish soap from the head to the tail (go easy on the top of the head area and nose (your ball python will not enjoy this), scrub the ball python all over especially nooks and crannies like lower jaw, belly scales and vent. Then wash the soap off with luke warm water. Use your fingernails or something thin to remove dead mites from under belly scales. Do this once a week for three weeks. Also at the same time, thoroughly clean his/her enclosure, with everything in it, with bleach water every few days till you see no more signs of the mites. Please rinse down all bleach washed objects very well so the bleach doesn't affect your ball python. Repeat often for 30-60 days to kill any newly hatched mites.
-Endoparasites: These are parasites (worms) found inside your ball python. Just about all wild snakes have Endoparasites, a good reason not to buy a wild caught ball python. Your reptile vet can determine if your ball python has worms by looking at a fecal sample under the microscope. If worms are present, he/she will then treat your ball python.
-Abscesses: An abscess is a lump under the skin/scales. It occurs when the skin/scales have been damaged (like from a live feeder’s bite) and an infection sets in. Don’t try to treat this yourself. Take your ball python to your reptile vet. He/she will probably treat your ball python with antibiotics or in severe cases; he/she will surgically open the abscess, clean it, and then stitch it back up.
-Mouth Rot: This disease is caused by stress, mouth injuries, or living in a dirty enclosure. If your ball python has mouth rot, you will see patches of white cheesy looking gunk along his gums. In severe cases, the ball python's mouth may be forced open. To treat this, use cotton swabs to clean the white cheesy looking stuff off the gums and then use a cotton swab with hydrogen peroxide on it to wash the mouth. Do this every day until the mouth is back to normal. It may take up to two weeks for mouth rot to clear up. If you aren't comfortable doing this, please take your ball python to the reptile vet.
-Stomach Rot: This occurs when a ball python lives in a dirty enclosure and gets urine burn on his stomach. The belly scales will get bubbles. The stomach turns brownish or reddish and gets crusty. Take your ball python to your reptile vet to be treated.
***When you buy a healthy ball python, keep the enclosure clean and at the correct temperature and humidity levels, to avoid unnecessary trips to the vet.***
Some things that we use:
Anti-bacterial Dish soap: Ajax or Palmolive
Bleach water: 1 gallon of water with 2 tablespoons of bleach
Paper towels & newspaper
Small kitty litter boxes as hides for larger ball pythons & Folgers plastic coffee containers cut at appropriate height for the smaller ball pythons
Also, holiday clearance sale plastic cookie containers and plastic hearts can be cut easily to make excellent hides
Glass cereal bowls or flat Glad bowls make great water bowls- flat base and heavy when filled 1/3-1/2 (can’t be tipped over)
Just look around at Wal-Mart & thrift stores and you can find lots of things to use that will saves you a ton of money and do the job just as well as pet store bought items!
Its much better to spend your money on the proper equipment and supplies necessary to make a correct ball python setup (although not pretty) than it is to spend money on making the setup very pretty but incorrect.
Beautiful enclosure but your snake is sick?? Doesn't make a lot of sense, does it? =(
Looking for a healthy CB ball python for sale, see what we have available!
Also, one last thing I want to mention is reptile burnout. If you have bought your first ball python and think its the coolest thing since sliced bread, well your right -IT IS!!!! However, this does not mean you need to go out and buy more. Reptiles are addictive. However, its not an additive type of euphoria. With more reptiles, comes more responsibility. Any experienced reptile enthusiast has seen this cycle happen over and over. New herp person buys one snake, is stoked and has to buy more. They go nuts! They have to have a whole collection!! During this time, they lose track of the commitment necessary for each one of these magnificent snakes. The constant cleaning and expensive feeding that many snakes can bring will become more like a job than a hobby. Then you have "burnout" set in. The ball pythons don't get the care they need. The ball pythons don't get fed like they should. It ends up being a bad situation and the ball pythons suffer. Its not like Pringles, you CAN have just one. And that's OK!
Remember your ball python is counting on you to provide everything for them. They cant go to the fridge or water fountain and get it themselves! Enjoy your 'little bundle of awesome' and take great care of him/her!
