#snaketips

Hopefully in the next 72 hours, I will be publishing a post on some of the more popular ball python morphs (color combinations), which should be pretty cool, as well as some more tips for new ball python owners.  I'm also going to do a feature on beginner snakes (not just ball pythons!) and what might be best for you!  

Snakes are becoming increasingly popular, and Ball Pythons seem to be close to the top of the list in regards to popularity for new snake owners. This is understandable, they are pretty easy to care for once you have a good idea of what you are doing.  With that in mind, here are a few things new snake owners, or prospective snake owners, might find useful.

Ball pythons are a great beginner snake. Without proper knowledge however, they can be complicated.  This post will address a few of the major issues people seem to have with ball python ownership and hopefully answer a few questions.

Proper Enclosures

Enclosures for ball pythons run from glass aquariums to plastic tubs and custom built reptile cages. I have personally tried aquariums and plastic tubs, and I find tubs to be far superior to aquariums in almost every way. Glass tanks are great if you want your snake on display, but it is generally much more difficult to maintain proper humidity levels. I found that when I have a snake in an aquarium, I have to mist with a spray bottle at least every day to maintain humidity levels. 

A plastic tub isn't great for putting your snake on display, but ball pythons don't do much but sleep all day anyway. I have Gene in a plastic Sterilite tub with the top and front covered by a cloth, because they like it dark and cramped. I've discovered that his tub stays very humid just by keeping his water bowl full.

I can't speak for custom made enclosures, or those designed specifically with snakes in mind, but I'm sure that when they are designed, it is done with these issues in mind.

Heating

Heating is pretty straightforward. The best type of heat you can provide for your ball python is either a piece of Flexwatt heat tape or an under-tank-heating pad (UTH), eitehr of which needs to be controlled by a thermostat. This provides belly heat, which aids in digestion. Some people use 'back heat' which is usually a strip of Flexwatt heating tape secured to the back of the tub. This is popular in some rack systems.  

Under no circumstances should you ever use a heat rock for a snake! Heat rocks are prone to malfunction and can get extremely hot, to the point of burning your snake's belly. Snakes aren't like other animals, they won't move if they get too hot. They tend to just sit and tolerate it.  This can seriously harm or even kill your snake.

Some people advocate the use of heat lamps as a sole source of heat for a snake. Again, snakes utilize belly heat to aid in digestion, so while heat lamps are good for secondary heat (especially for snakes that like to climb, such as boas), they aren't necessarily suitable for a sole heat source.

A thermostat or rheostat is absolutely required to maintain proper temperatures. As stated above with heat rocks, snakes will not move if they get too hot. Having proper heat control ensures that your snake's enclosure is at the proper temperature to maintain a healthy environment and ideal digestion.