Things You'll Need:
- Enclosure
- Substrate
- Heat source/lighting
- Water dish
- Feeder rodents
- Ball Python
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Step 1
Purchase a secure enclosure for the snake. A juvenile can be kept in an enclosure measuring 40 square inches. As the snake grows it will require a larger enclosure. Provide a large adult with 400-600 square inches. Most adults can be comfortably kept in a 30 gallon aquarium. Many breeders and collectors house their Ball Pythons in rack systems using plastic storage tubs to house Ball Pythons of all sizes.
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Step 2
Cover the floor of the enclosure with a suitable substrate. Newspaper, butcher's paper, paper towles and corrugated cardboard make a good cheap cage liner. Aspen shavings or cypress mulch also make good substrates, be sure to never use a substrate containing cedar as the oils in cedar can be fatal to snakes.
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Step 3
Provide your snake with a hot spot around 90 degrees Fahrenheit and a background temperature of 78 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. This can be achieved using an under tank heat pad/heat tape, a heat lamp or ceramic heat emitter. Arrange the hot spot on one side of the cage so the snake has access to a the full range of temperatures. Never expose your snake to temperatures below 75 degrees Fahrenheit for long periods of time.
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Step 4
Keep the enclosure at a moderate humidity level, around 50% - 60% relative humidity. You can also provide a humidity hide box large enough for your snake to completely crawl inside of. Fill the box with damp cypress mulch and/or sphagnum moss. Always provide your snake with fresh clean water for drinking.
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Step 5
Providing these snakes with extra lighting is not necessary. Make sure that you do not expose your snake to bright lights for long periods of time. Also be sure any supplemental lighting runs on a 12 hour on/12 hour off schedule.
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Step 6
Young Ball Pythons can be fed weaned or fuzzy mice. As the snake grows increase the size of the prey offered, adult Ball Pythons will typically require an adult mouse or small rat. A good rule is to feed a prey item about the same size as the snake's thickest point once a week. Prey can be purchased frozen and then thawed or live. It is always best to offer pre-killed prey to your snake. If it will not accept a pre-killed prey item you can try live prey. Never leave a live prey item with your snake over night, prey can injure or even kill your snake.
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Step 7
You can also provide a hide spot on one or both sides of the cage. This should be large enough for the snake to completely hide in/under. Clay flowerpots, plastic flowerpot trays, plastic tubs with a hole cut out and commercially available hide boxes all work quite well.
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Step 8
Maintain your snakes enclosure by spot cleaning feces, urates and sheds whenever present. The water bowl should be cleaned and disinfected at least twice a week. Once every 45 to 60 days you should remove and disinfect all cage items and the cage itself using either a 5% bleach and water solution or a commercially available reptile safe cleaner such as Nolvasan.
