Good Ideas for a Ball Python Tank

Python regius, popularly known as the ball python, enjoys a great deal of popularity in the world of reptile companions. When given proper care, these even-tempered snakes can live in excess of 20 years. Providing a ball python with a well-equipped tank can be a major factor in promoting longevity and well-being.

  1. Size

    • Before spending time looking for the ideal items to place inside a ball python's tank, make sure that the tank's dimensions meet the snake's needs. A hatchling can live comfortably in a 10-gallon terrarium for the first two years of its life. From young to full adulthood, a ball python requires a 20-to-30-gallon tank. As ball pythons do not typically exceed 5 feet, a 30-gallon enclosure should provide ideal housing for the snake's entire lifetime.

    Security

    • No matter how nice a snake's home may be, it is a safe bet that it will try to find a way to escape. Because ball pythons are particularly notorious enclosure-escape artists, it is a good idea to select a terrarium equipped with safety features. Choosing a snake-specific enclosure, complete with locking screen top, will lessen the chances of the snake getting free.

    Heat Source

    • There is a variety of ways to provide a snake terrarium with an adequate heat supply. Enclosures can be heated from the top down, using either heat lamps or ceramic heating elements. Because snakes are prone to severe contact burns, these sources should be properly shielded. It is also for this reason that heat rocks should never be included in a ball python tank. Heating the tank from the bottom up can be done using adhesive heat pads placed under the glass, or strips of heat tape. Regardless of method, the result should be the same: a basking area, located above or below the heat source, of approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit and a cooler area between 73 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Equipping the tank with thermometers will ensure that the area is properly heated at all times.

    Flooring

    • Choosing an astroturf substrate for a ball python tank is, from a maintenance perspective, both popular and ideal. For easy transition, extra pieces should be kept in reserve. When the substrate is soiled, a piece can be put in its place while the original is being cleaned. If you want a more decorative substrate, cypress mulch or specialized reptile bark can be used. Using dry bedding, such as pine or sand, is not recommended.

    Home Furnishings

    • When it comes to ball pythons, one word that best sums up interior design standards: simplicity. There are are two must-haves for any ball python tank: a "hidey-hole" and a water supply. If the ambience of nature is desired, a half-log can be used for hiding, along with a rock basin-style water dish. The hiding area should be large enough to fit the entire snake, but not so large that it does not provide the "closed in" effect the snake desires. A limb or climbing branch can also be added.

    Humidity

    • Daily mistings with a household water spray bottle are adequate for keeping a ball python tank well-humidified. However, adding a cage fogger to the tank can provide humidity as well as a dramatic aesthetic effect. When providing humidity, it is important to remember that the substrate should not become oversaturated.