Welcome to my Ball Python page. This page is dedicated to the care and information on the Ball Python. Thank You for reading. Email me with questions at HerpHQ@yahoo.com
About Ball Pythons:
Out of all pet snakes, Ball Pythons make the best pets. This is because they aren't aggressive, the don't get very large or heavy, they don't require a large cage for most of their life, and they are fun to handle. Ball Pythons come in a number of varieties. The main natural varities are the basic Brown or the rare Albino. However, many mutations have been made offering hundreds of colors. http://www.newenglandreptile.com has an excellent variety of ball pythons for sale and display.http://www.kingsnake.com is also full of Ball Python info.
Housing And Basic Care:
Ball Pythons grow from 4-6 feet max. Young ball pythons can be housed in ten gallon tanks while adults require long 20-30 gallon tanks.They require a heat lamp with a nocturnal bulb to keep them warm at 85-90F degrees . They need at least one hiding log to retreat to. Bark made especially for reptiles is a good substrate for them. A thick log placed diagonally from top to bottom is recommented for the snake just make sure it can't get burned by the heat lamp. A medium sized Reptirock(tm) Water Dish is suitable for them. Once in a while the snake will shed. I do not recommend that you peel the skin for it but rather let it shed naturally. It is advised that you do not handle your snake in the 5-10 days it takes to shed. If the tank isn't humid enough the skin may remain in patches. This is a sign to improve its environment.
Feeding:
These snakes prey mostly on your average feeder mouse. Just drop the mouse in the cage and wait for the snake to bite and then constrict it. After it has died, the snake will start to swallow the mouse. You should watch it while feeding as it is possible to choke. After it is done eating it will pop its jaw back into place. You should be able to see a bulge in its throught where the mouse is. It is not recommended that you handle the snake until the bulge has moved down to the stomach and smoothed out slightly.
Diseases/Dissorders: (*Please Note: I am in no way a Vet & have not encotered these diseases personally. I am NOT responsible for any results)
Two main dissorders Ball Pythons are plagued with are Blisters and Parasites. These Blisters are caused mainly by usanitary conditions and appear on the stomach. It is usually caught when the snake often slithers over fecal matter. This is easily prevented by cleaning its cage often and a vet should be seen for treatment. Parastites such as ticks can easily hide on your snake. Your snake is most vulnerable to this while shedding. Remove these carefully with tweezers and see a vet if serious cases occur.
