I might be getting a ball python soon need some information?

Question

i might get a ball python soon and i wanted to some stuff.

when and ho often do i feed it how big should its terrarium be and how much will the terrarium cost. any other tips or general information would be helpful

Also i know a little bit about reptiles i have owned a fat tail gecko for about 4 years

Answer 1

http://repticzone.com/caresheets/1596.ht...

This has everything you need to know. Hope it helps.

Answer 2

This is taken from my own personal experience, not an estimation.

Tank Size: 30-55 Gallon (5ft. Adult Specimen)

                 20 Gallon (Juvenile)

Feeding: Once a Week (Very Flexible Schedule. Ball Pythons can stay healthy without food for months.)

Total Cost: $250.00 (Tank, Lighting, Substrate, Misc. Equipment and Adult Specimen itself)

For all the general tips - read some books, and talk to current owners; especially the person whom you are buying from.

Its all very easy, don't stress out and DON'T try to follow all the super strict advice on the internet!

Answer 3

Each home is different, the ambient air temperature, location of the enclosure and other factors may require a day or two for you to ensure the temperature and humidity factors are stable before brining your pet home.  Always try to determine the temperature of the enclosure both during the day and night to ensure the enclosure is not too hot or too cold.  

The ideal day time temperature range for your snake is 82-95 degrees.  An enclosure should have a basking spot, or warm end that is a higher temperature than the rest of the enclosure.  This will allow your snake to move from a warm area to cooler a one.  Nighttime temperatures should not be allowed to drop below 74 degrees.  

Humidity is not as large a concern for this species as with others, but you should try to maintain the relative humidity higher than the normal humidity found in most homes.  The humidity is a larger factor in allowing the animal to shed it's skin properly than it is any other health issue.   A large water bowl that the snake can soak in will significantly aid in both maintaining the humidity and providing a bathing spot for the snake.

Appropriately sized habitats for captive Ball Pythons would be a 30-gallon-long or a 55 gallon terrarium.

Most Ball Pythons eat rodents such as gerbils, mice, and rats, although some prefer birds (chicks).  The vast majority of snakes will gladly consume pre-killed rodents.

Ball Pythons take four or five days to digest a meal and prefer to do this in a dark, warm place, i.e. "hide-box".   Water should be provided in a large heavy bowl, so that the Ball Python has plenty of room to soak and cannot tip the container over. OK, What to put on the bottom of the cage, ie substrate? Well, I prefer to keep things simple, so I just use a few sheets of newspaper. It's cheap and easy to replace when soiled. Of course there are other materials you can use. I would caution to stay away, very far away, from cedar mulch. Cedar oils are toxic and can lead to deadly respiratory infections.

The  Ball Python has an average lifespan of 20 to 30 years in captivity. This species of snake is credited with having the longest recorded life span in captivity, 49 years.

Snake can easily go a few weeks, and in some cases almost a year without food! Keep this in mind if/when your snake decides to be finicky about eating. Yes Ball Pythons are a little sensitive and sometimes won't eat unless they are 100% comfortable and feel safe.

So how often should you offer food to your snake? Well that depends on a few factors, notably the age of the snake. Younger snakes (16-30 inches) that are still growing fast will need more food. Older snakes (30-48 inches) won't need to feed as often. I feed my young snakes once every 7-10 days. They are capable of eating small to average size mice as hatchlings. Adults can pretty easily eat a rat that measures five or six inches from nose to butt.  If you feed your snake like prey (ie...not killing it first) do not leave the snake and prey unattended, as the prey could fight back and deter the snake from eating, or actually hurt the snake.