Ball Python Care Sheet
Introduction
The gentle nature, medium size and the vast array of colors and patterns has catapulted the ball python to becoming one of the most popular snakes kept in captivity. Whether it is the vibrant colors calling to the avid snake collector or the docile temperament appealing to a family, the ball python has numerous great qualities which make it a wonderful reptile to keep. The docile disposition and unwillingness to strike make this snake such a phenomenal pet. The ball python gets its name from its nature to curl its body into a snug, little ball rather than striking and biting.
Ball Pythons, also called royal pythons, are originally endemic to Africa and have made their way all around the world due to the pet trade. Within the python genus, the length can vary from a mere foot up to an enormous 20+ feet! The ball python itself falls on the smaller end of the spectrum ranging from an average of 3 to 4 feet. Generally, balls can have a long life consisting of 20-30 years. Before combing through the hundreds of contrasting “paint jobs” and markings and picking out a snake, it is critical to have the know-how and the snakes enclosure already set up. This will help cut down on any stress the snake may have coming into a new environment.
Ball Pythons, also called royal pythons, are originally endemic to Africa and have made their way all around the world due to the pet trade. Within the python genus, the length can vary from a mere foot up to an enormous 20+ feet! The ball python itself falls on the smaller end of the spectrum ranging from an average of 3 to 4 feet. Generally, balls can have a long life consisting of 20-30 years. Before combing through the hundreds of contrasting “paint jobs” and markings and picking out a snake, it is critical to have the know-how and the snakes enclosure already set up. This will help cut down on any stress the snake may have coming into a new environment.
Cage Requirements
Having your reptilian friends habitat pre-set up will make your snake much more comfortable when first coming into your home. There is a multitude of different housing options available and the two most widely used are a glass aquarium tank and a rack system. Generally only breeders or collectors who have a large quantity of ball pythons will use a rack system. Both options can be used to provide an excellent environment for a ball python, you just must decide which one works best for you. Whichever your preference, you must make sure that the enclosure is escape proof. There are glass tanks available which have sliding locking lids that will keep your ball python from pushing their way out.
What size house does your ball python need? The enclosures size depends on the size of your snake. A smaller snake will feel much safer in a tank closer to its size than in a larger one. Once the snake grows, the size of its tank must grow as well. Baby ball pythons will feel most secure and will thrive in either a 10-20 gallon tank or a 6-12 qt tub (for rack systems). An adult ball python would be most comfortable in a 40 gallon breeder tank or a 28-41qt tub. All of our adult female ball pythons are housed in 41 qt tubs.
Ball pythons are ectotherms, or cold-blooded, which means they cannot generate their own body heat and must rely on their environment to provide them with a gradient of temperatures. Providing the correct heat for a ball python is extremely important for keeping your snake happy and healthy. If they are not provided with proper hot and cool areas, the snake may become sick. One end of the enclosure should be considered the hot side with a hot spot of approximately 90-92 F. This hot spot will help the ball python warm up and will aid in digestion after a filling meal. The cool end of the enclosure should be in the low 80s, around 79-82F. Having a hot side and a cool side will allow the ball python to thermo-regulate its own body temperature by moving about the floor to where it feels comfortable. Many people using tanks will use a thermometer, found in many pet stores, which can be placed inside the tank to monitor the temperature. We personally use an infrared heat gun, which uses a point and shoot method to determine the temperature in one specific spot.
Temperature variations can be achieved by several different methods. Basking lights can be placed on top of a tank or a heat pad can be placed underneath a tank to heat up the cages temperature, these are the most common methods used in an aquarium. Light bulbs come in varying watts and colors to suit your needs. Ball pythons do not need any UVB/UVA bulbs. Heat cable and heat tape are the two methods generally used in a rack system, but can also be used with an aquarium. Whichever method you use, it is crucial to purchase a high quality thermostat which will control the temps for you and will keep them within the perfect range for your snake. The thermostat will turn on when it reads that your temps have gotten too cool, and after warming the tank up to the perfect temperature it will safely turn the heat off which will assure that your snake will never over heat or get too cold. We will always use and swear by Spyder Robotics herpstat for our thermostat. They have worked excellently for us and are an extremely high quality thermostat that puts our minds at ease. We’ve tried many different brands, and at this point have given every non Spyder Robotics thermostat away. Spyder Robotics are the only thermostats we will even consider running in our reptile facilities.
The humidity within your ball pythons tank is extremely important. Correct humidity will not only keep your snake happy but it will allow the snake to have a proper, healthy shed. Humidity should stay between 55-75%. Different elevations and places around the world will have drastically different levels of humidity. The easiest way to monitor your tanks levels are through the use of a hygrometer, which can be found online or at many retail pet stores. Raising the humidity can be achieved by placing a large water dish closer to the hot side, or misting the tank. Daily misting is not necessary. Ventilation is important to take into consideration when measuring humidity. If you need to adjust the moisture level in the tank, increasing the amount of ventilation will decrease the humidity and vice versa.
A clean, fresh water bowl should be placed in the snakes enclosure. A heavy bowl is suggested so that the ball python does not accidentally tip it over and spill all of the water. Water should be changed every few days or should be changed immediately if it gets dirty. I would also recommend a bowl sturdy enough to make it through a high temperature dishwasher. The water bowl should be disinfected on a regular basis. If it cannot go through the dishwasher, or it is easier to hand clean it, simple soap and water will work wonders. Be sure to thoroughly rinse any cleaning solution out before replacing it with cool, fresh water for your snake.
There are many substrates available for you to use within your snakes tank. Mulch and aspen are very popular. We personally use finely shredded aspen that we order from either Pet Food Direct or Pet360. Aspen is widely used because it has virtually no smell and is easy to spot clean, or completely replace. Pet stores carry a wide diversity of substrates in many different sizes. Newspapers or liners have also been used in tanks and racks for years with great success. We do NOT recommend using any cedar bedding with your snakes as it has been known to be toxic and can be extremely harmful!
Ball pythons have been known to be a shy snake and would feel much more comfortable having a little place to seclude themselves in. They like having a dark, safe place to go to. Having a hide in a rack system is optional but it is necessary for a tank setup. A hide will allow them to go to their safe place if they ever feel stressed out. If you have a large enclosure, we would recommend using multiple hides so your snake has a few different options. A hide on the hot side and cold side, will allow the snake to hide in comfort without having to choose being too hot or too cold if you only have one hide in the tank. If you would like to add some extra items to your tank, logs or branches can be used and you may often see your snake climbing on them.
Cleanliness is vitally important to your ball pythons health. “Spot cleaning” any messes once a week is recommended, or immediately after you see your snake mess the cage. The tank, water bowl, and all extra hides/branches in the enclosure should be thoroughly cleaned at least once a month. Running the items (that fit) into a high temperature dish washer with soap is a great option to sterilize. Scrubbing with soap and thoroughly rinsing the items and tank have also worked tremendously for people. We use an F10 solution for cleaning our tubs in our rack system. F10 is a veterinary grade disinfectant that we order online from Reptile Basics. Cleaning the tank and items may vary with how busy and messy your snake is, but remember that a clean tank means a healthy snake!
What size house does your ball python need? The enclosures size depends on the size of your snake. A smaller snake will feel much safer in a tank closer to its size than in a larger one. Once the snake grows, the size of its tank must grow as well. Baby ball pythons will feel most secure and will thrive in either a 10-20 gallon tank or a 6-12 qt tub (for rack systems). An adult ball python would be most comfortable in a 40 gallon breeder tank or a 28-41qt tub. All of our adult female ball pythons are housed in 41 qt tubs.
Ball pythons are ectotherms, or cold-blooded, which means they cannot generate their own body heat and must rely on their environment to provide them with a gradient of temperatures. Providing the correct heat for a ball python is extremely important for keeping your snake happy and healthy. If they are not provided with proper hot and cool areas, the snake may become sick. One end of the enclosure should be considered the hot side with a hot spot of approximately 90-92 F. This hot spot will help the ball python warm up and will aid in digestion after a filling meal. The cool end of the enclosure should be in the low 80s, around 79-82F. Having a hot side and a cool side will allow the ball python to thermo-regulate its own body temperature by moving about the floor to where it feels comfortable. Many people using tanks will use a thermometer, found in many pet stores, which can be placed inside the tank to monitor the temperature. We personally use an infrared heat gun, which uses a point and shoot method to determine the temperature in one specific spot.
Temperature variations can be achieved by several different methods. Basking lights can be placed on top of a tank or a heat pad can be placed underneath a tank to heat up the cages temperature, these are the most common methods used in an aquarium. Light bulbs come in varying watts and colors to suit your needs. Ball pythons do not need any UVB/UVA bulbs. Heat cable and heat tape are the two methods generally used in a rack system, but can also be used with an aquarium. Whichever method you use, it is crucial to purchase a high quality thermostat which will control the temps for you and will keep them within the perfect range for your snake. The thermostat will turn on when it reads that your temps have gotten too cool, and after warming the tank up to the perfect temperature it will safely turn the heat off which will assure that your snake will never over heat or get too cold. We will always use and swear by Spyder Robotics herpstat for our thermostat. They have worked excellently for us and are an extremely high quality thermostat that puts our minds at ease. We’ve tried many different brands, and at this point have given every non Spyder Robotics thermostat away. Spyder Robotics are the only thermostats we will even consider running in our reptile facilities.
The humidity within your ball pythons tank is extremely important. Correct humidity will not only keep your snake happy but it will allow the snake to have a proper, healthy shed. Humidity should stay between 55-75%. Different elevations and places around the world will have drastically different levels of humidity. The easiest way to monitor your tanks levels are through the use of a hygrometer, which can be found online or at many retail pet stores. Raising the humidity can be achieved by placing a large water dish closer to the hot side, or misting the tank. Daily misting is not necessary. Ventilation is important to take into consideration when measuring humidity. If you need to adjust the moisture level in the tank, increasing the amount of ventilation will decrease the humidity and vice versa.
A clean, fresh water bowl should be placed in the snakes enclosure. A heavy bowl is suggested so that the ball python does not accidentally tip it over and spill all of the water. Water should be changed every few days or should be changed immediately if it gets dirty. I would also recommend a bowl sturdy enough to make it through a high temperature dishwasher. The water bowl should be disinfected on a regular basis. If it cannot go through the dishwasher, or it is easier to hand clean it, simple soap and water will work wonders. Be sure to thoroughly rinse any cleaning solution out before replacing it with cool, fresh water for your snake.
There are many substrates available for you to use within your snakes tank. Mulch and aspen are very popular. We personally use finely shredded aspen that we order from either Pet Food Direct or Pet360. Aspen is widely used because it has virtually no smell and is easy to spot clean, or completely replace. Pet stores carry a wide diversity of substrates in many different sizes. Newspapers or liners have also been used in tanks and racks for years with great success. We do NOT recommend using any cedar bedding with your snakes as it has been known to be toxic and can be extremely harmful!
Ball pythons have been known to be a shy snake and would feel much more comfortable having a little place to seclude themselves in. They like having a dark, safe place to go to. Having a hide in a rack system is optional but it is necessary for a tank setup. A hide will allow them to go to their safe place if they ever feel stressed out. If you have a large enclosure, we would recommend using multiple hides so your snake has a few different options. A hide on the hot side and cold side, will allow the snake to hide in comfort without having to choose being too hot or too cold if you only have one hide in the tank. If you would like to add some extra items to your tank, logs or branches can be used and you may often see your snake climbing on them.
Cleanliness is vitally important to your ball pythons health. “Spot cleaning” any messes once a week is recommended, or immediately after you see your snake mess the cage. The tank, water bowl, and all extra hides/branches in the enclosure should be thoroughly cleaned at least once a month. Running the items (that fit) into a high temperature dish washer with soap is a great option to sterilize. Scrubbing with soap and thoroughly rinsing the items and tank have also worked tremendously for people. We use an F10 solution for cleaning our tubs in our rack system. F10 is a veterinary grade disinfectant that we order online from Reptile Basics. Cleaning the tank and items may vary with how busy and messy your snake is, but remember that a clean tank means a healthy snake!
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Feeding
Ball pythons are carnivores and in captivity they will happily feed on live rodents. They should be fed an appropriate sized meal on a regular, once a week, basis. An appropriately sized meal means that the rodent is approximately the same size as the largest part of the snakes body. As babies, ball pythons generally start off on hopper (baby) mice. After a few meals, and as they start to grow, the size of the meal should also grow with them. It will only take a few meals before a ball python is feeding on a small mouse! Nutritionally speaking, rats are better meals than mice and it is recommended that you switch a ball python over to rats as soon as possible.
An alternative to live rodents are frozen/thawed ones. Frozen rodents can be purchased online or through many pet stores. Once it is feeding time, the rodent is taken out of the freezer and placed in a bucket of hot water. It does not take long before the rodent is thawed enough to take out and feed. We recommend using a pair of long stainless steel feeding tongs to pick up any rodent and to offer it to your snake. Many ball pythons will readily take frozen/thawed however some would prefer to eat live rodents. Always supervise your snake if you throw a live rodent in with it! All rodents have a sharp pair of teeth which could potentially cause your snake harm. If your snake shows no interest in the rodent, pull it out and try again the next scheduled feeding day. Skipping a meal is no cause for concern as older ball pythons (especially during breeding season) have been known to do so. As long as your snake remains a healthy weight then there is nothing to worry about.
An alternative to live rodents are frozen/thawed ones. Frozen rodents can be purchased online or through many pet stores. Once it is feeding time, the rodent is taken out of the freezer and placed in a bucket of hot water. It does not take long before the rodent is thawed enough to take out and feed. We recommend using a pair of long stainless steel feeding tongs to pick up any rodent and to offer it to your snake. Many ball pythons will readily take frozen/thawed however some would prefer to eat live rodents. Always supervise your snake if you throw a live rodent in with it! All rodents have a sharp pair of teeth which could potentially cause your snake harm. If your snake shows no interest in the rodent, pull it out and try again the next scheduled feeding day. Skipping a meal is no cause for concern as older ball pythons (especially during breeding season) have been known to do so. As long as your snake remains a healthy weight then there is nothing to worry about.
Sexing your Snake
Determining the sex of your snake can be done in two ways, probing and popping. Please note that both methods should be done with care and done by a professional. It is not recommended that you try this out by yourself before having someone teach you how. When sexing a ball python, you are looking for hemipenes. Male ball pythons have two hemipenes (their reproductive organs) which are located at the base of their tail directly behind their vent. The hemipenes are located inside the snakes body and cannot be visually seen unless they are inverted outside the body, using the popping method. During probing, a small lubricated probe is placed in the cloaca on either side of the midline. It is then pushed very gently into the cloaca, towards the tip of the tail. When the probe cannot go any farther, mark the spot where the probe enters the vent with your finger then slowly pull the probe out and place it in the same position on the outside of the snake. You will now be able to count the number of scales of how far the probe went into the snake. With female ball pythons, the probe will only go in about 1-3 scales. With male ball pythons, the probe will go approximately 9+ scales length into the snake. With probing, be very cautious as not to push the probe too hard and apply too much pressure as you can puncture the snake.
The other method to sex your snake is to pop the snake. After locating the ball pythons vent, place your left hands thumb in front of the vent. You will then place your right hands thumb on the base of the tail and “roll” your thumb up towards the vent. If you are left handed then use the opposite thumbs listed, or whichever is most comfortable for you. The rolling motion is used to push the males two hemipenes out the vent for you to visually see. If you are popping a female, nothing will come out of the vent. Smaller snakes are easier to pop, and practice makes perfect. Again, it is recommended that you have a professional teach you how to safely pop your snakes.
The other method to sex your snake is to pop the snake. After locating the ball pythons vent, place your left hands thumb in front of the vent. You will then place your right hands thumb on the base of the tail and “roll” your thumb up towards the vent. If you are left handed then use the opposite thumbs listed, or whichever is most comfortable for you. The rolling motion is used to push the males two hemipenes out the vent for you to visually see. If you are popping a female, nothing will come out of the vent. Smaller snakes are easier to pop, and practice makes perfect. Again, it is recommended that you have a professional teach you how to safely pop your snakes.
Male
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Female
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For all you visual learners out there. Here is a short video on how to properly sex ball pythons
using both the probing and popping methods!!
using both the probing and popping methods!!
Enjoy your Ball Python!
Now that you have learned the basics of owning and keeping ball pythons, we would like to welcome you to the ball python community! It is now time to sit back and enjoy your new friend. Ball pythons can be excellent and rewarding pets for you and your family. Besides the hobby and enjoyment of keeping ball pythons, once you’re comfortable with the husbandry you may be interested in breeding ball pythons. Breeding ball pythons can be just as rewarding of a hobby as keeping the animals themselves. No matter how many eggs we hatch, it never gets old seeing the little faces pipping from the eggs and the excitement that goes along with having them come out the egg and seeing what new color and pattern combinations we’ve created. If you’re interested in learning about breeding ball pythons, please see our article on how we successfully breed our ball python collection! If you have any further questions, we are always available and willing to help. Feel free to shoot us a message as we may have accidentally left out something in our care sheet! We hope you enjoy ball pythons as much as we do!
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