If you’re looking for a good snake for first-time owners, think about a ball python! Ball pythons won’t usually grow to more than five feet in size, and are generally docile and easy to handle. They get their name from their behavior when threatened: a ball python will curl up into a tight ball, tucking its head inside its coils.
- Name: Ball python (python regius)
- Lifespan: Average of twenty-thirty years
- Daytime temperature: 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit with a basking spot of 90 degrees
- Nighttime temperature: 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit
Whenever possible, try to find a captive bred ball python. Wild caught ball pythons are thought to be picky eaters, and may go months at a time without eating. Try to pick a younger snake, with a well-rounded body, clean eyes, and clear nostrils. Also watch their behavior — a curious and alert snake will gently grip your hands and arms when handled.
Be sure to have your new pet checked by a vet. Make sure to bring a recent stool sample so your veterinarian can check for internal parasites. Ask your vet to check for external parasites as well.
For a younger snake, a twenty gallon tank will be plenty of room; an adult ball python will need a thirty gallon tank. Ball pythons aren’t extremely active, but they can be very good at escaping. Make sure your tank has a top that fits securely. Fill the bottom of the tank with shredded bark, shredded newspaper, or even Astroturf. Your snake will appreciate a small enclosure to hide in and some sturdy branches to climb on.
Your tank also needs a dish large enough for your snake to soak in, especially during shedding times. A covered plastic dish with a hole in the lid makes a nice private soaking spot, though you should still offer an uncovered dish of water.
Heat the tank with an under-tank heating pad designed for reptiles. That will create your basic tank temperature. Use an incandescent bulb or ceramic heating element to create the basking spots, but be sure to screen the bulb or element to prevent direct contact that may cause burns. Keep two thermometers in the cage — one at the bottom to measure the ambient temperature and one at the basking spot.
Your snake does need a light/dark cycle, so avoid bright lights at night. Use a red, blue, or black bulb to provide heat without brightness.
Ball pythons can eat mice and rats exclusively. Young snakes can be fed weekly; adult snakes can eat larger meals less frequently. Pre-killed prey is safer than live prey — a frightened mouse or rat can injure your snake. Experts recommend taking your snake out of the cage into a separate enclosure for feeding times. This will teach your snake that food comes in the other cage, and helps ensure that it won’t mistake your hand for prey. Handling your ball python will also help in the taming process.