The right ball python enclosure size depends on the length or age of your particular pet. Ball pythons tend not to be very active and will often do well in a smaller ball python terrarium. Younger snakes will typically be fine in a 10 to 20-gallon ball python enclosure, while adults may need at least a 30-gallon space.[1]
How Big Should My Ball Python Tank Be?
It is generally accepted that your Ball Python will need at least 2 feet of space lengthwise for every 3 feet that they are in size at a bare minimum. Generally, smaller snakes can do fine in a 20-gallon tank, while larger snakes should be introduced to a tank of at least 40 gallons in size.Jul 19, 2022[2]
How Many Gallon Tank Does A Ball Python Need?
Hatchlings up to 300g can be housed in a 10 gallon enclosure or tub measuring approximately 20″ x 11″ x 13″. Juveniles under 3′ long can be housed in a 40 gallon enclosure measuring about 36” x 18” x 18”. Subadults and adults over 3′ long do best in a 120 gallon enclosure (48″ x 24″ x 24″) or larger.[3]
Is A 30 Gallon Tank Good For A Ball Python?
A 30 to 40 gallon tank is recommended for most adult ball pythons. This will save time and money since a baby ball python will eventually outgrow a 20 gallon tank. I always recommend getting the largest tank your budget and space allow. Be sure to have a thermometer on each end as well as at the basking spot.[4]
Is 50 Gallon Too Big For A Ball Python?
The adult ball python needs a home that is large enough to fit in comfortably and tall enough to climb. It should be between 40-55 gallons and three to four feet in length. There ideally should be a slight temperature gradient from a warm to a cooler side.[5]
What Should The Humidity Be In A Ball Python Tank
For pet ball pythons you will want to keep humidity somewhere between 55% and 60%. This humidity level allows pythons to keep their skin moist enough to shed properly and avoids respiratory infections. Also, it is not too high that their skin will be constantly wet.[6]
How To Make Bioactive Substrate For Ball Python
1 bag of topsoil + 1 24qt bag of ReptiSoil + 1 bag of play sand works well for an average 4’x2’x2′ enclosure. For best results layer with sphagnum moss and leaf litter. The Bio Dude Terra Firma — Bioactive-ready natural substrate that retains humidity well and nourishes live plants.[7]
How Do You Make A Substrate Bioactive?
Tropical Bioactive Substrate Recipe1Sphagnum Moss – 1 part.2Tree Fern Fiber – 2 parts.3Orchid Bark – 2 parts.4Peat Moss – 1 part.5Charcoal – 1 part.[8]
Is Bioactive Soil Good For Ball Pythons?
Bio-Active Soil is a good option for beginners because it creates its own environment. Reptile substrates are important to consider when you’re ready to set up your ball python’s enclosure. By keeping the substrate clean, you can prevent respiratory issues and infections, as well as eye problems caused by mites.[9]
How Much Does A Baby Ball Python Cost
The average price that you can expect to pay for a normal ball python morph is around $50, but they can be as cheap as $25 on rare occasions. For rarer morphs, expect to pay more than $50. For instance, young albino ball pythons tend to sell between $150 and $200.[10]
How Much Do A Ball Python Cost?
The cost of a ball python isn’t just the price, which can be any between $50 to $5000 (most ball pythons cost $100 to $500), but also the cost of feeding, heating, lighting, and setting up the python’s enclosure. What is this? The ball python is endemic to West and Central africa. It is also called the royal python.Oct 1, 2021[11]
What Is The Cheapest Ball Python?
Prices vary, but the cheapest morph overall is generally Yellow Belly. Yellow Belly Ball Pythons are now one of the most widespread morphs of all. You can find them for as little as $45 in the USA and $30 in Europe. Pastel comes in at a close second, usually costing $50 – 100.[12]
How Often Does Ball Python Shed
Treatment. Like other reptiles, ball pythons shed their skin regularly as they grow. A healthy ball python should shed its skin in one piece once every 4-6 weeks or so. As they prepare to shed, the scales will loosen, and you may notice its eyes turn blue and opaque.[13]
How Long Does A Ball Python Take To Shed?
The shedding process typically takes Ball Pythons no more than two weeks.Jul 26, 2022[14]
How Do You Know When A Ball Python Is Going To Shed?
Signs of the Time
The ball python gives fair warning when he’s ready to shed. About a week before he’s ready to get rid of his old skin, his colors will fade and his stomach will look pink, instead of its normal creamy color. He’ll take on a dull grayish or silvery sheen and his eyes will begin to dull as well.[15]
Why Is My Ball Python Shedding So Much?
There are numerous factors that may lead to dysecdysis, or abnormal shedding in snakes. Two of the most commonly seen reasons include malnutrition and humidity levels being too high or too low for the species of snake. One of the main reasons snakes shed their skin is to remove any parasites or collected bacteria.[16]
Will Ball Pythons Eat While Shedding?
Many ball pythons will refuse food while they’re in the middle of a shed cycle, but some will continue to accept food. Experienced keepers may continue to offer their snake food while he’s undergoing a shed cycle, but it will typically be wise for beginning keepers to simply withhold food until the process concludes.[17]
What Is The Average Lifespan Of A Ball Python
Ball python / Lifespan[18]
How Long Do Ball Pythons Live As Pets?
The ball python holds the record for the longest-lived snake at 47 years, recorded at the Philadelphia Zoo. Typical life spans in captivity range from 20 to 30 years,1 making these snakes a serious responsibility and not an impulse purchase.[19]
How Old Was The Longest Living Ball Python?
This species can do quite well in captivity, regularly living for 15-30 years with good care. The oldest recorded ball python in captivity is 62 years, 59 of those at the Saint Louis Zoo.[20]
How Long Does A Ball Python Last?
On average, ball pythons live about 20-30 years in captivity. However, the oldest known ball python lived to 48 years old at a zoo. To help your ball python reach the maximum end of that lifespan, you will need to provide the proper care to keep your snake healthy and happy.Jul 26, 2022[21]
How Big Do Ball Python Get
Physical Description. Captive ball pythons typically reach a length of 4 to 5 feet, although 6-ft wild specimens have been found. Hatchlings range from 10 to 17 inches (25.4 to 43.2 cm). Captive-raised ball pythons grow to more than 3 feet in length within 3 years.[22]
How Big Does A Full Grown Ball Python Need?
Adult female ball pythons average 3 to 5 feet long, and adult male ball pythons average 2 to 3 feet in size. This is a species in which mature females are typically much larger than the males. A 5-foot ball python is considered big, although lengths of 6 feet or more have been reported.Jun 4, 2021[23]
Whats The Biggest A Ball Python Can Get?
That being said, Ball Pythons usually reach a maximum length of around 4 feet, with females usually being slightly longer. Males are typically 3-3.5 feet in length, and both sexes will reach a weight of around 3-5 pounds maximum.Jul 19, 2022[24]
How Often Can You Feed A Ball Python
How often to feed a ball python. You don’t need to feed a ball python every day. Generally, smaller or younger ball pythons need to eatevery five days, while larger ones usually eat once every week or two. As they get older you feed them more at one time so they don’t need as many feedings.Jul 7, 2021[25]
Can You Feed A Ball Python Too Much?
Power feeding means feeding a ball python more than once a week. This is a controversial practice that is used by some ball python breeders to rapidly increase their snake’s weight. Power feeding quickly leads to obesity and can shorten your snake’s lifespan. It should not be done.[26]
How Long Can A Ball Python Go Between Feedings?
An adult ball python can survive up to 6 months without eating, but such a long period can be disastrous for the health of the reptile.Jul 29, 2022[27]
Can You Feed Ball Python 2 Days In A Row?
There is no real harm in feeding 2 days in a row now and again, but I wouldn’t recommend it long term. Snakes need time to digest and use the energy they get from food, so having a full belly all the time is not good.[28]
How Do You Know Your Ball Python Is Hungry?
What is this? You can tell a snake is hungry when it exhibits specific behaviors such as: Prowling the front of the tank, being more active, focussing on you whenever you are near the enclosure, flicking its tongue more often, and hunting at a similar time each day or night.[29]
How Long Does It Take For A Ball Python To Poop
Most ball pythons poop around 6-10 days after eating, but it can be longer than 10 days depending on ball python’s environment. Ball pythons can hold their waste for long periods of time, and some normally poop only once in 1-3 months.[30]
Resources
[1]https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/reptile/ball-python-supplies/ball-python-cages-terrariums
[2]https://petkeen.com/ball-python-cage-size/
[3]https://reptifiles.com/ball-python-care-guide/ball-python-terrarium-size-lighting/
[4]https://www.petcoach.co/question/%3Fid%3D497394
[5]https://www.everythingreptiles.com/how-big-do-ball-pythons-get/
[6]https://www.everythingreptiles.com/ball-python-humidity/
[7]https://reptifiles.com/ball-python-care-guide/ball-python-substrate/
[8]https://terrariumtribe.com/bioactive-substrate/
[9]https://reptilesneed.com/best-substrate-for-ball-pythons/
[10]https://beyondthetreat.com/how-much-does-a-ball-python-cost/
[11]https://www.snaketracks.com/how-much-do-ball-pythons-cost/
[12]https://ballpythonbreeder.co.uk/2022/03/27/top-5-cheap-ball-python-morphs/
[13]https://reptifiles.com/ball-python-care-guide/ball-python-diseases-health/ball-python-shedding/
[14]https://petkeen.com/how-often-do-ball-pythons-shed/
[15]https://animals.mom.com/long-ball-python-shed-10594.html
[16]https://wagwalking.com/reptile/condition/abnormal-skin-shedding-in-snakes
[17]https://www.reptileadvisor.com/ball-python-shedding/
[18]https://a-z-animals.com/blog/how-long-do-ball-pythons-live/
[19]https://www.vetfolio.com/learn/article/ball-python-care
[20]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_python
[21]https://petkeen.com/ball-python-lifespan-how-long-do-they-live/
[22]https://www.vetfolio.com/learn/article/ball-python-care
[23]https://reptilesmagazine.com/ball-python-care-sheet/
[24]https://petkeen.com/how-big-do-ball-pythons-get/
[25]https://pets.webmd.com/feeding-a-ball-python
[26]https://www.everythingreptiles.com/ball-python-feeding/
[27]https://petkeen.com/how-long-can-ball-pythons-not-eat/
[28]https://www.reptileforums.co.uk/threads/feeding-two-days-in-a-row.252983/
[29]https://reptilecraze.com/how-to-tell-that-your-snake-is-hungry/
[30]https://www.lizards101.com/ball-python-not-pooping-causes-and-tips/