Things To Do With Your Ball Python

Care & Feeding of the Ball Python

The adult ball python eats mostly small mice, as they are animals that do not exceed the width of the snake. One per week will be enough to cover its needs for the reason that it usually goes several days later without eating food. It is better that you avoid giving your pet birds and hamsters because of their excessive feathers and hair. Keep in mind that in the molting season, the ball python will not want food and you do not have to force it at all.

To take care of the health of your ball python, it is recommended that a specialized veterinarian check it every one or two months to inspect if it may have got parasites like worms. Special care must be taken with them as they can transmit diseases not only to the animal but also to the owner. It is, therefore, advisable to deworm it twice a year. They may also present other problems such as stomatitis or mouth infection, pneumonia or a malt.

Ball Python Tank

It does not need to have large dimensions. It will suffice with a size of 100 x 50 x 50 cm for an adult and 80 x 50 x 50 cm for a young ball python. A semi-tropical ball python tank is ideal for simulating the climate of its place of origin. The relative humidity should be maintained between 60% and 90% to avoid the problems with molting, for it is sprayed with water 2 or 3 times a week. The daytime temperature must oscillate between 26º and 32º while the night temperature must be lowered to 24º. The ceramic thermal plates, light or infrared bulbs will help to achieve the optimum conditions.

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Ventilation in the ball python tank is important but drafts must be avoided. Regarding the lighting, being a nocturnal species with infrared view, it is enough that the tank is in a space with a window or special lamps can be used for these pets.

As basic accessories like branches and trunks will be arranged, so that your pet can curl and rub to make the seedling. It is convenient to make a shelter with artificial plants and also arrange in a cool area a bucket with warm water of sufficient size, so that the python can bathe in addition to drinking. The best substrates for the ball python tank are newspaper or coconut fiber that need to be changed every day.

Precautions

Regarding its treatment, it allows to be manipulated easily when it has become accustomed to its environment. Despite being meek, jerky movements or excessive stress can make it nervous. It should be taken through the center of the body in a soft but firm way. As it gains confidence with the owner, it will become less runaway.