Ball Pythons, in the wild, primarily inhabit scrublands, grasslands, savannas and open forests. They typically do not like in extremely arid places, rainforests or deserts and are usually near open water if available. Ball Pythons are native to central and western Africa. Ball pythons are typically nocturnal, they spend much of the day underground nestled in their burrows. They'll emerge dawn and dusk and hunt throughout the night. So with that being said, what kind of environment should you create for your ball python? Let’s get into it.
I like to mimic their natural habitat as much as possible so let’s begin with enclosures. As babies, ball python's don't require a lot of space. They will spend the majority of their time in their hides during the day. Being only about 8 inches or so as babies they will fit nicely in a 20 gallon aquarium. They will out grow that 20 gal! Adult ball pythons will grow to at least 3 feet long, so with that in mind the bigger the enclosure the better. I would start out with the biggest enclosure I could afford so I don't have to keep upgrading the size as my ball python grows. Some people believe an enclosure that is too big for a hatchling is intimidating, but I disagree; and you can always section off a larger enclosure if need be. An adult ball python should be in at least 120 gallon aquarium. I know some do fine in as little as a 40 gallon but that is not always the case. to be on the safe side and to insure a happier ball python, I would do my best to house them in a 120 gal. A "happy" ball python will have plenty of places to hide. They spend much of the day in their hides and don't usually climb, but given the opportunity they may. So I would focus on longer and wider enclosures versus taller enclosures. There are different types of aquariums or enclosures to use. Some examples are manufactured plastic enclosures and glass aquariums. Glass enclosures are nice because you can see through them. However, glass doesn’t hold heat very well and heat is important for a successful environment for your “Ball”.
On the topic of heat, lets discuss the next part of your snakes environment. Ball Pythons should have an area for basking (hotter) and an area that is more ambient (cooler). There are many ways to create a basking spot. But the two main ways is to provide a basking lamp on top of the enclosure or some type of heating pad or heat tape underneath the enclosure. I prefer the underside heating with a hide over the heating device. This way your ball python can hide and stay warm at the same time. You should also provide a hide on the non heated side of the enclosure so when your ball python wants to cool of he or she can hide there too if they want. Recommended temperatures should be 75-80 Fahrenheit on the cooler side and 82-85 Fahrenheit on the warmer side with a basking area of about 90-92 Fahrenheit. Its important to use a thermostat with your heating element to prevent over heating which can lead to injury to your ball python.
Substrate is a topic that can be over looked, but it actually very important. My go to substrate is cocoanut husk! I've seen people use different types of wood shavings (keep in mind some can be toxic), paper towels and even news paper. The reason I like cocoanut husk is because it holds moisture really well (essential for maintaining appropriate humidity levels). Coconut husk also do a decent job against mold and it provides a rough enough surface to help with shedding. A good humidity should be around 50-60% which can be obtained by occasional watering of the enclosure in conjunction with the heating element. With the cocoanut husk holding the moisture and the above or below heating elements you should have no issue reaching the appropriate humidity.
Other things to consider are tops for the enclosure and water bowls. Enclosure tops should be sturdy and lockable. Your ball python will escape if given the opportunity. Keep in mind if you have cats, they can easily rip open a screen mesh and kill your ball python. Also with a screen mesh, you will lose a lot of the temp and humidity. A good practice that I have had success with is to cut out a plastic or acrylic sheet with some holes in it and put it over the screen. That will protect the snake from predator's and insulate the enclosure much better. As for water bowls, its best to use one large enough for your ball python to soak in. They don't always do it, but when they are going to shed sometimes they will soak in their water bowls. A wider bowl is better than a taller bowl, because ball pythons and and will knock over the water bowl. This can create mold and increased humidity spikes which can be harmful to you ball python if left unattended.
Did I miss anything? Anyone out there have any other useful tips for ball python habitat or even cool supplies? Let me know in the comments!
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