Ball Python Supplies

Ball pythons are the perfect snakes for anyone who likes the look of a python without the normally massive size. Ball pythons average only 4 feet in size, unlike their larger python cousins that make it up well over 20 feet in some cases! This makes them a great pet as they will always be easy to handle and will never need anything larger than a mouse to eat.

General Diet:
Snakes are carnivores, which means they eat meat. Ball pythons can eat mice, and some willingly will eat frozen mice that are available commercially. The prey size should be the correct size for the snake and never too big.

Vitamins/Supplements:
Reptiles need to have a vitamin/mineral supplement with calcium and phosphorous.
This supplement should be sprinkled on the adult’s food items at every second to third feeding and sometimes more often with very young reptiles. We will be glad to explain how often to feed and give supplements to your new pet.

Important Food Tips:
It is best to feed your snake in a place that is not its normal home, such as a large, deep tray. That way the snake will not associate its home as a place that it could be fed. If frozen food is used, it must be thawed out first and at room temperature before it is fed.

Never feed a snake anything cold. If live food is fed, watch the snake and prey item carefully. If the snake doesn’t seem hungry, take the prey item away, as they will sometimes hurt the snake. You can also put the item in tongs and tease the snake with the prey to see if it wants to eat. Never hold the prey item with your fingers! If it still does not want to eat try later, in a day or so, and be sure the habitat is not too cold. Ball pythons can be tricky eaters, and will sometimes stop eating for short periods of time. This is normal if they are healthy otherwise.

Housing:
Ball pythons stay small, so a 20-30 gallon tank will work well. A full cover should be used on top of a tank with clamps. The habitat will also need two types of lighting systems, which may be built into the cover. One type of lighting has a reptile fluorescent bulb that preferably gives off full spectrum light including UVA and UVB. The UVB is considered important for these snakes so they can absorb calcium properly and stay healthy.