Homemade Ball Python Cage?

Question

I've been doing a bit of research the last couple of days and I think I want to get a ball python for my first snake.
Looking at the pricing of cages & stuff I'm thinking I might just like to build my own. I've never tried to build anything before, but I'm pretty handy and I'm confident that with proper attention to detail I could accomplish the job. As long as I stay away from cedar right? Oh and would finishing the wood be bad for the snake, can I use a wood finish/stain or should I just sand it smooth and leave it raw on the inside? (any tips would be appreciated) I would plan on having it built, finished, setup and working for at least 2weeks before I get a snake to ensure that everything is properly balanced and whatnot, wouldn't want to kill a poor little snake because of an inattention to detail

I'm trying to come up with a game plan for the build, My question really mostly involves the heating though. Some people suggest lamps, others suggest red or blue lighted lamps that produce heat but less light, others seem to suggest staying away from lamps all together for heat and use heating pads instead, some say to put the pads inside the cage, some say outside under, some say outside on top. It's getting a little confusing and obviously this will weigh heavily on the overall design of the project.

Also they say that for a ball python the humidity should be around 70%-80% around shedding and never less than 60%. I live in the desert, an average day around here is 0% humidity, so I'd think that too much airflow will strip the humidity right out of the snake's home. What's the best/easiest way to keep the humidity high in the tank at all times. Ideally I'd like to be messing with lights, heaters, water, and all the other settings as little as possible on a day to day basis. Especially since I'm away from the house a good 10-12 hours a day.

Answer 1

The tank should not be 500 dollars! You only need a 30-40 gallon depending on the sex of the snake, males smaller. Where are you looking? You might even want to buy a tank online, or a used one from your local classifieds (newspaper, bargain hunter, kijiji, craigslist). You can also house your snake safely and comfortably in a plastic tub. They are easier to clean, easier to find space for and only 10-20 bucks. The only bad thing about them is you can't see inside very well. I'm talking about rubbermaid/sterlite clothes/shoe bins at wal-mart, in case you didn't know. If you're getting a hatchling, start him out in one of these, and when you have the money and your snake is older, then move him to a full sized tank.



Sorry this doesn't answer your question, but I hope it solves your problem! Good luck.



EDIT: Sorry again! Didn't finnish reading your question. For my snake, I use both a heating pad and a heat lamp. This is because I live in Northern Ontario and it's Winter. I think you can get away with just buying a heating pad. It's always nice to have a backup sourse, but you will manage. Set up your tank a few days before getting your snake so you can see if the heating stays at the right temperatures during the day and night with just the heating pad. As for humidity, just a large waterbowl should work. When my humidity gets too low, I place a damp face cloth ontop of the tank and that holds it for awhile. You can also play around with different substrates to see what works best. Like you said, no cedar but don't use pine either-- they are both bad. If you do what I suggested and house him in a rubbermaid, you will have no problem with humidity and a heating pad on the underside will work perfectly.

Answer 2

aspen bedding or on newspaper Substrate: It has been our experience and observation that ball pythons do extremely well on either aspen bedding or on newspaper. Both are easy to maintain at a satisfactory level of sanitation. Ball pythons can be successfully maintained on a variety of substrates, including potting soil, clean gravel, cypress bark chips, and carpet, although some greater diligence may be required to maintain proper levels of cleanliness and odor with these substrates. We particularly like aspen bedding for ball pythons. When using aspen bedding, we have had the best results when the substrate is kept 2"-4" deep in the cage. We rarely observe a ball python to burrow or push in the aspen. Rather they are content to live on top of it and pack it down into trails and depressions. When the ambient temperatures are low, we place a hide box down into the aspen over the area heated from underneath by heat tape or Flex-Watt strips so that they can sit in the box directly over the heat. We purposely do not meticulously clean aspen bedding on some predetermined schedule. We find that this is not necessary and we prefer to leave it relatively undisturbed when possible. We check the cages daily, paying particular attention to the ambiance and odor of the cage. If it smells fresh and clean, then we don't disturb it. If the odor of some large stool or uneaten meal is detected, then the source of the offending odor is removed. Every second or third month, all the bedding is replaced. It is a very efficient way to maintain ball pythons, who themselves are efficient and clean snakes and allow such a lenient maintenance regime. When using newspaper as a cage substrate, it is a good maintenance practice, after papering the bottom, to crumple several pieces of newspaper in the cage, under which the snake can hide if desired.

Answer 3

For your first snake, buy an enclosure. They aren't expensive. You'll end up spending a fortune on supplies to build your own. I really don't see the need for a homemade enclosure for smaller snakes.



As for lighting/heat. Use a Under tank heater and a 75W day-glo lamp for a basking spot. Hook them up to a rheostat so you can adjust their intensity levels as needed.



Humidity- put a towel on top of the tank over the water dish. This will keep more moisture in and raise the humidity.

Answer 4

Not really sure how to help you on the project except to say: "Don't do it unless you have experience with building these types of things, because you really don't want to come home and find that your snake has escaped from its cage...that could be trouble."

My advice: don't make one, buy one. The extra cost would probably be worth the safety. (Unless of course ball pythons are not dangerous)