Environment
Caging
Ball python enclosures can be as simple or as elaborate as you. Remember that the more you put in the cage, the more you have to clean and disinfect on a regular basis. That said, there are different enclosures that work well for ball pythons, including, but not limited to, plastic boxes, melamine racks and any of the commercially available, plastic-type reptile cages. Glass reptile terrariums and tanks are adequate for ball pythons, but the screen tops on such enclosures can make it very difficult to maintain proper humidity levels.
Juvenile ball pythons seem to do well in small enclosures that make them feel secure. A small snake in a big cage can become overwhelmed and stressed. Adult ball pythons do not require exceptionally large or elaborate enclosures either. A 36-inch by 18-inch by 12-inch enclosure will more than comfortably house an adult ball python.
Spot-clean your ball python's enclosure as necessary. Remove feces and urates as soon as possible. Do a complete tear-down every 30 days by removing all substrate and reptile accessories and completely disinfecting with a 5 percent bleach solution. Rinse the enclosure thoroughly with water, and allow it to dry completely before replacing cage accessories and your snake.
The one cage accessory that is required for a happy ball python is a good hide box. Ball pythons are secretive snakes that appreciate and utilize hides. Provide one on each end of your python's enclosure so that it doesn't have to choose between temperature and security. Clay flowerpots, plastic flowerpot trays and commercially available hide boxes all work well.
Heating & Lighting
Remember that enclosures must allow for a proper thermal gradient that the ball python can utilize, with a hotspot on one end of the enclosure and a cool spot on the other. Provide your ball python with a basking spot temperature of 88 to 96 degrees Fahrenheit and an ambient temperature of 78 to 80 degrees. The ambient temperature should not fall below 75 degrees. It is vitally important to know the temperatures at which you are keeping your snake. Do not guess! A great way to monitor temperatures is to use a digital indoor/outdoor thermometer with a probe. Stick the thermometer to the inside of the cage on the cool end and place the probe on the warm end, and you'll have both sides covered at once.
There are several types of snake heat lamps that help heat a ball python enclosure. Undercage heating pads, ceramic heat emitters, basking bulbs are just a few. With heat emitters and basking bulbs, it is crucial to keep an eye on the humidity within the enclosure, especially if combined with a screen top, as both will dry the air quickly. Use thermostats, rheostats and/or reptile timers to control your heat source. Do not use hot rocks with snakes as they can heat unevenly over too small of a surface area and can cause serious burns.
Supplemental lighting is not necessary for ball pythons, but if used should run on a 12/12 cycle, meaning 12 hours on and 12 hours off. Continuous bright, overhead lighting is stressful to snakes, especially a nocturnal species such as the ball python. Ball pythons seem to prefer humidity levels of 50 to 60 percent. Maintaining proper humidity will allow your ball python to shed properly.
Snake Substrate
Newspapers and paper towels are the cheapest and easiest substrates for ball pythons with regards to cleaning and disinfecting – out with the old, in with the new. Cypress mulch and orchid bark are great substrates for controlling humidity, but remember that too much humidity can be as detrimental (if not more) as too little. Never use any substrate containing cedar, as it contains oils that can be deadly to reptiles! Avoid sand, shavings and peat bedding.
Nutrition
Water
Always have fresh, clean water available for your ball python. Check the water daily. The size of the water dish is up to you. If it is large enough for the ball python to crawl in to and soak, sooner or later your snake will make the most of the opportunity – ball pythons seem to enjoy a nice soak from time to time. Ensure that the water bowl is not too deep for juvenile animals – 1 inch or so will suffice. Snakes of many species will defecate in their water bowls from time to time, so be prepared to clean and disinfect the water bowl. The water bowl should be cleaned and disinfected on a weekly basis. Having a spare water bowl for such occasions can be handy, so that one may be used while the other is being cleaned.
Feeding
In the wild, Ball Python will prey upon small mammals like rodents and small birds. Most hatchlings can be started off on hopper mice or fuzzy rats once per week. Food items can gradually be increased as needed. Most adult Ball Pythons can be fed small to medium adult rats once every 7-10 days. A general rule of thumb to follow when feeding snakes is to provide prey items that are approximately the same width as the widest point of the snake.
Feeding dead prey is ideal because it eliminates the risk of prey trauma to the snake and prolonged stress on the prey. However, because baby ball pythons have a timid strike response, feeding live prey may be the only way to entice them. Prey can be purchased frozen and then thawed and served at body temperature (warmed under a heat lamp) or killed by cervical dislocation just before giving it to the snake.
Do not handle your ball python for at least a day after feeding, as this can lead to regurgitation. Ball pythons can be fed frozen/thawed or pre-killed rodents. Never leave a live rodent unattended with any snake, as they can injure the snake.
It should be noted that these snakes regularly refuse food for long periods of time, especially in the winter months. While this can be alarming, it is not out of the ordinary. Offer your ball python food every 10 to 14 days until it is interested in eating again, as the snake will eventually resume feeding normally. During this time, their weight should be monitored to make sure they don’t become underweight or starve.
The most common and vexing problem that ball python owners encounter is anorexia, and there are multiple reasons why snakes will not eat. A healthy-looking snake may fast for a couple of months with no ill effects, but this feeding schedule should not be encouraged. New acquisitions may fast until they become accustomed to their surroundings. When new python owners state that their snake will not eat, the technician should confirm that a suitable habitat is being provided and make recommendations as necessary. One of the main reasons ball pythons refuse to eat is stress, primarily from excessive handling. It is advised that handling be delayed until the snake has eaten at least four times in a row when offered food. The snake should then be handled to a maximum of 15 minutes per week, with halting of any handling if the snake refuses food. A snake is less likely to feed during ecdysis (shedding).
If you are unsure of your snakes health due to lack of eating, seek the professional advice of a medical veterinarian.