When holding your snake, always remember to support its body. Ball pythons will explore after settling down over a few minutes. Give them some time to get used to you. Avoid touching the top of the head, unless the snake knows and trusts you. Touching the top of the head will cause the snake to jerk backwards and or curl up into a ball (hence ball python). The fast movement is called being “head shy” and tends to scare a lot of people who are unfamiliar with snakes. We advise limiting handling time to a max of 15 minutes per day to avoid stressing the snake.

Neonate: Small plastic tub (i.e., 7L) or reptile cage 40(L) X 30(D) X 20(H) cm. Juvenile: Medium plastic tub or reptile cage 60(L) X 30(D) X 30(H) cm. Adult: Large tub (i.e., 46L Addis in rack) or reptile cage minimum 1m (L) X 60cm (D) X 30(H) cm preferably >1.2m (L) X 60cm (D) X 40(H).

Ball pythons can be timid and may stop feeding if they feel the cage is too large. In such cases, reduce the cage size temporarily with a cardboard divider and then make the cage progressively bigger as the snake grows.    

Sieved coco husk, paper towels, aspen shaving, cypress mulch and/or newspaper is best. All loose bedding materials must be sieved to remove fine dust. Breathing in too much dust can lead to the development of Respiratory Infections (RI) which will require vet treatment. Do not use pine shavings unless professionally kiln dried as the bedding can contain oils that can damage your snake’s skin. Fumes can also lead to neurological issues. Although unsightly, newspaper is very healthy, easy is to clean, cheap and is very easy to acquire.

Ball Pythons do not require special lighting as they are nocturnal snakes. You can use a light for viewing purposes, but it is not required.

A heat gradient is required: 1/3 cool end; 1/3 average; 1/3 warm end. Average ambient cage/tub temperature should remain >±26.5˚C. Cool side ±26˚C, average ±27˚C; hot side ±28 to 29˚C; basking spot on the heat mat 33-35˚C (max). You want the ambient cage temperature to remain below 32˚C as high temperatures can cause neurological damage. If the cage is too hot, you will see the snake will stay permanently in the water bath and not move as he is trying to cool off. If the cage is too cool for a period of time, the snake could develop a Respiratory Infection (RI)  

Belly heat with heat mats or heat cable is best. These must be on a thermostat to prevent burning the snake. If the cage is too cold with just belly heat, use a CHE ceramic heater or heat lamp with protective cage to prevent burns. The CHE heater must be on its own thermostat. Balance heating and humidity to within requirements. All cages and tubs must have a temperature sensor mounted just above the substrate for monitoring purposes on the cool side of the cage (ideally one on the cool and one on the hot side). Temperatures should be checked at the initial cage setup and periodically thereafter with an infrared heat sensor gun as the human body can’t accurately feel the temperature’s that you snake needs.  

Humidity is very important for ball pythons to prevent RI’s. The most important factor is to balance the cage’s air flow ventilation in order to avoid transfer of too much humid air from the cage to the room around it leading to low humidity in the cage. Similarly, you don’t want the cage to be too humid as this will also cause an RI and thus if too humid you may need to decrease the water bowl size and drill more ventilation holes in the cage. Ball pythons should have a water bowl that’s large enough to help in balancing the humidity. General humidity needed is 60-70%. If the humidity is too low the eyes may become wrinkled or dented in (sign of dehydration) and the snake will have problems shedding. This normally resolves once the humidity is increased. All cages and tubs must have a humidity sensor mounted just above the substrate for monitoring purposes on the cool side of the cage.

Clean drinking water must always be available. Change twice a week or more frequently is contaminated with substrate or other matter. 

Ball pythons can climb but are clumsy as they are predominantly terrestrial snakes. If you have climbing perches, keep them close to the ground. Make sure they are fixed to the cage so can’t fall and hurt the snake. 

They like to have hiding spaces (especially when are neonate and juvenile) so put a hide on the cold and warm end (if space allows).

Co-habiting any species of snake is not ideal as all snakes are solitary species and only pair up for mating. Co-habitation can lead to the following problems: stress on one or both snakes which can cause them to stop feeding and/or may affect their health negatively; males can pester the females for breeding; two males in a cage will fight once reaching maturity; one snake could eat the other; challenging to feed two snakes in one cage as they could both grab the same feeder so have to be separated for feeding; and if one gets sick, both will get sick etc. Males should never be co-habited together. Each snake is different, some snakes are more tolerant of co-habitation than others. Hatchlings and small juveniles can be co-habited for a short period of time, but we recommend separating them into their own cages/tubs as soon as possible.

The following provides basic indicators of health issues, what you need to do to help the snake and/or if veterinary treatment is urgent:

• Stuck shed – Increase cage/tub humidity to ± 60-70% to address the issues reoccurring again. To remove stuck shed, use humidity hide first. If shed not sorted out, soak the snake in a tub (with breathing holes) with water between 26-33 ˚C for 15-30 minutes. The water must only be as deep as snakes back. Keep changing the water to keep it warm. Once the shed is soft, it can be rubbed off gently.
• Clicking when breathing in and out (not hissing or huffing) indicates either an upper/lower RI. Immediately increase humidity to 75% and ambient cage temperature as temporary measure. Take the snake to the vet immediately for the medical emergency (Don’t use Vicks or any other medicinal home remedies suggested on the internet, this will kill the snake)
• Blowing bubbles from nostrils and/or mouth, extra saliva indicated an RI. Immediately increase humidity to 75% and ambient cage temperature as temporary measure. Take the snake to the vet immediately for the medical emergency. (Don’t use Vicks or any other medicinal home remedies suggested on the internet, this will kill the snake)
• Swollen lower abdomen and has not defecated in a while indicates the snake may be constipated. Soak snake in water between 31-33 ˚C for 30-45 minutes. Water only as deep as snakes back. Keep changing the water to make sure it is warm. Make sure the snake’s head is above water. The snake may drink some water which is perfectly normal. Once the blockage has cleared put snake back in tub, dispose of waste in toilet and clean and sterilise the soaking tub with F10 solution. If blockage does not clear after a few soaking attempts, take the snake to the vet as is a medical emergency to prevent impaction.
• Snake stops eating: Check all husbandry aspects and snake is not overfed. Adults and sub-adults can go several months without eating during the breeding season. Open the snake’s mouth gently and check for infectious stomatitis (mouth rot) which is an infection of the mouth, causes severe pain and the snake won’t eat. If present, take the snake to the vet within 24 hours for medical treatment.
• • Veterinary care: Bryanston Avian and Exotic small animal clinic 011 706 1381
  • Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital 086 100 8387/ 012 529 8000 / 012 529 8105

Snake mites: Treat with Frontline Spray as vet directed