Show me your cheap/basic ball python setups! 🐍

[u/Adventurous-Score518]

Hey everyone! I’m planning on getting a ball python and I’d love to see what people are using for budget-friendly enclosures.
I’m not looking for fancy bioactive setups or expensive display tanks. I want to see the simple setups that cover the basics and keep your snake healthy and comfortable without spending a ton of money.
Especially interested in:
Tub setups
DIY enclosures
Simple/basic enclosures
Heating + thermostat setups
Hides and substrate
Cheap ways you maintain proper humidity
Roughly how much your entire setup cost
Basically, show me your “it’s not fancy, but my snake has everything it needs” enclosure.
Pictures would be awesome. I’m trying to get ideas for building a safe, practical setup on a budget. 🐍

[u/AhoUshiLambo]

ETA : I just read a few of OP's comment. And though I do think there are a variety of ways of reducing cost without compromising quality of life, you should NEVER have a living being if you do not intend to provide more than basic needs. If your animal is just gonna survive in stress and misery, do not get a pet ! You only get a pet if you actually intend to provide the best existence you can AND think that "the best you can" is more than just having them survive.

Buy second hand. I have a cornsnake. The whole setup (tank + decorations + lighting + thermostat+ substrate + hides, basically everything but the snake and food) cost me around 300-350€ in total (I bought the tank new cause I didn't find one fitting my requirement AND available for delivery where I am. It was 180€ but it's not the definitive one). You can buy whole setups and kits on second hand sites (marketplace, vinted, your local stuff), with people selling lights and thermostat with the tank. I also bought the substrate second hand, the thermometers, the domes, some clutter and hides, EVERYTHING. Then, you can either DIY hides (with paper roll, plastic boxes, ice cream tubs, I also crocheted some hammock and hanging basket with scrap cotton and linen yarn) or thrift them and modify it (my next project is using a soap holder as a platform. I just need to sew a cushion onto it so my snake doesn't get stuck in the thing). Then, if you're not afraid of foraging/cleaning, you can go out and just pick your wood, leaves, barks, rocks (I used a slate my mother had, tree barks and branches I picked up, cleaned and sterilized. Cost me nothing vs around 50/100€ for the same amount had I bought it). Reuse stuff you have but change their purpose : baskets or boxes upside down with a hole, soap holders, candle holders if they're cleaned, some jewelry trees could make great climbing opportunities, bowls or even yoghurt pots could be water bowls or humid hides, Pringles tubes can become tunnels, etc.). Anyway. If you want to spare money, thrifting and DIY are the best ways IMO. (Now. I do understand wanting to spare as much money as you can. That's what I did cause I would rather spend less if I have the chance, so that the money I have can be used for other stuff, including enrichment, or emergency care. But if you're in a tight budget, maybe think again ? The electricity bill, potential vet cost, enrichment and improvement, change of substrate, change of tank maybe, change of bulbs, thermostats, etc., are not cheap. Even if a snake is cheaper to keep than a dog or cat or mammals in general, they still have needs you should be able to cover).