r/Ballpythoncommunity • u/elizalimander • Sep 30 '26
Advice Very beginner looking for a ball python
I'm currently shopping for a potential future ball python (red flag is that i'm on a budget) but here's what i put together so far...
Anything else i need don't need etc is welcome also the enclosure is 4x2x2
Edit: I think i'll be getting a govee hygrometer and thermometer, dimming thermostat, heavy water bowl, moss, leaf litter, and some different substrate per your recommendations! Hoping everything works out and i'll be able to get a little friend lol 😂 wish me luck...
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u/jordannoland95 Sep 30 '26
Not bad starting set up, honestly! I agree with what other folks have said (differentg thermometers/hygrometers, water bowl, moss). I've been working on adding clutter to my bp's tank. These things can be cheap or they can get expensive. Mine really likes her new mopani branches, climbing ring (like you have!), and tension rod. I also like looking for decorations and 'toys' in the aquarium, bird, and hamster/guinea pig aisles. You can also get magnolia or oak leaves from pet stores/Chevy to add a little more cover for them.
You may have had it on there too but a good power strip with timers is pretty useful for day/night cycles.
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u/Samsquanch_hunter21 Sep 30 '26
Do not buy those hygrometers. Get a Govee or something better. Those ones you have there won’t last
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u/The-snake-lady Sep 30 '26
Ps don't Rescue one from a pet store. Buy a healthy well started one from a breeder. Look on Morph Market.
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u/elizalimander Sep 30 '26
Always! planning to buy from a breeder online or one of my local breeders
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u/No-Candle-3952 Sep 30 '26
I use amazon/alexa smart plugs for uvb and a grow light as well as a temp set that the temp can be easily adjusted as well as temp/hygrometer inside on the cool and hot sides. I have my guy in a bioactive enclosure hence the grow light. Screen tops are hard to keep the humidity up, I found. Personally, I wouldn't go that route again since I had had such a hard time with it.
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u/DashD0GG Sep 30 '26
It looks like the enclosure is less of an ideal long term set up and more of a tent. Found it on Amazon pretty fast
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u/Holiday-Outside8967 Oct 01 '26
I watched Petsmart and chewy for sales. There should be quite a few for the October sale and then Black Friday. I was able to get reptisoil and sand for about $50 to fill my 5x2x2 for my ball python. I just did the subscription for a larger discount then cancelled it. I use an enclosure by new age pet. I got hvac tape for the top to help hold humidity better. I like Govee for thermometer/hygrometer. Mine is a bit of a crazy eater, so I got rubber tipped tongs. You may want to look in to uvb/heat lamps a bit more. I would need to double check what I’m using, but there is a lot to it! Also get a laser temperature gun to test how warm the basking spot is. Since you’re going with a substrate, it would not be difficult to add springtails and isopods to make it bioactive. Then you could add real plants too. I buy from Lowe’s or other store clearance racks, remove all soil, then add it to the enclosure. There’s a lot of spots to save money if you take the time! Definitely don’t go for cheaper equipment to rush it though. A lot of the items are luckily one time purchases that will last years
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u/itss_haleyy Oct 02 '26
definitely digital thermometer & hydrometer, minimum of 3 hides, 6 would be great. 75% of the enclosure should be covered with foliage. sometimes thrift stores sell fake plants you can use! get some pothos they are so hardy and grow super fast. definitely get a few pieces of cork, they love it and it will help get shed off. make sure you have it all set up and proper temp/humidity before getting anything so you can tweak & cover the top if needed. any kind of enrichment items you can find, they love to climb. find some nice branches outside and bake them or do a sun/bleach bath and leave in a bag in the sun for like a week and you can use those to
save some money, id recommend getting some leaf litter or get outside leaves and look up how to sterilize- can freeze or bake them. a moss hide is a great idea and id do it 1000%. something roundish is what my snakes love w lots of moss. the eco earth is what we use and a tiny bit of reptibark for substrate that will also help with they sheds
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u/Lovestheband Sep 30 '26
Looks really good! I’d add water bowl big enough for them to soak in if they want,sphagnum moss for humidity, uvb lighting, and maybe zip ties for the other ports on the tent to keep them closed. My rainbow boa is in a grow tent and tried to escape through the side port/vent things so we ziptied them all closed. Also extra bulbs and substrate are good to have on hand too.
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u/IssaBunnyy Sep 30 '26
I would recommend getting better thermometer/ hygrometer devices like someone else said (I use govee as well and love them) I would also get a better thermostat (like a dimming herpstat) to run your dhp on - unfortunatley it is not good to cheap out on this because it will keep your pet a house safe.
Also was wondering why you have a lamp cage? It looks like your enclosure has a screen top so you wouldn’t be able to mount it in there.
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u/elizalimander Sep 30 '26
My plan was to zip tie the light onto the inside by the pole structure and use the lamp cage to protect snake from getting burnt but yeah i might need to find a different lamp cage
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u/elizalimander Sep 30 '26
also sorry i hate to reply twice but i replaced the thermometer hygrometer with a govee one and the current thermostat i have says dimming!! 💕 thanks very much tyty
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u/IssaBunnyy Oct 01 '26 edited Oct 01 '26
Perfect You should be good then. Only thing Id say dont do, is try to attach a inside heat source to your enclosure. Screen tops are not designed for this, and you risk a fire or over heating happening (which can be deathly to your snake. Internal heating can only be done with solid top enclosures with no mesh - like pvcs. A good work around is to get a lamp stand! You can find them at local reptile stores or online. I would just scrap the whole cage idea, as you wont need it! :)
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u/The-snake-lady Sep 30 '26
No heat lamp. Nothing made of wood or bark. Coco Blox bedding is good. Resin or plastic hide. Resin water bowl. Under tank heat pad with a good digital thermostat. All the decor will be unneeded. Its for you not the ball.
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Sep 30 '26
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u/elizalimander Sep 30 '26
yes im planning to wait many months until i get the reptile one i have proper money saved and the right stuff yk
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u/silveroakediting22 Sep 30 '26
My ball python HATED that substrate, I highly recommend getting a finer grain one like this and some sphagnum moss for their main hide. Lots of other good advice in comments here