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Ball Pythons (bp's) are semi-docile snakes and have become popular in herp collections because of their smaller size and low price as normals.
Due to the snakes tropical habitat, temperatures must range between 80-92 degree at one end of the cage and the other being around 80 so that the snake can thermo regulate. Humidity is a must in the pythons enclosure and should be a stable 65-70%. A large water dish big enough for the snake to soak in will also help in keeping the cages humidity levels up.
A ball pythons diet consists of rats, mice, and gerbils. You can choose to feed you pythons either live or frozen/thawed, keeping in mind when feeding live that using hemostats will reduce the risk of you python being bitten which can result in serious injury and/or death. Young pythons are fed live or frozen pinky mice no larger than the widest part of their body.
The pythons size and lifespan usually depends on the enclosure you keep it in. If setup with proper lighting, heat, and nutrition your python will reach a good 4'. Though specimens have reached a whopping 6', a 5' python is considered somewhat large. pythons in the wild can live up to 25+ years.
BP's are a beginner-novice snake. The Keeper must have full knowledge of the snakes needs and if fails to do so will result in either neglect and/or malnutrition. ALWAYS BUY CAPTIVE BRED! Snakes when introduced to new enclosure should be quarantined for a good month to month and a half to make sure they are eating properly and don't have snake mites or other health problems. Snake mites can easily be treated with either prevent-A-Mite or Reptile Relief mite killer. For more Info. on mites go to
http://www.proexotics.com/FAQ_answers_get_rid_of_mites.html
Ball pythons reach sexual maturity within 1-4 years. The breeding season for the species is from November - April. When breeding you snake MUST have a stable healthy weight and should show no signs of illness! Night temps. should drop into the 70 degree range and should be misted everyday to stimulate rainy season. Ball pythons usually lay 4-12 eggs and will be incubated by the mother until you take the eggs to an incubator. The temp. in the Incubator should be between 88-90 degrees and should be set up prior to eggs being laid to ensure stable temps.
Housing: for a young bearded dragon under 7" long, a 30 gal. long aquarium/terrarium will work just perfect. When you bearded gets bigger, it will outgrow its old cage and need a larger one. When this time comes a 55 gal. aquarium will work well for one adult, keeping in mind that if housing more than one adult you will need at least 4 square feet of floor space for each adult. DO NOT house two males together for when breeding season comes they will become aggressive towards each other.
When choosing a substrate you have many to pick from, but make sure it is safe, non toxic, and they cannot ingest the substrate and become impacted. Some substrates I would recommend would be paper towels, newspaper, cypress mulch, aspen bedding, etc.... NEVER USE PINE OR CEDAR AS THEY ARE TOXIC TO REPTILES!
To decorate your beardeds cage I recommend using wood and rocks, This way the cage will sort of resemble the bearded dragons natural habitat. The wood to use is either sandblasted grapevine or sterilized driftwood. Driftwood can be sterilized by putting it in the oven at 200degrees for about 30 minutes. Always keep an eye on the wood to make sure it doesn't start on fire. The rocks can be small 5 pound sterilized boulders that can be found almost anywhere. Make sure that the decorations are stable in the enclosure to reduce the chance of your bearded getting injured.
Always have a UVB/UVA light such as Reptisun 5.0 or vitalite placed over the
cage at all times. The light should be kept on for about 12 hours a day. If you don't use a UVB UVA light bulb then the
beardie will not be able to absorb calcium which can result in. metabolic
bone disease. The lights can be purchased from any pet store that deals with reptiles.
Making sure the light bulb is long enough to cover the whole length of the cage
will make sure that your dragon is getting enough uv. Also available are
UVA/UVB heat bulbs which have a broader range than florescent bulbs and also let
off heat.
Feeding your dragons is a key in making them happy and healthy at the
same time. Baby bearded dragons should be fed about 80% live foods like
crickets and very occasionally waxworms. the babies prey should be no more than
half the width of their head. They should also be
fed leafy greens like kale, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, and
green/red leaf lettuce. Juveniles and adults can be fed appropriately sized insects
like crickets, locusts, grasshoppers, mealworms, superworms, and an occasional
waxworm or pinky mouse. Only feed pinkies and waxworms ever once in awhile
because they are high in fat content. Once a week the meal should be supplemented with a calcium supplement and a multi vitamin.
the calcium I prefer is a product called rep-cal/ the multi vitamin can also
used and is called herptivite. All these can be purchased from
www.lllreptile.com and other locations
on the web.
Boas
If possible, captive bred animals should always by selected. They tend to be
much healthier and make better pets overall. This also helps to help encourage
breeding rather than collection. Always deal with reputable dealers and high
quality pet stores. If the snake must be an import, be very careful when it
comes to selection.
A docile specimen should move forward and flick it's tongue in a regular
fashion. A fast moving short flick is generally associated with curiosity, where
a long, slow flick with very little up/down movement is usually a sign of
possible "defensive" feelings. A truly defensive Boa will make it's intentions
very well known. Normal actions are pulling into a strike position and hissing.
A specimen will most likely calm down with interaction, but a calm specimen is a
much more enjoyable pet.
Check for mucous in mouth (representative of infection), eye shape and color,
and lumps in body (due to broken ribs or malnutrition). Hunger folds are another
sign of malnutrition. Although it is generally not a problem with Red Tails,
check to see if the specimen is a known feeder. Ask to be allowed to watch the
next time it is fed, maybe even offering to purchase the food. However, I would
wait at least 1-2 days before moving a just fed Boa. Also look for mites. Mites
are no reason to reject a snake, but are definitely something to look out for.
Growth in newborns is very rapid, between 3-5 feet in one year. The second
year can yield lengths of 4 to 7 feet. Adults range anywhere from 5 to 10 feet,
with an occasional 12 and 15 footer thrown in just to keep us all on our toes.
Growth is directly related to diet and housing conditions. However, unlike fish,
a reptile WILL outgrow it's surroundings. Keeping a Boa in a 20 gallon tank WILL
NOT keep it from growing. Diet can be used to control growth, but I do not
recommend it. If you can't take the size, get a smaller animal!
Newborns should be fed every 5 days. Start on pinkies, and work up from there.
As the snake increases in size, feeding can be cut back to every seven to ten
days. Feeding can be done every 2 weeks, or even less in emergency situations,
but this is not recommended. Your pet will be much healthier if fed a reasonable
meal weekly than if gorged every two weeks. Prey items should be approximately
the same diameter as the snake (both at the widest part of the body). ALL prey
should be killed or at least stunned. This can be accomplished by several
methods. If feeding live, I simply swing the rat be the tail and allow its head
to "bump" into a step in my garage. Frozen prey is attractive due to the fact
that it is on hand when needed, already dead, and usually cheaper than live.
Rats can be hit in the head with a solid object or place a stick behind the
head. and pull on the tail to break the neck. Regular use of a vitamin
supplement is a must. Your breeder/ supplier/ vet should be able to recommend
something suitable. For those of you with larger collections, bulk supplements
from a farm supply store work well. It may cost more than a small bottle at the
pet store, but tends to last much longer. Check with a vet as to dosage. Some
specimens may regurgitate if handled within a day or two after feeding. I
usually avoid handling until the "lump" goes away.
A small tank for starters is OK. I recommend a 20 Long tank minimum. This will
be outgrown very quickly (will last about a year)! A cage amounting to ¾ square
foot per foot of snake is what I consider perfect. Shelves can and should be
used to increase floor space and allow somewhere to "go" when active. A shelf
also allows a warmer basking site, while forming a cooler area underneath.
Temperature for a Boa should be kept around 85°F daytime and 80°F at night. A
basking site in the range of 90-95°F is also needed. If temperatures are allowed
to stay too cool, refusal of food, regurgitation of food, digestive problems and
respiratory infections will be right behind! Heat should be from heating pads,
pig blankets, light bulbs, and NEVER from hot rocks. I have even had success
using small ceramic space heaters. The heater should have small enough openings
that tails can't enter, an adjustable and covered thermostat, and should shut
off if tipped over. These radiate plenty of heat, but do not develop the
dangerous surface temps regular space heaters tend to have. Remember to monitor
temp very closely. It must also be remembered that the temp at the bottom can be
10-15°F lower than that at the top. Be sure the basking area is placed so that a
gradient is achieved, with the cool down area being no lower than 80-85°F.
The cage should contain a hiding place, a sturdy water bowl big enough for
soaking, and something to rub on while shedding (Rocks and tree limbs/sticks
work well).
Keep it simple, and do not use Cedar or sand. Newspaper is the easiest. However,
an active pet will quickly look as though he has been rolling in charcoal! I use
blank paper obtained from local newspapers. Many will give this away, but most
sell it for a few dollars. Just ask for an end roll. I have also used
indoor/outdoor type carpeting. This is attractive, and relatively inexpensive.
Keep a few pieces handy, so that one can be replaced and the other cleaned
later. However, carpeting will cut down on the amount of heat obtained from
under the tank heating systems. Animal bedding is also attractive and easy to
clean, just be sure it does not contain cedar. Aspen is best. Simply remove
soiled areas daily, and replace all when cleaning tank.
Develop and follow a cleaning schedule. Soiled substrate should be removed
immediately. Fresh water should be given every few days. Sterilize the water
container at each water change. The entire enclosure should be cleaned and
sterilized at least bi-weekly. Use a dilute solution of bleach (3-5%) with
(optional) 2 teaspoons dish washing liquid per gallon. Never use Lysol or Pine
sol. These contain chemicals that (by design) leave residues that can kill a
pet. Always rinse and dry well before reassembly.
A well fed Boa will shed about once a month. Some shed less often, maybe every 2
to 3 months. Remember, shedding is a result of growth, and if your snake does
not shed frequently, he is not eating enough. My Boa goes through pre shed in
about 4 days. This is marked by the clouding over of the eyes. In the end, they
will be completely clouded over. At this point, feeding is best postponed till
after shed is complete. The eyes will clear, and a few days later the skin will
be removed. The shed is accomplished by rubbing on something until the skin on
the nose comes loose. The skin is then hung on something and pulled off. Check
the "head" of the skin and make sure both eye caps came off. The tail is another
area that sometimes will not remove completely. If the skin comes off in lots of
small pieces, the humidity is too low. I begin misting mine once a day while in
pre shed, and 2 to 3 times a day after the eyes clear. He may look at you like
you are crazy, but shedding will be much easier. Unshed skin can be removed by
soaking in water and then gently pulling it off. Remaining eye caps are much
more difficult to remove. Fortunately, I have never encountered this. I have
been told that a long soak, with plenty of underwater time (submerging head at
least once every 5 minutes), will loosen them enough to allow removal. Removal
can be accomplished by rubbing the eye gently with ball of your thumb. If this
does not work, soak again. After soaking and drying, touch a piece of scotch
tape to the eye cap and gently pull it away. I would recommend "weakening" the
tape by sticking it to the back of your hand at least once before use. My
advice, get help, and don't try this at home. Handling should be kept at a
minimum during the shed period, as the new skin can be sensitive (or even
damaged). Feeding should also be postponed for the same reasons, in fact, most
will refuse food while shedding.
Snakes can suffer from many ailments: mites and ticks on the skin, worms in the
gut, and protozoa, bacteria, or viruses attacking the mouth, skin, and internal
organs. New specimens should be quarantined so that they can be checked for
parasites and disease. If the snake refuses food for a long period, or if stools
are "different", then a stool sample should be taken to a vet for analysis.
"Normal" stools will be fairly firm and will normally consist of 2 - 3 small
"chalky" stools to each larger dark stool. These can vary in consistency and
color to some extent. You may also notice small amounts of hair in the stool,
this is normal. Watch for extreme looseness, color changes, and mostly -- signs
of parasites (worms, eggs, etc.). Digestive problems are readily treatable, but
must be caught early. If constipation is a problem, check temp. If a stool is
not passed, and the body begins to swell towards the tail, then a good warm
water soak should "clear up" the problem.
Respiratory infections:
Look for mucous in the mouth, open mouthed breathing, bubbling nostrils) are
often cured by simply raising the temp. If not gone in a few days, find a vet,
antibiotics are necessary.
Ticks and fleas should not be a problem for snakes. However, if found, they must
be removed immediately. Be very careful when removing ticks, an imbedded head
can cause a nasty infection. A good cleaning should rid a flea problem. Mites
are another story. They are blood sucking arthropods closely related to ticks.
The common snake mite almost always arrives on a snake from a pet store or other
infested location. They are VERY small and are hard to see. Putting a two inch
square piece of a Shell No Pest Strip or equivalent in the snake cage overnight
kills the mites. Put the Strip in a cardboard or plastic container with holes in
it. The insecticide can come out, but the snake can't touch the strip. The strip
may also be placed on top of a screen top. Don't give water at this time.
Afterwards, clean the cage very well. This treatment should be enough if the
mite carrying snake has just arrived. Another very effective treatment is
Mite-RX. Use it as directed. If they still persist, I have allowed my snakes to
soak in a very weak solution of the Mite-RX. If the mites aren't detected
immediately, they spread. The treatment may have to be repeated several times to
kill them all. However, I would not soak them in the solution more than twice.
Mites, ticks, and fleas CAN kill a snake!
Crested geckos are by far one of the easiest geckos species to maintain in captivity. They thrive at a temperature range of 70-85 degrees, and generally (except in very cold climates) do not require supplemental heating. They do not require full spectrum lighting as they are nocturnal and spend the daytime hiding in crevices. A pair or trio can be housed in an enclosure of these minimum dimensions: 1 ft x 1 ft x 2 ft. (l x w x h). Crested geckos are arboreal and prefer enclosures with a vertical format. I house my animals in Sterilite 20qt. tubs, which I have found ideally suited to crested geckos. Diet includes fruit flavored baby food such as peach and apricot and live prey such as crickets, mealworms, cockroaches, and flies. The baby food in presented in a silver dollar sized section on the top of a deli cup lid. Calcium supplement is mixed in with the baby food mixture once a week, and the insects are also lightly powdered with calcium supplement once a week. Other keepers have raised several generations of crested geckos without any live prey items at all, instead, they offered only fruit and meat type baby food mixtures supplemented with vitamins. Crested geckos are avid eaters and are offered 5-6 live prey items each, alternating with baby food. The geckos are misted every evening to keep the relative humidity between 50-80 percent. Different substrates can be used with crested geckos such as orchid bark, newspaper, and paper towels. I use paper towels because they are cheap and easy to clean, but they are not exactly aesthetically pleasing.
A pair of adult leopard geckos can be comfortably housed in a standard fifteen-gallon aquarium. Many breeders utilize a "harem" system. A harem system is composed of one male and up to ten females. Often, leopard gecko harems are set up in a sweater box sized rack system. A sweater box Rubbermaid container is approximately one foot in width and two feet in length. Rack systems are custom made cages that look a lot like a chest of drawers, the plastic containers pull out from the frame as a drawer pulls out from a cabinet. Running along the back side of rack systems is usually some type of heat tape, regulated by a thermostat to prevent a fire hazard. One male and four females can be comfortable housed in this type of system. If you are planning on having more than a few leopard gecko colonies, this is one of the most cost effective and space saving ways to keep them. As leopard geckos are nocturnal, they require several hiding spots. Hiding spots can be easily and cheaply constructed out of terracotta plant saucers with an access hole knocked in the side, cardboard boxes, used margarine tubs, or you can purchase commercially sold plastic hiding spots.
Leopard geckos also require a humidity spot in the enclosure so that they may properly shed their skin. Failure to provide such and area will often result in the loss of digits, as the old skin clings to the animal and may cut off circulation to these extremities. To make a humidity spot, obtain an enclosed Tupperware container that will comfortable house all of the geckos in the enclosure at once (the shoebox size works well for up to four adult geckos). Cut an access hole in the side of the container, and fill the container half way with moist peat, sphagnum moss, or even paper towels. This area must always be kept moist.
The substrate can be several materials. I personally use paper towels because they are cheap and easy to clean. However, other keepers utilize newspaper, sand, lizard litter (a commercially sold product), fine reptile bark, Astroturf, and peat moss. I personally do not like any loose type of substrate, including sand, as I am concerned about excessive ingestion. Many keepers have however, kept their animals successfully for long periods on these substrates, while others have had problems, I prefer not to risk it. One note, some of the commercially sold reptile substrates claim to be "completely digestible", this is a misleading claim because most of these products contain plant by-products (cellulose, lignin) that very few organisms can actually digest (termites are one that can because they contain symbiotic bacteria that do it for them). Whenever purchasing reptile products on the market, consider this: there is no regulation agency out there making sure their claims are actually true so they can say anything they want without fear of punishment-just take the claims with a grain of salt and do your research first.
Like most reptiles, leopard geckos generally require some type of supplemental heating. One end of the enclosure should be heated to 86-88 degrees, the other end can range from 70-80 degrees. In aquariums, one of the best ways to provide this thermal gradient is to use and under tank heating pad. Several quality under tank heating pads are on the market. Basically, they are similar to human heating pads but are thin and plastic with one side being adhesive. The adhesive side attaches to the underside of the outside of the aquarium on one end of the cage. I find these heating pads work well because they do not give off light, which can disturb the geckos at night. Other heating options include heat light, but they can be disturbing to the nocturnal behavior of leopard geckos if left on at night (unless a blue or red bulb is used). Providing a correct thermal gradient is essential when keeping leopard geckos, without it, they have problems digesting food and regulating their immune systems.
Baby leopard geckos will take crickets that are slightly smaller than their heads, and small mealworms. I feed about 6-8 prey items to my babies and juveniles four to five times a week. The adults will eat adult sized crickets, large mealworms, king mealworms, and occasional pinky mice. Adults receive about 10 food items each four times a week, slightly more during the breeding season. It is important to provide calcium supplementation to prevent nutritional disorders. One method is the "shake and bake", the prey items and put into a plastic bag, some calcium powder is dumped in, and the insects are coated until covered. This method works but is rather labor intensive. Leopard geckos will also consume calcium powder straight from a dish, regulating their own intake, which I find to be the more useful method.