I really liked that you showed of the plastic bin option. Not because I think it is a good permanent enclosure, but because I think it is a really handy quick setup if you need to temporarily house a reptile during a move, while they need to go to a pet-sitter in an emergency, or while you are (re)building their enclosure.
Or if you’re getting used to owning a snake and or low on funds. I could see myself keeping a snake in a fairly simple enclosure until it’s full grown.
I agree, When I get a new snake I use a tub setup for at least quarantine which typically takes long enough that when I get the actual enclosure it would be an adult enclosure size since the snake would already be around 6 months old (well other than my boa, she is in a 4x2x2 but her adult enclosure I plan is a 8x4x4)
I constantly battled humidity in my bp's glass enclosure. Got tired of the fight and bought a nice PVC and I'll never go back. She tramples even her fake plants though, so instead I find a lot of joy in rotating through different types of fake plants and giving her enrichment that way. I can see an upgrade in our future though, I'd like to give her more vertical space than she has.
I'm currently have the same issues with my 2 glass enclosures too. I was thinking of creating my own screen cover to help keep the humidity in, but it'll always have a "leak" in those kinds of enclosures. I'm a fairly new BP owner (I've had my oldest for almost 3 years), and as I'm learning more and more, I'm adapting their enclosures. One thing she says in this video that made me realize my BP isn't much different from others is that she's a climber. Almost all the videos and sites I've read never said anything about them enjoying climbing. I actually upgraded her enclosure and got her a nice large piece of driftwood that can hold her weight and now she's climbing without my worrying about her getting injured. She was always knocking her stuff over previously no matter how much I braced it. I used to just think I had an unusual BP who loved climbing lol
@@Kiertiana I've seen people replace screen covers with custom made PVC covers, which is a little more cost effective than buying an entire PVC enclosure. PVC board is sold in hardware stores and if you have the tools or know someone who does is processes really similar to wood. Cut a piece to size, cut a smaller area for mesh for fixtures, and find a way to secure and you could be golden! So glad to hear about her climbing adventures!
I am just getting ready to move from better to best- a quick hint for anyone who lives in a very dry climate as I do, with the glass/screen tops I've tried the old school plumbers tape part of the screen top but it really messes with air flow so I've gone to keeping a damp towel over half the screen it helps with humidity while not impacting air flow as much and I just redamp the towel every night when I do my before bed spray- another thing that helps is to shred some moss into the substrate as it holds moisture better than the substrate alone (I use eco-earth and baby chip- If I go any chunkier the noodle throws a fit and burrows down to the glass to sleep on something not lumpy... he is a drama snake) and by dry climate I mean averages under 20% humidity - the humidity in the noodle box can be 70% when I go to bed and when I get up for work its back down to 30% so it is a constant battle.
My room is also super dry, so I decided to get a humidifier, which I plopped on top of the mesh screen top. I did make sure I had a humidity gauge in there too.. Keeps both the noodle happy and my nose from bleeding 🤷♀️
Where r u from cause where I live i need a dehumidifier for my house cause humidity is naturally around 70-80% it feels horrible but it would be good for the snakes I guess 🥲
If you live in a low humidity region, then screen tops are the worst for keeping nearly any type of snake except maybe rosy and sand boas, maybe hognose. In any case, the screen has to be covered. Someone already said aluminum HVAC tape works. Or else, use a plastic tub. People think ball pythons want to see the world, but that is wrong. They love security. You can take them out for some exercise, fine, but they do not want glass walls. They learn to put up with it I suppose.
It would be great if you did a "taking care of baby snakes" video. There's plenty on adults and a lot on hatching/breeding, but I'm curious about developmental needs, behaviors not to be worried about, differences between babies and adults beyond size, etc.
Babies vs adults - one noteworthy difference is that babies are shy and do best with minimal disturbance by the keeper. Babies also do best in small enclosures where you can keep a humidity level, say around 60% is a good spot to shoot for (you can look up the value from other sources to make sure) and adjust as necessary. You will see other opinions on that - the baby in a small cage thing - but testing it for yourself is the best thing to do. Plastic shoeboxes work the best in my opinion for very young ball pythons. I am not a ball python breeder, but after dealing with 5 baby ball pythons that would not eat thawed rodents, when I switched them to plastic bins and a higher humidity than a screen top cage offered, they turned into feeding monsters. Which means they were happy that way.
Hey! There is another UA-camr I think you'd like; his channel is called 'Green Room Pythons' which has a lot of educational videos about snakes and a whole video on baby snake care. I really like him and hopefully, this might be helpful to you.
This video answered a question I've had - "how large should an enclosure be based on the size of the snake." I would love to see a video on the different habitat needs for various species of snakes - tropical snakes, woodland snakes, desert snakes, etc. I love these videos, I always learn something. BTW: found a really cute baby/juvenile garter snake in my driveway last week.
What I have read from research the minimum should be the lenght of the snake, so the snake can fully stretch out, so most bins would probably be too small for adult ball pythons.
@@teijaflink2226 no, the minimum should be 2 adjacent sides equal to or greater than the length of your BP. Just like they said in the video. That's ideal but definitely not minimum.
It should be able to stretch out to full length, that's the rule of thumb for minimum size. As for maximum size...well there isn't one. The only thing to keep in mind in large enclosures / reptile rooms is that there shouldn't be large open spaces. The snake wouldn't feel safe there and would avoid that area, so it's wasted space. If you've got the budget you can go as big as you want. Friend of mine had a "reptile room" in a converted shed in his yard. Had several species in there (that wouldn't try to eat each other), even birds.
I have a ball python, got him last year and love him so much. He was my first snake, and honestly researching ball python care was how I discovered your guys' channel to begin with. Seeing an updated video tells me where I need to go next in improving his set up, and I will say I have fallen absolutely in love with the best enclosure that was showcased. I'm sure my ball python will be happy with having more vertical space.
@Norhurst I have had zero issues with Luci. Ball pythons, when scared, tend to curl up in a ball (hence the name) and hide rather than strike you. The only time my ball python has ever bit me was when I was feeding him and holding the mouse wrong, he overshot and got me on my thumb. It was completely accidental on his part and was 100% my fault. Otherwise he has never bitten me. He loves being held and handled and is super affectionate. Obviously all snakes are different but most breeders will be fine with you asking about the friendliness of a snake. Ball pythons are definitely the friendliest snake Ive ever handled. And if you get one thats a little testy, it isnt hard to convince them youre not a threat to them especially if you get them when theyre younger.
@@c1bandz682 I use a blend of substrates, but I never use aspin for my ball python. I don’t think it looks nice and you’re right it’s not very humid. But there are ways to increase humidity in enclosures.
@Shhhhh all individuals are different but I've never heard of someone having a bitey Ball Python. There is a possibility they may become food motivated and try to bite when you first go to get them out of their enclosure but they can be tap trained
@Shhhhh I know it’s been 8 months, but I have a ball python as my first snake. Personally, I think they are amazing. Mine has never been aggressive in any way, just know your boundaries. For example, don’t try to touch or pick up while feeding or when they are hungry, read the body language. I have never personally been bitten, but I’ve heard that it kind of just feels like Velcro if they strike you. Considering how fall and thin their teeth are, I’d say that’s probably true. Either way, it will hurt less then a house cat bite if it ever does happen. My advice is to get them as a baby from a known breeder. I’d recommend going to a reptile expo if you can, and maybe holding them first and asking the breeder about them. Also, since you say you have a slight fear of snakes, I’d recommend going to a reptile expo anyway to be around them and maybe ask to hold some to try to overcome your fear. In fact, my snake’s name is Pumpkin Pied. It’s like Pumpkin pie because I got him near thanksgiving, and all he is as sweet as pie. (The pied part is because he is a pied ball python, aka a pieball python)
I like the concept of showing options! The emphasis on enrichment at all levels is so very important, well done. Everyone should always strive to provide the best they can.
The cover on the "best" option has another potential advantage I can see - cat-proofing! Cats love to jump on things and knock things over, and I've been worrying about, if/when I get a reptile, preventing my cats from messing with the heat lamp. That cover would put all that stuff completely out of cats' reach, while giving the cat a nice perch.
@@Megan-nt7dm My brothers cat did that with my ball python.. He would just sit on the roof of the snakes enclosure. However, once the snake struck at him (it was close to feeding day) and the cat never sat up there again!
nooo....snakes can sense a predator, such as a cat. keep them away from your snake! that's gonna be incredibly stressful. they have an instinct to stay far away from felines. it's cruel to allow a cat to just hang out on top of your snakes enclosure...
Hi, you’re videos bring me a lot of joy and are the reason why I love reptiles/amphibians. I also have learned a lot from your videos, so thank you for making videos that bring a smile to my face :)
I started ours in a Exoterra and it was just too hard to keep the humidity and heat at a point where the snake was happy. We moved him into a Christmas tree storage tub and he’s been so much happier.
Tip for those who do glass with a screen lid: aluminum tape from a hardware store like they use for HVAC purposes over the screen with holes cut for lights works wonders.
I switched to those corrugated plastic sheets like you'd use for signage. They're dirt cheap and can easily be cut to fit your needs. HVAC tape can get expensive if you need a lot of it
As a burmese python breeder, and variety of species keeper (of over 15 years)... it would blow your mind on how few new keepers actually do their research prior to buying a reptile. And unfortunately that animal suffers do to it; the factor alone, that you enjoy learning without even owning (yet), truly makes my day, cause I wish so much that more folks did. These animals are so often misunderstood, and with great channels like Snake Discovery.. they make amazing emotional companions.
My brother had a Ball Python that liked to climb. It used to like to climb up to the window sill on the front porch and lie in the sun. I thought is was weird that he got a Ball Python, but as soon as I was introduced to it, I had an immediate affinity for it. Spot was very friendly and chill.
Love that this got updated! The sad part is, a large proportion of ball python breeders and owners don't even provide the bare minimum... the bar is so low, it's quite sad. But I hope content like this will help shift views on ball python husbandry!
Agree, I rarely see people give any enrichement specially and have even heard some say they don't need any and want to hide all the time. I'm sure ball python keepers like that have made many people to not even give the bare minimum. Why I really liked this video, she's very inspiring. Sadly compared to many others even her best is amazing. But hopefully as we find out more about these snakes it has started to change. I honestly used to think ball pythons don't need any enrichement because they just hide so it would be pointless and that snakes are not smart enough to Enjoy it. It doesn't even have to be anything comlicated, just ut in a corcklog.
@@teijaflink2226 Yeah, the standard of keeping perpetuated by many people in the hobby is atrocious. Saying ball pythons don't need hides, light and space to stretch out is used as an excuse for people to breed/purchase/hoard as many snakes as they can. It slowly seems to be getting better if you look at the more recent care guides online and content on UA-cam, but then there are platforms like instagram which is still full of animal hoarders showing off their newest flashy morph only to keep it in what is essentially a shoebox - which their audience does not question and might actually try to emulate. I have a large adult ball python who I keep in a 150cm (5 foot) terrarium - the fact that a lot of people think its acceptable to keep an animal of her size and activity level in a tub half as long is insane to me....
For those of you that can't afford a PVC enclosure you can get a tortoise enclosure that's more horizontal space for half the cost or less. Get one with a plastic bottom tray and seal the wood near the bottom if you're going to make it bioactive. Put screen door mesh (metal if you will use an overhead heat source) under the chicken wire mesh that's normally there to make sure your snek doesn't rub down their nose on it. Total cost is maybe $200ish. Edit: good size for an adult male.
@@suicidalanderson2500 My male fits very well in one, he has two separate rooms, can move well beyond his full length and has a little daily routine of moving between rooms. There's a big difference between the needs of a female and male.
I absolutely love ball pythons! Before I watched your videos 5 years ago, I had never really liked snakes (i thought they were scary), but when I watched one of your bull snake egg hatching videos, I fell in love. The greatest I had ever felt was when I was able to first hold a juvenile ball python in my local Pet Smart (it was a banana morph!). I had never held a snake before then and it was so awesome! They definitely feel different than they look.
Uh so we just got the animals and didn't ask Now I have 3 turtles, 2 axolotls, and a python between two houses It worked out for us because they are so cute that our parents forgave the transgression
I really love the visuals of the different enclosures! I'm a very visual learner so this was very helpful! I hope you do something like this again with different animals!
This video came at the perfect time. I'm in the process of setting up a tub (for quarantine period) and tank for my first baby ball python (haven't gotten him yet due to the current set up). This answered a lot of questions I had and appeased my fears. Turns out I was doing everything right 😅 #newdad
I am so happy you guys are doing updated care guides :) I started pretty bare with my girl and over the years I've upgraded her to more natural and enriching enclosures. It always makes me happy to see a care guide with some of the better options and not minimum bc its really great for new keepers to see and know what they can do for their snakes 😊
I have a corn snake, and he's in need of an upgrade and this is really helpful! You guys are awesome! I've been a subscriber for over 5 years and it's amazing how much you've grown and progressed! Can't wait for the next video. 🐍🤘😁
same! my corn's last shed got stuck, and now im nervous because he might not like his enclosure, im sure it humid enough. This is giving me a few ideas on how to better it too!
I’m getting my first snake and it’s going to be a ball python in March you guys posted this at the perfect time thank you guys so so so much for this update
I started my journey a month ago. If you had asked me 2 months ago if I would be obsessed with snakes I would have called you crazy. I’ve been terrified of them my whole life (to the point of emotional breakdowns in the zoo where my brother is a head keeper🤦🏻♀️). I wanted to get over this fear because my husband used to have a Ball Python and would like to have one again… I love the guy so what can ya do? Get over a lifelong phobia! Little did I expect to fall in absolute LOVE with Ball Pythons! I’ve been subscribed to this channel for a couple weeks now and it’s definitely my favorite! (Wish we didn’t live all the way in Florida so I could come see the facility 🥺💖) I was so excited to see a Ball Python video posted today! Thank you so much, Ed and Emily and everyone from Snake Discovery for helping me to not only no longer be afraid of snakes, but to love them! I can’t wait to get my own Bamboo Ball Python one day 😍
Chicken not at all :) I have a friend who works in the pet store and she asked if I just wanted to touch it, so she held his face away from me and then I was able to touch it…then I wanted to hold it while she still hold his head, then when he was really chill I just held him. I ended up holding him for four hours that day, then kept going back for the next week before I decided to just get him. He’s pretty small, so he’ll grow in size with me :). I’m still alittle nervous, but this particular guy is really chill.
That’s the most practical enclosure I’ve ever seen. I’m loving the screen top & cover with cutouts for heating/lights. I wish I could afford 8 of them for my collection 😂😂😂
I just got my first baby ball python in September and I watched your old video before getting her and now this one just adds even more to the care. I have her on Aspen currently with a humid hide but I'm in the process of switching over to Eco Earth/Coco Chips mixture :) Thank you Emily and Ed for making all these educational videos for us!
You really might have just talked me into getting the evolution enclosure for my baby when it's time to upgrade her to something bigger. It looks so nice!
This is fantastic. I love how you have given a few different options for care for a common pet. It really suits your brand. I know there are lots of videos on them but I'd appreciate your advice/a similar video on a leopard gecko set up. I'm getting a baby soon and there's a lot of conflicting advice out there!
Thank you for all the info, it really helped me understand and get ideas on how to setup my ball python's enclosure. I struggle with decorating 😅. I really liked the silly snake comments in the video too 😂
My almost 9yr old daughter came home toyday saying she wants a yellow python to name banana or butter. I'm so excited to show her this! Going to a reptile expo in June!
My sweet ball is in an enclosure that is 4ft by 3ft by 3ft, and she loves it. I had her in there when she was only 3ft and she still loved the amount of room. I really need to upgrade her because she's getting so restless lol.
I recently saw a pic enclosure that's a combination between a tub and a display enclosure. Basically a normal enclosure with a hole in the bottom that connects it to a shallow tub like in breeder racks. Seems like it would be a really great option for ball pythons especially if you compare it to their natural lifestyle. Plus it obviously doubles floor space.
I have never owned a snake or reptile of any kind yet I watch all of your educational care videos as soon as they come out. You make every topic so interesting!
This video was so well done! I would love to see a similar video for hognose snakes. There is so much info out there about snake enclosures so it is nice to see multiple different options as well as their pros/cons.
Seriously, what an amazing channel you have built! Your videos have such a wholesome feel! They definitely help instill confidence in the first time snake owner.
Really inspiring setups! I ordered a huge enclosure for my corn snake, tho it sadly has sliding doors.... And the gap will be big enough for my baby to escape. Gonna have to wait a few months before I let him in there, and maybe one day I'm gonna make it a bio-active enclosure
@@richardkelchjr.1954 That actually is a pretty good idea, why haven't I thought of this :'D Just gonna make sure he doesn't escape between the papers, thank you!
We used weather stripping (like the kind for doors or windows) to seal off ours and it's worked perfectly! Great in our bearded dragon enclosure as well to keep crickets and roaches from escaping
For anyone using Exo Terras, there are companies that are making PVC lids for them now, so you can get a bit of an upgrade there if you don't want to get a whole new PVS enclosure. Helps hold heat/humidity better, plus you can mount things like radiant heat panels and internal LED lights a lot easier.
I feel in love with that last snake enclosure, I’m gonna be getting me a ball python sometime this summer and now I know what I wanna try and get for it. I bet he/she would be so happy in a enclosure like that.
In Sweden we have more strict regulations for the size, and type of enclosures. But I love how you go through the better & best enclosures, they would even get approved over here 😍🐍
Ball Pythons needs actually being required by legislation is something we need everywhere. What so many people think is 'overkill' is the absolute bare minimum for this species, and I'm so glad to hear that progress is being made somewhere.
My girl lives in a 4x2x2 feet bioactive enclosure for 2 years now, and she is exploring it as I write this. I couldn't imagine housing her in anything smaller because she does benefit so much from this setup. She isn't even fully grown yet and I consider giving her an even bigger setup in about 1 year, because she just uses her space so much. The new update will include uvb bulbs which couldn't fit in her recent enclosure anymore, because I use two heatpanels on a thermostat. You can really get the most of your ballpython by providing them with enough space and enrichment, because they will be much more happy and active. BP' just always get this label of "pet rocks" but this couldn't be farther from the truth. My girl became so comfortable and active its crazy
I couldn’t agree more. Sounds like you have an awesome setup! The only thing I would consider is adding a halogen flood bulb connected to a dimmer or dimming thermostat for daytime, they’re the most natural and beneficial heat source. They produce infrared A and B like the sun, heat that penetrates deep into the skin tissue and heats them far more effectively. Whereas RHPs only produce IRC, which only heats the surface of their skin.
@@nightinggale6470 Hey that's pretty good advice thanks! I don't really know the differences between all the light options but then I will get hallogen with the next setup. I definitely want a nice basking spot for my girl. She hangs around at daytime in this one corner quite a bit, and I guess if she had a uvb spot she would definitely use it a good amount. I am also planing for a little build-in pond instead of just a water bowl. She never seemed to have any interest in water so far(which is actually OK, since she never had mites) , but maybe she'd like to dip in a more naturalistic water feature from time to time. Just for entichment
Totally and it goes for other popular species too. My leopard gecko is in a 4 by 2 by 2 foot enclosure, and she uses all the space to the point when watching her I've realised I really need to get to work on a background because she wants to climb and explore even more. She's not stressed or afraid at all, maybe because the enclosure is black pvc so it feels safe. But yeah I wouldn't want to put her in something smaller, she obviously enjoys exploring and I think that the chance to be active is probably good for the health of the animal too.
@@maggiefinnegan7440 the brand of halogen doesn’t really matter, Philips is a good one though. Just make sure it’s a PAR38 bulb. You can get them at hardware stores. Lutron Credenza is a good dimmer, although a dimming thermostat would be ideal (herpstat is the best one). For UVB, use an Arcadia or zoo med T5 tube bulb. The percentage depends on the distance between the bulb and basking spot and whether there is a mesh lid or not. A ceramic heat emitter or radiant heat panel would be good for nighttime heat. The care guide on website reptifiles has more information on UVB and heating
I'm taking in a friend's snake, and while I have plenty of experience with lizards I have zero experience with snakes and needed to do research. Thank you for your videos! I found them 4 years ago when I got into the hobby and loved them.
This is awesome!! Can you show us how to set up the substrate in the “best” enclosure? And maybe talk about plants that are good for ball pythons? They were just legalized in our province and I want to give our future snake the best of the best ❤️. Oh! I was wondering if you guys are going to be breeding any ball pythons?
I haven't gone bioactive yet, But I've been adding live potted plants to my "better" enclosure! my ball python LOVES to climb on her pothos! she does like to squash it, so I bought her a bigger, more established plant and I got a smaller one for my baby.
Thank you! So many people think that snakes prefer smaller enclosures but that's not the case. They love to explore and as long as you have lots of enrichment in the enclosure they'll thrive. I have my female royal (she's currently 4ft) in a 7ft viv and my male baby is currently in a 4ft and will be upgrading to a 6ft in a few months. They are both thriving in their vivs and love to explore
I really love all your advice except misting. Misting actually leads to severe spikes and dips in humidity and that really can damage a BP's lungs. Their humidity should be stable and to achieve that you can use HVAC tape on the top mesh of the enclosure wherever there will not be light fixtures and then mix water into the substrate and fluff it up as needed per your enclosure and ambient humidity
My bp girl lived in a tub as a youngling and now shes in kinda in a mix of the better and best :D I customised a large 100x50x50cm old aquarium into a side opening terrarium and it's kinda a semi bio active with some fake plants etc. cause she likes to steamroll all the real ones lol. I think i might need to upgrade into a bigger one if she gets really big but thats a problem for another day :D
I'm gonna get her into a bigger tank with a similar setup once she's grown more so i can gauge her adult size a bit more, she's only under 2 years old.
Got traumatized by a heat mat after one of my pythons started pushing his substrate to and sat directly on the hot glass and burnt himself badly even with his thermostat. He ended up passing away sadly, so my current girl has two heat lamps and a UVB lamp.
Proper lighting and heating (UVB, short wave infra-red, LEDs for the rest of the viable light spectrum) is so vital for the health, expression of healthy natural behaviours, and overall wellbeing that it's so frustrating that meeting those basic needs aren't the expected standard of care for them. I'm so glad to hear someone providing this for their snake.
personally, I find it awful she's recommending heat mats... not only can they burn but they don't even provide true heat. they heat up the skin but no deeper. big reason why bins will never be suitable for heat-seeking species is the fact you can't provide overhead heat safely.
Almost sounds like a thermostat malfunction? Could help to also have a digital thermometer so even if the thermostat malfunctions, the digital thermometer would still show the actual heat levels. Also not sure if it being glass has to do with it as well...
Thank you!!! I started my juvenile royal with a 36x18x18 inch front-opening ZooMed enclosure with reptibark and coco fiber. I have had ongoing issues trying to achieve proper humidity levels so I'm wanting to upgrade. My goal is to build a 6x3x3 foot PVC enclosure for my explorative friend who loves to roam and climb and make it fully bioactive!
I love how you closed. Not saying your way is the best, to do your research. Jist earned a sub for life. Love the way you explain things, and dont shame people for the cheap option, but showing how to do it right.
Ball pythons definitely love vertical space more than we think! I have hammocks in a couple of their tanks and they're used every night, also trying to climb when exploring supervised.
I wish there was a video like this for African House Snakes. Any sketchy info available on this type of snake contradicts another website which means there is no reliable info for this snake. I've been winging it for the last 2 years and it seems to be doing really well with no stuck shed anymore and eats on a semi regular basis now, but it also only ever goes to the warmer side to poop and is always hiding like a ball python. The reptile store I bought it from sold this snake to me under false pre-tense claiming that it was like a corn snake and would grow to be a similar size and be just as curious and friendly which was all completely wrong. The snake does tolerate me handling it, but back when it had stuck shed, it would only tolerate me trying to get the shed off it's face / neck by gently rubbing for a minute before it would bite me. It's also still only feeding off of small fuzzies because that's how small it still is. Lesson learned, never trust anything the snake seller tells you, no matter how nice and legit their small business / store looks.
@@Rp_turtles This being the internet... there are billions of ppl pretending to know what they're talking about when it comes to anything. I'd rather listen to someone I trust to be professional and know what they're talking about. Just because the majority of ppl claim that covid is not a big deal doesn't mean it's true, yet here we are, so few ppl wearing a mask anymore except where mandatory by law and lockdowns not happening anymore despite hospitals being completely overrun and ppl still dying from it, and vaccines providing zero evidence of effectiveneness, etc. My point is, the majority of ppl are dumb... so I definitely can't trust anything random ppl say.
@@turgsh01 I definitely agree, but you can’t always trust the people who are popular and claim to be professionals either. There are some things (and people) that cannot be helped in some cases.
me and my siblings just discovered that our dad bought us your snake discovery t-shirts and we all litarally screamed in excitment - we love them so much and love the content thxs
This is awesome, thank you for making this video. I've been looking for an enclosure like your "best" one for years because I love doing bio-active setups & kept having issues maintaining humidity. I'm super excited about this!
Perfect timing for this video to be uploaded/me seeing it, cause my Chem. teacher has a ball python in his class (and yes, I will be judging his set up as I watch this)
Do you have one of these videos for hognoses? I’m highly considering a hog nose and I’m trying to do all my research to find the best set up for it! I wanna have it all ready before I get it. I was also wondering what a good basking light would be because I think I saw it said hognoses bask.
@@nogames8982 do you use any heat probes or temperatures controls for your heat lamp? Also I saw something about keeping the UVB strip on the inside of the top of the enclosure. So the screen doesn’t get in the way of it. Do you not have to worry about that with your set up ?
@@zoeyy03 I do not use a heat mat. I have a temperature gun that I check what the temperature is in different areas of the enclosure. The enclosure is only a foot tall and I use the shade dweller UVB fixture. I am not worried about a little bit of UVV being blocked by the screen. But if you are or if the enclosure is taller you can get a stronger UVB bulb and the amount being blocked by the screen will be completely irrelevant. I personally think that snakes, especially ones that are out during the day, benefit from UVB. But if you don't want to do UVB you can do an LED light also. I always just put the lights and heat source on top of the screen. It's worked for years and they're getting what they need. But if you have really tall enclosures you might consider putting them inside I just don't myself.
You could also check out Wickens wicked reptiles, he does a lot with hognoses. Maybe mine is a weirdo, but she regularly climbs around on the branches in her tank. And instead of basking on the substrate or the rock right under her light she decides to inchworm up the corner of her tank near it and just sit. She isn't trying to escape out the top or anything she just. Sits.
Do I own a ball python? no Do I plan on getting a ball python? no Do I even own a reptile? soon i am getting a leopard gecko Am I watching this because snake discovery is an amazing channel? yes
I just bought 2 of the 4x2x2 enclosures from Custom Reptile Habitats. They are awesome and extremely easy to put together. I am using 1 for a ball python, so it was nice to see how you set up yours. The other will be used as a warm hide/basking area for my 8', 30 lb Boa imperator. She lives in a 10x17 room. I very much believe in giving them plenty of living space to stretch out in.
I’m not keen on tubs but as a start up set up whilst you are preparing your forever home is ok. Our baby went straight into a 4x2x2, providing you have plenty of clutter the snake will be fine so you can bypass a smaller tub type enclosure. For me the best thing about this video was seeing basking bulbs and uv being used. This is the way we should be hearing all our reptiles so very happy to seeing you promote this in the two larger enclosures.
Yes!! Your first ball python video was what lead me to your videos initially. My pastel noodle has been living her best life for the past 3 years but unfortunately she’s super destructive and I’m finding she likes to sit on all her plants in her bioactive until they break off so I’ll have to switch back to fake plants. Anyone have any advice on this or is it just one of those things that happens?
Based on the responses to my question and others I've seen scrolling, seems the general consensus is that females steam roll or squash the live plants and it's probably better to stick to fake ones. I was thinking of putting live ones in with my female BP but she's a climber and they have verified what I was worried would happen if I switched.
Generally BPs are squashers of plants. Some dont do that, many do. As a Keeper you have multiple options: 1. Remove real plants, put in fake ones 2. Use only real stirdy plants, that can take a beating. 3. Arrange the plants in a way that your snake is not crawling over them in its usual path. There is a lot of trial and error involved, and in can be frustrating, but I think it can be worth it. Worked a charm with my BCI
Are radiant heatpanels and osb endloseres Not a Thing in the us? Im from germany and the ´best´ Setup is probably the most used here. The First one is mainly used by breeders and most people in the hobby dont recommend glas enclosures since they dont keep the heat in very well.
Radiant heat panels aren’t the best thing to use for the primary heat source since they only produce infrared C. A heat source that produces IRA and IRB like the sun is ideal, such as a halogen flood bulb.
@@nightinggale6470 but they dont provide evenly distributed heat. the panels are mainly used for snakes here. geckos and beardis get bulbs, since most of them need uvb.
@@nightinggale6470 unless the snake uses the heat differently. Belly heat helps the digestion process, while the infared heat will help keep the ambient Temps higher. Just something I have noticed with several of the snakes my hubby has.
I’m new to snakes so I was wondering if you could have a “dry box” while using tropical soil just incase you use to much water or just so they can have a dry area for them (a box with maybe aspen fibers instead of the moist moss)
I ordered my evolution tank from those custom reptile habitats in march the 15th this year and still waiting they said it would’ve been ready to ship around may 9th as they’re super busy building them and it’s over a month now and still waiting with no shipping notification yet gosh I could get my refund if they’re gonna take another 3 months can’t wait to finally get mine for my ball python
I had a question, dunno if it'll be seen though. My sister has two mostly aquatic turtles in a deep tank. Their "basking rock" support is suctioned to the side of the tank, but they're getting really big and heavy for it. We've been having a problem coming up with a new setup that is accessible for them, strong and large enough, and doesn't take up a huge chunk of their swimming space with supports or hurt their toenails. We aren't super handy with tools, but are willing to try. What would you suggest?
I would say try putting a wood platform in the corner, so you can have it standing with its legs on the bottom, and they would be out of the way along the sides of the tank? or suctioned onto two sides instead of one 🤷♀️
As someone who recently got a ball python, this helped a lot! I currently have her in a temperate tank, which of course won't last forever. So this is useful for planning, soon enough I'm going to need a new enclosure for her and I've been looking for good options, so once again I thank you for helping me out!
I wonder what is happing with Custom Reptile Habitats, Its been over 10 months wen we ordered a 2nd Cage, and a topper got the cage in like 3 months its not going on 10 months and still no Topper/Spacer. we need this spacer to save well Space, and stack these cages. After this long wait. I believe we will be looking for a different company that is able to get orders out in less than well 10 months+ My son is about to just ask for a refund. But we need the topper so darn bad. Why are they jerking us around.
a baby ball python is something I didn't know I needed in my life
Now you know🙂
Chirs please get a noodle
I love your channel I think baby blood pythons are cuter but they can be grumpy mines is not though.
Hence why I got one a few months ago. Love of my life
Please get one Chris
I really liked that you showed of the plastic bin option. Not because I think it is a good permanent enclosure, but because I think it is a really handy quick setup if you need to temporarily house a reptile during a move, while they need to go to a pet-sitter in an emergency, or while you are (re)building their enclosure.
Or if you’re getting used to owning a snake and or low on funds. I could see myself keeping a snake in a fairly simple enclosure until it’s full grown.
@@madelinegarber7860 That might work. Be careful that you have enough money saved up for a proper reptile vet and vet visits though.
@@laartje24 true. The only reason I don't have a snake is... No reptile vets in my city or the country really 😂
@@laartje24 yah definitely. I wouldn’t get a snake without finding a good reptile vet first and the funds to pay for a visit should one be necessary.
I agree, When I get a new snake I use a tub setup for at least quarantine which typically takes long enough that when I get the actual enclosure it would be an adult enclosure size since the snake would already be around 6 months old (well other than my boa, she is in a 4x2x2 but her adult enclosure I plan is a 8x4x4)
I constantly battled humidity in my bp's glass enclosure. Got tired of the fight and bought a nice PVC and I'll never go back. She tramples even her fake plants though, so instead I find a lot of joy in rotating through different types of fake plants and giving her enrichment that way. I can see an upgrade in our future though, I'd like to give her more vertical space than she has.
I'm currently have the same issues with my 2 glass enclosures too. I was thinking of creating my own screen cover to help keep the humidity in, but it'll always have a "leak" in those kinds of enclosures. I'm a fairly new BP owner (I've had my oldest for almost 3 years), and as I'm learning more and more, I'm adapting their enclosures. One thing she says in this video that made me realize my BP isn't much different from others is that she's a climber. Almost all the videos and sites I've read never said anything about them enjoying climbing. I actually upgraded her enclosure and got her a nice large piece of driftwood that can hold her weight and now she's climbing without my worrying about her getting injured. She was always knocking her stuff over previously no matter how much I braced it. I used to just think I had an unusual BP who loved climbing lol
To help with humidity, I removed the screen top and replaced it with a solid top...it helps, but is not as good as a PVC enclosure,IMO.
@@Kiertiana I've seen people replace screen covers with custom made PVC covers, which is a little more cost effective than buying an entire PVC enclosure. PVC board is sold in hardware stores and if you have the tools or know someone who does is processes really similar to wood. Cut a piece to size, cut a smaller area for mesh for fixtures, and find a way to secure and you could be golden! So glad to hear about her climbing adventures!
@@jamesalumbaugh6344 Yeah this is definitely a more budget-friendly option! There are lots of aquarium conversion kits for this kind of thing.
@@kpKUSS I was thinking about something similar to that before I found out about the Pvc enclosures
I am just getting ready to move from better to best- a quick hint for anyone who lives in a very dry climate as I do, with the glass/screen tops I've tried the old school plumbers tape part of the screen top but it really messes with air flow so I've gone to keeping a damp towel over half the screen it helps with humidity while not impacting air flow as much and I just redamp the towel every night when I do my before bed spray- another thing that helps is to shred some moss into the substrate as it holds moisture better than the substrate alone (I use eco-earth and baby chip- If I go any chunkier the noodle throws a fit and burrows down to the glass to sleep on something not lumpy... he is a drama snake) and by dry climate I mean averages under 20% humidity - the humidity in the noodle box can be 70% when I go to bed and when I get up for work its back down to 30% so it is a constant battle.
My room is also super dry, so I decided to get a humidifier, which I plopped on top of the mesh screen top. I did make sure I had a humidity gauge in there too.. Keeps both the noodle happy and my nose from bleeding 🤷♀️
I use the silver HVAC tape on my screens. Works great.
Where r u from cause where I live i need a dehumidifier for my house cause humidity is naturally around 70-80% it feels horrible but it would be good for the snakes I guess 🥲
tape paper towel, it has holes but it still will keep moisture in
If you live in a low humidity region, then screen tops are the worst for keeping nearly any type of snake except maybe rosy and sand boas, maybe hognose. In any case, the screen has to be covered. Someone already said aluminum HVAC tape works. Or else, use a plastic tub. People think ball pythons want to see the world, but that is wrong. They love security. You can take them out for some exercise, fine, but they do not want glass walls. They learn to put up with it I suppose.
It would be great if you did a "taking care of baby snakes" video. There's plenty on adults and a lot on hatching/breeding, but I'm curious about developmental needs, behaviors not to be worried about, differences between babies and adults beyond size, etc.
Babies vs adults - one noteworthy difference is that babies are shy and do best with minimal disturbance by the keeper. Babies also do best in small enclosures where you can keep a humidity level, say around 60% is a good spot to shoot for (you can look up the value from other sources to make sure) and adjust as necessary. You will see other opinions on that - the baby in a small cage thing - but testing it for yourself is the best thing to do. Plastic shoeboxes work the best in my opinion for very young ball pythons. I am not a ball python breeder, but after dealing with 5 baby ball pythons that would not eat thawed rodents, when I switched them to plastic bins and a higher humidity than a screen top cage offered, they turned into feeding monsters. Which means they were happy that way.
Is in almost every egg hatching video
Hey! There is another UA-camr I think you'd like; his channel is called 'Green Room Pythons' which has a lot of educational videos about snakes and a whole video on baby snake care. I really like him and hopefully, this might be helpful to you.
"One does not simply grow plants if one has not botany" I LOVE IT!
It took me a long, long minute to get that pun LOL
Bring me...a shrubbery!!! 🤣
@@warriormaiden9829 a nice one. Not too expensive 😁
This video answered a question I've had - "how large should an enclosure be based on the size of the snake." I would love to see a video on the different habitat needs for various species of snakes - tropical snakes, woodland snakes, desert snakes, etc. I love these videos, I always learn something. BTW: found a really cute baby/juvenile garter snake in my driveway last week.
Ooh seconded!
I don’t have a snake and am not planning to get one any time soon but it would be nice to know so I also vote for that video
What I have read from research the minimum should be the lenght of the snake, so the snake can fully stretch out, so most bins would probably be too small for adult ball pythons.
@@teijaflink2226 no, the minimum should be 2 adjacent sides equal to or greater than the length of your BP. Just like they said in the video. That's ideal but definitely not minimum.
It should be able to stretch out to full length, that's the rule of thumb for minimum size. As for maximum size...well there isn't one. The only thing to keep in mind in large enclosures / reptile rooms is that there shouldn't be large open spaces. The snake wouldn't feel safe there and would avoid that area, so it's wasted space. If you've got the budget you can go as big as you want. Friend of mine had a "reptile room" in a converted shed in his yard. Had several species in there (that wouldn't try to eat each other), even birds.
I have a ball python, got him last year and love him so much. He was my first snake, and honestly researching ball python care was how I discovered your guys' channel to begin with. Seeing an updated video tells me where I need to go next in improving his set up, and I will say I have fallen absolutely in love with the best enclosure that was showcased. I'm sure my ball python will be happy with having more vertical space.
@Norhurst I have had zero issues with Luci. Ball pythons, when scared, tend to curl up in a ball (hence the name) and hide rather than strike you. The only time my ball python has ever bit me was when I was feeding him and holding the mouse wrong, he overshot and got me on my thumb. It was completely accidental on his part and was 100% my fault. Otherwise he has never bitten me. He loves being held and handled and is super affectionate. Obviously all snakes are different but most breeders will be fine with you asking about the friendliness of a snake. Ball pythons are definitely the friendliest snake Ive ever handled. And if you get one thats a little testy, it isnt hard to convince them youre not a threat to them especially if you get them when theyre younger.
The first enclosure aspin isn’t good for ball pythons and humidity boxes are not needed if you use the right substrate even paper towel is better
@@c1bandz682 I use a blend of substrates, but I never use aspin for my ball python. I don’t think it looks nice and you’re right it’s not very humid. But there are ways to increase humidity in enclosures.
@Shhhhh all individuals are different but I've never heard of someone having a bitey Ball Python. There is a possibility they may become food motivated and try to bite when you first go to get them out of their enclosure but they can be tap trained
@Shhhhh I know it’s been 8 months, but I have a ball python as my first snake. Personally, I think they are amazing. Mine has never been aggressive in any way, just know your boundaries. For example, don’t try to touch or pick up while feeding or when they are hungry, read the body language. I have never personally been bitten, but I’ve heard that it kind of just feels like Velcro if they strike you. Considering how fall and thin their teeth are, I’d say that’s probably true. Either way, it will hurt less then a house cat bite if it ever does happen.
My advice is to get them as a baby from a known breeder. I’d recommend going to a reptile expo if you can, and maybe holding them first and asking the breeder about them. Also, since you say you have a slight fear of snakes, I’d recommend going to a reptile expo anyway to be around them and maybe ask to hold some to try to overcome your fear.
In fact, my snake’s name is Pumpkin Pied. It’s like Pumpkin pie because I got him near thanksgiving, and all he is as sweet as pie. (The pied part is because he is a pied ball python, aka a pieball python)
I like the concept of showing options! The emphasis on enrichment at all levels is so very important, well done. Everyone should always strive to provide the best they can.
The cover on the "best" option has another potential advantage I can see - cat-proofing! Cats love to jump on things and knock things over, and I've been worrying about, if/when I get a reptile, preventing my cats from messing with the heat lamp. That cover would put all that stuff completely out of cats' reach, while giving the cat a nice perch.
And giving the cat a perch the snake can't see it sitting on lol. That would probably freak a snake out, having a predator chilling on their roof
@@Megan-nt7dm My brothers cat did that with my ball python.. He would just sit on the roof of the snakes enclosure. However, once the snake struck at him (it was close to feeding day) and the cat never sat up there again!
I gotta say some cats will still find a way, but also good to see them "bonding"
nooo....snakes can sense a predator, such as a cat. keep them away from your snake! that's gonna be incredibly stressful. they have an instinct to stay far away from felines. it's cruel to allow a cat to just hang out on top of your snakes enclosure...
My cats love sitting on top of my pvc tanks. The lamps make it nice and warm 😆
Hi, you’re videos bring me a lot of joy and are the reason why I love reptiles/amphibians. I also have learned a lot from your videos, so thank you for making videos that bring a smile to my face :)
I started ours in a Exoterra and it was just too hard to keep the humidity and heat at a point where the snake was happy. We moved him into a Christmas tree storage tub and he’s been so much happier.
4:25 the baby ball drinking water while Emily was holding it was the cutest thing ever!
AWWW I didn't even notice SOOO CUTE😍😍
He didn’t drink he just sniffed it
I'm really happy to see the ball python guide is updated, as I'm working on moving my girl to a 4x2x2 once I have the money to do so.
Tip for those who do glass with a screen lid: aluminum tape from a hardware store like they use for HVAC purposes over the screen with holes cut for lights works wonders.
I used HVAC tape on my screens as well it works great
I switched to those corrugated plastic sheets like you'd use for signage. They're dirt cheap and can easily be cut to fit your needs. HVAC tape can get expensive if you need a lot of it
Do I have any intentions of getting a ball python ? No
Will I watch this whole video intently taking on information ? Yes
I feel seen
I feel exposed
I used to think that too and somehow I ended up with a ball python. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
As a burmese python breeder, and variety of species keeper (of over 15 years)... it would blow your mind on how few new keepers actually do their research prior to buying a reptile. And unfortunately that animal suffers do to it; the factor alone, that you enjoy learning without even owning (yet), truly makes my day, cause I wish so much that more folks did. These animals are so often misunderstood, and with great channels like Snake Discovery.. they make amazing emotional companions.
Wonders of the modern age. I learned how to build a deck. I dont even own a house. 😢
My brother had a Ball Python that liked to climb. It used to like to climb up to the window sill on the front porch and lie in the sun. I thought is was weird that he got a Ball Python, but as soon as I was introduced to it, I had an immediate affinity for it. Spot was very friendly and chill.
Love that this got updated! The sad part is, a large proportion of ball python breeders and owners don't even provide the bare minimum... the bar is so low, it's quite sad. But I hope content like this will help shift views on ball python husbandry!
Agree, I rarely see people give any enrichement specially and have even heard some say they don't need any and want to hide all the time.
I'm sure ball python keepers like that have made many people to not even give the bare minimum. Why I really liked this video, she's very inspiring. Sadly compared to many others even her best is amazing. But hopefully as we find out more about these snakes it has started to change. I honestly used to think ball pythons don't need any enrichement because they just hide so it would be pointless and that snakes are not smart enough to Enjoy it.
It doesn't even have to be anything comlicated, just ut in a corcklog.
@@teijaflink2226 Yeah, the standard of keeping perpetuated by many people in the hobby is atrocious. Saying ball pythons don't need hides, light and space to stretch out is used as an excuse for people to breed/purchase/hoard as many snakes as they can. It slowly seems to be getting better if you look at the more recent care guides online and content on UA-cam, but then there are platforms like instagram which is still full of animal hoarders showing off their newest flashy morph only to keep it in what is essentially a shoebox - which their audience does not question and might actually try to emulate. I have a large adult ball python who I keep in a 150cm (5 foot) terrarium - the fact that a lot of people think its acceptable to keep an animal of her size and activity level in a tub half as long is insane to me....
We ordered our 4 x 2 x 2 enclosure from custom reptile habitats a couple of weeks ago in this video has just made me so much more excited!!
Did u get it ?
For those of you that can't afford a PVC enclosure you can get a tortoise enclosure that's more horizontal space for half the cost or less. Get one with a plastic bottom tray and seal the wood near the bottom if you're going to make it bioactive. Put screen door mesh (metal if you will use an overhead heat source) under the chicken wire mesh that's normally there to make sure your snek doesn't rub down their nose on it. Total cost is maybe $200ish. Edit: good size for an adult male.
People who can't find a 4x2x2 pvc for 300 or less shouldn't be trusted with the conversion of that
@@suicidalanderson2500 Cool, a tortoise enclosure is about $150. 🤷
@@tenchuu007 Not ones of adequate size, unless your arguing a Ball Python can fit in a 40 gallon
@@suicidalanderson2500 they 100% could go with a 40 gal, at least for a juvenile. A standard 40 gal is like 36x18x16 traditionally
@@suicidalanderson2500 My male fits very well in one, he has two separate rooms, can move well beyond his full length and has a little daily routine of moving between rooms. There's a big difference between the needs of a female and male.
I absolutely love ball pythons! Before I watched your videos 5 years ago, I had never really liked snakes (i thought they were scary), but when I watched one of your bull snake egg hatching videos, I fell in love.
The greatest I had ever felt was when I was able to first hold a juvenile ball python in my local Pet Smart (it was a banana morph!). I had never held a snake before then and it was so awesome! They definitely feel different than they look.
that is literally me
That moment when you realise you can’t get a snake because you live with your parents but still look at enclosure vids nonetheless
Same here
Lol me to
I had 8 snakes when i lived with parents start small 😂
Uh so we just got the animals and didn't ask
Now I have 3 turtles, 2 axolotls, and a python between two houses
It worked out for us because they are so cute that our parents forgave the transgression
Replace "parents" with "husband" and you have my story.
I really love the visuals of the different enclosures! I'm a very visual learner so this was very helpful! I hope you do something like this again with different animals!
This video came at the perfect time. I'm in the process of setting up a tub (for quarantine period) and tank for my first baby ball python (haven't gotten him yet due to the current set up). This answered a lot of questions I had and appeased my fears. Turns out I was doing everything right 😅 #newdad
I am so happy you guys are doing updated care guides :) I started pretty bare with my girl and over the years I've upgraded her to more natural and enriching enclosures. It always makes me happy to see a care guide with some of the better options and not minimum bc its really great for new keepers to see and know what they can do for their snakes 😊
I have a corn snake, and he's in need of an upgrade and this is really helpful! You guys are awesome! I've been a subscriber for over 5 years and it's amazing how much you've grown and progressed! Can't wait for the next video. 🐍🤘😁
I have a 4 foot female boa constrictor her name is Jasmine she’s my first snake
same! my corn's last shed got stuck, and now im nervous because he might not like his enclosure, im sure it humid enough. This is giving me a few ideas on how to better it too!
Huuu sorry but I think it said for ball python not trying to be mean tho
@@defenestrate122 just provide a humid hide while your corns in blue/shed, I do this for both my corns and they have perfect shed everytime :)
@@ethanroberts6843 corn snakes and bps have very similar needs tbh
Banana morph is my favorite ball python morph!! This helped so much I can't wait to get my own snake one day!!
I love the banana pied ball python morph that’s my favorite you can look it up it’s amazing!!!
@@nicolesreptilezoo7525 Ohh I've seen those!! Love them too!
I’m getting my first snake and it’s going to be a ball python in March you guys posted this at the perfect time thank you guys so so so much for this update
If you have any questions I’ll be happy to help!🙃
I love that you are planning so far in advance :)
@@sageg4383 I’m actually making my own enclosure for my snake just because I want it to have some special meaning to myself
I started my journey a month ago. If you had asked me 2 months ago if I would be obsessed with snakes I would have called you crazy. I’ve been terrified of them my whole life (to the point of emotional breakdowns in the zoo where my brother is a head keeper🤦🏻♀️). I wanted to get over this fear because my husband used to have a Ball Python and would like to have one again… I love the guy so what can ya do? Get over a lifelong phobia! Little did I expect to fall in absolute LOVE with Ball Pythons! I’ve been subscribed to this channel for a couple weeks now and it’s definitely my favorite! (Wish we didn’t live all the way in Florida so I could come see the facility 🥺💖) I was so excited to see a Ball Python video posted today! Thank you so much, Ed and Emily and everyone from Snake Discovery for helping me to not only no longer be afraid of snakes, but to love them! I can’t wait to get my own Bamboo Ball Python one day 😍
Baby ball pythons are so freaking adorable. Just seeing the young BP makes me want another one. I already have 3!!!
Aww, finally some love for ball pythons again.
I literally got one yesterday after being terrified of snakes for years - how did you know I needed this video
Wow thats so awesome! How did you get over your fear? If you don't mind me asking?
Chicken not at all :) I have a friend who works in the pet store and she asked if I just wanted to touch it, so she held his face away from me and then I was able to touch it…then I wanted to hold it while she still hold his head, then when he was really chill I just held him. I ended up holding him for four hours that day, then kept going back for the next week before I decided to just get him. He’s pretty small, so he’ll grow in size with me :). I’m still alittle nervous, but this particular guy is really chill.
That’s the most practical enclosure I’ve ever seen. I’m loving the screen top & cover with cutouts for heating/lights.
I wish I could afford 8 of them for my collection 😂😂😂
I just got my first baby ball python in September and I watched your old video before getting her and now this one just adds even more to the care. I have her on Aspen currently with a humid hide but I'm in the process of switching over to Eco Earth/Coco Chips mixture :) Thank you Emily and Ed for making all these educational videos for us!
You really might have just talked me into getting the evolution enclosure for my baby when it's time to upgrade her to something bigger. It looks so nice!
Although I don't own any snakes and probably never will, I watch all your videos religiously because I love y'all and everything you do
This is fantastic. I love how you have given a few different options for care for a common pet. It really suits your brand. I know there are lots of videos on them but I'd appreciate your advice/a similar video on a leopard gecko set up. I'm getting a baby soon and there's a lot of conflicting advice out there!
Reptifiles has a great leopard gecko care guide. Feel free to ask me any specific questions, I know a lot about them :)
This helps me a lot because I'm a beginner and you made me love snakes so much.
Thank you for all the info, it really helped me understand and get ideas on how to setup my ball python's enclosure. I struggle with decorating 😅. I really liked the silly snake comments in the video too 😂
My almost 9yr old daughter came home toyday saying she wants a yellow python to name banana or butter. I'm so excited to show her this! Going to a reptile expo in June!
My sweet ball is in an enclosure that is 4ft by 3ft by 3ft, and she loves it. I had her in there when she was only 3ft and she still loved the amount of room. I really need to upgrade her because she's getting so restless lol.
Should mention my girl is also 5ft long 🤣🤣
@@opaskilylamoon9919 yea… its definitely time to upgrade
I recently saw a pic enclosure that's a combination between a tub and a display enclosure. Basically a normal enclosure with a hole in the bottom that connects it to a shallow tub like in breeder racks. Seems like it would be a really great option for ball pythons especially if you compare it to their natural lifestyle. Plus it obviously doubles floor space.
This video came right as I'm buying my setup for my future ball python :D
haha same! :D perfect timing
I just got a ball python today and immediately knew who to come to for advice on care; she’s a rescue so not planned, but loved very much already ❤
I have never owned a snake or reptile of any kind yet I watch all of your educational care videos as soon as they come out. You make every topic so interesting!
I can see you put a lot of time and effort into your videos, keep up the good work!
I wonder if you can mix aspen with cocoa blocks
Please make a video on the best leopard gecko enclosure set up! No rush of course ❤️ Love your videos!
That is a good idea 👍
This video was so well done! I would love to see a similar video for hognose snakes. There is so much info out there about snake enclosures so it is nice to see multiple different options as well as their pros/cons.
Reptifiles has a good hognose snake care guide.
Snake set up videos are the most satisfying things to watch in the world
Seriously, what an amazing channel you have built! Your videos have such a wholesome feel! They definitely help instill confidence in the first time snake owner.
Who’s watching in 2024 and close to the beginning of 2025
Really inspiring setups! I ordered a huge enclosure for my corn snake, tho it sadly has sliding doors.... And the gap will be big enough for my baby to escape. Gonna have to wait a few months before I let him in there, and maybe one day I'm gonna make it a bio-active enclosure
You can put him in there. You can use newspaper that is folded up to plug the gaps.
@@richardkelchjr.1954 That actually is a pretty good idea, why haven't I thought of this :'D Just gonna make sure he doesn't escape between the papers, thank you!
We used weather stripping (like the kind for doors or windows) to seal off ours and it's worked perfectly! Great in our bearded dragon enclosure as well to keep crickets and roaches from escaping
For anyone using Exo Terras, there are companies that are making PVC lids for them now, so you can get a bit of an upgrade there if you don't want to get a whole new PVS enclosure. Helps hold heat/humidity better, plus you can mount things like radiant heat panels and internal LED lights a lot easier.
Can you provide a name or link?
Just ordered one for my corn snake. My kiddo and I have followed you guys for years. Thank you for all your truly amazing and informative content.
I feel in love with that last snake enclosure, I’m gonna be getting me a ball python sometime this summer and now I know what I wanna try and get for it. I bet he/she would be so happy in a enclosure like that.
In Sweden we have more strict regulations for the size, and type of enclosures. But I love how you go through the better & best enclosures, they would even get approved over here 😍🐍
Ball Pythons needs actually being required by legislation is something we need everywhere. What so many people think is 'overkill' is the absolute bare minimum for this species, and I'm so glad to hear that progress is being made somewhere.
I wish we had laws like that in the USA rather then just banning reptiles
My girl lives in a 4x2x2 feet bioactive enclosure for 2 years now, and she is exploring it as I write this. I couldn't imagine housing her in anything smaller because she does benefit so much from this setup. She isn't even fully grown yet and I consider giving her an even bigger setup in about 1 year, because she just uses her space so much. The new update will include uvb bulbs which couldn't fit in her recent enclosure anymore, because I use two heatpanels on a thermostat. You can really get the most of your ballpython by providing them with enough space and enrichment, because they will be much more happy and active. BP' just always get this label of "pet rocks" but this couldn't be farther from the truth. My girl became so comfortable and active its crazy
I couldn’t agree more. Sounds like you have an awesome setup! The only thing I would consider is adding a halogen flood bulb connected to a dimmer or dimming thermostat for daytime, they’re the most natural and beneficial heat source. They produce infrared A and B like the sun, heat that penetrates deep into the skin tissue and heats them far more effectively. Whereas RHPs only produce IRC, which only heats the surface of their skin.
@@nightinggale6470 Hey that's pretty good advice thanks! I don't really know the differences between all the light options but then I will get hallogen with the next setup. I definitely want a nice basking spot for my girl. She hangs around at daytime in this one corner quite a bit, and I guess if she had a uvb spot she would definitely use it a good amount. I am also planing for a little build-in pond instead of just a water bowl. She never seemed to have any interest in water so far(which is actually OK, since she never had mites) , but maybe she'd like to dip in a more naturalistic water feature from time to time. Just for entichment
Totally and it goes for other popular species too. My leopard gecko is in a 4 by 2 by 2 foot enclosure, and she uses all the space to the point when watching her I've realised I really need to get to work on a background because she wants to climb and explore even more. She's not stressed or afraid at all, maybe because the enclosure is black pvc so it feels safe. But yeah I wouldn't want to put her in something smaller, she obviously enjoys exploring and I think that the chance to be active is probably good for the health of the animal too.
@@nightinggale6470 can you recommend which halogen flood bulb + dimmer and which UBV to use? Would I need any additional heating, like a RHE?
@@maggiefinnegan7440 the brand of halogen doesn’t really matter, Philips is a good one though. Just make sure it’s a PAR38 bulb. You can get them at hardware stores. Lutron Credenza is a good dimmer, although a dimming thermostat would be ideal (herpstat is the best one). For UVB, use an Arcadia or zoo med T5 tube bulb. The percentage depends on the distance between the bulb and basking spot and whether there is a mesh lid or not. A ceramic heat emitter or radiant heat panel would be good for nighttime heat. The care guide on website reptifiles has more information on UVB and heating
Someone on my Craigslist is selling some orange isopodes. They are sooo cute. I love the banana ball pythons 😍
I'm taking in a friend's snake, and while I have plenty of experience with lizards I have zero experience with snakes and needed to do research. Thank you for your videos! I found them 4 years ago when I got into the hobby and loved them.
I remember the OG video. This one is even better.
This is awesome!! Can you show us how to set up the substrate in the “best” enclosure? And maybe talk about plants that are good for ball pythons? They were just legalized in our province and I want to give our future snake the best of the best ❤️. Oh! I was wondering if you guys are going to be breeding any ball pythons?
I think she said that they used the BioDudes Terra Firma substrate without any kind of drainage layer.
With the substrate they used being pre mixed you literally just open the bag and dump it in, it's that simple to do
Coco coir works great. Also, pythons have a tendency to destroy plants. So I'd stick with fake ones
Thanks guys! I just want to do the best that I can for my future BP, so I appreciate your feedback 😊
I haven't gone bioactive yet, But I've been adding live potted plants to my "better" enclosure! my ball python LOVES to climb on her pothos! she does like to squash it, so I bought her a bigger, more established plant and I got a smaller one for my baby.
Thank you! So many people think that snakes prefer smaller enclosures but that's not the case. They love to explore and as long as you have lots of enrichment in the enclosure they'll thrive. I have my female royal (she's currently 4ft) in a 7ft viv and my male baby is currently in a 4ft and will be upgrading to a 6ft in a few months. They are both thriving in their vivs and love to explore
I really love all your advice except misting. Misting actually leads to severe spikes and dips in humidity and that really can damage a BP's lungs. Their humidity should be stable and to achieve that you can use HVAC tape on the top mesh of the enclosure wherever there will not be light fixtures and then mix water into the substrate and fluff it up as needed per your enclosure and ambient humidity
I have TONS of Pokémon and mtg cards, why have I never thought of this hack for name tags!!!
This is why you guys are the best! :)
Absolutely LOVED this video! Jam-packed with great information on each setup. Super helpful 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗
We watch your videos so religiously that we watch them on a road trip
My bp girl lived in a tub as a youngling and now shes in kinda in a mix of the better and best :D
I customised a large 100x50x50cm old aquarium into a side opening terrarium and it's kinda a semi bio active with some fake plants etc. cause she likes to steamroll all the real ones lol. I think i might need to upgrade into a bigger one if she gets really big but thats a problem for another day :D
Nice! Just wondering, how big is she?
@@nightinggale6470 shes about 90cm and weighs around 800g she's been picking up weight fast after being off feed for a few months last winter ^^
Did the jedi train the youngling well
Get a bigger tank.
I'm gonna get her into a bigger tank with a similar setup once she's grown more so i can gauge her adult size a bit more, she's only under 2 years old.
Got traumatized by a heat mat after one of my pythons started pushing his substrate to and sat directly on the hot glass and burnt himself badly even with his thermostat. He ended up passing away sadly, so my current girl has two heat lamps and a UVB lamp.
She’s also in a huge tank that I think is made for breeding and she’ll definitely be good for a while- unless she gets really huge. 😂
Proper lighting and heating (UVB, short wave infra-red, LEDs for the rest of the viable light spectrum) is so vital for the health, expression of healthy natural behaviours, and overall wellbeing that it's so frustrating that meeting those basic needs aren't the expected standard of care for them.
I'm so glad to hear someone providing this for their snake.
@notmyrealname4363 is there any scientific evidence to back up your claim about UVB's for BP's or are you just anthropomorphising?
personally, I find it awful she's recommending heat mats... not only can they burn but they don't even provide true heat. they heat up the skin but no deeper. big reason why bins will never be suitable for heat-seeking species is the fact you can't provide overhead heat safely.
Almost sounds like a thermostat malfunction? Could help to also have a digital thermometer so even if the thermostat malfunctions, the digital thermometer would still show the actual heat levels. Also not sure if it being glass has to do with it as well...
Thank you!!! I started my juvenile royal with a 36x18x18 inch front-opening ZooMed enclosure with reptibark and coco fiber. I have had ongoing issues trying to achieve proper humidity levels so I'm wanting to upgrade. My goal is to build a 6x3x3 foot PVC enclosure for my explorative friend who loves to roam and climb and make it fully bioactive!
I love how you closed. Not saying your way is the best, to do your research. Jist earned a sub for life. Love the way you explain things, and dont shame people for the cheap option, but showing how to do it right.
Ball pythons definitely love vertical space more than we think! I have hammocks in a couple of their tanks and they're used every night, also trying to climb when exploring supervised.
I loved this vid! I'd love to see something similar for Hognose Snake setups.
Reptifiles has a good hognose care guide
I wish there was a video like this for African House Snakes. Any sketchy info available on this type of snake contradicts another website which means there is no reliable info for this snake. I've been winging it for the last 2 years and it seems to be doing really well with no stuck shed anymore and eats on a semi regular basis now, but it also only ever goes to the warmer side to poop and is always hiding like a ball python. The reptile store I bought it from sold this snake to me under false pre-tense claiming that it was like a corn snake and would grow to be a similar size and be just as curious and friendly which was all completely wrong. The snake does tolerate me handling it, but back when it had stuck shed, it would only tolerate me trying to get the shed off it's face / neck by gently rubbing for a minute before it would bite me. It's also still only feeding off of small fuzzies because that's how small it still is.
Lesson learned, never trust anything the snake seller tells you, no matter how nice and legit their small business / store looks.
There is a really great f/b page for African house snakes! I'll get the name for you. I love my AHS
@@casperfire1 I don't have Facebook. Besides, info on Facebook sounds sketchy to me... not exactly a professional way of doing things.
@@turgsh01 getting similar opinions from a ton of people is a lot more reliable than getting contradicting ones from random websites.
@@Rp_turtles This being the internet... there are billions of ppl pretending to know what they're talking about when it comes to anything. I'd rather listen to someone I trust to be professional and know what they're talking about. Just because the majority of ppl claim that covid is not a big deal doesn't mean it's true, yet here we are, so few ppl wearing a mask anymore except where mandatory by law and lockdowns not happening anymore despite hospitals being completely overrun and ppl still dying from it, and vaccines providing zero evidence of effectiveneness, etc.
My point is, the majority of ppl are dumb... so I definitely can't trust anything random ppl say.
@@turgsh01 I definitely agree, but you can’t always trust the people who are popular and claim to be professionals either. There are some things (and people) that cannot be helped in some cases.
My days are always better when I listen to your videos! Nice work, keep it up!
me and my siblings just discovered that our dad bought us your snake discovery t-shirts and we all litarally screamed in excitment - we love them so much and love the content thxs
The Ball python is like:
Umm, hii Im New here.BUT CAN I GET MY ENCLOSURE PLS?!🤣
Emily could make an hour long video about math and I would watch the entire thing
Yeeesss
Yeah I agree! Even tho I’m afraid I might fall asleep in the middle 🤣
I would love to see a video like this for a hognose snake!
This is awesome, thank you for making this video. I've been looking for an enclosure like your "best" one for years because I love doing bio-active setups & kept having issues maintaining humidity. I'm super excited about this!
Perfect timing for this video to be uploaded/me seeing it, cause my Chem. teacher has a ball python in his class (and yes, I will be judging his set up as I watch this)
Do you have one of these videos for hognoses? I’m highly considering a hog nose and I’m trying to do all my research to find the best set up for it! I wanna have it all ready before I get it. I was also wondering what a good basking light would be because I think I saw it said hognoses bask.
She does, but it's about 4 years old, so it'd be nice to get another upgrade like this one :D
I keep my hognose snakes in EXO terra short tanks because they don't climb that much. I use a halogen bulb for heat and UVB Strip light.
@@nogames8982 do you use any heat probes or temperatures controls for your heat lamp? Also I saw something about keeping the UVB strip on the inside of the top of the enclosure. So the screen doesn’t get in the way of it. Do you not have to worry about that with your set up ?
@@zoeyy03 I do not use a heat mat. I have a temperature gun that I check what the temperature is in different areas of the enclosure. The enclosure is only a foot tall and I use the shade dweller UVB fixture. I am not worried about a little bit of UVV being blocked by the screen. But if you are or if the enclosure is taller you can get a stronger UVB bulb and the amount being blocked by the screen will be completely irrelevant. I personally think that snakes, especially ones that are out during the day, benefit from UVB. But if you don't want to do UVB you can do an LED light also. I always just put the lights and heat source on top of the screen. It's worked for years and they're getting what they need. But if you have really tall enclosures you might consider putting them inside I just don't myself.
You could also check out Wickens wicked reptiles, he does a lot with hognoses. Maybe mine is a weirdo, but she regularly climbs around on the branches in her tank. And instead of basking on the substrate or the rock right under her light she decides to inchworm up the corner of her tank near it and just sit. She isn't trying to escape out the top or anything she just. Sits.
Im in my final count down days everyone. I am only 2 weeks away from going to the zoo for the 1st time. Yeah!
Do I own a ball python?
no
Do I plan on getting a ball python?
no
Do I even own a reptile?
soon i am getting a leopard gecko
Am I watching this because snake discovery is an amazing channel?
yes
I just bought 2 of the 4x2x2 enclosures from Custom Reptile Habitats. They are awesome and extremely easy to put together. I am using 1 for a ball python, so it was nice to see how you set up yours. The other will be used as a warm hide/basking area for my 8', 30 lb Boa imperator. She lives in a 10x17 room. I very much believe in giving them plenty of living space to stretch out in.
yeah that is so awesome! your boa is a lucky boa :)
I’m not keen on tubs but as a start up set up whilst you are preparing your forever home is ok.
Our baby went straight into a 4x2x2, providing you have plenty of clutter the snake will be fine so you can bypass a smaller tub type enclosure.
For me the best thing about this video was seeing basking bulbs and uv being used. This is the way we should be hearing all our reptiles so very happy to seeing you promote this in the two larger enclosures.
Any way to get a video like this on Crested Geckos? Really enjoyed this!
oh I know a UA-camr all about geckos her name is lepored gecko
her main content is lepored and crested geckos
Yes!! Your first ball python video was what lead me to your videos initially. My pastel noodle has been living her best life for the past 3 years but unfortunately she’s super destructive and I’m finding she likes to sit on all her plants in her bioactive until they break off so I’ll have to switch back to fake plants. Anyone have any advice on this or is it just one of those things that happens?
Based on the responses to my question and others I've seen scrolling, seems the general consensus is that females steam roll or squash the live plants and it's probably better to stick to fake ones. I was thinking of putting live ones in with my female BP but she's a climber and they have verified what I was worried would happen if I switched.
Generally BPs are squashers of plants. Some dont do that, many do.
As a Keeper you have multiple options:
1. Remove real plants, put in fake ones
2. Use only real stirdy plants, that can take a beating.
3. Arrange the plants in a way that your snake is not crawling over them in its usual path.
There is a lot of trial and error involved, and in can be frustrating, but I think it can be worth it. Worked a charm with my BCI
Are radiant heatpanels and osb endloseres Not a Thing in the us? Im from germany and the ´best´ Setup is probably the most used here. The First one is mainly used by breeders and most people in the hobby dont recommend glas enclosures since they dont keep the heat in very well.
Price is a big issue. We may have those products, but they are more expensive so it is harder to provide them for the average snake owner.
Radiant heat panels aren’t the best thing to use for the primary heat source since they only produce infrared C. A heat source that produces IRA and IRB like the sun is ideal, such as a halogen flood bulb.
@@nightinggale6470 but they dont provide evenly distributed heat. the panels are mainly used for snakes here. geckos and beardis get bulbs, since most of them need uvb.
@@nightinggale6470 unless the snake uses the heat differently. Belly heat helps the digestion process, while the infared heat will help keep the ambient Temps higher. Just something I have noticed with several of the snakes my hubby has.
@@nightinggale6470 under tank heaters are much more an issue since they can burn snakes and its better for them to have heat from above
Thank you so much for giving helpful opinions and options for those new keepers who are unsure and need assistance in such a nice and caring way!!!
I really appreciate knowing about the tub setup! I could see myself using that while I get something more akin to the better or best setup made.
“You don’t even need instructions” says every man ever.
I’m new to snakes so I was wondering if you could have a “dry box” while using tropical soil just incase you use to much water or just so they can have a dry area for them (a box with maybe aspen fibers instead of the moist moss)
I ordered my evolution tank from those custom reptile habitats in march the 15th this year and still waiting they said it would’ve been ready to ship around may 9th as they’re super busy building them and it’s over a month now and still waiting with no shipping notification yet gosh I could get my refund if they’re gonna take another 3 months can’t wait to finally get mine for my ball python
Thank u so much for teaching me so much about snakes before I got my snake Celeste she’s my emotional support animal and she’s such a sweetheart ❤️🐍
You guys should make this for hognoses too :)
Me: makes mental notes while watching this vid
Also me: knows I will never own a ball python
Sounds like me for 3 years until I got some snakes some months ago 🤣
@@tiny_dragon8112
Omg, for real!? so happy for you!
What kind?????
I had a question, dunno if it'll be seen though. My sister has two mostly aquatic turtles in a deep tank. Their "basking rock" support is suctioned to the side of the tank, but they're getting really big and heavy for it. We've been having a problem coming up with a new setup that is accessible for them, strong and large enough, and doesn't take up a huge chunk of their swimming space with supports or hurt their toenails. We aren't super handy with tools, but are willing to try. What would you suggest?
I would say try putting a wood platform in the corner, so you can have it standing with its legs on the bottom, and they would be out of the way along the sides of the tank? or suctioned onto two sides instead of one 🤷♀️
This is perfect timing for me. I just received a BP someone abandoned in a parking lot.
As someone who recently got a ball python, this helped a lot! I currently have her in a temperate tank, which of course won't last forever. So this is useful for planning, soon enough I'm going to need a new enclosure for her and I've been looking for good options, so once again I thank you for helping me out!
I wonder what is happing with Custom Reptile Habitats, Its been over 10 months wen we ordered a 2nd Cage, and a topper got the cage in like 3 months its not going on 10 months and still no Topper/Spacer. we need this spacer to save well Space, and stack these cages. After this long wait. I believe we will be looking for a different company that is able to get orders out in less than well 10 months+ My son is about to just ask for a refund. But we need the topper so darn bad. Why are they jerking us around.
Hopefully you get your refund at all. I am still waiting since Sep. 9th.