Ball Python Care Guide

Natural History: Ball pythons are small to medium-sized constrictors originally from Africa. They have quickly become the most popular snake in the pet industry due to several factors, including — but not limited to—being a slow, predictable snake, easy to care for, and coming in a wide variety of colors (also known as morphs).

Behavior: These snakes are often considered the most friendly or docile of all species of snake kept under human care. While that is impossible to know for sure, there is some evolutionary basis to support these claims. The first one is obvious, so much so it is in their name. Ball pythons are ambush predators that have evolved to sit patiently in rock out-cropings leading to two interesting traits. The first one is their chosen form of defense, much like an armadillo or hedgehog, they roll up into a ball. The name makes sense now, right? While most animals will choose flight or fight when feeling unsafe, which to someone who does not understand what they are seeing, reads as “aggressive” streaking, quick unpredictable movements, or “darting” Ball pythons choose option “C”. Ball Pythons, when feeling threatened, will roll up into a ball with their head in the center to protect it. What does that mean in under human care? It means that even in the most stressful situations, be it a loud reptile show or being mishandled, they won't display any "dangerous" actions. Pair this with their slow movements and there you have it, the world's friendliest snake. This does not mean they are not capable of biting as they are wild animals.  But this does mean they may be less likely to be seen as “aggressive” since most people will not read their defensive behavior as aggressive. Despite their defensive behavior being harmless to us, their stress is still real and meaningful. It should not be ignored because it doesn't scare you. Fear is still real for them and should be respected.

Before You Buy 

Before you bring your new family member home, you first need to be conscious of what it will take to allow them to thrive and set both of you up for success. First and foremost will always be husbandry, hence why it gets its own page. Husbandry is the care we give our animals as a whole and how we meet all needs for them be it physical, mental, or social. This includes things like the environment we create for them, the mental stimulation we provide, and everything else we do for them. Learn it and all their needs, but more importantly, have a way to meet those goals before bringing your friend home. Nothing on this earth will behave as we expect, remain healthy, or most importantly, thrive if those basic husbandry needs are not met. 

Next, we need to understand how they behave and think. These are conscious beings that think and feel the same way you and I do. Now admittedly it can be more difficult to know if your snake is truly “happy” compared to some other animals, but it is possible. Let's start with learning to tell if they are ok or feel safe. Ball pythons are very commonly misunderstood in how they behave largely due to their chosen defense method, rolling up in a ball. People often read a snake making a ball and sitting still as a good sign, but for these guys, it means they are afraid. A comfortable Ball python will be one allowing its head to be exposed while calmly taking in its surroundings. One more misunderstanding revolves around their movement or lack thereof in their habitat. These snakes have evolved to sit still and wait. New keepers may read this as their snake is “depressed” or “bored” while a snake that moves all around the tank is lively and happy. While we can not generalize an entire species, animals tend to be happiest leaning into their instincts vs against them. This means that a ball python will often choose to stay in a hidden location that allows them to observe the world around them before they choose to explore it. While a stressed ball python may be actively trying to find a new space that is more comfortable for them.

For better or worse, Ball Pythons are bred to show thousands of different colors and patterns called “morphs” leading to an endless list of possible outcomes in the reptile hobby. Each morph results from a genetic mutation, which could mean you have a one-of-a-kind-looking snake, but could also mean they are predisposed to illness or genetic conditions. Due to the nature of how most of these morphs were first produced, a mass production style to increase your odds of producing that one-of-a-kind means a lot were not bred with the health and betterment of the species in mind. What this translates to is, not all morphs are created equally. Some are predisposed to known conditions and just are not as healthy. This does not mean you can not have a pretty and healthy snake but does mean you need to do your research. Do your research on your chosen morph as well as your breeder. Due to the insanely large price tag on some of the morphs, this means there are still, what I would consider, unethical breeding practices happening. The wide-based appeal and large market of ball pythons paired with their ease of keeping makes them the single biggest target of these breeders. One dead giveaway of an unethical breeder to me is the phrase “investment-worthy reptile”. The second that phrase is used, I know they have fallen victim to the dangling carrot that comes with the value placed on some morphs. Do not misunderstand, I do not have any issues with morphs and trying to produce high-end animals, but when we begin calling a living, conscious animal an investment, I fear we have crossed a line. So buy your pretty snake, but do it from an ethical source while making a conscious decision to put the animals first by supporting good breeders, choosing a genetically strong animal, and thinking of them as a living being, not an investment to profit off of. 

Lastly, you need a plan. These animals live 30 years, so have a plan to take care of them for their entire life, not until you are done with them. Find a vet that will treat them before things become urgent, or ideally before you even bring them home. Find a trusted reliable source of feeders for them, there are multiple trustworthy online suppliers but have this planned and food in hand. Once the animal is in hand, you are out of time to plan. Be prepared, and be conscious of their needs.

Husbandry Needs 

Space: This is a big debate currently on Ball pythons as for years they have been kept in racks almost exclusively. There is a growing movement pushing for more space, some of which call for massive enclosures. It comes down to one simple thing for Ball Pythons, security. As long as they have a secure warm space and a secure cool space I find they can thrive. Because of this, they are one species I find can live their life in racks, but ones bigger than commonly commercially available. I would recommend a bare minimum size of 4x2 feet enclosure for them. This gives them room to stretch out as needed, and you room to provide a proper temperature gradient with hides on both sides. Research on reptile behavior in the wild and how to best replicate that in captivity is constantly evolving. Stay updated on the latest findings and be open to adjusting your care approach as new information emerges. As long as you’re committed to learning and adapting, you’re providing the best possible care for your pet. No one knows everything, stay curious about how to help your friend thrive. 

Heat:  As all reptiles, they require a temperature gradient. Reptiles rely on the outside environment to regulate their core temperature. Most guides recommend a basking spot of around 88-98 and an ambient temperature of 75-80. I find a basking spot of 90 with an ambient of 80 is fairly easy to maintain in a rack or glass enclosure. As always, consistency is key and animal health is all that matters. Find what works for your snake, that you can maintain constantly. 

Humidity: I have heard, and read varying things about humidity for them. General conscience is around 40-60% ambient, with it increasing to 70-80% when they are shedding. Depending on where you live, a lot of ambient humidity around the United States sits between 30-50% meaning no daily maintenance may be needed. Still, check and keep an eye on it, as many heat sources may reduce humidity as well. If you find yourself below that 40% mark, various substrates such as mulch paired with live plants may be all you need to get the humidity to where it needs to be! To raise, misting with a pump mister is the best route. That substrate and plants will help sustain the humidity, allowing you to maintain within that target range. Remember though, humid and moist are two different things. We want things to be humid, not wet or moist. What this means is that we want to mist things and let them maintain, misting to the point of soaking or water pooling can lead to skin or respiratory infections. If giving a good mist is not sufficient, look into different substrates, add more plants, or increase the size of the water bowl, if you find yourself stuck, reach out to our team and we can help find a solution. 

Feeding- Feeding your snake can be counter-intuitive to a new keeper, as they eat much less often than us or our dog. Snakes have evolved for millions of years to eat one large meal, on less often occasions. Feeding frequency will vary with age, so it can be hard to have a “hard rule.” Generally feeding once a week while growing and once every other week when fully grown is a good guide. For size, you want to feed prey 1.5-2 times the width of your snake's head. Snakes spend the same amount of energy breaking down a small meal as a large one, so make it worth their time and feed appropriate-sized meals. Ball python's one flaw is their eating. They are the perfect first snake besides the fact they may not eat for months for no reason at all. The best advice I can give is to just keep an eye on their weight. If they are not losing weight when they have no food in their system, they are ok. I use a kitchen gram scale to weigh mine. Grams give you a more accurate idea of weight due to their size, pounds are too large of a measurement to be accurate. As always, please reach out to us if you have any questions. Seeing your pet not eat for months can be stressful even to an experienced keeper.