Light: "Day-light" or "full-spectrum" fluorescent lights will provide good lighting during the day. Unlike some reptiles, full spectrum lighting is not required, though it still is recommended. The snake should have a photoperiod of 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. The light can be slowly increased by 2 hours in the summer, and decreased by 2 hours in the winter. Using a timer on the light will provide better control.

Water and Humidity

A fresh pool of water should be available so the snake can immerse itself when it chooses. The container should be heavy so the snake can not knock it over. The water temperature should be between 72-79°F, and any water which is added should be at that temperature. Snakes often defecate in the water, so it should be checked and changed daily.

Misting is generally not needed nor recommended, however, if the humidity is extremely low, a daily misting will provide the higher humidity that aids in proper shedding. Ball Pythons should not be kept in a damp environment since this can lead to skin infections and other problems.

Diet

Ball Pythons are carnivores, and kill their prey by constricting it. Younger, smaller snakes can be fed baby mice. Larger snakes are fed adult mice, rats, or young chickens. All of these should be pre-killed and are available frozen; be sure to buy them from a reputable source. They should be allowed to thaw (not heated) before they are given. Avoid live prey since they can cause severe bite wounds on snakes, and these often become infected if not treated promptly and properly. After feeding, it is very important that the cage temperature be within acceptable limits for proper digestion.

How often the snake is fed varies with its age, the environmental temperature, reproductive state, the size of the prey, and the activity level of the snake. Younger snakes are fed more often — once or twice a week; large snakes may be fed once every 1-2 weeks. In the winter, or if the environmental temperature is low, the snake will eat less or maybe not at all for several weeks. Females incubating a clutch of eggs will normally not eat until the eggs hatch. Snakes who are in the process of ecdysis (shedding) will generally not eat. Ball Pythons can be prone to obesity, so do not overfeed. Feed the Ball Python during the evening or at dusk.

Reproduction

Much has been written on breeding snakes. Before attempting to breed Ball Pythons, read as many in-depth sources as you can. It is a money and time commitment, which should only be entered into only after much thought and research. Important points to know: the sexes should be separated for several weeks prior to mating, and kept at cooler temperatures at night (68°F). The eggs, generally 4 to 7 in number, are laid about a month after breeding. The eggs are easily damaged. The mother will incubate the eggs. If necessary, they can be incubated in a separate cage at around 84-90°F, at high humidity (90-100%), although some recommend incubating at 65-75% humidity and increasing it to almost 100% several days before the expected hatching. Eggs usually hatch in 60 days. Hatchlings often need to be force fed.