Ball Python Setup for Beginners

What does a Ball Python need in its tank? How do I setup a snake tank? What do I need before buying a snake? Today I am answering all these questions and showing exactly how I setup a ball python tank!
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[@c-america]

It’s not even ok how underrated you are. You’re going places. Good job man

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Thank you for such kind words

[@cakebird]

Getting my first ball python in a lil and this was super helpful, especially the little tips and tricks along the way. Much appreciated!

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Happy to help! Congratulations on the new python!

[@dino_theseawing]

$15 for a few leaves is crazy...

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I know right. Lol I tried to replicate everything but I drew the line on that 😂

[@dino_theseawing]

@@ChiefSweetsUniverse rightfully so!

[@avaogara]

​@@ChiefSweetsUniverseI gather my leaves from nature sanitize them with boiling water n dry out..free n works great !

[@canAmMan3]

The crazy part is that people buy it I’m bouta go and sell packs of mowed grass to people and put it under some dumb name and give it some special purpose and then make bank

[@c5365]

Hmmm. Maybe. I spent all of 3 days baking batches of leaves to sterilize them. I now have the equivalent of 14 gallons of leaves. That sounds like a lot, but if I was selling them, that's a lot of time and constant oven usage.... Basically, you can find much better prices for leaves online vs. chain pet stores, but I now appreciate that the sellers actually had to put in some effort.

[@bluandtaylor]

I didn’t even think to add leaf litter for humidity purposes. I use it only for my bioactive gecko tanks. I haven’t done bio active snake tanks because of how robust they are with plants. But this was an amazing tutorial and will be giving this a shot. I should’ve been using reptisoil these coconut husk substrates do dry out and idk why people praise them. Thank you!!

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yeah leaf litter is amazing plus it really makes the tank look good. My snakes haven’t really messed up the pothos since it’s so resilient that’s why it’s my fav. Yes! I don’t know why everyone loves coco substrates. I tried them many times in the past and they just do not work well.

[@c5365]

Hm. I think the mods of the ball python subreddit have now decided that anyone not using coco coir as substrate is abusive...

[@FatPigeon-6]

Very informal yet straight to the point. I was reluctant on getting one due to the complicated explanations some guides give. my Leucistic Python should do great thanks to you

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Happy to help!

[@carolinemohler7]

I've just gotten into reptiles and I love how thorough you are. I've watched so many videos that I felt were super vague, especially regarding heating. I also LOVE that your from OKLAHOMA too!

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Happy to help! Let’s go okie gang!

[@miika2860]

You’re awesome! Its so cool how knowledgeable and confident you are ❤

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Thank you

[@glorias.2930]

You're seriously THE BEST!!!

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Thank you that means a lot!

[@gamingwithgodlucky7635]

Thank you for these videos. ive learned so much from watching you.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

That means a lot! Happy to help!

[@Beardie_tamer]

I really agree 👍 🎉🎉

[@stevenjones7168]

Nice vid it’s interesting to see how people take care of ball pythons differently🎉

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Thank you! Yes there’s so many ways and I find them all very interesting

[@lleoleoll]

i just bought pretty much everything. following your instructions , im gonna set it up tomorrow, then the next day putting a ball python in. thanks homie.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Happy to help

[@lleoleoll]

@@ChiefSweetsUniversewhats the plant you got from home depot called?

[@lleoleoll]

@@ChiefSweetsUniversealso what do i plug into the thermostat? the lamp fixture?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

@@lleoleoll yes the lamp fixture then plug the thermostat into a power strip or wall outlet

[@lleoleoll]

@@ChiefSweetsUniversedude i bought the 30” reptisun t8 on accident😂 gotta hit petsmart for the lil one. is there anyway i can contact you if i have any questions , maybe instagram?

[@CutTheVioletWire]

How would one go about cleaning this tank, and how often?

[@zach7384]

First of all, great video man. I don't do bio active for either of my BP's and this was pretty enlightening, I appreciate it! With that being said though, I feel like going bio active off rip for a beginner is a large undertaking. Even if a new owner does a lot of research prior to purchase, it's always more difficult in practice & even a non-bio will have it's challenges. I'm a fairly new keeper myself & still ironing out some issues in both of my enclosures, couldn't imagine throwing in live plants, 2-3 extra light sources, 2-3 part mixed substrate, etc.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Thank you a lot! Yeah that’s why I also said you could not do bioactive and use fake plants if it’s too large of an undertaking however bioactive is extremely easy I feel like everyone else makes it seem hard. All you need is dirt, led daylight light, plants, and a clean up crew bam solid. since ball pythons need high humidity the plants and clean up crew will thrive. Again tho don’t have to if you don’t want.

[@zach7384]

@@ChiefSweetsUniverse I definitely think bio active is the way to go! Don't get me wrong. If a beginner can get it all sorted from the get go, then that's probably the best route to go! I know for myself it would have been overwhelming and think it would be for many, lol. I live in a very cold and extremely dry part of the US, so I've been struggling with humidity basically since day one and definitely want to go bio active in the future. I'll probably be revisiting this video, the leaves trick is a good tip

[@shawnmacedo8571]

Thanks for all the info!! I going to start working on making my snake happy

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I’m happy to help!

[@reginaphalanges7331]

Thank you again for another super video! 👏💕

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Thank you glad you liked it!

[@kitchin.gryphin]

omg… i love finding new reptile youtubers that have care standards i actually agree with

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Thank you!

[@Chickenfingerpaws]

Thank you so much I really appreciate this video and your content :)

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Happy to help!

[@lostnetwork5717]

Something rarley mentioned to beginners.... dont recycle reptile tanks as aquariums. Reptile tanks have thinner glass then aquarium tanks and are more likely to break if filled with water.

[@Akuma_2000]

Thx❤. I think I want get my first snake and this video is what I needed. But is this enclosure enough for a grown up Ball Python?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

For a grown up you may want to get a 4x2x2 I get one that is the length of the snake usually

[@Akuma_2000]

Ok thank you

[@savannahingersoll7783]

Thank you so much! We just adopted a gorgeous 10 month old female and this has helped us so much ❤

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I’m happy to help! Congrats on the new baby

[@plaguewalker7165]

Just got my first ball python thanks for the help!! ❤

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Happy to help

[@thereverand15]

Do you test your humidity? Gave some great tips on maintaining humidity! Just curious how you know if its good enough.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Oh yeah I use govee thermometer hygrometers this amzn.to/3XUFy7O

[@catethegr8]

Great information, and I appreciate how you don't overcomplicate matters. I'm preparing a bioactive 20g long tank for a baby Children's Python. I've read varying reports of their native habitat, and it appears that most likely they hail from dryer, hotter locales. Would you adjust this mix slightly to accommodate a drier environment? That being said, I'm wondering if this mixture could be perfect since we are located in Southern Arizona, and our home is quite dry. I think I'm foregoing the drainage level. I am utilizing some cuttings from my own personal plants but will keep the plant growth to a minimum rather than being overrun by greenery. Thanks in advance!

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Happy to help! Yeah you can totally do all that.

[@Townsend20]

love your vids

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Thank you 🙏

[@alexgarza1406]

What’s a budget option for reptisoil trying to help my sister in law set hers up while trying to keep her spending to a minimum due to her parents not wanting to spend too much so they probably wouldn’t appreciate us buying 30 dollars worth of dirt I will be helping along the way to make sure the snake is well taken care of as it is a rescue just trying to find other options

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Top soil and play sand Home Depot. Make sure top soil is manure and fertilizer free. Cost like $10. Do the whole bag of top soil and 1 gallon of sand and you’ll have a great mix

[@BenjaminWilson-gk9ve]

Alright, I know this is about ball pythons but could you use this design as a lizard enclosure just maybe a bit of a bigger tank? If yes please give me a list of lizards. Also this is the best channel!!! Keep uploading!!!❤❤❤❤

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Oh yeah you can definitely keep some lizards in this style. You could add the sand into the reptisoil make the water dish smaller a leopard gecko would do totally fine in this. They aren’t as arid as most people think. Pac-Man frog would work as well. Lots of skinks would like this as well. Thank you so much for the kind words

[@BenjaminWilson-gk9ve]

Thanks!

[@davenaheard4843]

Would you recommend installing a mister or humidifier to also help With humidity? As well as moss?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yeah you can totally do that

[@angelpatterson]

I have a question I am aware that ball pythons need humidity however, wouldn’t that cause mold/ fungus ? I’m genuinely confused here. If it does cause mold/ fungus, how can one prevent that ? As you can see I’m new to this, I want a snake eventually but I probably won’t get one for a while until I figure out what I need to be able to give them a good/ healthy as possible home :)

[@coalblooded]

From what I've been reading, a lot of sites have said to "spot-clean" about once a week and then do the full deep-clean once a month (if I remember correctly) which involves replacing the substrate, cleaning and disinfecting all of the dishes, hides, logs, leaves, etc., and thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting the inside of the tank itself.

[@toetiklervr]

Great video im planning on getting an older ball python thats about ten years old and 4.5ft long for a male. Would you have any tips for a decent sized hides/climbing structures for a snake this sized?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I am making a video for larger adults but I do buy cork bark that is very large for hides and branches I get outside

[@tedidavidson6465]

Do you leave certain lights on in the evening? How do you heat the cage at night?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

If it gets below 68f I’d use a ceramic heat emitter to raise temps up

[@ingenunis5003]

No live plants for me….too much work. Great video- helped a bunch🎉

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Understandable! Happy to help!

[@Dosagegaming-o5g]

Hey, thinking about getting a ball python, and I was wondering how you replicate a day/night cycle for the snake.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Great question! I have a heat lamp non red or black light one. A regular bulb like the zoo med basking bulb. Then I supplement that with a zoo med t5 5.0 uvb and then get a led daylight bulb and leave them on from 7am to 7pm. I use a timer to turn it off and on

[@AlexAllenKale]

I might get one in the future

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

They are pretty awesome

[@Tyt0Alba.]

Do the leaves have to be dried??? For the bottom

[@kinkykong7357]

Just bought a ball python wanting to add uvb looking at an Arcadia shade dweller t5 7% snake is in a thrive 40 gallon.do you think the 7% is good enough or should I got up to the 10%

[@amandasoto07]

How often do you have to clean the tank? Do you need to buy isopods to clean?

[@SelinLikeCeline]

Could you theoretically put your snake next to or in front of a window for them to get some sunlight? Im planning on getting a ball python in the future, and I feel like my window is a nice spot and they would get a nice view but idk if that would be good for the snake. Any suggestions?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

You have to be careful as the sun coming through a window sometimes acts like a magnifying glass and can heat up the glass tanks super hot like an oven. But also the sun would provide uvb but glass windows block most uvb by 99% so a window would only help with extra light.

[@cegaming482]

I have a question, would a 75 Gallon tank be good for an adult BP?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yeah that’ll work

[@cegaming482]

@@ChiefSweetsUniverse Thanks!

[@_pasalperico9311]

17:54 just turn the top around if the screen is in the way, it still locks

[@sike917]

i just bought a leopard gecko and love all your videos about them. this video gave me some ideas too for my leopard gecko set up. Thanks for the content and i miss your livestreams. 👌👌💯🫡

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I will try to do more live streams. Thank you I’m glad you like my videos I’ll be making more as well!

[@Conor-il3fs]

How often do you mist the tank??

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Very little probably like once every two weeks

[@alexwinters6378]

Can can you do a leopard tortoise encloser set up ? 🥺 when ever u can I’m debating on snake or a tortoise

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I’ll try but it will be a while

[@caitlintassie1652]

How often do you have to change out Repti- soil ?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I do mine every 6 months. My bioactive ones I change like once every two years

[@mikymiky2468]

How will you clean the enclousure and how often do you do it?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I just check it every now and then see if they pooped. If they did remove poop. After 6 months you can replace the dirt.

[@xxpaprikaxx]

Do I not need to make a drainage layer like people do in the bio active setups?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

No need drainage layers are old school and you can have a bioactive without one all mine do not have one

[@DiegoTorres095]

If my house drops to 67-70 degrees at night, would I still need the basking bulb or could I just use a heat emitter instead of the bulb? or do i need both of them?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

It should be ok but you can use a ceramic heat emitter during the night on a thermostat so it doesn’t get too hot

[@_Aliens_]

Just curious, say you had a top opening tank and just laid it on its side.. would work?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

No you’ll just have to use it as a top opening. The lights wouldn’t go through glass very well too much hassle and could be unsafe

[@armsalgalaviz8621]

Hey chief what is your opion on cocofiber for bearded dragons

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I’m not a fan either I have tried it but it’s just wayyyy too dusty.

[@SirDinoKing]

Me who doesn’t own a ball python or not even considering to buy one but still watching this video anyway 🗿

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Let’s go!

[@lynnesouthall6458]

So with this tank every time you spot clean or feed you have to remove the light and heat bulb to get access...

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Exactly my complaint. Idk why they sell it as a starter kit for all snakes as well. The lizard starter kits are all front opening yet snakes get this lol

[@derekfinnicum1012]

Will Zilla 18” desert uvb be alright with zoo med mesh lid?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yeah that’ll work

[@HenryLiu-xi6bt]

Can you explain a video on day and night light cycle

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yes I will

[@THEFROGGYSQUAD_4]

Would 1 adult thrive in a 36 by 18 by 24? Be honest please

[@gatormccluskey8335]

you help a lot thank you

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Happy to help

[@lynnesouthall6458]

I find glass tanks way to heavy for me..I use wooden vivarium 4x2x2 for my Adult female hold heat and humidity absolutely on point

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Agreed glass is super heavy. I have pvc and wood enclosures I really like them.

[@WorkBurps]

Makin me really want to get another snake. I can't afford another 4ft enclosure, stop making me want another one!

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Haha never!

[@aatsuhl5926]

Do maple or willow leaves work well?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yeah those work great

[@kylerscott7595]

What about pine needles instead of leaves??

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I’d stay away from pine.

[@Beardie_tamer]

Ball pythons are really 😍

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

They are!

[@Jamieskateboard-i4d]

Can you make a video of you cleaning your bearded dragon enclosure

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yes definitely will

[@mrmesserjr]

So I set my thermostat to 100 as a default and I closely monitored the temperature, after hours and hours on a 100w heat lamp, it won't go past 89, and my ceramic heat emitter on the thermostat won't go past 85 even after hours, any idea why?

[@roybarron7806]

I'm thinking about getting me a ball python so i can get a setup for it

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

They are great do it!

[@bertokiller20]

Can i own one in florida

[@lemonhead5890]

Yes they sell ball pythons at my local petsnart and other pet stores

[@th3boogyman802]

mini nuke !!!!!

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I have a pip boy as well!

[@th3boogyman802]

@@ChiefSweetsUniverse much love my fellow vault dweller i enjoy the vids thx for making them for us

[@SANSAN-ve5je]

I calculated the money to get a ball python and it was 380$ usd

[@SANSAN-ve5je]

By the way I am 10 years old 😅

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

That’s awesome! Yeah that does sound right! It usually cost around $400-$500 when getting a new reptile

[@Dallasdemon]

Skip to 5:50 to get past all the blah blah blah

[@Jerilca]

im so puzzled about the temperature thing because i live in nyc 😭🥲

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

As long as you get temps around 85f - 90f in the hot side of the tank you are good. Basking spot around 100f

[@cocainejackson918]

He talks waaay too much I couldn’t even watch the whole video..

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Thanks for the feedback! I’ll keep that in mind for future videos!