CARESHEETS

It is important to thoroughly research the proper care of any animal before acquisition. The following caresheets can help you get started.

The Bare Bones Basics:

• Diet: Rodents
• Substrate: Coconut husk chips, shredded aspen, newspaper
• Humidity: 50%-60%
• Temperature: 80-82°F Ambient / 88-89°F Basking Spot

Acclimating: Ball Pythons can become very stressed acclimating to a new environment. Please allow the Ball Python to settle and get used to its new surroundings. This can be a process that can typically take 5-10+ days.

Feeding: Don't be alarmed if your snake does not take a meal right away! Ball Pythons are notorious for going off feed for extended periods of time. However, this can also be caused by environmental issues. Please be aware of how the animal is set up according to these general guidelines.

Enclosure: We keep our Ball Pythons in what is called a "Rack System", this is an opaque plastic bin that the snake can feel snug and secure in. Ball Pythons don't like large open spaces, they spend much of their time hiding in burrows, termite mounds, etc. It is important to replicate as much as possible the environment the snake is used to. Baby Ball Pythons can live in a 6 qt tub and gradually move up tub size with age.

Handling: Limit handling of the animal until the animal is established and eating well, after the animal has eaten a few meals with you then you can gradually start handling to the comfort level of you and the animal.

Boas

Caging: Many caging options are available such as plastic cages, rack systems, and custom enclosures. Young boas have simple needs. A large, beautifully decorated cage is very nice… for us. Many young boas will not appreciate such lavish surroundings. While a new boa is acclimating, simple housing is preferred. An appropriate first cage for a young boa should be no larger than 30"L x 12"W. Adult boas should be housed in cages no smaller than 4'W x 2'W.

Temperature/Lighting: The temperatures in a boa cage should not drop below 78°F on the cool side. The warm side of the enclosure should be 85°F with a hot spot of 90°F. The best presentation for a hot spot is "belly heat" (heat from under the snake). Under tank heaters (UTHs) are the most readily available.

Water: A water bowl is a necessity. This allows your boa a place to drink and helps provide the proper humidity for your boa. The humidity in the cage should be 60%-70%. The water must always be clean and should be changed multiple times each week.

Diet/Feeding: It is very important to allow your new boa to acclimate to his new surroundings before feeding. Never attempt to feed a new boa for at least seven days after he arrives. Boas in captivity should be fed only quality rodents (mice or rats) and need no other food or supplementation. Boas two years old and younger should be fed one appropriately sized food item every 7-10 days.

Geckos

An exceptional article on everything crested gecko can be found on Repashy Ventures page.

Note: Gargoyle geckos, crested geckos and leachies are basically kept the same way. Please contact us for care information for other species kept. We hope to have in-depth care sheets available for all animals kept at Olympian Exotics soon!