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Lighting, Heating and Humidity for the Ball Python
Lighting
No special lighting is needed as Ball Pythons are nocturnal, coming out mainly at dusk to dawn. If you choose, you can have a fluorescent lighting fixture for the cage to provide light for the cage for viewing the interior. You most likely won't see the snake as it will be in the hide box.
Heating
The proper temperature is required to the health of your snake. The temperature of the enclosure should be between 80 and 85 degrees during the day with a basking area with a temperature of 90 degrees. Night time temperatures can be allowed to drop down to no lower than 73 to 75 degrees. It is still recommended to have a spot in the cage of 80 degrees during the night time. To obtain these temperatures, you can use a combination of several products. A heating pad, which is placed under the outside of the enclosure, will radiate heat up through the bottom of the cage warming the interior. A basking light, which is an aluminum dome fixture that can be bought at any hardware or pet store. The bulb focuses light to a certain area in the enclosure to provide the snake with an area of higher temperatures than the surrounding areas. A Ceramic Heat Emitter (CHE) is used like a basking light, but is better for providing the warmer area in the enclosure without disturbing the snakes nocturnal habits. It only emits heat, not light. Heat strips are also used by hobbyist with large collections that have them housed in racks. This allows them to heat the whole unit of several cages with one strip.
Humidity
Ball Pythons come from a very warm, not hot, dry area in Africa. Many people make the mistake of trying to keep them in an enclosure with a high humidity level. This is not recommended as it can lead to conditions such as the blister disease. A good option to providing humidity for your ball python is a "humid" hide box. For this it is best to use a plastic container with a lid. Cut a hole in the side for the snake to enter through, cover the bottom with moistened, not soggy, peat moss. This will provide enough humidity for the snake. This will also help in the shedding process. Make sure to check the humid hide box often, to prevent the moss from drying out.