How to set up a PVC cage (AP T8) With Pictures!

First of all, thank you for this thread. It's fantastic and I'm going to upgrade my BP's home as a result. We're picking up a second BP at a reptile expo on January 17th, and I need to order SOON so it will be set up properly, safely, and on time for the new arrival!

I am a new owner, so I would greatly appreciate if any experienced BP owners could chime in with their thoughts about my possible setup:

The Cage: Animal Plastics T8 w/Divider (or the PVCCages version found at http://pvccages.com/?wpsc-product=48...quick-assembly ...though I will probably go with whoever can get me the quickest turnaround time due to the sliiiight time crunch)
Heat: 2x RHPs, one for each half of the cage (house temps average at around 65-68 in winter and 72-78 in summer - Portland OR). If I go with AP, it will be Pro-Line brand RHPs, but if I go with PVCCages, they can preinstall 2x 40watt panels which is pretty handy. (Link to PVC's panels: http://pvccages.com/?wpsc-product=ra...-reptile-cages )
Thermostat: Herpstat 4 (4 total probes so I can do 1 temp/1 humidity probe per compartment)
Lighting: 1 "White" LED OR Fluorescent fixture light for daytime + 1 "Red" LED light/strip for nighttime viewing for each half of the cage. The lighting will be hooked up to timers for a 12h day/12h night "cycle".

I believe that covers all of the "infrastructure" parts. Of course, I'll be adding hides, water bowls, substrate (we currently use aspen), etc., too :P

What do you veterans think? :)

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Originally Posted by eggrolled

First of all, thank you for this thread. It's fantastic and I'm going to upgrade my BP's home as a result. We're picking up a second BP at a reptile expo on January 17th, and I need to order SOON so it will be set up properly, safely, and on time for the new arrival!

I am a new owner, so I would greatly appreciate if any experienced BP owners could chime in with their thoughts about my possible setup:

The Cage: Animal Plastics T8 w/Divider (or the PVCCages version found at http://pvccages.com/?wpsc-product=48...quick-assembly ...though I will probably go with whoever can get me the quickest turnaround time due to the sliiiight time crunch)
Heat: 2x RHPs, one for each half of the cage (house temps average at around 65-68 in winter and 72-78 in summer - Portland OR). If I go with AP, it will be Pro-Line brand RHPs, but if I go with PVCCages, they can preinstall 2x 40watt panels which is pretty handy. (Link to PVC's panels: http://pvccages.com/?wpsc-product=ra...-reptile-cages )
Thermostat: Herpstat 4 (4 total probes so I can do 1 temp/1 humidity probe per compartment)
Lighting: 1 "White" LED OR Fluorescent fixture light for daytime + 1 "Red" LED light/strip for nighttime viewing for each half of the cage. The lighting will be hooked up to timers for a 12h day/12h night "cycle".

I believe that covers all of the "infrastructure" parts. Of course, I'll be adding hides, water bowls, substrate (we currently use aspen), etc., too :P

What do you veterans think? :)

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Are you going to be running a flexwatt or anything for belly heat?

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Originally Posted by michaelt

Are you going to be running a flexwatt or anything for belly heat?

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I wasn't sure if I needed flexwatt as well as the two RHPs. The main post of this thread made it sound like it was a choose one or the other kind of situation. I was under the impression that a 40watt RHP for each half of the cage (each half is basically 24x24x12) would provide enough heat when coupled with a Thermostat. Am I mistaken?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by eggrolled

I wasn't sure if I needed flexwatt as well as the two RHPs. The main post of this thread made it sound like it was a choose one or the other kind of situation. I was under the impression that a 40watt RHP for each half of the cage (each half is basically 24x24x12) would provide enough heat when coupled with a Thermostat. Am I mistaken?

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You can do both but it's unnecessary. If you're going to do a RHP in each half of the enclosure, that should be more than plenty.

Also, if you have a lot more questions i'd suggest starting a new thread.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by eggrolled

I wasn't sure if I needed flexwatt as well as the two RHPs. The main post of this thread made it sound like it was a choose one or the other kind of situation. I was under the impression that a 40watt RHP for each half of the cage (each half is basically 24x24x12) would provide enough heat when coupled with a Thermostat. Am I mistaken?

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The way I just set my T-8 up well currently setting up, I have 40w RHP on each side to keep ambient temps to 80 and going to use flexwatt in the middle to provide the hotspot for both sides since belly heat is good for bp's. so right there is 3/4 herpstat4 probes used.. i really dont think you need to get herpstat humidity probes in each side as long as u have a thermometer/humidity digital gauge in each side, i believe the humidity probe that herpstat sells is for controlling a fogger or such(i could be mistaken on that). the t-8 i just got Wednesday had 3 slots cut in the bottom for probe positioning for the flexwatt. this is how i setup the top of my enclosure

http://i.imgur.com/F7IoSte.jpg

Thanks for your comments guys, I went ahead and made a new thread so as to not clutter up this one: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...-setup-please-)

Awesome thread. Helped me out tremendously

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This thread was a big help but I have one problem. How can I safely make sure the accurite thermometer actually stays in place? One of my snakes knocks that thing off the nail every night.

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Originally Posted by ProjectMKUltra5

This thread was a big help but I have one problem. How can I safely make sure the accurite thermometer actually stays in place? One of my snakes knocks that thing off the nail every night.

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I personally use a rounded screw so that way not only can I adjust it so the thermometer fits super tight, if it does come off, the BP won't hurt itself against it.

Looking at getting one of these,

http://www.herphouses.com/shop/cage-...2-single-door/

but in the 36x24x16 size - it comes with RHP and LED's and I plan on putting a UTH as well - all controlled by a thermostat.

My question is I plan on getting the 16" because I want to put decorations and fake foilage in, with the RHP affect the decorations at all?

Thanks