rocky start

[nobigdeal508]

Alright everyone, so i made a few new owner mis-conceptions with my ball-python. Mainly getting a TOO small and TOO difficult to maintain habitat! I just ran out and got a 18x18x12 enclosure (exo-terra) terrarium. I have a log hide and a branch/tree climb... using coconut base for "it" (needs to be sexed)

I plan to do the water dish front right and the hot spot (UTH small) in the left rear attatched to the hydrofarm digital thermostat i ordered (at 90 deg.)


Ambient temp i plan to control VIA ceramic heat lamp on another thermostat (undecided and need suggestions) for 80-85 deg. (maybe the dual thermo and hrydo controller???)

Humidity control i'd like to make self sustained with a controller and a mister set up, any suggestions? (^^^^^ same )

Here is a couple pics of how i have it, and i will be introducing my ball once i have the setup at proper temp. and humidity (hopefully for the next feeding {friday})





Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated !

[Neal]

I'll let the other members critique your setup, but a few things I can tell you before they do, is that hide is wrong. BP's love to feel secure, and that hide has two openings. You need to get something that has one opening and is big enough for the bp to feel secure in, they like to fit snuggly in things.'



Those are exo terra reptile cave's and they come in many different sizes. They are wonderful, especially if you're BP is still small, though you can plan ahead and get a medium or large one and it'll last awhile. The only have one entrance so they are more secure, but when your BP gets bigger you'll have to do some sort of plastic hide where you cut out a hole and sand it so it's smooth. That'll be awhile down the road though. Also if you're going to give a hide I always give two, that way they can choose what side of the tank they want to be on, because naturally one side of the tank will be hotter or cooler than the other side. I don't know how much your BP will actually use that tree you have, and it's just taking up space. The next thing is the background is pretty useless and just takes up space. You would honestly done better with a 10 gallon long or 20 gallon long and had more room for the snake. That's a nice setup but I don't think I've ever really seen BP's climb up a lot, now if you had like a tree python or boa then it would be more useful.

EDIT:
You also want to provide a water dish, something like this but get the appropriate size:

[nobigdeal508]

I have a corner tank water dish, i have the hide backed against the glass, and i grabbed the smallest one they had, if i need to go smaller i can go shopping again!!! The reason i grabbed the tree was because mine was climbing on the side mounted gauges i had on the top of the smaller tank, seems to like being elevated

Is my placement of the water away from the heat good? also would i be better to see how it reacts to the tree and hide before deciding on two hides no tree?


The terrarium was on sale 55% off, at aprx: 16 gal it seemed perfect for now. I know i will need to upsize in 6-12 months.

I reallllyllllylylyl like having FRONT DOORs as opposed to a tank style top only set up.

[Neal]

Good deal on the tank then, but I would do away with that backing, because if I'm not mistaken it's foam or something of that nature and if you feed live food to your snake the mice/rats are going to tear that stuff up, and you don't want your BP swallowing that by accident. You can get one hide for now, but you need to get something that only has one entrance so that way it's darker for him because they are nocturnal. The tree you can leave it there if you want, but I just wouldn't if it were me, more decoration = more stuff to clean. I'm not sure the dimensions on that tank , but yea putting the water in the corner is fine, just never put it directly under the heatsource because it's not fun drinking hot water.

Make sure you stick with some kind of heating that doesn't put out light because that can stress your guy out.

How big is the BP you're getting? If you said it, then I missed it somehow.

[OsirisRa32]

you dont need to make things over complicated....if you have humidity problems then consider taking aluminum foil and taping in down on the outside top of the screen mesh...you dont need to blow $ on a auto mister...totally unnecessary...humidity should be 40-60% and during shed 70% ish...keep in mind there exists no where on earth were humidity is always 100% constant and stable at 50% or w/e.

I would suggest a UTH controlled by a thermostat and a single overhead heat source controlled by a dimmer...I would not personally use a ceramic heat emitter b/c fire dangers make my paranoid and those things heat up to extreme temps and i have had 2 housemates crack both of theirs....but thats my personal opinion.

[Neal]

you dont need to make things over complicated....if you have humidity problems then consider taking aluminum foil and taping in down on the outside top of the screen mesh...you dont need to blow $ on a auto mister...totally unnecessary...humidity should be 40-60% and during shed 70% ish...keep in mind there exists no where on earth were humidity is always 100% constant and stable at 50% or w/e.

I would suggest a UTH controlled by a thermostat and a single overhead heat source controlled by a dimmer...I would not personally use a ceramic heat emitter b/c fire dangers make my paranoid and those things heat up to extreme temps and i have had 2 housemates crack both of theirs....but thats my personal opinion.

If you put a heat emitter on a dimmer switch you can control the heat, so it's not an issue. Though UTH works well, but certain ones work better than others.

[nobigdeal508]

Alright great, i was wondering about the foam backing, Though i plan to ONLY feed frozen thawed. I was thining about doing away with that wall; what do you guys do to hide the wires then? I don't want my snake being wrapped up in any instrumentations.

What overhead heat source do you recommend if not ceramic ( i was thinking it didnt throw light) and the UTH is just the HOT SPOT not for ambient.

Ambient Temp is hooked up to a dimmer, any rec. on dimmers?

The humidity has been too high about 60-70 here, well ventilated now.

I will get a different hide for it. I plan to keep the tree since i said it keeps climbing everything.

Also i was looking ax the exo-terra light controllers. Reasonably cheap and 100% automatic light control for 10/14 12/12 ect however i wanted it to light.


Also my snakes aprx 10 inches id guesstimate; going to try to weigh it today.

[nobigdeal508]

WEIGHED IT!

68G

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

68 grams?? In that tank? Holy cow that's a tiny baby! Has it even had a meal yet? That's a fresh hatchling. My hatchlings always weigh between 70-80 grams on the first day out of the egg..

I'd be more concerned about it eating than anything else but I don't see how you thought the other enclosure was too small.

[nobigdeal508]

68 grams?? In that tank? Holy cow that's a tiny baby! Has it even had a meal yet? That's a fresh hatchling. My hatchlings always weigh between 70-80 grams on the first day out of the egg..

I'd be more concerned about it eating than anything else but I don't see how you thought the other enclosure was too small.

It ate friday night (now sunday night)

ate the fuzzy i put in right away, should i offer two next friday??