# Ball Pythons > BP Husbandry >  Ball Python Set Ups Please Post

## ToriLuv

I would like to see everyones BP set-ups, I am going to be getting one soon and would like to see ideas on how people have there aquariums set up...thanks :Dancin' Banana:

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## Argentra

Ask and ye shall receive.  :Very Happy: 

20Long tank - Normal female BP


10gal tank - Pastel male BP (he always knocks down that acurite)


20Long tank - Ghost male corn


18x18 ExoTerra tank - Amel male corn. Lemme know what you think, it's new.


And those are just my TANKS.  :Smile:

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## Bruce Whitehead

*UGH* mine are so boring.  :Smile: 

But here you go...









Yes... the snake is in a soap dish.  :Smile: 





bruce

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## Argentra

Cute cute cute! Snow corn in a soap dish!  :Very Happy:

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## Kathleen

I only have one juvenile ball python so I have him in a 20 gallon long display tank.  :Smile:

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## Argentra

Cool. If I might suggest, tho: get two all-enclosing hides, cover the back and both sides of the tank, and treat the screen top with foil. Otherwise looks really nice!  :Smile: 

Sorry, I'm a tank helper and I can't resist giving assistance.  :Embarassed:

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## Kathleen

> Cool. If I might suggest, tho: get two all-enclosing hides, cover the back and both sides of the tank, and treat the screen top with foil. Otherwise looks really nice! 
> 
> Sorry, I'm a tank helper and I can't resist giving assistance.


Thanks for the tips. I do cover the top with a layer of foil. I just removed it because I rearranged the tank today while he was eating his mice. And it looked more photogenic without it.  :Razz:  Though I would like to do know how you went about covering yours so that it's permanent without encumbering opening/closing of the lid because I definitely have to mist daily to keep the humidity up! And I haven't found a background that I like yet but I'm not overly concerned considering Freddie seems 100% comfortable as is -- he eats like a champ and generally seems like a pretty content snake. And those are the only decorative hides I can find that he fits under, lol. They're fairly snug so I'm pretty sure he likes 'em.  :Smile:

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## Argentra

No problem.  :Smile:  I live to help others.

Screen treating with foil is easy: 3 layers of aluminum foil, shiny side down, topped/held on with duct tape. A hole is then cut on one side for ventilation/heat lamps. I add a vinyl 'window' in the center for light to get in as well. You can see it on the pix of the tanks above.

I made a photo step-by-step of the process when I did the screen to my ExoTerra. I can PM it to you if you'd like.  :Smile:

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## Mindibun

The photo of the corn snake in the soap dish makes it look mystical and holy. Like the angels came down singing when the photo was taken.  :sploosh:

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## Kathleen

> No problem.  I live to help others.
> 
> Screen treating with foil is easy: 3 layers of aluminum foil, shiny side down, topped/held on with duct tape. A hole is then cut on one side for ventilation/heat lamps. I add a vinyl 'window' in the center for light to get in as well. You can see it on the pix of the tanks above.
> 
> I made a photo step-by-step of the process when I did the screen to my ExoTerra. I can PM it to you if you'd like.


That would be awesome because I am a visual learner.  :Embarassed:  Thanks!

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## Bruce Whitehead

> Cute cute cute! Snow corn in a soap dish!


Heh, thanks... I figured it was a good example of the practicality of keeping snakes... soap dishes 4/$1.00 at the dollar store. She had it until she started busting it open. 

4 snakes have had them as hides and they are the best!




> The photo of the corn snake in the soap dish makes it look mystical and holy. Like the angels came down singing when the photo was taken.


Yeah... she is an angel alright... her name is Violaine, but we call her Violence most of the time. (or Violent Femme). Everyone needs a hot goth mess of a teen in the house and she is ours. She may be pink but is soooooooo dark.  :Smile: 

Bruce

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## butters!



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## ToriLuv

Thanks so much everyone. Now what is the foil idea i never heard of that? I have had cornsnakes but this will be my first BP...thanks

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## Kathleen

> Thanks so much everyone. Now what is the foil idea i never heard of that? I have had cornsnakes but this will be my first BP...thanks


Ask Argentra to send you a copy of her PM. The foil cover helps maintain the proper humidity (screen tops let a lot of it escape and it can be a pain keeping it up). Her guide shows you how to secure the foil to the lid permanently. It's very helpful.  :Smile:

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## cH@0s

Some reviews would be cool, not trying to steal a thread. Just new to keeping reptiles. And thought this thread would be an opportunity to get criticized etc...
Had this little one for about 1.5 months.
My first too.

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## cH@0s

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l..._/DSC05060.jpg

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## krazieness_2

i LOVE that setup!! is there anyway you could like list all thats in it?i just got my first BP and want everything to be perfect!

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## bradabolics

Here's mine...4x2x1.5 with my 4ft female bp...

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## starmom

> http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll290/_cHa0s_/DSC05060.jpg


29C is only about 84F; are those the ambients? Also 71% the humidity?  :Surprised:  Wow, that's high!  :Surprised: 
How are you heating the cage with all of that substrate in there??? Is it just that one light? You're in Taiwan, right? What's the ambient weather like there??

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## cH@0s

The photo was taken at 2am, so it is 'night' temps and humidity! 29C is on the cool side of the tank. Taiwan is very hot in the summer. Everyday is 30-32c, ALL day, till early hours it drops, as you can see, not much.
Funny enough, my girlfriend just told me in our room upstairs, it's 34C this morning!
Also, there is no covering at all over the screen lid, and i never spray the bark!

I only use the light, because in summer, the other stuff would be a waste! UTH, CHE etc.
I have the light on a dimmer as well, it's turned just over a quarter, and it comes on for no more than 5 minutes to heat the hot side up.
At the moment it's mid-day, and the 'cool' side is 30c with 65% humidity.

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## blackcrystal22

> Ask and ye shall receive. 
> 
> 20Long tank - Normal female BP
> 
> 
> 10gal tank - Pastel male BP (he always knocks down that acurite)
> 
> 
> 20Long tank - Ghost male corn
> ...


Explain your last tank to me.. Does it have a tube that it will ACTUALLY go up to get to the upper level!?

I'm almost embarrassed to post pictures of mine.. They're not nearly as well put together as everyone elses.  :Tears:

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## cH@0s

> i LOVE that setup!! is there anyway you could like list all thats in it?i just got my first BP and want everything to be perfect!



My setup?

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l..._/DSC05060.jpg

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## Argentra

> Explain your last tank to me.. Does it have a tube that it will ACTUALLY go up to get to the upper level!?
> 
> I'm almost embarrassed to post pictures of mine.. They're not nearly as well put together as everyone elses.


The tubes support the platform, so he doesn't actually enter them. I have yet to see him go up there, but he was only moved in a few days ago.  :Smile:  He's long enough that he could just lift his upper half and pull the rest up.

bradabolics: that enclosure is awesome! Display cages are so nice.  :Smile: 

And certainly I will send the step-by-step instructions for screen treatments. It's really easy.

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## blackcrystal22

Ok.
So as embarrassing as it is..

That's my bps set up. Its wrong, I know. :[ The thermometer is missing because I was setting it up in the new temp. tank for his feeding cycle to get back on track (smaller tub).


Thats him poking out of his hide wondering what on earth I'm doing.


Thats a great shot of my corn in action. Shes so pretty, but very feisty.
Also, I just noticed, but if you look under her log on the left side you can see part of her body. That shows how long she is. Haha.

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## Argentra

Those tanks look nice... but there's just one major thing: If that's sand Get RID of it! Sand is NOT a good substrate for corns or ball pythons since it's devilishly hard to clean, harbors bacteria, and can cause problems if ingested. The paper towels your BP is currently on are much better, also newsprint paper and aspen.  :Smile: 

Also, ditch the huge water dish and get another of those cave hides for the other side. For a dish, get a small ceramic dog or cat dish, they work great!

Just my two cents, there.  :Smile:

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## blackcrystal22

> Those tanks look nice... but there's just one major thing: If that's sand Get RID of it! Sand is NOT a good substrate for corns or ball pythons since it's devilishly hard to clean, harbors bacteria, and can cause problems if ingested. The paper towels your BP is currently on are much better, also newsprint paper and aspen. 
> 
> Also, ditch the huge water dish and get another of those cave hides for the other side. For a dish, get a small ceramic dog or cat dish, they work great!
> 
> Just my two cents, there.


I have another cave hide, its hard to see but its in the corner behind the wood set. :]

The one that hes in is supposed to be the cool side one.. he likes it more though I think.. The one you can't see also has a basking area on top where he rests sometimes.

SAND!? Where!?
Both of my cages use paper towels. D: I would never use sand.
Even for the sand boa I plan to get, I wouldn't use sand. I'm going to buy this lizard litter stuff thats made from crushed walnut shells! :]
Edit: Chaos! You have the same water bowl as me! Haha.

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## Bruce Whitehead

> My setup?
> 
> http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l..._/DSC05060.jpg


If you are open to criticism...

Log hides suck. There is no way around that. They are not snug enough and are too open to offer a bp security. They are a betch to sterilize as well.

Pet stores sell them to new owners, but most people lose them pretty quickly.

I say that as someone that started with log hides... I loathe them now.

You substrate is way too deep. There is no way you can regulate your temps with that depth. What happens if your snake pushes down into the substrate... and where do you measure you temps and at what depth?

You should be able to measure your temps at the lowest point the snake can get to. When you have several inches of substrate that is hard to predict.

But I am probably the wrong person to comment, as I do not care for glass tanks, and I do not think heat lamps should be used on bps.... ever.

It can be done, and done well, but it takes alot of work. I personally think tanks are advanced husbandry, and more often than not they are implemented, are ineffective, and the husbandry is tweaked while the snake is in the enclosure. Rather than the husbandry being perfected and THEN placing the snake in the enclosure.

Perhaps someone can post the link, but I think there is a great thread on setting up a viv on this site, but I am not sure where it is.

Check the stickies.

Hope that helped?

Bruce

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## Bruce Whitehead

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=56846

Dang... I brought it up... my responsibility to post the link.

Read it and ask questions. Might be worth starting a new thread if you need feedback, just so it does not get lost or buried.  :Smile: 

Bruce

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