Son getting ball python. Cage setup help please

[BuckeyeBalls]

Ok so first of my little boy wants to get a ball python (getting it from all Ohio retile show)

Now I want to make sure this animal is taken care of the right way so here is my cage layout so far


The tank is a 29 gallon tank with a screen lid

Now as you see in the pic to the left side I have a little UTH, and above that I have a little rock hide. In the middle is a water bowl and to the right of that is like a little fake wood rough thing he can sort of hide in/rub against. This has all been given to me from a friend who no longer needed it. Now I also have a heat lamp that has a 150w infrared bulb in it. When the meter is under the bulb there is no humidity and the temp is around 100. Now tomorrow I will be hooking it up to a dimmer for the time being until I can get something a little better. Using dimmer to tone down the UTH/heat lamp. This is also with no substrate but the temp in the room is reading 75 deg with 28% humidity.
I figured once I added some substrate to the bottom it would raise the humidity. (Thinking Repti Bark or eco earth) I also read somewhere that a mix of both 50/50 is better than using 100% of just one.

Now as I said before I will hook the UTH and the lamp up to a dimmer to tone down how hot it’s getting until I can get something better. My question is what should I change/ do differently. Money is a bit of an object atm so if it could remain cheap for now. But down the road I’m going to invest in something a little bit better so please list the cheapest way to change what needs to be changed but also what is best.
Thanks for reading this just want to make sure the cage is going to be good enough for a ball python we will be picking one up this Saturday so I would like to try to get it all set up and at the right temp/humidity before Friday

[Kaorte]

If this is a baby ball python, go with a 10g. They are very inexpensive at shows.

I would also get two identical hides, one for the spot on the UTH and one for the spot where the fake wood is. Having two hides is pretty essential for a ball python since they like to sit in their hides 90% of the time.

Make sure you are measuring your temps with a digital thermometer with a probe, right on the surface of the glass where the UTH is. You want to measure the hottest point the snake can get to inside the tank. Even with substrate, they can still move it to get on the glass.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

Is it a baby or a young BP you are getting? If so you can save some money right off the bat by only using a 10gal tank. The 29 gal are so tall it will be very hard for you to maintain heat and humidity. The UTH should be big enough to take up about 1/3 the tank on one far side but no more than that. You really cant go by what the box says for a UTH. Natures heat will not get warm enough I have learned. I read in another thread that the one that says for rainforest type usage, will not get warm enough either. So stay away from those 2 and you should be ok. If you need a lamp as well to keep ambient temps up to about 80 or so then you will want either a smaller tank or a reptile tank which is shorter but deeper than fish tanks.

2 hides are best. One on each side. Then put decorative wood thing next to one hide or in the center. I just told another member too that you can save money by going to the dollar store, buying a couple plastic cereal bowls that the snake can fit in rather tightly, cut a hole in one side and there ya go. A cheap hide that can be replaced when it has been outgrown.

Dont forget a thermometer/hygrometer. The one most of us use is the accurite you can get at walmart. It has a probe and measures both.

[Dianna]

It is typically a good idea to have 2 tight fitting hides. One on the warm side (as you have pictured) and also one on the cool side. That way your BP won't have to sacrifice temperature preference for the sake of being in a hide.

What size ball python are you aiming for? I believe your tank is a bit large for a baby to feel comfortable in. If you do get a baby, you could try sectioning off a portion of the tank.

[BuckeyeBalls]

As i said everything i got atm was given to me from a friend. Also forgot it has a flukers hygrometer/thermometer placed like above the UTH near the top of the cage. I can try to find another hide just like it(he says it was bought at petland not to long ago pretty sure they still have it.)

Also how much is the accurite one? Would the flukers not be good enough?

[WaRocker]

OK, So how big/small this new pickup going to be? If a baby then you have way tons of room. So a few hides small from the warm side to the cool side. Tupperware or those disposable ziploc can be modified into hides.
The ground I would choose is Aspen or paper towels or newspaper.
I would invest in a temperature gun to measure the ground and surface temps. Good digital temp & humidity guage is a must.
Now I am not particularly into the red heat bulbs but that is just me. I like the ceramic heaters. They cost a bit but worth it.

Hope this helped some.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

Oh Im sure the Flukers is no different than Accurite. Its just the fact that its a brand which is marketed FOR reptile/pet use. Which means it will cost more. Its just a brand difference. Anything purchased from a pet store is more expensive. The Accurite one is by all the other thermometers and weather stations in Walmart near the hardware and cost about $10.00.

I paid twice that for just a hygrometer at a pet store a couple years ago.

Ok so this stuff is being given to you. Then just get one more hide and make sure you have what you need to control and monitor temps/humidity and you should be fine. Is the snake being given to you or are you going to pick one out?

If you are planning to buy one yourself try to find one that is about a year old. A tiny baby will likely stress in such a big tank.

[BuckeyeBalls]

Figure this would be better

Pic of the water dish


The rock hide


Size of it inside *bottom view*


The little wooden rough thing (what to call it lol?)


Then this is the flukers hygrometer/therm.


I will goto petland and try to get another of the same hide.

Also the temp is very high with the 150w infrared bulb. When i plug this into a dimmer and dim it down that will reduce heat correct? And i can do the same for the UTH? it covers a little less then 1/3 of the cage

Also as for humidity it has like none in the cage(bad i know with the heat lamp at full 150w around 100 deg.)

So i figure once i hook it up to a dimmer and it wont output as much heat it will allow for more humidity and once i add substrate it will raise the humidity. What substrate would u suggest? Flukers is reading 31% humidity just in my room alone so it needs raised by what 30%?

Also as to where im buying it. From here
http://www.allohioshows.com/

Its a show that comes once a month been there a few times. A bunch of breeders to buy from. Can choose whatever breeder has the snake i want

Also as for the cage i was told it was a 29 gallon tank. The lid is thr same size as a 29 gallon one.

Size of cage is

30L x 12.5W x 13 deep

[blackcrystal22]

Figure this would be better


I will goto petland and try to get another of the same hide.

Also the temp is very high with the 150w infrared bulb. When i plug this into a dimmer and dim it down that will reduce heat correct? And i can do the same for the UTH? it covers a little less then 1/3 of the cage

Also as for humidity it has like none in the cage(bad i know with the heat lamp at full 150w around 100 deg.)

So i figure once i hook it up to a dimmer and it wont output as much heat it will allow for more humidity and once i add substrate it will raise the humidity. What substrate would u suggest? Flukers is reading 31% humidity just in my room alone so it needs raised by what 30%?

Also as to where im buying it. From here
http://www.allohioshows.com/

Its a show that comes once a month been there a few times. A bunch of breeders to buy from. Can choose whatever breeder has the snake i want

That hide will be fine for hatchlings and young ball pythons, but he may grow out of it quickly. If you are getting an adult it will not fit in that hide.

The humidity should be at 60-70%. Get rid of that heat lamp, it is not needed and will only suck humidity, and they aren't really good for ball pythons in general.

The belly heat from the UTH has to be hooked up to dimmer or it will be too hot. Get a probe thermometer as well to place directly on the UTH (on the glass under the substrate) and make sure it reads about 95F.

What do you plan on using for substrate? Aspen, Cypress, or newspaper are all good choices. Don't use sand, cedar, pine or reptile carpets.

[BuckeyeBalls]

What do you plan on using for substrate? Aspen, Cypress, or newspaper are all good choices. Don't use sand, cedar, pine or reptile carpets.

Well when i used just a UTH i cant get the temp of the cage to go past 75 deg. So thats when i tried the heat lamp and it went into like 90-100. for the cage temp.

Also as for substrate idk. I hear eco earth or Repti Bark is good. Or a 50/50 mixture of both. Something that would raise the humidity seeing as its lacking in the room period.