Hello...I have a question or two

[MissKayla]

First Off....Hello everyone my name is Kayla and im new to the forum. I dont own a BP yet but im getting one. Now on to better things...

Im getting a BP and i already bought a habitat but i want to know if its good enough. i actually got it on sale for $99.99 orginally 149.99. heres a link to it http://www.zilla-rules.com/products/...-snake-kit.htm
and also what are some things you think i should know being a first time snake owner. ive read up on them and been googling for days but i prefer to hear things straight from people. btw...im buying from Petco. im not sure if thats good or bad but i live in a semi small town where we dont have many pet stores.

ALL FEEDBACK APPRECIATED!

[h&tmaster]

hello and welcome! i would recomend checking out the ball python care sheets on this site. its a good simple a-z on BP husbandry. my advice is DO YOUR RESEARCH! this site and its members are very informitave. youve come to the right place!

[h&tmaster]

also, not sure where you are from but looking into a local herp society will also help.

[angllady2]

hello dear and welcome!

The good news is, you certainly came to the right place for information on your ball python. The better news is, you are researching before you buy, which far too few people do.

Now for the bad news. The habitat you bought is not really suitable for a ball python. For starters, if you bought the heat lights as well, you may as well return those now. Heat lamps do nothing for your ball except ruin the humidity. There are a lot of details to proper habitat and care, you can find it all in one place here: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...s%29-Caresheet

If you need any details worked out, that is what we are here for. Petco is not the best place to buy a pet, but if you only have limited options, a lot of us started with a pet shop snake.

Gale

[Alexandra V]

Hi Kayla, welcome to the forum!

To be honest, I don't particularly like that setup in that it's missing a couple things. If I were you, I'd ditch one of the two lights, invest in a heat mat that takes up about half the floor space of the tank and buy a rheostat (Zoo Med makes one that's nice and sells for around $30 I think). I'd also ditch the bedding that comes with it, because I personally don't like it. It doesn't absorb anything and cleaning becomes a hassle. I'd replace it either with aspen, coconut husk, cypress mulch or plain paper towel/newspaper.

I'd set up the heat lamp high enough from the top of the enclosure so that the floor temperature on the side without the heat mat stays around 78-80 F (also, invest in a better thermostat, preferrably a digital one with a probe - much more accurate). However, if you want to heat the whole room to that temperature, then you can ditch the lights altogether, and it will be much easier for you to maintain humidity. Then, hook up the heat mat to your rheostat and play with the rheostat until you get the floor temp over the heat mat to stay around 90 F.

Otherwise, just make sure the snake has two identical hides (one on the cool side, one on the hot side), access to water at all times and be sure to mist the enclosure about every three or so days (less often if you don't use the lamps at all) to keep the humidity up (you may use plastic wrap to cover up to 70% of the screen lid to help hold in humidity). Adding fake greenery and blacking out the back and sides of the tank with bristol board or something of the like can also add a decorative and appealing look while providing more security for the snake as they won't feel as exposed.

For care info, I suggest looking at the care sheet we have on this forum under the caresheet section. You can't beat it!

Hope you'll enjoy your ball python experience, they're wonderful little snakes.

[MissKayla]

hello dear and welcome!

The good news is, you certainly came to the right place for information on your ball python. The better news is, you are researching before you buy, which far too few people do.

Now for the bad news. The habitat you bought is not really suitable for a ball python. For starters, if you bought the heat lights as well, you may as well return those now. Heat lamps do nothing for your ball except ruin the humidity. There are a lot of details to proper habitat and care, you can find it all in one place here: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...s%29-Caresheet

If you need any details worked out, that is what we are here for. Petco is not the best place to buy a pet, but if you only have limited options, a lot of us started with a pet shop snake.

Gale

Thanks alot! the lamps actually are included in the kit. ive seen places say digial thermometers is best and thats not the kind it comes with. i read reviews on the habitat after i bought today lol. it was the last one and i didnt want to miss the sale but im tempting to return it. Im wondering what everybody has there tanks sitting on. i know the UTH is on the bottom so what could it actually safely sit on?

[Alexandra V]

Thanks alot! the lamps actually are included in the kit. ive seen places say digial thermometers is best and thats not the kind it comes with. i read reviews on the habitat after i bought today lol. it was the last one and i didnt want to miss the sale but im tempting to return it. Im wondering what everybody has there tanks sitting on. i know the UTH is on the bottom so what could it actually safely sit on?

Most UTHs come with little stick-on feet that you place under the tank on the corners so that it's raised and air can circulate underneath it. If you somehow get one that doesn't have the little feet, two or three stacked felt floor protectors that you can put under the legs of chairs will do the same job just as well.

[The Serpent Merchant]

ok, there are a few issues with that set up that will need to be delt with.

The thermometers/hydrometers that came in the set are crap and should not be used. go to Walmart and buy this, it coast $12 and will measure the hot and cool side temperatures as well as measure humidity.



Second only use one of the dome lights and do not use the bulb that came with it. get this exact lamp. The 75 watt will be best, it should be left on 24/7 and will not bother you or your snake:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...uctId=11147193

Third you will need to either get another hide exactly like the one that came with the set or get 2 identical hides. I recommend the hide boxes sold by reptile basics. they cost way less and are super easy to keep clean

this is what they look like:




finally this cage won't last your snakes entire life. I suggest that you either save up and get a Professionally made reptile cage or if you plan on getting multiple (more than 5) investing in a rack system.

If you haven't already you should read through this:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...s%29-Caresheet

Last but not least a warning... Pet stores and their employees rarely know anything about reptiles and give out terrible information and try to sell you things that either you do not need or are of poor quality. The information on this site is generally much more trustworthy.

If you have any questions feel free to ask.


If you plan to use a UTH it must be regulated by a thermostat!!!

[MissKayla]

ok, there are a few issues with that set up that will need to be delt with.

The thermometers/hydrometers that came in the set are crap and should not be used. go to Walmart and buy this, it coast $12 and will measure the hot and cool side temperatures as well as measure humidity.



Second only use one of the dome lights and do not use the bulb that came with it. get this exact lamp. The 75 watt will be best, it should be left on 24/7 and will not bother you or your snake:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...uctId=11147193

Third you will need to either get another hide exactly like the one that came with the set or get 2 identical hides. I recommend the hide boxes sold by reptile basics. they cost way less and are super easy to keep clean

this is what they look like:




finally this cage won't last your snakes entire life. I suggest that you either save up and get a Professionally made reptile cage or if you plan on getting multiple (more than 5) investing in a rack system.

If you haven't already you should read through this:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...s%29-Caresheet

Last but not least a warning... Pet stores and their employees rarely know anything about reptiles and give out terrible information and try to sell you things that either you do not need or are of poor quality. The information on this site is generally much more trustworthy.

If you have any questions feel free to ask.


If you plan to use a UTH it must be regulated by a thermostat!!!

you said PLENTY thanks! i have a question for you though. if i get that lamp will i not need the uth?

[The Serpent Merchant]

Back when I used glass tanks only used those bulbs for heat. I live in florida and humidity wasn't an issue. So no you will not need a UTH with that bulb.

If you do use a UTH you will also need to get a thermostat, here are 2 options

for $30 you can get this, it will do its job but there are better

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR...d_rhf_pe_p_t_2

These cost more but are much more accurate (these are what I use)

http://spyderrobotics.com/

This is what my Glass tank set up looked like:



The only thing missing from that picture is the thermometer... any tanks needs a good thermometer like the one I posted about in my first post.