First BP set up questions.

[Mirrorsaw]

Hello,

This is my first post here. I have wanted a snake for a long time, and I will have enough cash soon (this payday in fact.) I'm wondering about my set up, and to run it by people that are in the know to see what I'm missing/could be doing better and what I'm flat out wrong about.

I have read I need two heaters. A UTH and then either a light or a heat bulb (CHE). However I will be using a plastic tote for the snake. I have read they hold heat in a lot better, and keep better humidity as well. My question is how do I add a light/ CHE to the tank and keep the snake in the tank with out it getting out. Like if I cut a hole in the lid, can I glue a mesh screen on it to keep the snake from coming out? What kind of glue can I use? Could I just put a few extra holes under where the light will be kept and then not worry to much about it? The snake can't get out, and the CHE will be heating that spot to get it warmer then the rest of the tank. Something for the CHE to plug into to keep it and the right temp, a thermostat. Should I plug the UTH into it as well? I have heard that I should just let that stay on at all times. As it's less a heater for the tank and more just a heater for the snake it's self. Like put the "cool" side hide on the heating pad.

A thermometer and something that tells me the humidity as well. ( I live in Seattle, so while I won't need to add to much humidity I am sure I will need to add some.) And water dish, some thing heavy enough that the snake can't knock over. I will need two hides, one on the cooler side and one on the warm side. The hides should be the same so she doesn't have to choose warmth over safety.

The site that I found my snake on says it's a 2013 born snake. So I won't need a full sized tote yet. What size do I need for it? Also if I have a small cage like 10 quart or 15 quart will there be enough room for two hides and the water dish? Or should I just have one hide for now since it's a small snake and that way it doesn't freak out in a big tank.

I have a wooden dresser that the cage will go on. I plan on getting silicon oven pads (the pads you use to take food out of the oven with when cooking) to line the top of the dresser so it doesn't get to hot from the UTH... Substrate I'm thinking paper towels. Cheap and easy to just throw out when the snake has a bm. Will they hinder the snake as far as molting? (like would a wood substrate be better for that? I know not to use Pine and Cedar wood.)

I want to have the cage set up and running perfectly before I even buy the snake, that way I can have the temp and humidity pretty much perfect before I buy the snake, and that way I will only need to make minor changes and not freak out if something doesn't work/stops working ect.

Also I plan on feeding it frozen thawed mice. I don't think I could do live prey... And keeping them fed and healthy would just be extra burden for me to deal with... There is a pet store really close to me that I could go to once a week and get dinner but I like the idea of frozen mice more so...

Thanks for the help, and response. Also if you have any brands that you recommend please feel free to post them.

[The Serpent Merchant]

Welcome to the site!

It sounds like you have got some bad information. Lets start to clear some things up:

Tubs actually don't hold heat in well at all. They are really good at holding humidity in though.

You cannot use a heat lamp/CHE with a tub, to control the cool side temperature you have to heat the room itself to 75+ (80 is preferred) year round.

Please read through these 2 threads:

Cage heating: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...t-Thermometers

BP care: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

UTH's MUST be regulated by a thermostat. Without a thermostat UTH's can get 130 F + UTH's are not used for the cool side, but rather the hot side. They generate the 90 degree basking temperature, then you use a heat lamp (or in the tubs case a room heater) to control the cool side temperature.

Depending on how cold your room gets tubs might not be the best choice.

Here are step by step guides on how to set up a BP cage:

Tubs: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...e-Basics-*DUW*

Glass Tanks: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...With-Pictures!

Professionally Made Reptile Cage: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...With-Pictures!

[Neal]

Aaron has pretty much touched everything, but here are a few additional things.

I'd get a infrared temp gun, they're not bad, $15 from amazon. As far as your water dishes go, if you have a pet smart nearby and you go by the dog food(at least mine) behind that they have all these water bowls. Well they have cheap ceramic water bowls $2-4 and they're pretty heavy. They're what I use in my rack.

[Mirrorsaw]

Thanks a lot Aaron. Looks like I was wrong on some things, thanks for clearing it up for me. So then for a small snake would a 10 gallon tank be big enough for her then? (The site doesn't say the exact size of the snake, just that it was born this year.)

I keep my room pretty cool so a tub is out.

Looks like I have more reading to do...

Thanks Neal, I didn't even consider getting one of those. I might get both, well the Thermostat will have a temp reading, but both can't be a bad thing. And I can see how warm my snake is...


Thanks again guys, better to find out I was wrong before I bought anything then after.

[ROACH]

A 10 gallon tank will be big enough for a young snake.

[Mirrorsaw]

So for the CHE how many watts do I need? at lest for a 10 gallon tank. Is 100 watts to big?

Also for the hide I know I need two. But, how big do they need to be? Like should the snake have a lot of wiggle room or a very small amount of space, like just enough to fit inside and ball up a bit?


Thanks again for all the help!

[The Serpent Merchant]

A 100 watt CHE will absolutely fry a 10 gallon tank. No more than a 75, and even still it will need to be hooked up to a lamp dimmer.

Hides should be tight fitting, like so:

[Mirrorsaw]

Cool amazon has a 65 watt CHE, I will get that then. And a light dimmer.


As far as hides go I will have to buy some cheap some things so the snake is happy and can out grow them with my spending a lot on the cooler looking ones. Thanks again for the help!

[E71000]

you will most likely have to feed live one day balls are known for being picky and going off there food