Will this AP T8 setup work?

[jdmwoody]

Okay so i have 2 Normal Ball Pythons (Both Females), and 1 Albino Red Tail Boa. I have been saving up to give them the most ideal and proper setup to get them all out of their current 30g aquariums with UTH pads to something easier to maintain. My plan is to purchase 2 Animal Plastic T8 cages one with the divider and house both ball pythons in that, leaving the other full T8 for the boa (4ft long) to grow into. I currently have no way of controlling the temperatures for my room.

Animal Plastics list:

T8/Sliding Glass x2
Sliding Door Lock x2
Flexwatt Belly Heat x2
White Fluorescent Light x3
Pop In, Pop Out Divider x1

Misc:

AcuRite thermometer/hydrometer x3
RHPs 20watt x2
RHP 40watt x1
herpstat ???

1st Question: Will the T8 divided 50/50 give the proper amount of space for each ball python?
2nd Question: Will the T8 last the boa for the rest of his life? Or would future upgrades be required?
3rd Question: Should i go RHPs instead of flexwatt? or combine the two?
4th Question: Which herpstat would be required to fully monitor this setup in each configuration? RHP(only), Flexwatt(only), or Both

[Prognathodon]

Yes, the BPs should be good in the T8 (unless, possibly, you end up with two really big females). We use heat tape for our BPs, not the pads, but the effect is under-tank heat either way. We've got RHPs in addition to UTH in our taller cages with more arboreal snakes, but the BPs seem fine with just UTH.

Point yourself at the Boas sub-forum, where there's threads about caging size and climbing opportunities for boas. My husband's boa will probably end up with a 24" tall AP enclosure (not sure if he'll get 4, 6, or 8' long), with RHP, and possibly UTH - the current snakes we have with UTH are on their floors so rarely I may turn the UTH off.

Get at least a Herpstat 2, possibly a 3 or 4 - one output for the BPs heat, or two if you go both RHP and UTH; and one or two outputs for the boa, depending if you use one or both types of heat sources. This is assuming you don't have anything really strange going on with heating/cooling in your room that's going to make one end of the BP enclosure significantly warmer than the other.

And *while you're doing setup* label the probe cables and power cords where they come into the thermostat (Brother label-maker tape flags FTW, but masking tape will work), *and* label the side of the unit as to who's on what output. You'll appreciate it someday down the road.


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[LittleTreeGuy]

Okay so i have 2 Normal Ball Pythons (Both Females), and 1 Albino Red Tail Boa. I have been saving up to give them the most ideal and proper setup to get them all out of their current 30g aquariums with UTH pads to something easier to maintain. My plan is to purchase 2 Animal Plastic T8 cages one with the divider and house both ball pythons in that, leaving the other full T8 for the boa (4ft long) to grow into. I currently have no way of controlling the temperatures for my room.

Animal Plastics list:

T8/Sliding Glass x2
Sliding Door Lock x2
Flexwatt Belly Heat x2
White Fluorescent Light x3 I would spend the extra money and have AP install their white LED's for you. I love mine, and they make the cages look great!
Pop In, Pop Out Divider x1

Misc:

AcuRite thermometer/hydrometer x3
RHPs 20watt x2 I'm not sure what the boa's needs are for heat, but for the BP's, if your house ever drops down to 70F, you'll want at least a 40w RHP on each side of the divider. A 20w would have to work really hard and may not get you the temps you need. I ran a split T8 for a while with two 40w's and have since removed the divider and still use them both to heat the whole thing. I'm very happy with them. If the Boa needs similar heat, I would get one 80w for it's T8.
RHP 40watt x1
herpstat ???

1st Question: Will the T8 divided 50/50 give the proper amount of space for each ball python? As mentioned, yes, unless they become very large females. Some will say it's still enough room, some won't.
2nd Question: Will the T8 last the boa for the rest of his life? Or would future upgrades be required?
3rd Question: Should i go RHPs instead of flexwatt? or combine the two? I used both and have went to just RHP's. I like that it's in the tank and out of the way. They look good, and work amazingly well. I'll never go back to flexwatt, personally.
4th Question: Which herpstat would be required to fully monitor this setup in each configuration? RHP(only), Flexwatt(only), or Both

If you run flexwatt and RHP's, you'd need three probes for the BP tank and two for the boa. You could get one Herpstat 5 or 6 (I think they make those now). Personally, I think I'd go with only RHP's and get two Herpstat II's, but that's just my preference.