Need some tank setup help

[Squeezey]

I'm about to get my first ball python and had some questions about what equipment to use for his environment. I decided on a 40 gal aquarium since I will only have one snake. I was going to insulate the top and possibly the sides and back. I want to get a under the tank heating pad or something similiar, a heat emitter, digital temperature gauges/humidity, and a thermostat or something similiar to automatically regulate the heat. HOWEVER... I have no clue as to what brands, sizes, watt level, or anything like that and need some suggestions. I really do not want to spend a ton of money but I do want quality equipment. Some suggestions of what I would need to properly heat a 40 gallon tank would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Squeezey]

One other quick question I forgot. I would like a secure sliding screen top but have not seen any available at online pet stores. Does anyone know where to get one for a 40 gal. tank?

[Moriar]

in the future you want a stable envioronment prior to introducing an animal into it. saves your snake the stress of learning its enviorment over and over as it is changed. there is a nice sticky on how to cover a screen top to keep your humidity and ambient heat up. i suggest going through the stickies and you should be set.

[Moriar]

oops you are going to get one... sorry. as for a top you can get clamps to keep a screen down

[GirDance]

in the future you want a stable envioronment prior to introducing an animal into it. saves your snake the stress of learning its enviorment over and over as it is changed. there is a nice sticky on how to cover a screen top to keep your humidity and ambient heat up. i suggest going through the stickies and you should be set.

He *is* trying to get it stable before hand. He said about to get, not "I went and got".

To be honest, I don't use a tank and a 40 sounds large for a baby. Brands to look for though: herpstat, helix for thermostats. I use a combo of flexwatt and zoomed for under tank heat, but the zoomed doesn't evenly distribute heat so probe placement is important.

Fluker's digital thermometres are cheap and work great, tupperware makes great cheap homemade hides, and bounty (the paper towel) a decent substrate.

In order to hold humidity most of your top will need to be covered anyway, so don't put too much money into that, security is most important there.

The sticky for glass tank set up is great.

[GirDance]

oops you are going to get one... sorry. as for a top you can get clamps to keep a screen down

haha! I was a bit late there it seems.

[Bright202]

One word... TUBS!

[Sunny1]

Have you tried any of your local petstores?? The majority of the bigger type petstores in my area all carry the reptile tanks with the sliding/locking lids.

Are you going to get a baby ball? I would agree that a 40 gal breeder would be a little too large for a baby, but maybe if you found some way of sectioning off a portion of it, it would be okay......

As far as the UTH, you could use any found at a local petstore. I use the zoo med type.

for the digital thermometer/hygrometer I use an accurite that you can find at a Walmart.

Insulate the top with 3 layers of foil and duct tape (make sure to put the duct tape on the outside of the tank). And I use reflectix (found in most local hardware stores...I say most cause my local Home Depot had no idea what I was talking about...) to insulate the glass of the tank itself. I just taped mine to the outside of the glass and it has worked wonders in helping to keep my temps stable!!

Take a look at the caresheets and the stickies if you haven't already. There is a glass tank sticky that will show you how to set up the insulation of the screen as well as probe placement and all!!

[Squeezey]

First of all thanks to all who replied. I guess I should have been more specific in the first place as to not cause controversy. I do not have a snake yet nor have I ordered one etc. I do want to get the tank set up and temperatures properly set before I get one. I will not be getting a baby ball. It will be medium sized so thats why I'm going with the 40 gal. tank so I do not have to switch to a larger size later. I am not going with a tub because this will be my only snake and I want to be able to look at it and set up a natural looking environment. I have read the sticky on tanks a few times now and it was helpful. I guess the main thing I was looking for was brand names etc. which a few of you provided which is very helpful. GirDance you mentioned you use flexwatt...how much of the bottom do you cover with it or a product like zoo med type? Just the basking/heated area or the whole tank including the cooler half? Also, Sunny1, I tried going to all the pet stores in the area but they are very small and have little selection so I was hoping someone would know where I could get a sliding screen top or clamps etc. Thanks again for all your input everyone, its very helpful.

[Sunny1]

I am sorry if I came across in a bad way or offended you with the petstore part of my post. I didn't mean to. I am not sure where you are located at..most Petsmarts or PetCos have the breeder tanks or the lid clamps for the non sliding lids (you can maybe try ordering from their websites?? I have never done it, don't know if you can order tanks off of there or not). My only other suggestion would be to maybe look on Craigslist for a breeder tank...might be cheaper that way as well.