I'd like some feedback on my snakes enclosure (pics)

[ellie.the.strange]

Okay, here is a picture of my snakes enclosure, I'd like to know what all I need to change. For one, I know his hide is wayyy to big, and his water bowl may be a little big as well.

The girl who had him before me had no way to monitor his temps or humidity, so I got some reptile thermometers and stuck them in there. I know digital thermometers are supposed to be better, but I didn't have a lot of money, and had to work with what they had at Petco.

He's shedding right now, so I mist his tank a few times a day to try and keep his humidity up, but it averages out to about 60%. His warm side, (the one with the large hide) is a little over 90, and the cool side is a little over 80.

If I'm doing anything else wrong, please tell me!

[TheMissingLink]

Question how do you know what the temps are?

Are you using the lamp as the main heat source?

And you should get two of the same hides.

[RBCpythons]

the hide is too big, but the water bowl should be fine. what i did when i had tanks was putting magazines on top of the lid to hold humidity and heat. i would put a smaller bulb in to lower temps a little bit. ambient warm side 80-85, cold side 75. the under tank heater should provide the lower 90s temp for when its digesting.

I hope this helps,
Rbcpythons

[ellie.the.strange]

Question how do you know what the temps are?

Are you using the lamp as the main heat source?

And you should get two of the same hides.

I got some little reptile thermometers, and put one on each side.

The lamp is his main heat source, but he also has a heating pad under the hide.

[RBCpythons]

oh and maybe invest in a few branches for it to climb on.

[Repti-Rob]

Imho ...You need to get an accurite thermometer. They have probes, are cheap, and give you a real temp. the little stick on ones suck. less than $20 bucks at walmart

[dsirkle]

They like darkness and if that light is your heat source he probably would be happier with an under the tank heater of some sort. You could take the tall flower pot hide and cut the bottom level off and cut a round hole right in the center of the bottom. Likewise I don't think that the half log hides give them enough privacy.

[naba2002]

i agree with pet store therms, a good one is only a few dollars more (walmart) . also it is important that the hides be similar and that log is too big, i had the same prob but then just cut the log in half, corner to corner (like a sandwich). mitch seems to love it becuz u can press one side up to the tank and he feels totaly secure. hope that helps

[starmom]

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[Texas Dan]

They like darkness and if that light is your heat source he probably would be happier with an under the tank heater of some sort. You could take the tall flower pot hide and cut the bottom level off and cut a round hole right in the center of the bottom. Likewise I don't think that the half log hides give them enough privacy.

Not trying to argue here, but I would like to add a little helpful hint about the half log. Here's a picture of my tank setup.



I stood the log up on it's side and put some dark paper on the back of the tank, and he loves it! He's burrowed through the aspen so he doesn't have to climb over anymore, but he'll sleep in there all day. (He also chills in the other hide, in case someone says it's because he doesn't like his other hide)

I cover the sides of his tank with a towels usually at night, when we don't have the lights off, to make him feel more secure.