Help Design Tank.

[FightinTexasAggie]

Im still new to raising snakes (got my 2 ball pythons about a month ago) and trying to learn as much about them as possible. I just got a bigger tank for real cheap and need some advice on how to set it up.

The tank is a 36x12x22 glass tank, but it has no lid on it. I want to build a lid, and want to set it up just right. I plan on having 2 heat lamps on one side (one daytime, one nighttime on a timer) and I have a heat pad (Zoo Med RH-4, says for 10-20 gallon tanks) for under the tank that I will have on a thermostat. Do I need a bigger heat pad if I am using a heat lamp also? How should I design the lid to keep ideal conditions for the snake? Should I build it so part of the lid is covered and the rest open screen? What materials would be best, and is there anything to avoid using?

I plan on using Aspen substrate. I would like to have a hide on each side of the tank, with a water bowl in the middle. I have 2 digital thermometer/hygrometers, one for each end of the tank. Is it best to have them about halfway up the tank?

Finally, I have a feeding question. My snake shed about 2 weeks ago, and ate a mouse 8 days ago. Today, he would not eat. I was feeding live mice, but read that it wasnt a good idea so today I switched to pre killed. The other snake ate right away, but mine didnt seem interested at all. What are some good ways to get him interested in the mouse? Or should I just try again next week? If the other snake wants to eat a second mouse, should I let him? He is still fairly young and small, I wouldnt think would be able to eat 2 mice at a time. And finally, should I leave the dead mouse in the tank for a little while to see if he eats?

Thanks a bunch. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

[7w33k]

The design sounds good for the tank, Aspen is the only substrate I use, but for such a large tank be prepared to buy alot over time. make sure the water dish is big enough for BOTH to use at once if they want to soak.

As far as the feeding goes, Ive never had any problems with feeding my Ball live mice over the long run, but if your going to switch on them, they have been known to be a bit picky at times.

Are these frozen mice? You may want to just buy live mice for the time being and kill them urself to ease the snake into eating frozen thawed.

Hope that helps!

Oh yeah, be sure to get a lid that fits TIGHT. With two in one enclosure the bigger they get the easier it will be for them to pop off a loose lid.

[FightinTexasAggie]

Thanks for the help. They were live mice that I killed just before feeding.

If I cover half of the lid, which side would be better, if it even would make a difference. Cover the half over the heat pad or cover the half with the lamps, just have holes cut for the lamps? I want to do this exactly right, so I wont have to mist the tank several times a day like I have been.

Is this tank big enough to be a permanent home, or will I eventually need something bigger?

[th3jok3r]

id recommend using newspaper for substarte covered plenty of times but its just way easier to maintain keeps great humidity and is low cost... i just learned to use cave style hides or hides with a tiny opening rather than a halff log for the BP security.... u might want around a 40 gal for an adult or bigger..... but your set up sounds great!!!
avoid usin pine n cedar substrate toxic and bad for the python....

[mrshawt]

id recommend using newspaper for substarte covered plenty of times but its just way easier to maintain keeps great humidity and is low cost... i just learned to use cave style hides or hides with a tiny opening rather than a halff log for the BP security.... u might want around a 40 gal for an adult or bigger..... but your set up sounds great!!!

Trust me, 40 gal is plenty, unless you've got Godzilla in there haha.

[th3jok3r]

i love 40 gal there so much u can do with them

[FightinTexasAggie]

Thanks.

Im assuming my tank should be plenty big for 2 snakes throughout their lives? I am planning on using a thin piece of plywood to make the lid with screen for the open side.

Any other suggestions to set up the ideal tank?

[mrshawt]

Usually, it's suggested to have separate enclosures for each bp. Maybe someone with a little more experience can fully explain why, as I'm not sure.

[dr del]

Hi,

If one gets sick both get sick so twice the vet bills, if you find a regurge or worrying looking poo how do you know which of them was responsible, dominance leading to one doing less well than it should, the added complications at feeding time which force you to feed at least one outside of the container and therefore might negatively impact on feeding response.

If both are males then they may combat when they reach breeding size which can cause stress for the loser which can lower their immune system leading to possible problems. It might also create problems if the one you wanted to breed lost the combat but I'm not certain of that as I have never combated males.

And canibalism is not exactly unheard of.

I've tried both ways of keeping them and one snake one enclosure wins.


dr del