Critique my tank setup!

So Shen is getting a little too big for his current cage, and Petco's $1/gallon sale was just too tempting to pass up. So I set up this:

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...test_thumb.jpg

I'm currently testing the conditions, hence all the wires and monitors. Tell me if I'm missing anything:

- I've got an UTH covering about 1/3 of the hide end of the tank hooked up to its own thermostat with the probe in between the glass and the UTH secured with foil tape and set to 92'F, with a surface temp in the substrate in the hide at 86'F.

- Two heat lamps/CHE wired to a separate thermostat keeping ambient temps around 80'F 6" off the surface, with a "cool-side" ranging from 80-82'F.

- Since glass is so piss-poor at keeping humidity and temp I'm using coconut husk substrate, which I've found if kept reasonably hydrated it can hold humidty and heat pretty well, humidity is 75-80% at surface, 50-60% 6" off the surface.

- He has additional hides I'm going to put in once I'm done with the temp/humidity test, along with a couple extra branches (I don't know what other people are talking about, he LOVES to climb). And maybe some other decorations. So it's purty. Heh. :)

- "Permanent" temperature and humidity is monitored by two separate devices, an Accu-rite indoor/outdoor humidity monitor with probe on the hot side and placed on the cool side, and an analog (reliable one) temperature/humidity gauge on the hot side.

Anyone see anything missing? :X Should I adjust the temps more or is this generally where people keep their habitats set at?

Also: side note, something I really like about this set-up, instead of a huge fluorescent light-strip for "viewing" light, I used an OLED strip, only $15! Bright, small, not hot, and energy efficient! Love it!

...also love "pilfering" the ideas and experiences of everyone on this site for the little things in getting this cage setup, like foil tape, accu-rites, etc. etc. <3

Looks good I'd likely add some 'clutter' plants and such to provide some extra security myself. I would likely thin out the substrate some to lift the surface temp up to 88-91º small snakes seem to do better at lower temps so if he is under 600gm I might target 88º over I use 90º. The temps look great. Personally I find a fluorescent light mounted under a lid to bump the ambient up enough but then I use side turned tanks... it is a different deal.


http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...arium-Solution

It solves the open top humidity loss. (glass is so close to water proof it makes no difference... the open top and air flow generated by thermal gain change the RH not the tank or glass or bulb... just saying...)

Looks like a good setup to me. Especially once you put your other hides and decorations in. I did have to cover 3 sides of my tank to lower my guys stress levels so hed eat. Theres some pretty cool back grounds you can get or make to add to the decorative look. I also made a plexi glass top for my tank, was the only way i could keep humidity. I live in the desert so theres no real ambient humidity to help out but you may not need to. Its similar to kites design but it just slides in and out of the tracks that the original screen lid slid in with some holes drilled for the locking pins and ventilation. If you dont have a slideing top like my tank does you may have to find a different way to secure it should you take that route at a later time. Also with your substrate you can add Sphagnum moss to help hold moisture as well. GL with your setup!

Thanks for the comments!

Decoration is next on my list, some "greenery" to hide in since he is a wee bit on the small side for a tank that large. I bumped up the "hot" spot to 89'F, and everything else looks stable so I think I'll move him in tonight and see how he does. He'd better appreciate it! :)

I was thinking about getting a plexi-glass lid for it, yess....I'd put it under the screen cover on 3/4 of the tank since it seems like I only need one lamp to maintain the ambient temps. Right now I have the top partially sealed with foil tape. I like kitedemon's solution, but I wanted to leave in the lamps since in his previous tank he always seemed to like lying underneath them, even though they're not supposed to "bask", and I wanted to be able to control the tank's temp a little better come winter. Right now I have it secured with 8 cage clips, Mr. Escape Artist loves trying to sneak out at night. :P

I have a smaller bowl on the hot side stuffed with sphagnum moss, and I think I'll put one on the other side too, since he doesn't like to soak, but likes to curl up in the moss.

I put the cage in a corner against two walls and a cabinet on the other side, thinking that would provide him a more "secure" location, so as not to have to cover the sides....guess I'll find out. How well can they see/sense that they're in the open?

My tanks hold ambient 80ºF even when the room is as low as 66ºF this is the flourscent light inside. I don't need to be worried about tungsten lights and the heat they toss off.

Here it is finished and decorated!

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...inal_thumb.jpg

If you look reaaaaaal closely, you can see his nose in the middle! :)

He's spent a lot of time cruising around and checking things out, and pointing out which decorations need to be more firmly secured. :P

He's seems to prefer his old hide in the middle of the tank rather than the one over the hot spot. It might be since he hasn't eaten in over a week as I didn't want to move him in after he'd eaten and I'm still trying to get him on FT rats. He's got plenty of places to hide though, so mebbe he just likes that one in that temp range?

Only thing I owuld recomend is to cover 3 sides with a background :) My snake refused to eat until I covered the sides now she is a PIG :D Looks something like this

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...84084614_n.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RestlessRobie

Only thing I owuld recomend is to cover 3 sides with a background :) My snake refused to eat until I covered the sides now she is a PIG :D Looks something like this

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I was worried about that since he's such a picky eater, but I gave him a PK large dark mouse and he wolfed it down as soon as I showed it to him. Guess he's okay with it... :X

Now if I could get him to stop tearing through the place and re-arranging all the decor... :P

Me: Oh no! Where is Shen? He's escaped!
Shen: *pop* RAWR! I R TREE SNAKE!
Me: Gaah! Wha...what are you doing? Get out of the vines, you can't climb!
Shen: Yes I can.
Me: No you can't! Get down from there!
Shen: No.
Me: You are going to fall and break your neck and I'm going to say "I told you so"!
Shen: ...... No.

:P

Silly critter.