DIY tank top & lamps - VS - CATS

Hello All! I am Steve and am new to this forum and have been out of the snake game for nearly 18 years. I just have a few questions / Idea’s I need help with.

I had two female ball pythons when I was 10 and had them until I was 13 then sold them for money towards a BMX bike (regret it still). Fast forward 18 years later and I am in the market for a new ball python, but I have a few concerns. I have always been a dog person, and I had never had a problem with them and my snakes when I was a kid. Well, the girlfriend on the other hand has two cats and I have a few concerns with them and the tank. I have a 20 gallon (24.5” x 16 ¾” x 12 ½”) that I anticipated utilizing while the ball python is a tiny until I can move it up to the 55 gallon tank I have. I am going to make a lower stand for it (maybe 10” – 12” off the floor with) with some sort of doors under it for storage. But my concern comes with the top, I plan on framing a wood top with small thin chicken wire so the cats (one older grumpy cat and one kitten) can’t scratch through it. But do I have any concerns with the heat lamps? Should I make some sort of conduit frame to hang them from or enclose them with an “upper” cabinet (so all you would see is the front face of the tank)? I just fear either the lamps getting knocked onto the carpet or if I build a upper cabinet that it might get to hot in side with the heat lamps. Being in a two bed room apartment makes this harder than just shutting the door with the cats out of the room.

Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated. If this topic is in the wrong forum, I apologies and would gladly move it to the correct location.

Thanks!
-Steve

Why not skip the fish tank entirely and get a pvc enclosure? Most aquariums are badly shaped for snakes, a 55 is larger than a ball python would ever need, they don't hold heat or humidity well, are breakable and usually need heat lamps like you are concerned about. A pvc enclosure you could get a under tank heater and a radiant heat panel if needed, the cage would be secure, easier to keep proper temps and no heating elements on the outside to be a risk.

What he said is the best bet

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Thanks I appreciate the help. I'm looking into a PVC enclosure, I will keep you guys posted with pictures when I get it complete.

Thanks again for the advice.

-Steve

I have four tanks in my house for my herps (a 40gal breeder, a 55 gal, and 2 15gal). All four have over the tank lamps. I also have two cats who absolutely love to sit on the tanks. The only one they have ever knocked a lamp off of is a crested gecko tank and it isn't a heat lamp. We had a house fire when I was 13 and fire is my only fear in life, so I have been concerned about it.

I would personally just go with PVC (I would have already switched if it were in my budget), but if you must keep the aquariums, then you could try butting place mats with double sided tape on the top around and on the tanks to discourage cats near the heat source. Cats tend to not like that sensation on their sensitive paws, so they usually learn quickly with that method.

Just put some barbed wire around the top of the tank that will stop the cats from.......just kidding! I totally agree with getting PVC if you haven't already purchased a BP. My first BP was homed in a glass enclosure and always wished I spent the extra money on a PVC from the beginning. Doesn't matter now as I am changing over to a rack system, but definitely go PVC!