New ball python help?

My local reptile breeder told me to get a 40 gallon tank and use a heating pad and a heating lamp. With 2 hides and a water bowl& newspaper as substrate. Is this a good set up for him?

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Originally Posted by Dextrad

My local reptile breeder told me to get a 40 gallon tank and use a heating pad and a heating lamp. With 2 hides and a water bowl& newspaper as substrate. Is this a good set up for him?

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It will work, but it is probably overkill. If you insist on a tank setup, a 20L might be a little more appropriate for your snake's size. Balls do not always do better in larger enclosures. They generally prefer more intimate quarters. Tanks can be a pain sometimes to regulate heat and humidity as well, but they are usually more aesthetically pleasing than tubs. Heat lamps will suck all the humidity out of your tank as well, so be prepared to work at keeping your humidity up. Constant misting and damp towels or aluminum foil over most of the screen lid will help. Also placing your snake's water bowl over its UTH can help raise humidity.

AKedit: Newspaper works just fine as a substrate. Paper towels are good too. Cheap, readily available and easy to clean up.

Sounds good just make sure you have a thermostat and he should do much better for you once he starts feeding more regularly :)

Good luck!

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dextrad

My local reptile breeder told me to get a 40 gallon tank and use a heating pad and a heating lamp. With 2 hides and a water bowl& newspaper as substrate. Is this a good set up for him?

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If you want to keep a tank, then that should be fine, as long as the heat is on a thermostat.

A lot of people find tanks hard to keep humidity in, hence the use of tubs.

My room in very humid if I turn off my fan the humidity gauge is at about 80 but when i turn it on and move around the air the humidity is at about 50-60. So humidity isn't a problem in my case. Thanks for the feed back everyone!

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I'm getting a deal on 20 and 30 gallon tanks because they have cracks on the bottom. Will this mess up the heating pad? Is it alright to use a cracked tank? Any feedback is good feedback. Let me know asap please.

I would say no, bps burrow sometimes, you wouldnt want him to potentially get cut.

But i dont really know. Im sure someone else will give better feedback

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dextrad

My room in very humid if I turn off my fan the humidity gauge is at about 80 but when i turn it on and move around the air the humidity is at about 50-60. So humidity isn't a problem in my case. Thanks for the feed back everyone!

- - - Updated - - -

I'm getting a deal on 20 and 30 gallon tanks because they have cracks on the bottom. Will this mess up the heating pad? Is it alright to use a cracked tank? Any feedback is good feedback. Let me know asap please.

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Spend the extra money and buy your snake a tank that isn't broke! Or better yet, a tub. I would not use a cracked tank. That's just inviting all sorts of trouble.

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Yeah I use a cracked tank for mice, but a snake who has amazing crushing power?????


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Well I'm actually getting the tanks and a bunch of other accessories for a $40 watch that I don't even use.. so im not sure what to do. Why does everyone on this forum suggest a tub? If i decided to do the whole tub set up how will i need to set it up exactly? Every detail counts. Thanks again!

I think it would depend on the crack and whether or not it's sharp to the touch. I wouldn't risk it though.

You seem set on a tank, but have you considered a PVC enclosure?