OVERKILL for new BP 1 year old ???

Thank you!! I'm going to decide today and get it ordered!

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Originally Posted by thejennabird

Yikes, $230 for that enclosure?! IMHO, you'd be much better off with something like the Animal Plastics terrestrial T8 or T10. Get a divider and you can keep your BP in only half the enclosure while it's still small. BPs are terrestrial, so you don't need all that 24" of space in the arboreal enclosure, the Animal Plastics are nearly $100 cheaper, AND 48x24" will keep an adult BP happy regardless of how big he or she gets.

As for thermostats, you can't go wrong with a high-end model like the VEs and Herpstats. But, from what I can tell, the only difference between the VE-300 and the slightly cheaper VE-200 is the night dimming option. Night dimming isn't essential for BPs, and many don't use it (I don't!). So you might consider the VE-200 for less money and same quality.

Hope that helps!

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I like the look of these- especially if I decide to get another snake at some point- Its easy to add, but I really would like the BP to be able to climb around in it's enclosure. Don't these guys move around? With these enclosures, they can't really be decorated with logs, plants, etc... they seem pretty low? Am I misunderstanding them??

I have a VE300 for back up to ambient heat. I really don't think the large enclosure is a big deal as long as you have appropriate sized hides and other husbandry is correct.

The cages that are 12 inches tall are pretty low in my opinion. Whether your ball python climbs or not is really dependent on the individual snake. I've got one that is extremely active and climbs branches every night and another that is pretty much always grounded. Another caging company to consider is Constrictors NW. I'm planning on getting their 36x23x18 because I'd like the extra height.

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Originally Posted by Geneva101

What are you using for temperature control? How tall is your enclosure? I am concerned that I am unable to get the overhead heat source close enough to the snake to do much good....

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Dimensions are very similar to the one you're looking at. It's around 20" high.

http://i62.tinypic.com/28nuaq.jpg

At first I was using a $15 dimmer from Home Depot to control the UTH and overhead lamps and a temp gun to check. I knew there was a Reptile Expo coming up so I waited a couple of months and picked up a VE300 for a decent price.

The domed overhead lamps don't need to be close, they give off a lot of heat and really I mostly use them around 10-25% to differentiate night and day (on timers) and to provide illumination when I want to see him at night or take photos and video.

Its better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

If you can afford that tstat, get it. You never know when you might get a second snake or find that you need a secondary heat source for your setup.

I like the others said would go for a nice pvc cage. Or a shorter version of the one you like. The extra height is not need for a ball and is just more area that will need heat and humidity.