New Ball Owner

Thank you!!! Should I purchase one for each side of his tank?

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing This link has some photos of my ball. The photo of him climbing up his tank is from when I first put him in so he was just exploring, but it gives an idea of how large it is. The one of him in his hide is how he usually is. Sorry the photos aren't better it's difficult for me to get them from my phone onto my laptop onto this site :/ I'll try to get better, more informative ones up soon! Thank you to everyone for their help!!!!

Here's what I do; one side cooler in the 70s, middle 80ish, hot side 90. Humidity I keep 60 pretty much and it works. I use aspen bedding for substrate and a wooden hide. Most say lights are not needed but I personally do use them and I know others who do, I use one for the day and one for the night which is called "moonlight". I use a uth - under the tank heating pad, most say you'll need a therm but it is optional if you use a low watt one, for instance my tank is a 30gal so I use an 8watt 10gal uth and it works great. I keep my light on over the wooden hide as the hot spot and the uth on that side as well. I cover half of the lid with a towel to preserve humidity and I mist daily.

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Originally Posted by Kristaok

Here's what I do; one side cooler in the 70s, middle 80ish, hot side 90. Humidity I keep 60 pretty much and it works. I use aspen bedding for substrate and a wooden hide. Most say lights are not needed but I personally do use them and I know others who do, I use one for the day and one for the night which is called "moonlight". I use a uth - under the tank heating pad, most say you'll need a therm but it is optional if you use a low watt one, for instance my tank is a 30gal so I use an 8watt 10gal uth and it works great. I keep my light on over the wooden hide as the hot spot and the uth on that side as well. I cover half of the lid with a towel to preserve humidity and I mist daily.

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Ok,thank you!That sounds very similar to what I've been doing. My temperatures stay about there and I've finally got my humidity up to 55% by placing a damp towel down on his substrate, however I will try putting it on the top of his tank instead so it will be less invasive. I mist him often if I see the humidity drop. i use the coconut husk substrate but am going to explore other options in the future. I have a heating pad on the side (that's where the instructions recommended it be placed) and my hide is... ceramic? I think. Some type of clay type stuff. I use only the UV light at night to mimic the day/night cycles, however if I don't put both lights on during the day his temps drop down to the 70s. I have the top covered with tinfoil and this really helps with holding in the humidity and heat, but it doesn't seem to be enough.

I mist the deco and the wood hide and it helps retain more humidity and the sides of the tank as well. Moss can also be used to up the humidity.

Yea definitely put the towel over the tank and not in it. :P

depending on his size/weight, I'd move him up to hopper mice for the next feeding.

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Originally Posted by spellbound04

Thank you VERY very much! If they're not right now, how high should his temps and humidity be? Also, if I don't use a UV lamp how do I keep them up? I will definitely try some larger food (he's still only about 18 inches long) I'll try my best to post some photos I'm new to the site so it may take me a try or two.

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Get a 100 watt Ceramic Heat Emitter (CHE) for the Heat Lamp Fixure for a 20-30 gal size tank. The snakes dont like or need light and these are 100% better and they are around $15.
If you want to use the the aspen or other substrate that helps with Humidity you might like it like several others do. I myself dont like wood or the cleaning/smell of urine/feces that seep into it. Some say spot cleaning works good with it but I tried it 15 years ago and could smell the urine in the wood chips and hated it so ive used Craft/Butcher paper. I order 800' foot rolls that are the width of my enclosures.. 12" or 24" or 30"'ect... They last years and you wrap the paper up and throw it out, wipe the enclosure down and replace with another sheet...simple. I spray the sides of the enclosures to raise Humidity if it falls below 50%.
At some point when funds allow, look into a different enclosure. The PVC hold humidity and you can use RHP (radiant heat panel) and hold your Humidity easy with a large water bowl because that isnt a dry heat like Bulbs or Ceramic heaters...
Check out APCAGES. The T8 is on sale $150. Thats what most of us have for Balls. As far as the RHP, check out Pro Product Heat Panels. He is #1 in the business. They arent cheap.. $120 for a T8 size heater panel but will out last any other RHP out there. 10 year warrenty on heat element.

PS- my 3 month old eats Mice twice a week and she is thin and 16". Feed that snake a mouse hahahah