New tank please give input

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Originally Posted by lisa77

are all the dial thermometers not accurate ? I use these & the strip ones

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They're notoriously inaccurate...both the dials and the strips. And accuracy is important with a snake like ball pythons because some will stress due to temperature swings and they are prone to RI's at temps kept too low. (below 80F)

Is it just me, or does that snake look like it needs to strap on the feed bag, stat!

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Originally Posted by sho220

Is it just me, or does that snake look like it needs to strap on the feed bag, stat!

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He looks a little hungry, just like my guy did (Not my first guy, the one I have now). After a few feedings he'll be a chub-worm just like mine! :) I went on a 5-day feeding schedule, and I'll stay there until his next shed then back off to 7-10 days.

If you're near a home depot, I'd like to spread my electrical access box hide love. They're small grey PVC boxes with a screw-off back (you take off the back and set the hide on that side), giving them a hole in the top and the side. They also come in a variety of sizes, so you can avoid the stress of introducing a strange hide when it comes time to change them!
Just in case you're not in the mood to cut up a plastic bin (I was scared to do it, didn't want to cause my snake any injury even though I would probably be okay at it lol)

http://mousch.zoto.com/img/30/e3b150...c225174f8-.jpg
Excuse my inaccurate dial and thermometer - my hygrometer dial was off by almost 30% :O

I think this person was going for a display type setup....definitely chose the wrong animal IMO. If you did want to "display" a ball python, you almost have to buy a vision/precision/AP cage. 10 gallon tanks just aren't going to cut it in the way posted above. First thing I thought when I saw those pictures was "burrrrrrr....cold...not enough humdity......"

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

I think this person was going for a display type setup....definitely chose the wrong animal IMO. If you did want to "display" a ball python, you almost have to buy a vision/precision/AP cage. 10 gallon tanks just aren't going to cut it in the way posted above. First thing I thought when I saw those pictures was "burrrrrrr....cold...not enough humdity......"

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Agreed...I quickly gave up on the glass with my first ball. Too much maintenance and tweaking. It also seemed pointless in that all you're displaying is a water bowl and a couple hides. I guess you could invite people over to play the shell game...Pick the hide the Ball is under and win 5 bucks!!!

I don't really get it why people choose ball pythons for display subjects...they are just one of those animals that like their privacy and setting them up with respect to that will make life easier for the keeper and better for the snake. Do what I did with my old aquariums when I switched- fill them with water and get some fish!

Corns, kingsnakes, ratsnakes tend to do a little better in glass tanks, but still hide the majority of the time.

I don't think there's any reason to be critical about someone wanting to have an attractive display with their ball python. It can certainly be successfully achieved, as a number of members here can attest. However, it does require a LOT of tweaking and considerably more work than other methods. Whether or not it is worth the effort for an animal that spends 98% of its life hidden is an individual choice.

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Originally Posted by JLC

I don't think there's any reason to be critical about someone wanting to have an attractive display with their ball python. It can certainly be successfully achieved, as a number of members here can attest. However, it does require a LOT of tweaking and considerably more work than other methods. Whether or not it is worth the effort for an animal that spends 98% of its life hidden is an individual choice.

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Agreed, but when 99.9% of the people who do so don't bother to tweak the setup and provide the right conditions, its no wonder ball pythons are said to have a bad rep as pets.

My attidude comes as a former pet store employee that got tired of explaining all the "stuff" people needed to properly set up their ball python because they were hooked on the idea of having a display setup in a glass tank. Instead, I'd just recommend another animal like a crested, day gecko, bearded dragon, etc that would thrive in the minimal environment they were ready and willing to provide.

Well I dont have any problem at all keeping it up I have 3 more tanks with scorps that I clean everyday I dont work and since both my boys are in school this year I dont have much eals to do :P and when it comes with the display? Well I just like to have all my tanks looking good is all as long as they have all they need my other tanks look some what the same and Im going to get a new thermometer for this one and i read some where that the Emp scorps and the BP should have around the same humdity? I spary thier tank once a day with some water and the place that the tank is set up well its until my hubby gets back from overseas so that he can set up a walk in closet that we have to put all the pets in I think that will be good He gets back in a few weeks. Oh and yea the bp IS skiny thats why i got it. At the pet store they told me that he didnt want to eat frozen and they are not allowed to give them live animals to eat at the pet store, I felt sorry for him and adopted him I tried to feed him the day I got him but that didnt work, I think I needed to wait until he got a little more use to being in his new home, I left the mouse in there left for like 5 min and came back the mouse was dead but he didnt eat it so Im going to try again this weekend. That way it would have had time to settle in and feel more comfy. So you guys think that with the heating pad and the bulb its still cold in there? What eals should I use then?

Well, we don't know how cold it is unless we know what the REAL temp is. When you get a new thermometer, tell us the temps and we'll be glad to help. :)