Switching to Tub, Need Clarification on a Few Points

Get an inexpensive tip-proof dog dish--cut a hole in the side, and voila--you have a water bowl that doubles as a hide. :D
I used a soldering iron to burn a u-shaped entry that has no rough edges in a few of them for my snakes. The trick is finding one with plenty of space underneath the water receptacle. You can get them in a huge variety of sizes. I use a box for a hide on the hot side, and the water bowl for a hide on the cool side.

FROM ORIGINAL POSTER

<< lol grams I think they meant grams. LOL>>

Ooops! Yeah, that's what happens when I'm trying to reply quickly before I dash out the door ... last weight was 381 grams. :)

<<Get an inexpensive tip-proof dog dish--cut a hole in the side, and voila--you have a water bowl that doubles as a hide.>>

Okay, I hate to be pathetic, but I'm having a hard time visualizing that. By any chance can you direct me to a pic? (Yes, I know, the dreaded, "do you have a pic" question. <lol>)

Also, I'm thinking that maybe I should have titled this thread differently ... I'm not looking for questions, I'm looking for answers. Is it possible to edit a thread name? (If a moderator has to do it and is reading this, maybe it could be changed to "Switching to Tub, Need Clarification on a Few Points" or something.)

Thanks all!

Peggy :)

For the dog dish idea, I am picturing one of those that has some hollow space inside. Then when you cut through one edge it will still retain water, but now the snake has access to the hollow space to hide.

Evaporation is a cooling process though, so I imagine temps would be pretty cold in there.

JonV

Changed the title for you.

He means a bowl like this, only in plastic, where you can solder an entrance to the hollow portion with a solder wand.

http://www.petsalley.com/stainlesswoof.asp

<<Changed the title for you.>>

Thanks! Doesn't seem to have helped on the unanswered questions though. I especially need questions #2 and #3 answered ... I haven't ordered any flexwatt tape yet because despite a number of posts on the subject, I only know generally what I need, not exactly. Do you think I should post those questions separately?

<< He means a bowl like this, only in plastic, where you can solder an entrance to the hollow portion with a solder wand. >>

Hey, that's pretty cool! I may have to do that! :)

Thanks!

Peggy :)

I have heard alot of good things on this forum about Rich at Reptile Basics, and I think that most would say that if you contact him directly and explain to him the type of setup that you are working on fixing up, then he could tell you exactly what you will need and what size. You won't need flexwatt all along the sides of the tub, just underneath, but if your temps have been getting way too cold, then you may need one peice for the hot side and another smaller/thinner peice for the cool side. And both would have to be run through a thermostat, although I think that you could run them off the same thermostat and wouldn't need a separate one for each.

As far as the ventilation holes, I think the number that you would need for your tub would have to be figured out by trial and error. It depends upon your temp and humidity in your house and that will affect the temp and humidity in your tub. So I would start with a smaller number of holes (and these I would put on different sides of the tub, not just all in one spot) let your temps/humidity level out for awhile and if needed, add some more holes. As far as the size of the holes, I am not sure what size a basic soldering iron is from walmart/hardware stores, but I did read that someone used a heated up screwdriver to make their holes in their tub. So I am guessing that the size of the holes should be about the width of a basic screwdriver.

I hope that maybe this was a little bit of help to you. I would definately try to contact Rich about the flexwatt though. He has helped others on here get what they needed, I am sure that he would do the same for you.

Hi,

I know what you mean about wanting specifics! I regret that I am also wanting to make the tub switch (so I can't be of much help!) but still in the research phase. I will do my best with #4 and #5, though. :)

I used medical tape to attach my probes to the inside edge of both hides (I have two acu-rites that are temps only and a Fluker's thermo/hygrometer combo in the middle for humidity). He is constantly rearranging things and it's never been a problem to get off. :) Really, I don't even reattach the probes anymore- they're just fine being tucked under the hides.

I would definitely put the thermostat probe on the outside of the enclosure- I think most people have it between the UTH and the bottom, but with a tub I'm not sure... most ppl have racks when they go to tubs. I like the idea that the BP can't move the t-stat probe around and accidentally hurt him/herself, though.

Hope this helped a bit. :)

Bowls similar to these (which amusingly already have holes for snake entry built into them): http://www.dkimages.com/discover/pre...2/45076299.JPG

The best ones have ample space underneath for the snake, of course--those are also usually the cheaper bowls. You can get some very large plastic dog bowls, with enough space under them for even a 2-year-old bp. I doubt they make any quite large enough for an adult. The winning point is that a bowl large enough to serve as a hide is also large enough for a snake to soak if it wants to. (My pastel apparently likes to take a dip before he defecates). When I refill the bowls, I use warm water, which they appear to love. Since the water in the bowl is warmed to the same general temperature as the rest of the enclosure, it's not too cold under the bowl--at least, my snakes thermoregulate by moving from the box hide over the heat pad to the cooler area under the bowl and back again once or twice a day. You can also place the water bowl over the heat source, if humidity is an issue--that will warm the water in the bowl, and raise the humidity in the cage, as well as providing a warm hide and warm soaking/drinking water.

The holes made by a soldering iron are about 4 mm across. That's if you punch all the way through. If you just touch the iron to the bin briefly, you can make a smaller hole--preferable if you're housing really tiny snakes or lizard hatchlings.

<< I have heard alot of good things on this forum about Rich at Reptile Basics, and I think that most would say that if you contact him directly and explain to him the type of setup that you are working on fixing up, then he could tell you exactly what you will need and what size.>>

Now that sounds like an excellent idea! I didn't realize he could help that way! Thanks!

<<You won't need flexwatt all along the sides of the tub, just underneath, but if your temps have been getting way too cold, then you may need one peice for the hot side and another smaller/thinner peice for the cool side.>>

Well, winter is coming on and we tend to keep our house around 68˚ or so. I was thinking flexwatt on the warm side or perhaps across the back might help maintain. I know BPs are burrowing snakes, so maybe I'm just overly worried.

<<you may need one peice for the hot side and another smaller/thinner peice for the cool side. And both would have to be run through a thermostat, although I think that you could run them off the same thermostat and wouldn't need a separate one for each.>>

I was looking for thermostats that had two probes coming out, but didn't find one (though that doesn't mean they don't exist!). So, with one thermostat, how do you regulate two different temps?

<<So I would start with a smaller number of holes ... let your temps/humidity level out for awhile and if needed, add some more holes.>>

That was my plan, only I don't know how many holes is a "smaller" number. 2? 4? 10? How few holes can you have in a tub and still have adequate ventilation?

<<(and these I would put on different sides of the tub, not just all in one spot)>>

So put the ventilation holes in the sides ... higher up, I'd assume. Across from each other? Or a side-side and a back-side? Or more than two sides? (Sorry for all the questions on this, but once the thing has holes in it, you can't move them around like you can substrates and hides!)

<<I would definitely put the thermostat probe on the outside of the enclosure- I think most people have it between the UTH and the bottom, but with a tub I'm not sure... I like the idea that the BP can't move the t-stat probe around and accidentally hurt him/herself, though.>>

Okay ... so here's a question. From doing research, I sort of got the idea that folks here considered Flexwatt and UTH units as different animals (though perhaps of the same breed). Am I wrong? Instead of just looking at Flexwatt posts, should I be reading the UTH posts, too?

<<most ppl have racks when they go to tubs.>>

Yeah, I noticed ... it's really hard to find posts detailing the set up of a single BP tub!

<< Bowls similar to these (which amusingly already have holes for snake entry built into them): http://www.dkimages.com/discover/pr...72/45076299.JPG
The best ones have ample space underneath for the snake, of course--those are also usually the cheaper bowls.>>

Hey, what store sells those dog bowls with the snake holes already installed? <g>

As for finding ample space, I have experience figuring out how much space for a snake to curl into a ball inside ... but how to you figure out how big when they have a section to wrap around? Or is there room under the bowl for a snake to curl up?

Thanks!

Peggy :)

Here's a few pictures of some of our single tubs. We do live in an area that gets fairly high humidity so we do use a lot of holes so our tubs don't sweat. Also the snakes that live in these tubs all are in our ball python room which never drops between 78-80 degrees so they don't need anything more than undertub heating on the warm side to bump it up that 10 or 11 degrees more. We put holes in the lids and sides of all the bigger tubs, in the lids only of the baby tubs.

Do note with most any tub/lid combo you have to add extra security (we use clamps and big black binder clips). Any lid that can give 1/8" or more will allow a snake to escape. I don't use those water dishes for hides so I can't help there. We use plastic bowls in various sizes from the dollar store and big rubber dog dishes from the farm supply store as hides.

Baby tub.....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ordanFeb07.jpg

Very young BP tucked up happily in her hide (smaller than a cereal bowl size)...
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...chlingHide.jpg

Same tub with it's 4 clips in place....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...yTubclosed.jpg

Sub-Adult Female BP in her bigger tub (to show her coiled up compared to her hide circumference).....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...teTubAug07.jpg

Bigger female in the same sized tub.....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...nnaghinTub.jpg

Shhhh...I'm sleeping in here....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...irseinHide.jpg