My new addition

Reptile bark is not as good as Aspen IMO, the pee will go right to the bottom and nothing gets absorbed by it.

I use Aspen for both of my current snakes and the mice I breed, a big bag (114 liters) only costs about $16. With weekly replacement for the mice and monthly replacement for the snakes (+ spot cleaning replacement), it lasts about 2-3 months. No issues for mice or snakes so far :gj:

She is now on aspen and has a tropical background (I'm not sure if that was a good idea or not. I don't want her to think she is about to get eaten from something in the "jungle".)

Because I use a dimmer switch to monitor the temps I have scattered the aspen bedding away from the heat source. In essence she is still laying on reptile carpet while receiving the required 90-92 degrees.

Next week, if she has completed her shed, I will try feeding her in a different enclosure such as her rubber maid shoe box.

Just curious...if you are using the carpet plus the aspen, and you have the thermometer on the outside of the tank between the tank and the heating mat, and it is reading 90 degrees, I bet it is alot cooler inside where the snake actually lays. What do you think?

As for the tropical backround, dont worry about her thinking she will get eaten :)

Id def go for two smaller identical hides, I keep reading such positive things about doing that.

Goodluck!

The dimmer switch is plugged into the wall. The heatpad is plugged into the dimmer switch.

The heatpad is located on the bottom of the outside of the aquarium. Directly above the heatpad on the inside of the enclosure is the reptile carpet. On top of the reptile carpet is the aspen bedding scattered throughout the enclosure. I have, for the most part, removed the aspen from under her cave.

According to my temp gun (at point blank range) the temperature of the basking surface where her belly touches is 90 to 92 degrees.

This is how her enclosure is now. Sorry for the poor quality the picture was taken with my cell phone. She is currently in a shed as well.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...4/img00059.jpg

I would go for some smaller hides. Upside down cereal bowls (the opaque plastic kind) can be found at the dollar store and work very well. You just need to cut out a small opening. I think if you get smaller hides you will be able to fit two.

Make sure your humidity is at least 60% so your snake sheds completely!

Although the hide appears large on the outside it is much smaller on the inside. Although she can get all the way inside she can barely "ball up".