Tall tank for a BP?

Those are not that reliable, but they would probably make good backups though?

Go with either a Johnson's or Ranco for the on/off type and go with Helix or Herpstat for the proportional. The links provided above are good sources, as well as http://www.reptilebasics.com Rich is a great guy to work with as well! They are a little more expensive, but worth it in the long run.


Sounds like your cresties are going to love their new home and the 20 gallon long will be perfect for your new ball python. Good to hear you are making sure everything's perfect before bringing him home! :D

My cresties are now happily living in the huge tank lol. Here's the setup:

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/4845/setup001nw1.jpg


dont mind secret agent man, she's a little shy lol
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/954/setup003mp6.jpg


from afar
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/245/setup004zm9.jpg

The view from above:
http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/2037/setup005jj1.jpg



Now i get the fun job of cleaning up the other tank they were in haha

They're very cute! I'm sure they're going to love their new home!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

They're very cute! I'm sure they're going to love their new home!

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oh yeah, they're already having fun exploring lol

here are the three that are in there:

Ace:

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/2930/new003fm4.jpg

Dot:
http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/839/dot3qs8.jpg

and Secret Agent Man (actually a girl lol):
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/7...ckos015st2.jpg


I cleaned out the 20 long (phew) and i'm gonna start off with paper towels as a substrate (much easier to clean lol). got another question though (i know, i know, i'll shut up soon haha).

Is a proportional thermostat better than an on/off? I'm keeping my bp just as a pet (no breeding, so no night drop, right?) and I dont know if i really need proportional or if there isnt really a difference. Just wanna know whats best for my future snake :)

what the?

i opened up the thermometer thing and it only has one sensor...but it's still reading different indoor outdoor temps? is one of the sensors inside this thing?


great...is it safe to keep this thing inside the tank with the bp away from the water bowl?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rhapsody

what the?

i opened up the thermometer thing and it only has one sensor...but it's still reading different indoor outdoor temps? is one of the sensors inside this thing?


great...is it safe to keep this thing inside the tank with the bp away from the water bowl?

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Yes, the unit itself measures the "indoor" temp...while the little probe on the end of the cord measures the "outdoor." And yes, most folks keep them in the tank. Set the unit in a corner on the cool side...just prop it up against the glass and replace as necessary when the snake rearranges things. ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JLC

Yes, the unit itself measures the "indoor" temp...while the little probe on the end of the cord measures the "outdoor." And yes, most folks keep them in the tank. Set the unit in a corner on the cool side...just prop it up against the glass and replace as necessary when the snake rearranges things. ;)

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makes sense, thanks :)

clay pots arent bad as a hide for bps are they? I found it's easy to smash a small hole in the side of one and make sure there arent any sharp edges, but i dunno about the dust being a problem?

how do you guys cut the holes in the sides of the hard plastic dog dishes? :confused:

I know I have endless questions :rolleyes: :P

Petco recently had 20-gallon tanks on sale for $20. Spend a week or so looking and you can find a used 20-gallon long for that or less. From what I've read, a tank that size is sufficient for an adult BP, and that's less than $75--and much easier, I should think, to control temp's and humidity. Bottom line, a good deal shouldn't dictate what enclosure your snake gets. The snake's needs should rule.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by digcolnagos

Petco recently had 20-gallon tanks on sale for $20. Spend a week or so looking and you can find a used 20-gallon long for that or less. From what I've read, a tank that size is sufficient for an adult BP, and that's less than $75--and much easier, I should think, to control temp's and humidity. Bottom line, a good deal shouldn't dictate what enclosure your snake gets. The snake's needs should rule.

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I've already bought the big tank and put my cresties in it :) I cleaned out the 20 long they were living in, and that's what I'll be putting my bp in :D

Cool. Sorry, I didn't read to the end of the thread before replying. Sounds like you got it straightened out long before I weighed in.

Now, I wish I could convince my girlfriend to let me get a lizard or two. She's holding firm on one snake is reptile enough...

I use clay pots hides for about 30 snakes. I think they're ideal for the purpose. What's great about clay pots, besides being cheap, is that when your snake goes into shed, just soak the pot with water, and you have a wonderful humid hide. No more stuck sheds!

The only issue is that when they "mess" inside the hide, the pot will absorb the liquid. When that happens, I scrub and then soak the pot in a bleach solution, rinse well, and then bake it in a 250 degree f oven for about 20 minutes. Once its cool, its ready to go again.

Steve

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hoo-t

I use clay pots hides for about 30 snakes. I think they're ideal for the purpose. What's great about clay pots, besides being cheap, is that when your snake goes into shed, just soak the pot with water, and you have a wonderful humid hide. No more stuck sheds!

The only issue is that when they "mess" inside the hide, the pot will absorb the liquid. When that happens, I scrub and then soak the pot in a bleach solution, rinse well, and then bake it in a 250 degree f oven for about 20 minutes. Once its cool, its ready to go again.

Steve

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great thanks for the info and tips. Guess I'm goin shopping for pots tomorrow :D

of course, another question: should I skip the paper towels and go straight to a regular substrate like cypress mulch, repti-bark, etc. if the heating pad is going to be very close to the glass? i dont want my bp to be able to get under the paper towels and come in contact with the glass where the heating pad is

For starters, I use shredded aspen for substrate. Nothing wrong with paper towels or newspaper, I just like the aspen.

Now, as for the heat pad, if you get a proportional thermostat, you'll put the probe directly ON the heat pad, and set it for around 92 degrees (adjust to get the proper temp in the tank. This will ensure that the heat pad doesn't get hot enough to burn your snake. In the mean time, you could use a rheostat (lamp dimmer) to keep the pad at a reasonable temp.

Even if you use aspen or cypress, etc, the snake can still get down to the glass by burrowing in the substrate. I sometimes wonder why I bother to use substrate because so many of my snakes end up lying directly on the bottom of their enclosures!
So, it is really important to control the temp put out by the heat pad!

Steve