Heating Q's For Home Made Cage

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Originally Posted by JoshJP7

I guess im curious as to what you spent tons of money on then trying to fix it? I spent a buttload on heat lamps, CHE, plexiglass to cover the tops of the cages, reptile humidifiers all trying to get temps/humidity where they need to be but I cant see what would cost a lot of money to provide security... hides are like 4$... As long as you got it solved now its all good.

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If your curious send me a PM; I'm not going to clutter this thread up with anymore of our bickering.

I like being "bickered" at through PMs too.. Especially after giving a negative rep to someone who thinks they have experience when they actually don't.

It's awesome ;)

You May Consider It Bickering But I Dont Mind..it's Actually Helping Me Learn A Couple Different Methods To Try.

Its nice to see someone else appreciate the different ways of keeping an animal... As long as its healthy right? SUDISTIK did you pick your snake up? Send me a PM if you want and Ill show you how I hooked up my heating inside my cage ... its pretty simple.


As far as being bickered at... Some people need to be brought back to reality... apparantly they think a little too highly of themselves and the way they do things... Some are leaders ... others are followers... I know which one I am. Dont hate bc you aint....

PS... my snakes can talk to me... and they tell me all the time...

MOOOOOREEEE SPAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCEEEEEEEE PLEAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSEEEEE!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by SUDISTIK

You May Consider It Bickering But I Dont Mind..it's Actually Helping Me Learn A Couple Different Methods To Try.

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Just because you said so...

This is what I went through as a beginner to where I am now about 3 years later. I'm no expert but my snakes are doing quite well and I'm happy with them.

I started off with two 20g L enclosures with a UTH and CHE run off a dimmer switch. This kept my temps where they needed to be but it killed my humidity.

I then bought plexi glass and cut a hole in it for my heat lamp, this helped a great deal but I still needed to mist the enclosure once a day in the morning.

At this time I also stopped using a CHE and bought another UTH for the cool side of the enclosures, I ran those off another dimmer switch. This practically solved my problem, I was able to maintain my temps and proper humidity without too much up keep. I was using two black hides and some foliage in the set ups and the snakes still fed very inconsistently.

I decided to make the switch to tubs because the glass enclosures were too much work to clean and I wanted to expand my collection. I kept them in tubs run off of a helix and flexwatt for a temporary time until I bought a rack. Cleaning is much easier, humidity is no problem, feeding is no problem, shedding is no problem; its made life much easier. Not only is it practical but its beneficial for the snake.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JoshJP7

Its nice to see someone else appreciate the different ways of keeping an animal... As long as its healthy right? SUDISTIK did you pick your snake up? Send me a PM if you want and Ill show you how I hooked up my heating inside my cage ... its pretty simple.


As far as being bickered at... Some people need to be brought back to reality... apparantly they think a little too highly of themselves and the way they do things... Some are leaders ... others are followers... I know which one I am. Dont hate bc you aint....

PS... my snakes can talk to me... and they tell me all the time...

MOOOOOREEEE SPAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCEEEEEEEE PLEAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSEEEEE!!!!!!!!

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Josh,

My reality is fine, its just a difference of opinion and I didn't want to fill this thread with clutter if it wasn't beneficial to the OP.

I don't think highly of myself at all so I don't know what you're talking about:confused: I'm no expert nor am I claiming to be. Lead yourself wherever you want but at the end of the day I don't care because my snakes are doing fine.

Rich buddy... My post was not in directed towards you at all... I appologize if It came across like that but it was directed towards another poster... Ill leave that guess up to you

It sounds like you went through the same type of process I did when I got my first snake a yr 1/2 ago... Everyone wants a glass set up to display their snake but really no1 ever sees them unless theyre over at night time... In the end we all made the switch to tubs bc humidity is never an issue and heating can always be worked out one way or another. Finding humidity is a pain and getting it to stay inside the glass is even worse... Good to hear the snakes are doing well (I never doubted they weren't)... post some photos of your snakes... Ive never gotta a peek at em.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JoshJP7

Rich buddy... My post was not in directed towards you at all... I appologize if It came across like that but it was directed towards another poster... Ill leave that guess up to you

It sounds like you went through the same type of process I did when I got my first snake a yr 1/2 ago... Everyone wants a glass set up to display their snake but really no1 ever sees them unless theyre over at night time... In the end we all made the switch to tubs bc humidity is never an issue and heating can always be worked out one way or another. Finding humidity is a pain and getting it to stay inside the glass is even worse... Good to hear the snakes are doing well (I never doubted they weren't)... post some photos of your snakes... Ive never gotta a peek at em.

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Check out some of my old threads. I posted pictures all the time but now that I'm in school I have no time to really even spend taking pictures. I'm at work but here is one from my computer at work.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...o/100_1658.jpg

I think there is a middle ground. While it is always recommended to have a temperature controlled climate that is ideal for the species of snake, you must remember that ball pythons aren't very good display animals. Their calm disposition, excellent colors and ease of care make them suitable for beginners. On the other hand, they do have a habit of going off feed when those conditions aren't met. And for most keepers, they have found that keeping the husbandry to par is best found when using a sterilite tub.

We so thoroughly recommend sterilite tubs over large tanks because many of the keepers on here have probably started that way, and all have found excellent results using the sterilite tubs.

Excellent results meant by feeding every week, never regurging, great sheds, tame disposition and constant great husbandry. Ball pythons are happy when they are hiding. I personally don't pull my snakes out to play everyday. We bother them for a daily check, and handle about once a week, and to date haven't had any problems.

Why not try sectioning off half of your tank for now, give many hiding places, make it thick so the snake will feel safe moving back and forth for thermoregulation?

The use of flexwatt and a radiant heat panel is sound advice.

I think large diplay cages are better suited to lizards or arboreal animals.

Actually, I think your set up there would be PERFECT for a bearded dragon.

I guess the big issue here is hes not using a big "tank"... a tank usually is considered a fish "tank" with glass on the sides and the bottom... Hes got wood on all sides but the front. Wood is a much better insulator than glass and holds the humidity/heat much better... With solid wood on all sides the stress is limited bc the snakes cant see past the wood... in a glass tank the snake can see everything and may feel more vulnerable bc of this... I think the OP should try get his temps/humid. where they need to be and try it out... If it works it works... If not you set up a smaller tub and go from there... It takes like 10 mins to set up a tub so its not like its that big of a deal.

Connie pointed out many options to try and make it work... try it out and see what happens... the snakes not going to die or something in a couple days... Let em settle in offer food and see what happens.

No the issue I have isn't so much the tank humidity part, but that the excess room does stress out BP's. I think his husbandry as far as humidity and temps can be met easily with some ingenuity. BUT, ball pythons are notorious for going off feed when stressed, and a large tank will stress out a BP.

Using decorations and many hiding places with a good amount of cover will ease that stress on a BP in a large tank. That's why I recommend splitting it in half, or using it for a better display animal. It's an excellent enclosure, and I wouldnt want to see it go to waste. I just don't think it's suitable for a juvenile BP. Look at ReptileBasics website, they are excellent cages, low but deep and long. More suited for a snake, but many still come with splitters to let the animal grow into the cage. I think in this cage that may be the best route. BP's hide ALL DAY in rodent burrows and termite mounds. They don't like being exposed. It's just their nature. They emerge at night to hunt and feed. If your animal is constantly roaming during the day, it is stressed. A happy and content BP is a hiding BP. Sometimes with their head out of the hide.

I think large enclosures can bring out a snakes natural habits such as basking, soaking, and snake stuff, but I don't think a BP will take full advantage of that in an overly large enclosure like any other diurnal animal would.