Late 09 Male Pastel

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...3/100_3533.jpg

Rodney the first day I got him.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...3/100_3531.jpg

On the carpet cruisin' around.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil.../3/1003580.jpg

This is my tank setup. On the left side of the tank I have my REPTITEMP 500R, and its connected to my UTH and plugged into my Zilla Automatic timer/Power center. Over the tank cover I have my 50 watt red bulb setup and connected to a lamp dimmer. I have 2 hanging plants on the left side, and 2 on the right side to try to cover up the glass so that he feels more secure, and the very back is covered up by a plain black background. His water dish is in the very back right corner, and his two identical hides are easily seen(blue bowls). I have a fake plant right in front of the Accurite thermometer, and also one of those hollowed out logs.

I also have that big peice of driftwood for him to climb on laying on top of that other fake half log with the holes it in to the left. I had the Accurite probe and REPTITEMP 500R probe both stuck uner the heating pad itself under the tank using adhesive so that it dosn't move around. You can't see this in the picture, but overhead I have a large fluorescent light that is also plugged into the automatic timer. It turns on every morning at 9 AM and turns off every night around 7:40 pm.

Let me know what you think of my snake and my setup!

everything looks great! nice snake too! but um i dont think its gunna work great if you have your probes on the actual heat mat i think you should put it in the tank to get a more accurate reading on what temp the snake is feeling... because i think glass hold like 15% heat and that means that the temp your getting is higher than the temp in the tank....but i could be wrong so i guess let other people have there word before going and changing anything:D

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Originally Posted by Mrgbb

everything looks great! nice snake too! but um i dont think its gunna work great if you have your probes on the actual heat mat i think you should put it in the tank to get a more accurate reading on what temp the snake is feeling... because i think glass hold like 15% heat and that means that the temp your getting is higher than the temp in the tank....but i could be wrong so i guess let other people have there word before going and changing anything:D

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yeah I figured that the temps on the mat itself would be a little higher, so I make sure that the temp reads around 95 degrees. Does anyone else know if 95 degrees on the mat itself should make it good enough in the cage orrr?? I initially had both of the probes on the inside of the tank but the areptitemp 500R's wire was wayyyyy to big to cover up good enough and it was just wayy easier to put on the under side of the UTH itself. But like I said it reads 95 degrees.

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Originally Posted by PurplePython

Does anyone else know if 95 degrees on the mat itself should make it good enough in the cage orrr??.

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should be higher it has to be around that hot in the tank itself.... but than again my uncle usedto keep ball pythons as a teen and he never even used a single heat lamp or mat lol he had all of them for years untill he had to sell them....... so idk:snake::snake::snake::D

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Originally Posted by Mrgbb

everything looks great! nice snake too! but um i dont think its gunna work great if you have your probes on the actual heat mat i think you should put it in the tank to get a more accurate reading on what temp the snake is feeling... because i think glass hold like 15% heat and that means that the temp your getting is higher than the temp in the tank....but i could be wrong so i guess let other people have there word before going and changing anything:D

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WRONG, he has it right, the thermostat probe should not be inside the enclosure.
The idea is to read the hottest possible temp the snake could lay on.
The thermometer probe goes inside to read that temperature, directly on top of the UTH ;)
Every single probe I own is taped to lay directly against the flexwatt heat pad, outside of the enclosure.

Never make the hot spot higher than 95, I prefer 92 myself,
but I watch mine all the time as I am a stay at home dad.

If you need more heat you need to up the wattage of the bulb, but for sure don't go higher with the UTH.

I would change the hides. The half-logs have two openings. I would get a hide that only has one way in and is completely enclosed in order to add more security for the BP. That is just what I would do.
Nice snake by the way :)

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Originally Posted by eulenspiegel

I would change the hides. The half-logs have two openings. I would get a hide that only has one way in and is completely enclosed in order to add more security for the BP. That is just what I would do.
Nice snake by the way :)

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thanks :D

but the half logs arnt his hides, they are just in the tank to add decoration and give him something to slither around when hes awake and active lol.

The two hides are actually the 2 blue bowls you see in the picture. I made them myself. :gj:

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

WRONG, he has it right, the thermostat probe should not be inside the enclosure.
The idea is to read the hottest possible temp the snake could lay on.
The thermometer probe goes inside to read that temperature, directly on top of the UTH ;)
Every single probe I own is taped to lay directly against the flexwatt heat pad, outside of the enclosure.

Never make the hot spot higher than 95, I prefer 92 myself,
but I watch mine all the time as I am a stay at home dad.

If you need more heat you need to up the wattage of the bulb, but for sure don't go higher with the UTH.

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thanks for the info. I will make sure i move the thermometer probe back inside the enclosure, and leave the thermostat probe on the heating pad right where its at.

But hey man, you didnt let me know what you thought about the tank and the snake itself! :colbert: lol

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Originally Posted by PurplePython

But hey man, you didnt let me know what you thought about the tank and the snake itself! :colbert: lol

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I think it looks fine, I just wouldn't want the cleaning chore that goes with it :)

The accurite box should be on the cool end to read that temperature, the probe from the box should stretch over to the hot spot, to read that temperature.

I see nothing wrong with the set up, if the back and sides aren't covered, you might think about doing that, it makes the snake feel more comfortable in an all glass tank.

The snake is a bit difficult to see, dark pictures, and seems to be on the thin side, or is that just the photo, lol?

Even if he is thin, thin snakes can be fed up, just make his home comfortable for him and he will reward you with his eating prowess :P

I do like the tank set up what a lucky snake! Most people have a wide temp variant that they prefer for their snakes. Depending on where at in Africa the temps range greatly from below freezing in the mountains (no BP's there) to 122f in the deserts. The average temps for a larger majority of the BP areas is 68-86f. 68-78f in the winter and 78-86f in the summer.

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

I think it looks fine, I just wouldn't want the cleaning chore that goes with it :)

The accurite box should be on the cool end to read that temperature, the probe from the box should stretch over to the hot spot, to read that temperature.

I see nothing wrong with the set up, if the back and sides aren't covered, you might think about doing that, it makes the snake feel more comfortable in an all glass tank.

The snake is a bit difficult to see, dark pictures, and seems to be on the thin side, or is that just the photo, lol?

Even if he is thin, thin snakes can be fed up, just make his home comfortable for him and he will reward you with his eating prowess :P

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I am putting him on a 5 day feeding schedule. I just got him less than a week ago and hes only around 2 months old, so if he is skinny than it must be from the breeder I got him from? I dont know though, because he looks average size to me for his age and I got him from Chicago Reptile House which is considered a great place for BP's and they are known to take good care of their animals.

The first time I fed him, he ate great with no problem. But yeah I already do have the very back covered up.

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Originally Posted by TessadasExotics

I do like the tank set up what a lucky snake! Most people have a wide temp variant that they prefer for their snakes. Depending on where at in Africa the temps range greatly from below freezing in the mountains (no BP's there) to 122f in the deserts. The average temps for a larger majority of the BP areas is 68-86f. 68-78f in the winter and 78-86f in the summer.

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Thanks a lot. Yeah I have the hot spot figured out. It's always between 91-93 on his hot spot, and the ambient air is 80. The humidity is always reading between 55-65 so thats perfect. I am not sure about his cool end but I was told that the normal temperature in my room would be fine for his cool end because he will choose where he needs to go to feel alright.

Wow! Very nice, that is one lucky snake.

I know you've been doing a lot of research into creating the ultimate and optimal setup for your snake. You are clearly a very dedicated owner with the very best interests of your snakes well-being and comfort in mind.

I use the same fake-plants in my snake's enclosure, and I have a piece of driftwood too. I think everything looks just fantastic! The black background really gives it a nice 'show' presentation, and it will double by making the snake more comfortable.

Thanks for these great pictures. Post more as he grows! :gj:

I think it looks great, and I appreciate someone that has done their research and gotten things right BEFORE getting the snake.

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

I think it looks fine, I just wouldn't want the cleaning chore that goes with it :)

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For one snake the clean up on this thing will be almost nothing. If you had 10 snakes, yes maybe it could be more to clean up, but even then.....snakes don't make a bigger mess in a tank than a tub. It is only a little bit worse if you have to scrub off a plant or a hide or something. No big deal.

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Originally Posted by NightLad

Wow! Very nice, that is one lucky snake.

I know you've been doing a lot of research into creating the ultimate and optimal setup for your snake. You are clearly a very dedicated owner with the very best interests of your snakes well-being and comfort in mind.

I use the same fake-plants in my snake's enclosure, and I have a piece of driftwood too. I think everything looks just fantastic! The black background really gives it a nice 'show' presentation, and it will double by making the snake more comfortable.

Thanks for these great pictures. Post more as he grows! :gj:

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thanks for the comment, and thanks for all the help that you gave me when I was trying so hard to make his setup better.

I will make sure I post more pictures in about 4-5 weeks. I have a feeling hes going to sprout quickly with this 5 day schedule. He ate 2 times already since I have had him and he seams to be doing great!

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Originally Posted by mr. s

I think it looks great, and I appreciate someone that has done their research and gotten things right BEFORE getting the snake.



For one snake the clean up on this thing will be almost nothing. If you had 10 snakes, yes maybe it could be more to clean up, but even then.....snakes don't make a bigger mess in a tank than a tub. It is only a little bit worse if you have to scrub off a plant or a hide or something. No big deal.

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Yeah I had my setup ready for the snake a few days before I got the snake, and I researched a lot to try to find out everything.

I did have to add a few things to his enclosure after I got him though, like identical hides instead of 2 different ones, and I also invested in a lamp dimmer and the reptitemp 500r. But since I added those things, I made sure to leave him alone and not handle him for at least a week. It's been 4 days so far :D

I can't wait to handle him on Monday, because that will be a little over 7 days since I had to handle him last when I was changing around his setup a little bit.

Thanks for the comment though bud. Any tips and advice or anything would be greatly appreciated if you have anything to thrown in for me :banana: