Tank Layout

I am picking up my first BP later today and just want to make sure I have a sufficient tank setup. I have been researching nonstop since the moment I decided to buy one of these awesome creatures. The image (if you can even call it that...) is pretty self-explanatory. I appreciate any and all advice/comments on the layout. Thanks!!

http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/...henry/CAGE.jpg

The only thing your missing a thermometer with a probe to measure the UTH, other than that it looks good!

I was going to use thermometers with probes, but was concerned about running wires through the tank, so I just bought an infrared temp gun. I do have the digital thermometer/hygrometer mounted for the air temp though!

Looks great!

My only suggestions:
If you can get that basking light with a dimmer switch that would give you more flexibility in balancing heat and humidity.
Putting lots of plastic vines and such will make it feel more secure for your snake, especially if it's a baby and it looks pretty too.
A lock wouldn't be a bad idea either.

I have to COMMEND you for your preparation! You are waaay cool, dude!

Then you're golden!

Ball pythons don't really "bask"... But if you need to keep the ambient temps up then I would definitely recommend a red, blue, or black, bulb because it doesn't bother them at night. You could always go with a ceramic heat emitter too.

I forgot to put that I have the lamp on a digital timer (on 12h/off 12h). I read on several care sheets that although BPs don't require UV rays since they are nocturnal, it helps to have defined artificial day/night periods to simulate their natural habitat. The ambient temps are in the low 80s at night but if this drops during the winter months I'll probably end up changing to an IR bulb and hooking it up to another Herpstat with a night mode.

Edit: On second thought, I might switch to a CHE anyways. The light coming in the room windows should be sufficient to distinguish day from night.

Just remember, with CHE and light bulbs, they will reduce you humidity. You will need to cover most or all of the screen top and put holes in what ever you use to cover it with. You want the humidity in the tank around 50-60%.
Good luck and welcome to the addiction! Post some pictures of your new snake and set up!

i started with the same set up its really great your researching but i dont recommend the basking light it will crank the temps up usually too high at 75 watt maybe not in winter but it did for me, so i kept the UTH and put a red light in that runs nonstop and keeps the air temp at about 80, sorry if your temps turn out different with a basking light but thats wat happened to me. GOOD LUCK

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Originally Posted by Amp625

i started with the same set up its really great your researching but i dont recommend the basking light it will crank the temps up usually too high at 75 watt maybe not in winter but it did for me, so i kept the UTH and put a red light in that runs nonstop and keeps the air temp at about 80, sorry if your temps turn out different with a basking light but thats wat happened to me. GOOD LUCK

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You are definitely right about the basking light. It was upping my ambient temps to about 93 and my humidity wouldn't get over 46. Switched it out for an infrared bulb last night. My ambient air temp is now around 86 between the warm/hot areas and the humidity is stable at 56%. It's on a timer so I'll have to monitor it tonight to see how much the temp/humidity variates..

I think everything looks pretty good with your setup there, the one thing i would suggest would be Locks for your tank. Ball Pythons are especially good escape artists. Otherwise Grats and Good luck!!! :gj:

Can u put a pic of ur setup I am having trouble keeping my ambient temp and my humidity it's either one unless I jack up the heat in my house! I have a 20 gallon long basically exactly the same as urs idk how to get temps up without killing humidity temps are ambient of 75 humidity is 60

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Originally Posted by Dragon76

I think everything looks pretty good with your setup there, the one thing i would suggest would be Locks for your tank. Ball Pythons are especially good escape artists. Otherwise Grats and Good luck!!! :gj:

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I forgot to include them in my masterpiece work-of-art, but I have some heavy duty clips on each side of the mesh top. My 9 year old daughter can't unclip any of them using all her strength. lol. I don't forsee little Sasha going anywhere!

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Originally Posted by dryates

Can u put a pic of ur setup I am having trouble keeping my ambient temp and my humidity it's either one unless I jack up the heat in my house! I have a 20 gallon long basically exactly the same as urs idk how to get temps up without killing humidity temps are ambient of 75 humidity is 60

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Sure! I'll take some pics when I get home this evening. I have my lamp on a stand, so with the beam farther away I think it's eating up less humidity while allowing a less intense, wider beam of heat to enter the tank. Even still, I think I might switch to a 60W bulb to get my humidity up a little higher without sacrificing too much heat...

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Originally Posted by njdad61

I forgot to include them in my masterpiece work-of-art, but I have some heavy duty clips on each side of the mesh top. My 9 year old daughter can't unclip any of them using all her strength. lol. I don't forsee little Sasha going anywhere!

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Just be careful. I've heard stories of people using tubs where there's a slight gap in the middle of the edge and the snake skins itself trying to squeeze out the gap. Snakes don't seem to have much of a grasp on how much thinker their body is than their head and if you have a gap, they may squeeze their head in and regret it afterwards.

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Originally Posted by njdad61

Sure! I'll take some pics when I get home this evening. I have my lamp on a stand, so with the beam farther away I think it's eating up less humidity while allowing a less intense, wider beam of heat to enter the tank. Even still, I think I might switch to a 60W bulb to get my humidity up a little higher without sacrificing too much heat...

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They sell those lamps with a dimmer switch, if you can exchange your lamp for that, you can have a lot more freedom with how much heat you produce out of the lamp from the same bulb wattage.

Congratulations on a well-researched start to snake keeping. You’re saving yourself (and your snake) a lot of grief by practicing safe and healthy keeping practices from the start. It’s amazing how many common husbandry problems you’ll avoid by planning your set-up and reading the forums and caresheets before acquiring your new snake.

The temp gun is a great, versatile tool. Just FYI, the $12 Accurite thermometer/ hygrometer with a wired probe that you position on your warm side is really not as big a pain as it looks. There are great suggestions in the forums for how to position/secure the wire and probe in tank set-ups if you ever decide you’d like to experiment. I use wired Accurites in my tubs with aspen, binding the excess wire with a cable tie and running the wire down the side of the tub under aspen to the warm spot.

Other members have had good suggestions about regulating lamps, etc., however, if cooler ambient temperatures continue to be problem, you might want to check out an oil-filled heater for the room. Lots of recommendations on the forums about oil-filled heaters. I’ve used mine for more than three years, and it’s quiet (no blowing fans), odor-free, economical, and keeps the room temps warm without sucking out the humidity.

Again, welcome to the forums. Looking forward to your future photos and comments. Responsible, enthusiastic, and curious keepers always welcome at BP.net! :yes:

P.S.: You'll love that Herpstat ;)

i dont use a basking light but a day light and put on a rock so if he nees it he has the extra heat this might sound crazy but mine loves to climb his cage has 6 branches lol:O

If you are seriously thinking of a second herpstat I not bother running it to a CHE or bulb but to a second UTH and set it to 80 to keep the cool side bang on as well. The rest looks great I use a Dark blue LED night viewing lights and a CFL for day lighting just on a dual timer. Remember that the labial heat pits respond directly to the optic nerve in their brain so the quite literally see heat.

ref, Kobayashi, S Neuroscience Research Supplement, 0(16): 124pp

http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/...henry/CAGE.jpg[/QUOTE]

i would put the CHE on he same side as your UTH for a cool hot heat gradent...water dish more to the cool side for humidity...and you should be golden

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Originally Posted by sarahlovesmiike

Ball pythons don't really "bask"... But if you need to keep the ambient temps up then I would definitely recommend a red, blue, or black, bulb because it doesn't bother them at night. You could always go with a ceramic heat emitter too.

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ceramic heat emitters are amaziong they last like 5 years but are warented by zoo med for 2 year!! it breaks or blows out they send u a replacment!