Few questions?

Hi all I'm getting ready to get my first BP. I have a few questions however. Would a 29 gallon aquarium be okay for a hatchling....I'm looking to get a 2011 baby. Also will cypress mulch be good for bedding? I plan to make a custom enclosure but just to start out would that be okay? I have loads of questions. Looking forward to answers. :)

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20 gallon long is generally ideal. 29 gallon might be okay though. I'd be sure to black out the sides and back with black Con-tact paper especially for a baby to make it not feel as big as it is. Also be sure you have two tight fitting hides on either side. Cypress bedding should be fine, just don't overdo it because then the UTH might not give off enough heat. Take a look at our caresheet and welcome to the site :)

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

Welcome! LGray23 gave great advice. They really do like to feel secure and if they feel to open they can really stress out. Feel free to ask more questions when they come up and be sure to post pics of the new baby when you get him/her. :)

Should I just spray the sides, back, and bottom black? Also what would be an appropriate hide?

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Well the bottom doesn't need to be covered as there will be some type of substrate on it. Spray paint should be okay to use as long as you let it air dry for 3 days, and spray the outside not the inside. However I think a roll of black Con-tact paper from home depot is actually cheaper than a can of spray paint lol.

You can buy hides online or in pet stores, or you can make your own. Tupperware containers (the dark ones, I wouldn't use any that let in light) or tissue boxes, or something similar. I use these for babies (the small one)
http://www.reptilebasics.com/small-hide-box
My older ones use the medium size, but that would be way too big for a baby. I love those because they are cheap and easy to clean. You really can't go wrong with Reptile Basics products. Be sure the hides are identical so the snake doesn't choose the preferred one over it's health. For example, if it likes it's cold hide better, it will stay in it, regardless of how cold he gets. If they are identical then this prevents that. :)

Okay I will check that link out. What should the humidity be like I heard between 50-60% is That right?

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Yeah 60%-70% is great, a little above or below is okay as long as it doesn't drop too bad.

Hey here's a great link on how to set up a tank, I prefer a ten gallon for a small hatchling just because they really do like tight spaces, but if you really clutter up a 20 L you should be okay.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...p-w-pics-*DUW*

Okay so I don't need a heat lamp And such....just a uth?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by kevinb

Okay so I don't need a heat lamp And such....just a uth?

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A UTH and thermostat, but right. If your ambient temps are very low in your house you can supplement with a ceramic heat emitted, but I highly suggest no lamps.

Personally, I put babies in a 6 qt tub until approx 300ish grams. I put them on paper towels or aspen with a black box hide. If not in a rack, I use a small UTH with thermometer and thermostat and black out all but one side. It only allows for only one hide at this size and a water bowl, but I've not had any issues with this set up. Plus this is relatively inexpensive until they are ready for a bigger enclosure. Some babies do fine in larger enclosures, but this is what I would do for troubled eaters, so I just do it for all of them now.

Do I hook the uth to the thermostat....is there a thread or pics of this. I'm kinda confused LOL. Im just going to go with a blacked out 10 Gallon. I can get one for like $10 at Walmart.

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you can also attach a bunch of fake plants on the side on the tank as well.

Okay. Will fake plants from a craft store work?

Kevin Bullis

Can anyone help me with the heating issue?

Kevin Bullis

How do you hook up a uth to a thermostat?

Kevin Bullis

The thermostat has a probe, you tape the probe to the center of the UTH, that's how you "connect" them. The probe reads the temps. The UTH goes on the outside of the tank, on the bottom, and the probe goes between the glass and the UTH. I would tape the UTH instead of using the adhesive for easier cleaning, they can be tough to remove without damaging them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kevinb

How do you hook up a uth to a thermostat?

Kevin Bullis

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A thermostat for this application will have a power strip connected to it, or will have built in outlets to plug into. You will plug the UTH into the thermostat and plug the thermostat into the wall. There is a probe from the thermostat that you run to the UTH so the thermostat knows when and how to adjust the temp to stay where you set it on the thermostat.

Is there a specific thermostat that works good?

What price range are you looking for? I use Hydrofarm ($26 on amazon), Johnsons ($80 on ReptileBasics.com) and Herpstat ($118 Sypder Robotics). They range, but I wouldn't buy anything cheaper than the hydrofarm. My favorite is the Herpstat, works like a charm :)

There are also Ranco, Helix, VE from Reptile Basics, a few others I can't of off the top of my head.

So the herostat is worth the money?

Kevin Bullis

Herpstat *

Kevin Bullis

Definitely. It's amazing I love it. If you have the money it's definitely worth it. I'm not exactly rolling in dough, but it was well worth the $118 (http://www.coldbloodedsupply.com/cat...re-Controllers) $118 shipped and grounded... I'd buy it again :)

I think on going to go with a hydrofarm for now then upgrade later. Do you just set the temperature on the thermostat and it keeps the uth at that temperature?

Kevin Bullis

I use the hydrofarm, I just tape the probe onto the flexwatt (in your case, the UTH) and set the temp. I'd be sure you have the setup done before you get the snake, it took me a few hours to make sure the temps were correct with the substrate and everything. Mine (for my boa) is set to 91, I use aspen bedding in the tub, and it keeps the tub hot spot at about 88.

Can you post a picture or pictures of your setup?

Kevin Bullis

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kevinb

Can you post a picture or pictures of your setup?

Kevin Bullis

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I leave work in about 10 minutes, I'll go home and take pictures of my setups, I won't be able to post them until tomorrow though.

Why not till tomorrow?

Kevin Bullis

Because my laptop at home is dead, and I won't have access to a computer until tomorrow. Idk is it possible to post pics from my phone?? Never tried that....hmm

You can if you have tapatalk.

Kevin Bullis

I don't, I'm cheap and not paying for that crap...I got snakes to feed! ;)

Tapatalk is a free android forum app. Unless it cost now...?

Kevin Bullis

Okay I actually didn't get a chance to take ANY pictures (slacker...I know....sorry!) BUT I remembered I posted a thread on my DIY rack that I made forever ago (the only difference is I changed to 34 qt tubs because the ones I originally got were WAY too big (should have listened to the many people who warned me....)

Anyways, here is the thread...
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ub-rack-setup-)

That is now my quarantine rack. I have another rack that is a RBI rack (http://www.reptilebasics.com/iris-mc...k-wide-version)

And then I have a tank for my favorite guy. It's a 20 gallon long tank with the screen top. I use aspen bedding. I have the UTH (ZooMed I think..the small for 20-30 gallons) on the right side of the bottom (outside the tank of course). I have him on a dimmer (lamp dimmer from Home Depot) but I would only recommend that if you get a temp gun and check multiple times a day. Especially now that it's summer and the temps are fluctuating I am changing it like 3 times a day. I have a thermostat in the mail, I've just been slacking I guess. I will be taping the probe to the bottom of the UTH (since I stuck the damn UTH already...not knowing it's easier to clean in you just tape it to the bottom as opposed to removing the adhesive). I have 3/4 of the top covered with boating plastic (can use plexi glass or anything as simple as a towel). I have the back and sides blacked out with black Con-Tact paper (Home Depot $6 for the roll). I have two hides on either side and a big water dish in the middle. I haven't had a bad shed, and he's the only one who eats consistently, so he must be happy with the set up lol.

Edit: Oh, and I use aluminum tape to tape the probe (and for future reference, the UTH). It's sturdy but easily removed. You can use electrical tape too.