Thoughts on tank setup?

Hello,

Sorry to post yet another thread but I am trying to find everything I'll need to have good husbandry with a BP.

Here is the products I found and the links:

10-gallon Tank and Screen Cover:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Pet-Select...c-Pets/3635622

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Regent-10-...-1-ct/10312733

UTH:

http://www.petco.com/product/6353/Zo...sultRedirect=1

Temp Controller:

http://www.petco.com/product/108340/...t=OnSiteSearch

Thermo-hygrometer:

http://www.petco.com/product/109795/...t=OnSiteSearch

On a side note:

I don't have a scale but found one on walmart that is cheap. Made for food but will measure in grams or oz.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Bigges...acity/11090896


I am limited on money and I always heard Zoo Med and Zilla aren't to bad of products. Tell me what you think or tell me any suggestions. I will be using newspaper as a bedding and don't know about hides yet. Will probably go to a local pet store to buy 2 hides.

Thanks,

RJ

You can use butter tubs as hides. I use them for my geckos. Or plastic flower pots :)

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Originally Posted by heathers*bps

You can use butter tubs as hides. I use them for my geckos. Or plastic flower pots :)

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Okay thanks! Any thoughts/suggestions about everything else?

Thanks,

RJ

for temp controll i would use light dimmer from lowes till you can get a good one. As far as hides and water dish dollar store is awesome. Everything else sounds good to me.

Are those large circular holes in the lid?

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Originally Posted by babyknees

Are those large circular holes in the lid?

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They are capped off. They are like small circular "lids".

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Originally Posted by Viperk

They are capped off. They are like small circular "lids".

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I would make sure they are VERY secure. I want to say I remember someone having a snake escape through a similar lid.

True. I guess I would secure it in anyway possible. Also, how would I use a light dimmer? Meaning how do you hook it up to the heat pad?

Would http://www.petco.com/product/4357/Pe...t=OnSiteSearch be a better lid? I can buy security clips for it as well for added protection.

BP's are infamous for escaping so with the clips that would probably be more secure. You'll probably want to cover most of it with foil or something for the sake of humidity.

Thanks. Is the Thermo-hygrometer okay?

Just get an indoor/outdoor Accurite or similar unit. They'd have them at Walmart.

I haven't personally used the one you posted.

the dimmer plugs into the wall. plug uht in dimmer. then you can adjust dimmer to get temp u want. they are like 8 bucks. save for a good t stat.

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Originally Posted by babyknees

Just get an indoor/outdoor Accurite or similar unit. They'd have them at Walmart.

I haven't personally used the one you posted.

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http://www.walmart.com/ip/Accurite-D...tlyViewedItems

Is this what you mean? It doesn't give a price though. Would have to go to individual store. :(

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Originally Posted by jmitch

the dimmer plugs into the wall. plug uht in dimmer. then you can adjust dimmer to get temp u want. they are like 8 bucks. save for a good t stat.

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Sounds good to me. Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Viperk

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Accurite-D...tlyViewedItems

Is this what you mean? It doesn't give a price though. Would have to go to individual store. :(

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Yup, that's it. You could check other sites to get an idea on the price.

Ok, I have that same lid and tank, the lid is great AFTER you secure the circular lids.

My BP learned how to open them, I AM NOT KIDDING. She once managed to escape by turning those circular lids and pushing them up... I know that she knows how to do it because I make sure EVERY NIGHT and EVERY MORNING that the lids are closed, and everytime I check back, she has turned 1 or both, and I have seen her push them up.

Easy Fix? Yea, hot glue the lids to the holes so they can't move even under a lot of pressure (I used 2 whole small glue sticks)... problem solved, now I can't even turn them 1mm.

Besides that, the locking feature of the lid as a whole (the lid to the tank), as long as you set it up right, is pretty tight, you wont be able to take it off using force, you'll need to unlock it.


Back to the list, I use that same UTH and Haven't had any issues, however I plan to upgrade to Flexwatt once I get more BPs.

The Temp controller, I wouldn't use that one. If you are in a tight budget, I'd go with a Hydrofarm Thermostat, not the best out there, but it's not bad... Again, I use it, and no issues so far, but then again, I plan to upgrade to a VE or a Herpstat later on...

As for the thermometer, IMHO, THIS would be a better choice (only 1 is needed, as it has 2 temp probes), not to mention that you'd save a couple bucks

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Originally Posted by Munizfire

Ok, I have that same lid and tank, the lid is great AFTER you secure the circular lids.

My BP learned how to open them, I AM NOT KIDDING. She once managed to escape by turning those circular lids and pushing them up... I know that she knows how to do it because I make sure EVERY NIGHT and EVERY MORNING that the lids are closed, and everytime I check back, she has turned 1 or both, and I have seen her push them up.

Easy Fix? Yea, hot glue the lids to the holes so they can't move even under a lot of pressure (I used 2 whole small glue sticks)... problem solved, now I can't even turn them 1mm.

Besides that, the locking feature of the lid as a whole (the lid to the tank), as long as you set it up right, is pretty tight, you wont be able to take it off using force, you'll need to unlock it.


Back to the list, I use that same UTH and Haven't had any issues, however I plan to upgrade to Flexwatt once I get more BPs.

The Temp controller, I wouldn't use that one. If you are in a tight budget, I'd go with a Hydrofarm Thermostat, not the best out there, but it's not bad... Again, I use it, and no issues so far, but then again, I plan to upgrade to a VE or a Herpstat later on...

As for the thermometer, IMHO, THIS would be a better choice (only 1 is needed, as it has 2 temp probes), not to mention that you'd save a couple bucks

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Thank you for chiming in. I remembered SOMEONE had that lid and had a snake escape with it. It was you!! :D

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Originally Posted by babyknees

Thank you for chiming in. I remembered SOMEONE had that lid and had a snake escape with it. It was you!! :D

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yea... hell of a night for my neighbors...LOL

but as I mentioned, after that is taken care of, its a great lid, unless your BP takes steroids for strength enhancement :rofl:

Thanks for links. I will definitely be getting those.

Thanks,

RJ

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Originally Posted by Viperk

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Accurite-D...tlyViewedItems

Is this what you mean? It doesn't give a price though. Would have to go to individual store. :(

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They're $7.87 at my local Wally World.

You have to hunt for them in the hardware section.
Ours are located with the insulation and weather-proofing supplies.

They work pretty good and they're a LOT cheaper than the pet store stick-on digital jobs that sell for $24.99.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Viperk

Sounds good to me. Thanks!

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Like you, I started with tank setups and had nothing but trouble regulating temps/humidity.

A wonderful genius here invented this solution:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...hlight=lucylid

I have done this to the three tanks I use and the results are incredible.
No more constant 'fiddling' with heat and humidity.

The rest of my snakes are living the "Tub Life" and seem perfectly content.

[and I'm not jumping up every couple of hours "checking" everything to make sure they're okay....for a while, I was barely sleeping at all].....:D

These are the tubs I'm using:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-...Clear/15940593

They're $7.87 each and the larger ones are about $10.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-...h-Box/17011405

The very secure 'latching' lids are great.

I'm using them until I get a rack built.

Good luck!

:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Viperk

Hello,

Sorry to post yet another thread but I am trying to find everything I'll need to have good husbandry with a BP.

Here is the products I found and the links:

10-gallon Tank and Screen Cover:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Pet-Select...c-Pets/3635622

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Regent-10-...-1-ct/10312733

UTH:

http://www.petco.com/product/6353/Zo...sultRedirect=1

Temp Controller:

http://www.petco.com/product/108340/...t=OnSiteSearch

Thermo-hygrometer:

http://www.petco.com/product/109795/...t=OnSiteSearch

On a side note:

I don't have a scale but found one on walmart that is cheap. Made for food but will measure in grams or oz.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Bigges...acity/11090896


I am limited on money and I always heard Zoo Med and Zilla aren't to bad of products. Tell me what you think or tell me any suggestions. I will be using newspaper as a bedding and don't know about hides yet. Will probably go to a local pet store to buy 2 hides.

Thanks,

RJ

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If you must use a screen cover, use this instead

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listi...&condition=new

When you click on the available results, choose Ozbo.

They ship stuff fast as lightning and have great prices.

They're who I buy stuff from all the time.

PetSmart/PetCo have the same kind of cover in stock in their stores and they cost a bit more but you'll have no shipping time to worry about.

I recommend cage clips, too.

Thank you all. I am pretty much putting everything that everyone linked together. Doing what is best for my situation. I am getting the tank lid from Amazon that Salamander linked. I am getting the Thermostat from Amazon that Munizfire linked along with the Thermo-hygrometer that Munizfire linked from Ebay. I am getting the same tank and same scale (maybe) that I linked. But I found the same UTH on Amazon for a bit less and since I have an account with amazon and love it I will be getting it from there.

Thanks all for your input,

RJ


P.S. A good friend of mine that owns a couple balls told me it was best to have a UTH AND Heat lamp. Should I get both?

Nah just an UTH will do, as long as you can control the room temp. BPs dont need a basking spot.

About temps/humidity, I have never had any issues keeping them on spot (using that same tank, lid and using aspen), but I live in a Tropical Island.




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I live in Northeastern PA. (I live about 2 hours north of Philadelphia) So the winters are cold and the summers are brutal. However, I will try without a lamp but will get a heat lamp just in case. As the snake would be moved from my house to my girlfriends house and the temps in her house fluctuate pretty badly so a heat lamp may be necessary.

Thanks,

RJ