New here, couple pics of Mary, with questions

here is my BP "Mary Jane." I am new to ball pythons and don't know the differences in them but here she is, I have had her since last July. When I got her she was about 10 months old.

here is how I had her tank set up a while ago:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../oldlayout.jpg


then she got too big for that log so I replaced it with this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...mary/mary2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...mary/mary1.jpg

tonight I went to the store to buy a new daytime lamp because the old one went out, so I got a few other things and redid her cage. This is what it looks like now:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...mary/mary4.jpg


Mary hanging from the tree I bought tonight:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...mary/mary3.jpg


drinking her some water:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...mary/mary5.jpg


now my question is this.... she has a few white spots on her head and her eyes look like the last shed, she did not get her eye caps off. Should I be worried about these 5 or 6 spots on her head and what should I do about her eye caps? it has been almost a month since her last shed, I was going to wait until this shed to see if the caps came off this time.

here is about the best pic I can get of the spots on her head:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...mary/spots.jpg

comments and suggestions welcome. I am also having a hard time keeping the humidity up in the cage. it usually stays between 45 and 55. I do not run both lamps at the same time, was just doing that for pics. Also, whatever lamp is on, its on the right side of the tank, the left side is her cool side. I also have under tank pads, 1 big one and one real small one.

Hello! Welcome!
Nice girl you have there.


You don't have to worry about the spots on her head. She will shed them off during her next shed. You can put her in a damp pillow case for an hour to try to get those eye caps off. Other than that, I wouldn't mess with them. Just get your humidity up for the next shed and they will come off


For humidity, you can do a number of things. You can use a larger water bowl or put your current one over in the warm side of the tank. You can also cover the tank cover with plexiglass, tin foil, or a damp towel. You can also mist the tank with a spray bottle.

What are your temperatures reading? If its warm enough, you can probably ditch the heat lamp. Heat lamps suck the humidity out like a sponge.

I also recommend getting rid of the log hide. When its too humid it tends to mold. It's also too 'open' for balls to feel totally secure.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

Welcome to the forum. Pretty girl you have. Love the photo of her drinking water. I'm sure you already know this but don't try to pull the eye caps off yourself.

here are 3 pics when she was younger and I first got her. Was dumb back then, had a heat rock in her cage to begin with and and also taped some paper down so she wouldn't get under it. only left the tape in there about 10 mins before deciding that probably wasn't one of my best ideas...


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ary/young1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ary/young2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ary/young3.jpg

I would go to Walmart and get an acu-rite thermometer / humidity can't find a link to it on my phone but it runs about $12 and does a very good job of measuring the temps and humidity. Also are you using a UTH if so do you have it on a thermostat?

Nice looking snake. I will say that my male pastel kept his eye caps for about two sheds I was having trouble with humidity too. I moved mine into tubs and it was better to control the humidity and he shed them the next time. With a tank you can try covering a good bit of the top with plexi glass with some holes or plywood this would help to keep the humidity in and temps steady too.

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Originally Posted by satomi325

Hello! Welcome!
Nice girl you have there.


You don't have to worry about the spots on her head. She will shed them off during her next shed. You can put her in a damp pillow case for an hour to try to get those eye caps off. Other than that, I wouldn't mess with them. Just get your humidity up for the next shed and they will come off


For humidity, you can do a number of things. You can use a larger water bowl or put your current one over in the warm side of the tank. You can also cover the tank cover with plexiglass, tin foil, or a damp towel. You can also mist the tank with a spray bottle.

What are your temperatures reading? If its warm enough, you can probably ditch the heat lamp. Heat lamps suck the humidity out like a sponge.

I also recommend getting rid of the log hide. When its too humid it tends to mold. It's also too 'open' for balls to feel totally secure.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

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Temps read between 85 and 90 with lamp on. I will get rid of the log hide, what should I replace it with?

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Originally Posted by DellaF

Welcome to the forum. Pretty girl you have. Love the photo of her drinking water. I'm sure you already know this but don't try to pull the eye caps off yourself.

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Thanks for the kind words! yeah, I am def not going to be pulling the eye caps off.

Looks good except for your thermometer/ hydrometers. those stick on fail thermometers simply do not work. this is what you want to get, it costs $12 at Walmart:

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...nt/photo-3.jpg

These measure 2 temperatures and humidity.

I second that you don't need to worry about the spots... just get your humidity up (and having a hydrometer that actually works will help with that :gj: )

I also would say to ditch the log hide. You really should have 2 identical hides. I prefer these, which are sold on Reptile Basics:

http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...t/da98c371.jpg

Just a few questions:

• Does the tank temperature drop at night?
• What are your hot/cool side temperatures during the day (and night if they are different)

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

Looks good except for your thermometer/ hydrometers. those stick on fail thermometers simply do not work. this is what you want to get, it costs $12 at Walmart:

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...nt/photo-3.jpg

These measure 2 temperatures and humidity.

I second that you don't need to worry about the spots... just get your humidity up (and having a hydrometer that actually works will help with that :gj: )

I also would say to ditch the log hide. You really should have 2 identical hides. I prefer these, which are sold on Reptile Basics:

http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...t/da98c371.jpg

Just a few questions:

• Does the tank temperature drop at night?
• What are your hot/cool side temperatures during the day (and night if they are different)

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the tank temp stays pretty much the same, between 85 and 90 on the hot side (according to my crap thermometer) and unsure about cold side since I only have 1 thermometer.

I just switched to that big water bowl today thats in the pics, I was using the small water bowl since I got her, tried using other things but she kept knocking them over. She wont knock this one over.

I like those hide boxes you posted, should I just go ahead and get the larges now or get mediums and when she is full grown get the larges?

Aaron hit the nail on the head and beat me to it! LoL.... Anyhow, I totally agree with him on the Accurite and the hide boxes. I use those too and love them (so do my snakes).

I recommend ditching the lamps altogether. They'll suck humidity right out of there in no time and with a tank you're going to have a hard enough time keeping humidity up without them hampering it even more. The UTH set correctly should be enough to keep your temps up if your room isn't too cool. What is your room temp?

And you didn't mention whether or not your UTH is on a t-stat. That is not an option. What type are you using and what temp do you have it set at (for the UTH specifically)??

I suggest covering the screen top with foil or wax paper to help hold in humidity. Here is mine so you can see what I mean. I use wax paper and you'll want to seal it around the edges. I use painters tape which seals the paper but isn't sticky enough to be a danger. Leave about a 1/2 inch gap along the back for ventilation.
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...lascage009.jpg

And here's a better view showing the rest of the tank to get an idea of the identical hides, etc...
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...lascage003.jpg

also what section is that thermometer in at walmart? gonna head there now to pick one up.

I'd go with Mediums now, (Medium is the largest one in the picture I posted, and the Pastel BP in the picture with it weighed 200 grams at the time the picture was taken (about 3 months old)

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Originally Posted by HogHead

also what section is that thermometer in at walmart? gonna head there now to pick one up.

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They are usually by the light bulbs, but I have seen them in other places as well.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HogHead

the tank temp stays pretty much the same, between 85 and 90 on the hot side (according to my crap thermometer) and unsure about cold side since I only have 1 thermometer.

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You need to KNOW what your temps are - don't just guess. If the ambient temps are too cool, you run the risk of an RI. Too warm and the snake cannot thermoregulate properly. That Accurite Aaron showed you will measure both the hot side and the cool side as well as humidity. It's worth its weight in gold.

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

What is your room temp?

And you didn't mention whether or not your UTH is on a t-stat. That is not an option. What type are you using and what temp do you have it set at (for the UTH specifically)??

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this is the UTH I have, it does not have a thermometer on it.

http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Large-.../dp/B0010OP4CY

she is in a 55 gallon aquarium, my room temp stays cool, between 60 and 65, thats why I keep a lamp on. I always get so hot, I like to keep it cool in my place.

A thermostat for your heat pads is an absolute must, they do not effect air temperature so your thermometer isn't telling you hot hot they are getting. most can easily get up to 110+ degrees. temperatures this high will burn your snake and can even kill him.

Here are some good thermostats:

Hydrofarm: sold on Amazon for $30, they will do what you need them to do but aren't the best

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR..._bxgy_ol_img_b

Herpstats: These are the best you can get but have a higher price tag The entry model is $99 (I can explain the difference between the hydrofarm and t5he herpstat if you want)

http://spyderrobotics.com/

Each heat pad will need its own thermostat

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HogHead

also what section is that thermometer in at walmart? gonna head there now to pick one up.

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Mine was found in the 'lighting' section...But from what other members here have said, the thermometers can be found pretty much any where from hardware, auto, lighting, etc. Apparently different Walmarts have if in different locations... o_O

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

I'd go with Mediums now, (Medium is the largest one in the picture I posted, and the Pastel BP in the picture with it weighed 200 grams at the time the picture was taken (about 3 months old)

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not sure if you can tell by the pics or not, she is a little over 3 ft long now, not sure how many grams she weighs. she is about a year and a half old. just didnt wanna get something too small.


I am on my way to walmart now to get that thermometer / hydrometer before 12am.... stupid SC blue laws.

How much does she weigh? Probably medium, the hide needs to be snug. You don't want a huge oversized hide or she won't feel secure. You can use eco earth substrate to help with your humidity issues, which will also help with a proper shed to remove eye caps. When you notice her go blue, bump humidity to 70. You can put damp spaghum moss in a hide at that time to help. Works like a charm every time for me!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HogHead

not sure if you can tell by the pics or not, she is a little over 3 ft long now, not sure how many grams she weighs. she is about a year and a half old. just didnt wanna get something too small.


I am on my way to walmart now to get that thermometer / hydrometer before 12am.... stupid SC blue laws.

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One of my girls is 39 inches long, and the medium hide is the perfect size for her. (with some growing room)

The large hide is a pretty big jump in size. I doubt that you will need one that big for your snake.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HogHead

not sure if you can tell by the pics or not, she is a little over 3 ft long now, not sure how many grams she weighs. she is about a year and a half old. just didnt wanna get something too small.


I am on my way to walmart now to get that thermometer / hydrometer before 12am.... stupid SC blue laws.

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I guess get the biggest size that can fit your tank. She looks like a decent sized girl from your photos.

Edit: if she's not snug enough in the hide, then you can stuff part of it w/ rolled up paper towel to make her feel more secure.

They are cheap enough, I would buy an appropriate sized one for now. Get the larger later when she is ready.

Personally, I'd get the large sized hides. My 44" BP, Ella, is about 1900grams and she barely fits in the large size. If the large is a bit too large for yours, you can stuff it with sphagum moss or crumpled newspaper to make it more comfy for her til she gets a bit bigger.

A thermostat is NOT a thermometer. A thermometer measures temperature. A thermostat (or t-stat) controls the temperature. Your UTH absolutely MUST be operated on a t-stat!!! A zoomed in particular gets very very hot and it will burn your snake. It's not a matter of "if" but of "when".

I have a hydrofarm myself on one rack and this is fine although I agree it's not the best. Herpstats are great, but there are also Helix and I like Vivarium Electronics too. You can get the VE t-stats from Reptile Basics which is where we get the hide boxes from. The VE-100 is pretty reasonably priced at $85 and if you have the means, I highly recommend it over the hydrofarm (although that is absolutely better than nothing!).

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

Personally, I'd get the large sized hides. My 44" BP, Ella, is about 1900grams and she barely fits in the large size. If the large is a bit too large for yours, you can stuff it with sphagum moss or crumpled newspaper to make it more comfy for her til she gets a bit bigger.

A thermostat is NOT a thermometer. A thermometer measures temperature. A thermostat (or t-stat) controls the temperature. Your UTH absolutely MUST be operated on a t-stat!!! A zoomed in particular get very very hot and it will burn your snake. It's not a matter of "if" but of "when".

I have a hydrofarm myself on one rack and this is fine although I agree it's not the best. Herpstats are great, but there are also Helix and I like Vivarium Electronics too. You can get the VE t-stats from Reptile Basics which is where we get the hide boxes from. The VE-100 is pretty reasonably priced at $85 and if you have the means, I highly recommend it over the hydrofarm (although that is absolutely better than nothing!).

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not to get off topic but the VE-100's really aren't any better than the hydrofarms, both are on/off style thermostats with a 2 degree swing. Even the VE-200 isn't as good as a basic herpstat as it only has pulse control and not dimming capabilities

I use a hydrofarm. It's been working great with no problems. But I'll be upgrading to a herpstat soon. I was on a tight budget when I first started so the hydrofarm was adequate at the time.

We run herpstat as well.

Your humidity and shed issues can be solved with a humid hide. Buy a tupperware that your snake will fit in snuggly, go to any pet store and buy some sphagnum moss, put the moss in the tupperware and mist it so it is moist, not sopping. Place it in your viv on the warm side and just keep it moist for whenever the snake wants it. If the tupperware is clear, you can line it with a paper towel before putting the moss in so it is more secure. Ball pythons don't like to be seen in their hides.

It is really astounding to me how snakes KNOW when they need more humidity and they will immediately find a humid hide when they need it. My girl is in hers right now, which signals to me a shed is coming on and she needs to be left a lone.

I also mist my tank every few days. Just buy a 99 cent spray bottle in the beauty department at Target and before you mist each time, fill it with warm water. Works wonders.

just got home from wal-mart and I also ordered 2 med hides. Ordering thermostat for my UTH from amazon now.... cant afford the $99 one today.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...hermometer.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ermometer1.jpg

also thanks everyone for all of the help you all have been with this thread!

alright, things are looking better. just make sure that the hot side is between 88 & 92 degrees and the cool side is between 78 & 82 degrees. No part of the tank should ever be below 75 degrees, or above 95 degrees. It may be bad for humidity (but unless he is shedding it isn't as important right now) I would unplug the Heat Pad, and turn on the heat bulbs. (If you can get away with it, the red bulb is better to run... BP's don't rally like white light (at least not 24/7)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

alright, things are looking better. just make sure that the hot side is between 88 & 92 degrees and the cool side is between 78 & 82 degrees. No part of the tank should ever be below 75 degrees, or above 95 degrees. It may be bad for humidity (but unless he is shedding it isn't as important right now) I would unplug the Heat Pad, and turn on the heat bulbs. (If you can get away with it, the red bulb is better to run... BP's don't rally like white light (at least not 24/7)

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Alright, I normally run the white light during the day and the red light at night. I just ordered the thermostat on amazon, Estimated delivery: Mar. 1, 2012. I turned the heat up a little in my house to keep it warmer in her tank also. Just gonna have to walk around half naked and sleep with my fan on if its 75 in my house.

Heat pads are not only dangerous to your snake when unregulated but are also a fire hazard. But once you have your thermostat, you should be good to go... just remember heat pads do not effect the air temperature so if your house is cold you will still need to have a heat lamp on, but probably only the red one.

Are aquarium / terrarium foggers a waste of money or would that help me out? they are $40 - $50......

I haven't ever used one, I have a regular humidifier that I used some PVC pipe with to route the mist into my cages.

I would try to get the tape out of her habitat too. I have seen threads of bad things happening when snakes encounter tape.... Good job fixing her up though!

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Originally Posted by DrDooLittle

I would try to get the tape out of her habitat too. I have seen threads of bad things happening when snakes encounter tape.... Good job fixing her up though!

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Its painters tape.... the most non sticky you can buy.

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Originally Posted by HogHead

Its painters tape.... the most non sticky you can buy.

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Painters tape is ok, but even it should be avoided if possible.

Both hide boxes came today. So did thermometer. That should I have this thing set at? Hide boxes are way too small for Mary. Also picked up a new male Sunday. He is SO big! I will post pics later tonight of him and her next to each other. He def makes the Med hide look like a joke.

The Hides should be tight, in this picture the Pastel is using the small size (the middle one)

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...t/da98c371.jpg

You should set your thermostat to 92 degrees for now, then adjust it once you see how hot the floor of your cage is (try to get it to be between 88 and 92 degrees)

here is a pic of Mary next to her new hide:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...y/maryhide.jpg

aaaaaaand.... I got a male on Sunday, don't know what to name him yet....

here is a pic of him next to Mary:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ryandmeech.jpg


few more pics of him to show how massive he is:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ary/meech1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...mary/meech.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ary/meech2.jpg


him next to the medium hide:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../meechhide.jpg

how long he is:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...chhangover.jpg

also, installed the thermostat. I stick the sensor cup to the bottom of my aquarium then covered it with the mat. was this how I was supposed to setup the thermostat?

is the heat mat inside or outside the enclosure?

mary should be ok i the medium hide for now, but you will defiantly need a large for your new guy

The mat is on the outside..under the tank. Should it be in the tank?

No, outside the tank is where it needs to be. Sounds like you have your thermostat set up right

As long as the probe is on the heat mat and can't move you will be fine.

You think the latge will be big enough for him? He is a big dude.

The larges are pretty big, another option are hide boxes from Animal Plastics, they make some huge ones.

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

The larges are pretty big, another option are hide boxes from Animal Plastics, they make some huge ones.

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My female BARELY fits under the Med. It lifts up a little when she gets all the way in it. I'm def gonna get 2 larges for her and get 2 from animal plastics for my new one.

You can always make your big guy some hides.
I made my big girls a hide out of 1$ cat litter pans from the dollar store.
Works great!

Your set up sounds great now with all the improvements.

I feel like my tank isnt big enough but I can't afford a bigger aquarium at this time.

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Originally Posted by HogHead

I feel like my tank isnt big enough but I can't afford a bigger aquarium at this time.

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Check eBay, craigslist, ask around here. Chances are someone has a large enough enclosure they are trying to sell for a lot cheaper then your local pet store

do you have them both in the same tank? (sorry if you already said that)

BP's need 1 square foot of floor space in their cage for every foot in length of the snake.