New (Bigger) tank...

I'm probably gonna go over tommorow (today when i wake up) and get a 40 gallon breeder for Andariel. She's in a 15 gallon right now and it just looks really small between her hide and the water bowl, and i feel bad cause she can't really stretch out. (I'm used to all of my pets having lots of room to "play", and even tho she isn't terribly active right now she should still have room to stretch out in IMHO.

So far my list includes the 40 gallon breeder tank, screen lid, a light, reptibark (yes/no/or stick with astroturf???), a rock like water bowl, and a cave like enclosure (since its gonna be her home and a display case I wanna make it look really neat

But... what kinda bulb do u guys recommend. And would the heating pad I have now (approx 11"X14") be enough for the warm side? or should i get a bigger one, or just get an UTH (the sticky one that goes on the glass itself?) for under it?... I got a digital thermo today at work (cause the store only has one analog thermo but are gettin more in, so this will work for now. What else am I missin?

And... what do u guys have for a home for ur feeders? I had a mouse in a rubbermain cooler with dog food and a bowl of water and the dumb SOB was dead when i woke up today lol... i guess it went on hunger strike or something. But I dont' wanna get a mouse and have it die on me before she decides to eat it.

Plus by gettin the other tank I can set the 10 gallon up as her feeder tank so she won't eat in her main home.

Another thing. What do u do if u feed urs fresh killed and well.. he/she won't eat it? U freeze it then or what?

Sorry for the long post :)

-Chris

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reptibark (yes/no/or stick with astroturf???)

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Substrate is strictly a preference. Reptibark holds humidity well, but can be more difficult to clean. You also shouldn't feed on it, as it can cause problems if ingested, but it sounds like you are feeding her elsewhere anyways.

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what kinda bulb do u guys recommend

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In my boa aquarium, which is the only aquarium setup I have, I am using a 100w ceramic heat emitter, with a UTH. This is a 75 gallon aquarium, and it is heated perfectly for her. I like CHE's, but some people don't, preferring a light bulb instead. Again, your preference. CHE's last MUCH longer, but are more expensive.

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What do u do if u feed urs fresh killed and well.. he/she won't eat it?

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Feed it to my garbage disposal Boa Constrictor, or another BP. (That's why you have to have numerous snakes!!!!)

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what do u guys have for a home for ur feeders?

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Check out the Feeder Forum. I have posted some pics of my feeder setup. Rats and mice don't do so well drinking from a bowl, they cr@p in it more than they drink it. I suggest a water bottle......dogfood is what my rats get.

Which thread?

{EDIT} - Nevermind, i found the one of ur rat setup. Do u guys think a 28" BP can eat a rat? and if so what "size" rat? I didn't see any at the petstore last time i was there, but i'll go today when i go pickup my 40BR.

Also if anyone has a 40BR for their BP would u mind either takin pics, or directin me to where they are (if u already have or know of a good reference) of how u have it setup?

Also, would neone be interested in like a "walk thru" of settin up a tank? I can take pics as I go each step and make a lil walk thru to be posted on here (input GLADLY accepted, use me as the guinnie pig)?

-Chris

Randy, I've heard that feeding them dog food is real bad. Cause it contains dyes and whatnot that get in the rats, and are poisonous to snakes...

Eleanor has a 40 breeder. I got it about, 8 or 9 years ago for my birthday to put my rats in because they kept getting out.
https://ball-pythons.net/albums/Inva...40121303_G.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/albums/Inva...02121303_G.jpg

I use that expandable bedding, it's not Bed-A-Beast but it's the same idea, different brand (can't think of it) I got the plants from a craft store for really cheap. Oh and I stole the light fixture off one of my fishtanks forgetting I didn't need it for pics because it's broad daylight out. I used it on her tank for a while though, I got it at a Building 19 for like, 5 bucks or something.

https://ball-pythons.net/albums/Inva...lves121303.jpg
Here are the shelves everybody lives on, er, kinda, I guess I cut everyone else off, lol. Vince's cage is the second one down on the left and the other two house leopard geckos.

Hope this helps!

You only mentioned one hide - get 2 (one for each side). I have a 50 gallon breeder for my BP:

http://<br /> http://gallery.pethob...=500&amp;user=[/url]

Tigergenesis, that is a BEAUTIFUL tank!

Did u just use regular super glue to mount the limbs to the glass?

I was gonna keep the kleenex box she has now because she loves to hide in it, and get a corner cave hide (fits perfectly in the corner) for the other side of the tank.

But for those of u wit 40's how much of the bottom do u cover with the UTH/heating pad?

Thank you!

I used aquarium sealant to attach the limb.

You wan the UTH to cover 1/3-1/2 the bottom of your tank.

I don't use a UTH with mine because it stays fairly warm in my room and the heat lamps seem to do the job. I have used one in the past though and I just put a human heating pad on one side, covered maybe a 3rd of the bottom. I dont know the exact measurements of one of those though...

Some brands of UTH's tell you what size tank they are for - if that makes it any easier. I know the ReptiTherms do - a ReptiTherm 8x12 is supposed to be for a 30-40 gallon tank.

Here's a link for reptile shows:

http://www.kingsnake.com/events.html

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Originally Posted by BallKingdom

Randy, I've heard that feeding them dog food is real bad. Cause it contains dyes and whatnot that get in the rats, and are poisonous to snakes...

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Very good point! I forgot to mention that! Red dye will build up in the snakes' system, as they cannot process it. Old Roy dogfood from Walmart doesn't have any dyes in it. It's what I use. You can find other dogfoods without it, just have to read the ingedients.
Thanks, John!

My critters get pet store bought rat food. Expensive, but I want to make sure the correct nutriants are there. Not saying that ole roy is bad. But my brother feed's his boxer's old roy and they eat a 50lb bag a week and look like they never eat. But then again his boxer's also have a habit of eating eye glasses and wrist watch's.

https://ball-pythons.net/albums/BP-H...sing.sized.jpg

Here is a pic of my 40 gallon breeder. In the middle among the leaves, is thier water dish. Today I am breaking my tank down to give it a really good cleaning. So, I will post more pics later.

I would not feed your feeders dog food with any red dyes. It is bad for your snakes. I feed mine the rat/mouse/hamster feed. Yes it is a bit more costly, but for me it is not bad at all. I pay around 42 cents a pound, I buy it by the bulk, many times it is alot cheaper. If you have a Farm and Fleet or a Feed and Grain close, go there, you can save $ buying by the bulk. For thier housing, I use big rubber maid containers, with holes drilled along the sides, and a hole cut out and wire covering it..on the top. Gives them plenty of ventilation. I will get some pics up of thier housing later.

I wonder how dangerous it is to feed bp's rats kept on cedar :(

I don't know much about the loose substrates (cedar, aspen, etc), but I do recall a discussion somewhere that you should not keep the rats on cedar either. I'll see if I can find it....

Cedar gives off vapors that are toxic to the rats. I can't think of any critter that can safely use cedar bedding. I had problems keeping my rats on pine, too. It was so dusty, they were always sneezing and getting RI's.

Wow, the rat food that I feed cost $2.99 apound. I buy it in bulk at 5lb's at a time. It is strictly made for rat's (so they say), but the mice love it too.

I have kept the kid's rat's on a cedar, pine mixture for years and have never had any RI's except for one young rat that came from the store that way that I nursed back to health with the vet's help with some kind of drops that smelled like banana. But i have heard about the problems this stuff causes, but I guess I have just been lucky. Or being that I get it straight from the mill if that has anything to do with it.