Tanks/tubs

I plan on getting a Bp possibly in the future I would love to see your guys tanks and tubs

Here are my PVC cages.

I would advise that you stay away from tanks, they can be very difficult to maintain proper temperatures/humidity in. The threads I put links to in your other thread have pretty much all the information you need to keep a ball python happy and healthy.

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...t/c22733cf.jpg

By keeping the cage simple it is much easier to keep everything clean.

Many people would consider this to be the ideal BP set up. (I can explain everything in detail if you want)
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0455.jpg

Arent u using tanks or are those ones specially made for snakes? And that sounds great if u could explain everything

^ Cages like Aaron's are for reptiles, tanks are for fish. I personally use tubs but will use cages for my larger snakes.

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

Here are my PVC cages.

I would advise that you stay away from tanks, they can be very difficult to maintain proper temperatures/humidity in. The threads I put links to in your other thread have pretty much all the information you need to keep a ball python happy and healthy.

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...t/c22733cf.jpg

By keeping the cage simple it is much easier to keep everything clean.

Many people would consider this to be the ideal BP set up. (I can explain everything in detail if you want)
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0455.jpg

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Off topic, sorry, but your enclosures are so awesome and simple! Very cool :gj:

Tubs are much better for snakes, especially Ball Pythons, because they require higher humidity levels. They also keep the heat in very well and are much easier to clean and maintain.

Tubs>Tanks.

:O not to high jack but Serpent can you link where you got those!!!

Ok I'm starting to understand this now lol your I'm still curious to see everyone's tubs and cages but I think I like how aspen looks

Those are AP enclosures ( the same that I use). Tanks IMO are never appropriate for snakes. Yes, you can make modifications to make them better, but save yourself the headache and time and do not use fish tanks for any snake, either go the tub route or go for PVC enclosures.

When I say tanks, I am referring to glass aquariums. There cages I use are made by a company called Animal Plastics and are designed for reptiles.

http://www.animalplastics.com/

I prefer their T8 cage.

This thread goes over setting one up in detail:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...With-Pictures!

I will go over how this cage is set up here as well:

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0455.jpg

This is 1/2 of a T8 cage made by Animal Plastics. I am using a divider so I can keep 2 Ball Pythons in a single T8 (snakes should never be kept together)

This is the whole cage:

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0459.jpg

Thew cage is heated by a special type of heating pad called Flexwatt. it is taped to the bottom of the cage using aluminum foil tape

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0439.jpg

The flexwatt is controlled by a thermostat. (any and all heating pads must be controlled by a thermostat. most can easily get up to 150 degrees if not higher, if they are left unregulated. (which is hot enough to kill a snake)

The thermostat has a probe that measures temperature. the probe is sitting on the flexwatt in a special slot designed for a thermostat probe

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0441.jpg

Inside the cage I also have a thermometer with a probe. it measures the temperature of the cage floor on the hot side, as well as the air temperature on the cool side and the humidity level in the cage. I purchase these thermometers at Walmart. They cost $12

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

Here it is mounted in the cage

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0451.jpg

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0452.jpg

It is important to have a probed thermometer because heating pads do not change the temperature of the air in the cage... all they do is heat the floor of the cage.

because my heat source (the flexwatt) only heats the floor of the cage it is important to keep the substrate thin. I prefer to use paper bas wed substrates (newspaper, paper towels, corrugated wrap) because it is easy to keep clean, and lets heat transfer very well.

The only things I put in my cage is 2 hides and a water dish. Ball pythons are ground dwelling and do not need anything to climb on. As I said before the less you have in the cage the less there is to clean (which needs to be done fairly often)

These are the hide sI like. they are very secure, easy to clean, are durable, and cheap

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

Water dishes need to be heavy enough that a BP can't tip them over and flood their cage. I use ceramic dog bowels.

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMG_0343.jpg

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Originally Posted by reptiliachnids

:O not to high jack but Serpent can you link where you got those!!!

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http://www.animalplastics.com/
The top cage in this picture is a T8, the bottom cage is a T12

The T8 is 48" x 24" x 12" (L x W x H) and the T12 is 48" x 24" x 24"

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...t/c22733cf.jpg

The cages are sitting on the 8" stand sold by AP

For more info on these cages check out this thread:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...With-Pictures!

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Originally Posted by Newkid14

Ok I'm starting to understand this now lol your I'm still curious to see everyone's tubs and cages but I think I like how aspen looks

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Yes, aspen looks good, but it does have some issues (as all substrates do)

My issue with aspen is that it is a mess (especially if you have a 4' x 2' cage... that is a lot of wood shavings)

I prefer paper because once the snake gets it dirty you throw away the paper, spray the can with some disinfectant (I use Chlorhexidine ) Put in a new sheet of paper and your done.

Ultimately the choice is up to you... you have to find the right combination of caging/ substrate/heating methods/ cage decor that produces the best environment for your snake. I've showed you what works for me... many people on this site use a very different set up but it works for them. All that matters is that you have a thermal gradient with a hot side between 88-92 degrees, a cool side between 78-82 degrees. 40%-60% humidity (60%-80% during shed) and hides to provide security. Keep all that clean/sanitized and you are golden.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Newkid14

Ok I'm starting to understand this now lol your I'm still curious to see everyone's tubs and cages but I think I like how aspen looks

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When I started keeping snakes I liked aspen as well. Until my snake ingested the bedding. After that I said NO WAY! So I switched to paper towel. Paper towel is superior to everything for bedding in my eyes.

Aspen shavings not only are a choking hazard (yes I have heard stories of peoples snake choking and having to put their fingers down its mouth to get the shavings out) and if they do not choke they can cause impaction if enough are digested.

Aspen in my eyes also doesnt transfer heat as well as paper towels. Paper towels are also 1000x easier to clean. When I was using aspen I couldnt find snake poops anywhere. With paper towel its really obvious.

There are way more pluses to using paper towel. Trust me on this. Use paper towel its just safer :D

I agree paper towel is what I use and is the best IMO at least for my needs. Aspen does not hold humidity well at all, I mostly keep bloods and aspen doesn't cut it. I love paper towel or carpenters paper, if a substrate is needed I would only go with cypress being cypress does hold humidity well but still, paper towel to me is the best.

Could I use tile cause I know for my beardie I use tile ?????

Tile can be used but it is very hard to heat through. Remember the temp range for ball pythons is a lot more fussy. A few I know have done so but with limited success due to the heating issues.

I would avoid paper towel for all but the smallest snakes. Ingestion of paper towel is often fatal and cannot be digested. There is no perfect substrate I am not a fan of wood chip substrates myself and personally choose coco coir but wood chip ingestion although not ideal is not likely to kill the snake.

http://www.iherp.com/Gallery/1/8113_...ygb6K54M6y.jpg

Enclosure type is a personal preference any type can work and work very well. There are trends in certain areas here tubs are a trend. I don't think they are better or worse than any other just different. They sometimes have too little ventilation and that can lead to respiratory problems.

Once you go rack, you'll never go back :D


http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/o...965/Rack_1.jpg
http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/o...965/Rack_2.jpg

Yeah of I could convince my mom to let one snake I would be shocked but it wouldn't be till we move anyway but I just want to get all my research done cause I'm debating on a snake and a second beardie but what was that picture above a snake eating or puking up ......

regurgitating, it sadly it died. A rack for a single snake is serious overkill. My biggest bit of advise is research and trial see if you can hold the correct temps and plan how you will do that. The warm side is easy pad and thermostat and basically it is done it is the cool and ambient air temps that are the hard ones. Racks for example are almost always kept in rooms that are heated to 80º. Not very practical for one animal. If you have a normal room temp (60s) I would second Aaron's a pvc enclosure will hold heat better than any other. Tubs being the worst at holding temps and tanks in the middle. I still use tanks, I have a single tub and a rack as well as custom enclosures both bought and DIYs. I prefer the DIYs over all and bought next tanks after that and tubs and then the rack last. It saves space but is not very efficient otherwise.

The biggest problem with tanks is the open top. A variation on a theme... I still would suggest a pvc type enclosure but this would be the next best thing to it.
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...arium-Solution

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

A rack for a single snake is serious overkill.]

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9 times out of ten someone into Bps are going to end up keeping more then one.
http://img.tapatalk.com/48dd5fc8-1d81-acbf.jpg
Racks are simple, easy to maintain and space efficient.

See its not me who wouldn't get more then one it's my mom she will need lots of convincing for me to get one I would have to put like 20 clips and like 5 bungee cords lol she hates reptiles exspecially snakes but I love reptiles

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rob

9 times out of ten someone into Bps are going to end up keeping more then one.
Racks are simple, easy to maintain and space efficient.

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Couldn't have said it better, Brother!