What is the big DEAL ABOUT USING GLASS TANKS?

How many of you use glass tanks to HOUSE your BP?

I think the big deal is they are very very bad at keeping the heat in. Most of the time you need to use a mesh top and so if the room is cold it will take a lot of work to keep the tank warm.

Started out thay way, went to tubs, will never go back. Tubs hold humidity better, take up less space (= more bps :D), clean easier, much cheaper, easier access to my snakes. Glass tank, hard to hold humidity and heat, have to run heat lamps, which are usually in the way when you want to get snake out, and leach out humidity. Tubs are just tons easier all around, hold ideal conditions way better, imo.

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I have only one in a glass aquarium, and that's only because she goes nuts in a tub (she thrashes about so violently that I can't leave her in for more than 5 minutes); the other 24 are in a rack system. The racks are space and energy efficient, and the ones that are in there seem very happy and healthy.



http://imageshack.us/a/img155/6576/img1000gi.jpg

Lots of people use them, successfully. The key is to black out a few sides (to make them feel secure) along with providing hides and making sure you can regulate humidity and temps. It's just that it's easier to do all of those things with tubs.

Not me, they don't suit the needs of ball pythons and it takes quite a bit more work to maintain ideal husbandry if/when they are used. If you have one bp and plan to only have one, a tank is ok if you are willing to do the work but it's usually a constant battle lol...tubs will keep ideal temps and humidity and give the snake's what they need, they're easy to maintain and disinfect also... but you've probably heard this already if you've creeped around here enough.

I keep my arboreals in exo terra glass tanks, but not my ball pythons.

Also dont for get any water that gets on glass that is hot can brake it. And glass will not buffer heat so you may have a UTH set at 85 but it can make your glass hit 107 and burn your snake.

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Originally Posted by fishdip

Also dont for get any water that gets on glass that is hot can brake it. And glass will not buffer heat so you may have a UTH set at 85 but it can make your glass hit 107 and burn your snake.

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If you poured cold water over a piece of glass that was 100º+, yes it might crack.

If you set your thermostat to 85, there is no way the glass will reach 107.

Insulate/ black out sides cover mesh with pegboard and use hides it works. But why not make a PVC cage/ use tubs??:D

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

If you poured cold water over a piece of glass that was 100º+, yes it might crack.

If you set your thermostat to 85, there is no way the glass will reach 107.

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You don't need cold water just hot glass and room temp water. And yes I did over state the part on it being 17* differnce but it will make the glass a lot warmer. I am trying to find a posted made by another user that was posted a few days back in regards to how hot the glass can get.

I just switched from a glass tank (that I had modified by blacking out three sides and duct taping foil on top of most of the mesh screen) to a PVC cage and I already love it so much more. Humidity is way more constant, there's twice as much floor space (the tank was 1 ft x 3 ft floor space, which was cramped for my 1600 g girl plus her two hides and water dish), the ambient temp is stable, the PVC cage weighs far less than the glass cage (nice for moving around for cleaning or whatnot)...seriously, it's the best investment I've made for my BP, next to the Herpstat I also own. The glass tank setup can be done, but it's definitely not ideal, especially if you live in an area where it's cold and low in humidity for 5 months a year.

i just made the switch myself also and i agree 100%
i will add it is a pain in the butt to have to clean a 20 long you can spot clean for a week or two but after that you have to throw away all the substrate wash all the hides and plants and whatever else is in the cage then take the tank outside and wash all the stuff out that soaked through the substrate all while trying not to get your uth that is on the bottom of the tank wet.

i used 20 long aquariums with good results then i found this forum and saw the cages people here were using so i decided to switch and see how they worked out and i will never go and buy another (fish tank) again. the maintanence and ability to keep proper temps and humidity in pvc cages is beyond words it is so much easier plus on clean up it cuts the work in half if not more.

switching to my ap t3 cages with the herpstat is by far the best thing i have done, and i would like to thank all the fine people here who suggested it.

Fish tanks are for fish. :gj:

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

Fish tanks are for fish. :gj:

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I think mike just told you the best reply yet.

I wouldnt put a fish in a birdcage so I wouldnt put most reptiles in a fish tank. There are a plethora of nice enclosures and racks on the market designed specifically for reptiles

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

Fish tanks are for fish. :gj:

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Hey, that's my saying, LOL :D

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Originally Posted by fishdip

You don't need cold water just hot glass and room temp water. And yes I did over state the part on it being 17* differnce but it will make the glass a lot warmer. I am trying to find a posted made by another user that was posted a few days back in regards to how hot the glass can get.

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I have tons of glass tanks . and I have used tons of flexwatt on them .I have never had one crack. I have housed all sorts of herps in them and never burned one. If you use a good t stat to regulate your flexwatt the glass will never get to hot. If it over heats you are doing something wrong. however with that being said I only how's my bp's in tubs.

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Originally Posted by luvmyballs

I have tons of glass tanks . and I have used tons of flexwatt on them .I have never had one crack. I have housed all sorts of herps in them and never burned one. If you use a good t stat to regulate your flexwatt the glass will never get to hot. If it over heats you are doing something wrong. however with that being said I only how's my bp's in tubs.

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This is true but lets face it if you are new you may do something wrong and with a glass tank you give yourself more of a chance to do so.

I have 2 snakes in tanks, all the rest of my balls are in a rack.
My normal started out in a tank, then I bought a rack so he went in there, then we ran out of room in there, so back into a tank he went. Then my red tail boa is in a big tank with a screen top and sliding glass front doors.
I have saran wrap covering half of both of the screen tops. That keeps the humidity at around 55 in the ball tank and 60 in the boa tank (she has a much bigger water bowl). I have zoo-med UTH's on both tanks. I don't have any problems with them.
I would prefer my normal to be in a rack, simply because it is easier than dealing with the screen clips, but my morphs get rack priority over him.
I like my boa to be in a tank because she is my display snake, and the sliding doors make things easy.

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Originally Posted by fishdip

This is true but lets face it if you are new you may do something wrong and with a glass tank you give yourself more of a chance to do so.

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????huh. You can still burn a snake in a tub or glass or any tank. If your new do some research. If you don't research proper husbandry and do something stupid like running unregulated flexwatt you don't deserve a snake. A responsible snake owner will do plenty of research before they ever bring an animal home.

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Originally Posted by fishdip

This is true but lets face it if you are new you may do something wrong and with a glass tank you give yourself more of a chance to do so.

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I'm really not sure what you are trying to get at.. are you saying that you shouldn't use glass tanks because even though you use a thermostat, the glass still "could" get hot enough to burn your animal and if water happened to spill it would crack the glass?

I'm no scientist or anything, but lets say your glass was 92º and your water bowl filled with room temp water at 80º spills over the glass. Is a 12º temp difference really enough to break the glass?

I spray room temp water on my glass tanks that house my arboreals and my glass is just fine and the glass is kept around 100*. It is also fairly thin though.


I just truly don't understand the point you are trying to make. Almost all newbies start out with unregulated UTHs on glass tanks and I've not seen many, if any at all, come to us with broken glass issues. I'm not denying that it happens, I've seen it with my own eyes.. but that was with something coming out of a 400* oven, not sitting at a common air temperature.

I have a tank. I have a damp towel for humidity, a red heat lamp, UTH, and everything's fine! When she grows too big for her tank, I'll probably move to tubs.

Well, So far I've only had 1 Bp, and a 2nd waiting for me to move so he can move in with me, so my experience is fairly vague.

BUT, me living in a tropical island, I don't have any issues AT ALL with temps/humidity with my tank. I only use 1 t-stat controlled UTH to warm the hot side just a few degrees, and that's it, ideal temps/humidity pretty much all the time.

Plus, IMO tanks are WAY more aesthetically pleasant than tubs, and since I'm still a student who moves every now and then, the fancier enclosures are a no-no.

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

I'm really not sure what you are trying to get at.. are you saying that you shouldn't use glass tanks because even though you use a thermostat, the glass still "could" get hot enough to burn your animal and if water happened to spill it would crack the glass?

I'm no scientist or anything, but lets say your glass was 92º and your water bowl filled with room temp water at 80º spills over the glass. Is a 12º temp difference really enough to break the glass?

I spray room temp water on my glass tanks that house my arboreals and my glass is just fine and the glass is kept around 100*. It is also fairly thin though.


I just truly don't understand the point you are trying to make. Almost all newbies start out with unregulated UTHs on glass tanks and I've not seen many, if any at all, come to us with broken glass issues. I'm not denying that it happens, I've seen it with my own eyes.. but that was with something coming out of a 400* oven, not sitting at a common air temperature.

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ok so lets say in your car you can blow hot air on the glass with snow on top and be ok but if it has a chip it will help the glass to pop or crack. If the tank is made with glass that has a lot of chips under the black plastic it will help the glass to pop. I have seen a few pics on google of ppl with glass tanks for a bp and they have the heat light half over the tank so the side is geting heat on it. Now yes you can keep a bp in a glass tank and I may be wrong but the op posted asking what the bid deal is. So to me they are asking about it all /hot glass/glass cracking/humidity/heat transfer/cleaning/and so on.

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Originally Posted by fishdip

ok so lets say in your car you can blow hot air on the glass with snow on top and be ok but if it has a chip it will help the glass to pop or crack. If the tank is made with glass that has a lot of chips under the black plastic it will help the glass to pop. I have seen a few pics on google of ppl with glass tanks for a bp and they have the heat light half over the tank so the side is geting heat on it. Now yes you can keep a bp in a glass tank and I may be wrong but the op posted asking what the bid deal is. So to me they are asking about it all /hot glass/glass cracking/humidity/heat transfer/cleaning/and so on.

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Man your kinda reaching. Let it go man just let it go.

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Originally Posted by luvmyballs

Man your kinda reaching. Let it go man just let it go.

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http://img3.harmony-central.com/acap...b/icon_lol.gif


Tanks aren't for everyone, if you don't like them, don't use them, but don't question and 'bash' (not that you're really bashing, but I don't see it NOT happening either) the people that do.

Unless you live in ideal conditions, it's a real pain trying to keep the temperatures and humidity constant in a glass tank.

It can be done, though. A lot of people have success with covering up 2/3rds of the lid with Saran wrap, a towel, or using plexi-glass.

For me, a tank was just a pain. I ordered my pvcx enclosure and by golly is it ever amazing. Holds temps and humidity amazingly!

Also, I'd much rather move my PVC enclosure than a tank ;) it's actually not that heavy

Lets just say that MOST of us started with tanks (I think that is safe to say) and have changed to what works for us;)
I couldnt imagine having 40+ tanks all over the place:rolleye2::rolleye2:

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Originally Posted by Munizfire

Well, So far I've only had 1 Bp, and a 2nd waiting for me to move so he can move in with me, so my experience is fairly vague.

BUT, me living in a tropical island, I don't have any issues AT ALL with temps/humidity with my tank. I only use 1 t-stat controlled UTH to warm the hot side just a few degrees, and that's it, ideal temps/humidity pretty much all the time.

Plus, IMO tanks are WAY more aesthetically pleasant than tubs, and since I'm still a student who moves every now and then, the fancier enclosures are a no-no.

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What's not aesthetically pleasing about a 2x2 AP or Boaphile cage?? They are good looking and amazingly great at keeping everything perfect for the snake. Plus a whole lot lighter than a glass tank. You could also mount a small strip light in one with a low wattage fluorescent bulb for better viewing if wanted.

I don't know what I'd do without my BP rack and Boaphile stack. My snakes wouldn't either.

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Originally Posted by fishdip

ok so lets say in your car you can blow hot air on the glass with snow on top and be ok but if it has a chip it will help the glass to pop or crack. If the tank is made with glass that has a lot of chips under the black plastic it will help the glass to pop. I have seen a few pics on google of ppl with glass tanks for a bp and they have the heat light half over the tank so the side is geting heat on it. Now yes you can keep a bp in a glass tank and I may be wrong but the op posted asking what the bid deal is. So to me they are asking about it all /hot glass/glass cracking/humidity/heat transfer/cleaning/and so on.

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Now I'm worried!

Are you suggesting that the next time it snows in my house my heat lamps could make my tank explode?


I think you are going alittle far with this. There is just as many things that can go wrong in a pvc cage or a tub that can with a glass tank.

Tubs and pvc are just easier to keep the desired numbers steady. You can still get them wrong.


I just can't wait to get the pvc cages I ordered, I'm entering week 10!

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

Hey, that's my saying, LOL :D

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Sorry, it kinda just popped into my head. I probably subconciously stole it from you though lol.

Do i have to pay royalties everytime i say it??? :D

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

Do i have to pay royalties everytime i say it??? :D

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Lol....:p

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

Our first ball came with a tub and after doing some reading I felt it was the better option for our other snakes. Our snakes are not really display snakes. We hardly see them they prefer to hang out in their hides with just their heads poking out unless its getting close to feeding night then some are out looking. I'm having a rack made to save space and in the winter I will need that second heat source to bump up the ambient temps a coupe degrees.
My daughter has a tank for her corn snake. The snake eats like a pig and never had a issue with spilling water and cracking the tank. JellyBean seems quite happy in there but when it came to housing her hognose she choose a tub. She said its just easier to clean and she can see him just as well and the tub has locking sides. Jellybean escaped once so now he has 4 clips on his cage so she finds the tub to be less fuss in getting him out.

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Originally Posted by fishdip

ok so lets say in your car you can blow hot air on the glass with snow on top and be ok but if it has a chip it will help the glass to pop or crack. If the tank is made with glass that has a lot of chips under the black plastic it will help the glass to pop. I have seen a few pics on google of ppl with glass tanks for a bp and they have the heat light half over the tank so the side is geting heat on it. Now yes you can keep a bp in a glass tank and I may be wrong but the op posted asking what the bid deal is. So to me they are asking about it all /hot glass/glass cracking/humidity/heat transfer/cleaning/and so on.

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This line of thinking is silly if you allow a tank to get too hot and suddenly chill it sure it can crack. If you run flexwatt unregulated a tub can melt and catch fire. If you run flexwatt unregulated on a pvcx enclosure it can release chlorine gas and poison the air. Unregulated heat is a problem period it has nothing to do with glass personally I'd rather a crack over fire, chlorine gas...

I don't think tanks can be dismissed out of hand. Can be be difficult sure they can but so can a tub and rack as well. The conditions under which any enclosure is kept makes it a challenge or simple. I have commercial enclosures I love, custom made enclosures I love, side turned tanks that perform the EXACT SAME as the custom enclosures and a bare tub and a rack. In cool rooms (68ºF and below) tanks are easier to heat a rack is very hard to get correct ambient temps in a cool room mostly due to the fact UTH don't change it and what other heat source works with it? The same for tubs you can add a bit more but limited effect.

Open top tanks have a difficulties, tubs do enclosures do racks do nothing is take it home and presto it is perfect with no flaws. Every method must be balanced and maintained based on the location and ambient RH and temp therein.

My personal pick of what I own is the enclosures designed to house snakes, side turned tanks, rack and tub. This is mostly due to the room temps I see most of the time, cool. The tub is a nightmare to keep a reasonable temps in. The rack took so much extras to keep correct temps it is silly (5 T-stat probes, 2 Tstats (HS pro and hydrofarm failsafe) 10 strips of flexwatt 10 hours of physical changes and a small fortune for a five slot rack) Racks save space and the rest is about the same.


FYI side tuned tank DIY...

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...arium-Solution

I use tanks, always have and have never had a single issue save for the occasional battle with humidity, but even that has been rectified. Previously, I had to use heat lamps to keep my ambients right, but now I have a separate room for my snakes which I keep heated to 78-80 at all times. Being that I live in Florida...that's super easy. By heated, I just mean the air conditioner vents are closed. :P Now, if ever it gets cold...I open those vents and turn the heat on. As to humidity, I'm good there too. I don't actually need to spray when there are no heat lamps on as my humidity in every tank is usually 55-58%. Again...FLORIDA. If you do not live in Florida, maintaining a tank will not be as easy for you. But it is doable. With regular spritzing, damp towels and possibly heat lamps during winter in addition to your UTH on a thermostat, you'd probably be just fine. It's just a little more work. ;)

I have a glass tank because its way cheaper than a PVC cage and it doesn't help that I'm not handy at all. I mean I would love a boaphile cage for the snake I'm picking up but I can't afford it till later. Hell I want a boaphile cage for myself with a UVB basking at 87 degrees a huge water bowl and a lot if sand and a nice bed/hide but I jut can't afford it. But all I have is my fish tank that was on sale at petco for $1/gallon.

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

Sorry, it kinda just popped into my head. I probably subconciously stole it from you though lol.

Do i have to pay royalties everytime i say it??? :D

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LOL :P

Thanks for spreading the word :gj:

i went with a terrarium just because of the ability to see in all the time and see the snake. im having no problems maintaning temperature, humidity is a little bit of a pain though. i will definitely switch over to a tube once little Gustav grows and is ready for something bigger!

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Originally Posted by WarriorPrincess90

I use tanks, always have and have never had a single issue save for the occasional battle with humidity, but even that has been rectified. Previously, I had to use heat lamps to keep my ambients right, but now I have a separate room for my snakes which I keep heated to 78-80 at all times. Being that I live in Florida...that's super easy. By heated, I just mean the air conditioner vents are closed. :P Now, if ever it gets cold...I open those vents and turn the heat on. As to humidity, I'm good there too. I don't actually need to spray when there are no heat lamps on as my humidity in every tank is usually 55-58%. Again...FLORIDA. If you do not live in Florida, maintaining a tank will not be as easy for you. But it is doable. With regular spritzing, damp towels and possibly heat lamps during winter in addition to your UTH on a thermostat, you'd probably be just fine. It's just a little more work. ;)

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i can agree with that, i live in Michigan(far from favorable python conditions lol) and at first it was tough getting my heat pad and lamp adjusted correctly to keep the right temperature, but now they are nice and consistent. the only thing i have to do is mist a bit of moss on the inside once a day, and mist some paper towel i have on the screen top a few times a day to maintain the humidity. im a college student so i really dont have that busy of a schedule, so i dont mind the "housekeeping"

Thanks for the info lol I already have tanks tho and I stay in the DC METRO AREA...The weather out here is cool one day and hot the next lol well this time of the year.

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Originally Posted by Foschi Exotic Serpents

What's not aesthetically pleasing about a 2x2 AP or Boaphile cage?? They are good looking and amazingly great at keeping everything perfect for the snake. Plus a whole lot lighter than a glass tank. You could also mount a small strip light in one with a low wattage fluorescent bulb for better viewing if wanted.

I don't know what I'd do without my BP rack and Boaphile stack. My snakes wouldn't either.

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Ok, yes, those are pretty cool as well, but I haven't seen any one selling those down here, and shipping them to PR would be a pain in the rear (and very expensive). And buying the mats alone will cost me more than the tank, not to mention that as an engineering student, I barely have the time to fart :rofl:(most of my time here is on my phone while doing other stuff).

But honestly, I'd love to own a few of those. Tanks will do in the meanwhile :)

I started with a 20 gal aquarium...I used the damp towel method/fogger to help maintain humidity...Temp was never an issue.

I now have my BP in a 70 gal aquarium front sliding glass...I have a CHE on the hot side...A night heat lamp on the cool side...My temps are 92 HOT/84 AMBIENT/78 COOL.

I keep the humidity at 45-55% with a damp towel over 1/2 the enclosure...1/2 of the substrate (I use ECO-EARTH) is damp as well.

I have 3 thermometers...And a digital hygrometer.

I have numerous hides, a lot of greenery, rocks, large water bowl.

I feed her in a separate tub, and she eats EVERY week like clockwork since I have owned her...Usually a good indicator of a happy BP :)

When she is out and "prowling"...To see her colors against the enclosure decor is very nice.

Granted, it may be a little more "work" to keep an aquarium...But keeping a BP should be a labor of love.

I guess I should invest in somethig else besides a tank, before I get this snake..but i'm not trying to go broke buying something. Any suggestions?

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Originally Posted by MrBrute

I guess I should invest in somethig else besides a tank, before I get this snake..but i'm not trying to go broke buying something. Any suggestions?

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32qt Rubbermaid tub with a locking lid. Like $8 at wally world

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

32qt Rubbermaid tub with a locking lid. Like $8 at wally world

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Even for a baby?

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

32qt Rubbermaid tub with a locking lid. Like $8 at wally world

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no wally world in my area. Can't i get this from like walmart?

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Originally Posted by MrBrute

Even for a baby?

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no wally world in my area. Can't i get this from like walmart?

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12qt is fine for a baby up to about a 500g snake.

Wally World= Walmart lol

oh dear lmao DUHHHHHHHHHHHHH buy they did have a actual pet store out here called wally world lol

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

12qt is fine for a baby up to about a 500g snake.

Wally World= Walmart lol

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Ok this MAY SOUND SUPER SILLY!!!! But I guess I wanted a tank to Look at from time to time instead of having to open a lid from a tub and take it out. But if you all suggest I get a tub....This cool!

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Originally Posted by MrBrute

Even for a baby?



no wally world in my area. Can't i get this from like walmart?

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I'd suggest something smaller for a baby, 12 qt should be ok.
You can get sterilite from wal-mart, AFAIC they are pretty much the same thing

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Originally Posted by MrBrute

oh dear lmao DUHHHHHHHHHHHHH buy they did have a actual pet store out here called wally world lol

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Ok this MAY SOUND SUPER SILLY!!!! But I guess I wanted a tank to Look at from time to time instead of having to open a lid from a tub and take it out. But if you all suggest I get a tub....This cool!

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If you dont want a tub then get a pvc enclosure. No matter what you'll have to open a lid or a door to get it out. Bp's arent really display snakes though so you wont see much activity even in an enclosure.

Thanks for the info folks!

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

If you dont want a tub then get a pvc enclosure. No matter what you'll have to open a lid or a door to get it out. Bp's arent really display snakes though so you wont see much activity even in an enclosure.

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PVC Enclosures cost a good grip don't they? lol