What are the essentials?

Hey everyone!

I got a male pastel BP at a Repticon yesterday. I'm really excited about him! I have been looking into them for a couple months out of interest but the actual buy was an impulse. So I have a general idea but I haven't done extremely detailed research. I want to do everything he needs; I tend to spoil my pets with the best!

I already had a ten gallon tank, XS UTH, S UTH, dish, hide, digital therm/hyg with a probe, and plants.

Questions:

So right now he's on paper towels. I know I need to get a thermostat for the UTH, that's on the top of my list. Is there a specific brand/model that's best? Also I was reading about a timer (?) power strip that has 4 always on outlets, 2 day, and 2 night. That sounds like it would be very useful! Does anyone know what exactly that was?

The breeder said he was last fed on 4/5 and he's been being fed live hoppers. Even in talking to different vendors, I got conflicting advice on how often to feed. I've heard 10-14 days and 7-10 days and someone on here even said every 4 days! I can weigh and measure him in the next couple of days to help you give me the best advice on feeding practices. I am wanting to switch to frozen food for convenience but if there are major health benefits to feeding live, I would definitely do that for him. Since he was last fed over two weeks ago should I try offering him food now or give him another few days to settle in? I only got him yesterday, but I don't want him to be unable to settle in because he's hungry!

I'm think I'm going to have a warm hide and cool hide of course but I want to provide a humid hide as well. I live in Utah where it is quite dry so I would like to offer humidity without everything just being wet. Would it be a good idea to combine the humid hide with the warm hide? Or would he prefer a warm dry place? If misting is a better option that is doable as well.

The set-up he's in right now is very basic: paper towels, one UTH (I know he needs more, I'm going be monitoring temps and deciding if I should get a CHE as well), large water dish, plants, a hide, and some cardboard tubes. So far the tubes are his favorite, he fits perfectly. Is this the bare essentials for now? I only have to wait other week and then I can easily pick up everything else he needs.

Most breeders I talked to seemed very into the genetics side of things and it seemed like they didn't always pay a ton of attention to the actual behavior of the animal. So my questions about that kind of went unanswered... but their snakes were beautiful at least! The one I got is not head-shy and seems calm to me. But if anyone could give me a short run-down on normal BP behavior, I would appreciate it!

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This post might have been a little scattered but I hope you could pick out the questions! I really appreciate any advice you guys can give :)

-Rebecca

Hey Rebecca! Another fellow Becca here! :) It sounds like you've done some decent research to get your little guy started. I've only been a BP enthusiast for a few months now, so I can't give advice for all of your questions. :P I think the most important thing you need to get is a thermostat for your UTH, as I've seen and heard some pretty awful burn stories. As far as a feeding schedule goes, I try to keep a consistent 7 day schedule with a meal that's approximately the size of the largest portion of their body (or just a tad bigger). This seems to work nicely for my girl. I did feed her a day early this week though, just because she seemed like she was trying to scout out food last night when I had her out. Two hides is good..though I'm not sure about also adding a humid hide..somebody else will have to answer that. I usually only use a humid hide when she's in shed, but it might not hurt to have one since you live in a dry region. Something you can do to help him feel more secure and to settle in is cover 2 or 3 sides of his tank so he doesn't feel so exposed. I've heard people do this with just paper and it helps. I use suction cupped plants for this and it seems to work alright for her.

I assume if he isn't head-shy or skittish, he probably won't have too hard of a time getting used to his new home. :) Personally, I'd try feeding him a meal tomorrow or the next day, since it's been quite a while since his last meal. Somebody else might have different advice for this, it's just what I would do. I'd be too scared that he was starving. :rolleyes:
Welcome to the boards and the addiction! :D

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Originally Posted by beccaburrr

personally, i'd try feeding him a meal tomorrow or the next day, since it's been quite a while since his last meal. Somebody else might have different advice for this, it's just what i would do. I'd be too scared that he was starving. :rolleyes:
Welcome to the boards and the addiction! :d

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x2

Thanks for the response!

Yeah, I was thinking I should feed him tomorrow too. Do you feed live or frozen?

Also what kind of thermostat do you use? I haven't had to deal with one before.

Should adults be fed once a week as well? Or do you feed them less when they're full grown?

I'll pass on the same thermostat advice that was given to me: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But with this cavaet: Don't spend too much on glass tank setups. I've got two right now and am already looking towards a rack. I think you'll find that this hobby is quickly addicting and you'll want to grow past what tanks can offer you.

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Originally Posted by ChaosAffect

I'll pass on the same thermostat advice that was given to me: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But with this cavaet: Don't spend too much on glass tank setups. I've got two right now and am already looking towards a rack. I think you'll find that this hobby is quickly addicting and you'll want to grow past what tanks can offer you.

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x2!

I've only had my girl for 3-4 months and I'm already researching racks and looking into what morph I want to purchase first! :D

I'm really only planning on him being a pet. I'm going to be breeding crested geckos and hopefully leachianus in the next few years. Plus the balls can be so expensive... So for now I don't mind pimping out his tank :cool: (I know, I know... everyone says that :rolleyes:)

I just need to add things over time so I'm trying to get a priority list. Thermostat is definitely ASAP, I don't want to burn the sweetie. That one you linked looks like it would do the job, ChaosAffect. I'll do a little more research too, and take more recommendations. :)

First thing's first, please don't plug in your UTH! Those get hot enough to burn your snake. Just order the thermostat TODAY and pay for quicker shipping.

Now that the issue of safety with a lack of thermostat has been taken care of, you need to actually purchase the thermostat. The one from amazon works moderately well. It gets the job done, but it's not the best. I have a Herpstat 2 (you would need only an Herpstat 1 or an Intro) and I LOVE it. I cannot say anything bad about it. Temps stay exact, there's an alarm if it gets too high/too low, and it's an overall amazing product. Your snake will be fine with no heat until you can get your thermostat unless you keep your rooms less than 75*. Then I would suggest you buy a lamp dimmer and a heat lamp as a backup until your thermostat cam came on. The other option is to use a lamp dimmer to control the UTH until your thermostat comes in. This is very, very important.

As for the humid hide, you can offer one if you want. Use it as an additional hide (not your cold and hot hides). Make sure the hides are all identical so your snake will choose thermoregulating over the favorite hide. I usually don't worry about humidity too much until they are in shed. Then humidity needs to be 60%+. There are multiple threads on here about how to achieve that with a tank. Just be warned: it will be a pain to keep those temps.

If you really want to do what's best for your baby, you might consider a cage like a T8 from Animal Plastics. Those kinds of tanks (any brand of those tanks, really) keep humidity and heat pretty well and it won't be such a nightmare for you.

As for feeding, you can offer a live mouse any time. I'd try to feed live for a couple of feedings before you switch over to frozen.

Your first priority should be getting the temperatures right. I have no personal experience with the Hydrofarm t-stat, but I've seen lots of recommendations for it lately, so I guess it is a fairly good product. A t-stat is so much easier to use than a dimmer switch, which has to be readjusted any time the room temperatures changes (change of season, etc), so I really suggest you order a t-stat right away.

I would not worry about feeding the snake until you have the temperatures properly regulated. BPs often will refuse food if they don't feel secure, and improper temps are one thing that can cause this. Also, the warmth helps them digest and if the snake isn't warm enough it can lead to the food not getting digested properly which can lead to a regurge. You really don't want that. As long as the snake is healthy and not badly underweight, waiting a few more days to eat won't hurt it.

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Originally Posted by BHReptiles

If you really want to do what's best for your baby, you might consider a cage like a T8 from Animal Plastics. Those kinds of tanks (any brand of those tanks, really) keep humidity and heat pretty well and it won't be such a nightmare for you.

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x2 regarding the T8! Each of my kids acquired a ball python last fall. We were keeping each in a 40 gallon Zilla Critter Cage (glass tank with screen top). Maintaining temps and humidity was a royal pain. Plus, my kids had trouble accessing the BPs because one tank was on a dresser and the other was on countertop, both of which were too high for my kids to reach into without getting on a stool or stepladder. Over the past several days, we assembled and set up the T8 and put the BPs in them last night. It is like night and day! The kids can easily access the BPs, and the T8, along with the Herpstat 2 that I purchased, are helping maintain the humidity and temps. Thus, I strongly recommend that, as your BP gets older and grows out of its current tank, you consider moving the BP to an enclosure like the T8 rather than another glass tank.

Thank you for all the responses!

I looked into the Herpstat but I think I need a cheaper option for now.. Or maybe I should just get it and go cheaper on other things. I would either get a cheaper t-stat from a hardware store here and have it immediately while I save up for a Herpstat or I could work with a dimmer until then. Or splurge on the Herpstat and hope the two UTHs I have are enough. What do you guys think?

I will definitely keep the T8 in mind for the future! For now I already have the 10 gal and I'll work with it until he grows.

Also is there a cheaper way to get Repti-Carpet? And could someone tell me the best kind of bedding? I know aspen is commonly used, is that shavings?

So I need a thermostat to control the temps and that's connected to the UTH. Does the t-stat come with two probes one for the cold and one for the warm side? Do I need a thermometer to double check those temps? The one I have only has one probe.

Once I have the belly temps correct, does the ambient temp sometimes take care of itself? Or will I most likely need a CHE also?

I'm looking for the cheapest options to save money, but if something necessary is going to be expensive not matter what that's fine, of course.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by obsidianembrace

Thank you for all the responses!

I looked into the Herpstat but I think I need a cheaper option for now.. Or maybe I should just get it and go cheaper on other things. I would either get a cheaper t-stat from a hardware store here and have it immediately while I save up for a Herpstat or I could work with a dimmer until then. Or splurge on the Herpstat and hope the two UTHs I have are enough. What do you guys think?

I will definitely keep the T8 in mind for the future! For now I already have the 10 gal and I'll work with it until he grows.

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I would splurge on the Herpstat. It will be the BEST investment you ever make for your snake. You only need 1 UTH and the small should be fine. You just need it to cover 1/4-1/3 of the tank floor to create the best gradient.

I think the 10 gal is fine until he gets bigger, but definitely consider a T8 or something very similar to that (I think Vision makes some similar cages)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by obsidianembrace

Also is there a cheaper way to get Repti-Carpet? And could someone tell me the best kind of bedding? I know aspen is commonly used, is that shavings?

So I need a thermostat to control the temps and that's connected to the UTH. Does the t-stat come with two probes one for the cold and one for the warm side? Do I need a thermometer to double check those temps? The one I have only has one probe.

Once I have the belly temps correct, does the ambient temp sometimes take care of itself? Or will I most likely need a CHE also?

I'm looking for the cheapest options to save money, but if something necessary is going to be expensive not matter what that's fine, of course.

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I'm not a fan of the repti-carpet, but some people swear by it. For bedding, most people use Aspen. I prefer cypress, coco fiber, eco earth, or a blend of the three. This will hold humidity and help you maintain your humidity levels especially when your snake is in shed. You only need 1/2 in-1 in of bedding or else your UTH is useless (because it won't penetrate the bedding).

The probe on the thermostat will be placed directly on the UTH between the UTH and the glass. To measure temps, you will need an infrared temp gun or two DIGITAL thermometers with probes. Walmart sells some that are about $12 and work well.

As for ambient temperature, it all depends on how cold you keep your house. You may need a CHE in the winter if you're like me and don't like to run the heat. However, in the summer, my ambient temp is 80* ish so a CHE isn't necessary. As long as the ambient temp is over 75*, you shouldn't need an additional heat source.

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Originally Posted by BHReptiles

I'm not a fan of the repti-carpet, but some people swear by it. For bedding, most people use Aspen. I prefer cypress, coco fiber, eco earth, or a blend of the three. This will hold humidity and help you maintain your humidity levels especially when your snake is in shed. You only need 1/2 in-1 in of bedding or else your UTH is useless (because it won't penetrate the bedding).

The probe on the thermostat will be placed directly on the UTH between the UTH and the glass. To measure temps, you will need an infrared temp gun or two DIGITAL thermometers with probes. Walmart sells some that are about $12 and work well.

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The diagram I saw in a cage-setup guide was to have the probes inside the tank, wired under repticarpet and poked out in the middle. Then they put a thin layer of aspen over that. I like the idea of having a layer between my snake and the glass/UTH but if it would be safe without it, then I'll just do the aspen. So you recommend putting the probe on the outside under the tank in between the glass and UTH?

The breeder I got him from said the eco earth would hold too much humidity and rot, but if it isn't a problem I would rather use that than wood shavings...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by obsidianembrace

The diagram I saw in a cage-setup guide was to have the probes inside the tank, wired under repticarpet and poked out in the middle. Then they put a thin layer of aspen over that. I like the idea of having a layer between my snake and the glass/UTH but if it would be safe without it, then I'll just do the aspen. So you recommend putting the probe on the outside under the tank in between the glass and UTH?

The breeder I got him from said the eco earth would hold too much humidity and rot, but if it isn't a problem I would rather use that than wood shavings...

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The problem with placing the probe inside the tank is that it can get dislodged and cause the UTH to get too hot. I usually set it between the glass and UTH and usually crank it up until the temp on the glass is 92-93*. Your snake will burrow in the aspen and sit on the glass bottom so that's why I recommend the probe on the outside.

As for Eco earth, if you that's all you use and you keep it very, very damp (like misting it 2+x times daily), then yes, it can be a problem. But that's also why if you use Eco Earth, you don't have to mist unless it falls below 50% and only mist enough for it to stay in the 45-55% range. When the snake is in shed, you just mist enough to keep it in the 60-70% range. As long as you change out the bedding and don't leave it in there for weeks at a time, it shouldn't be a problem.

I'm glad I can use the eco earth. I've liked it in the past because of its re-usability and looks.

I've ordered my Herpstat (3 day shipping, I'm so excited!) but I won't have a t-stat in the meantime. I'm going to add the thermometer temporarily inside the cage under the substrate because later I'm going to use that one for ambient temperatures. But I definitely want to be monitoring that UTH closely until the t-stat gets here.

Can someone explain the t-stat more clearly? I've never dealt with one before so I'm not even sure I have the right concept. I ordered the Herpstat 1 Basic. Does the thermostat have a probe? Is that the one that goes in between the UTH and glass? I'm guessing I plug the heat mat into the t-stat and the probe detects temperature and controls the wattage to the UTH.

Also the power strip that I mentioned in my OP.. does anyone know what that is? It still sounds so awesome and I could definitely use it if I end up needing a CHE or decide to light the cage.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by obsidianembrace

I was reading about a timer (?) power strip that has 4 always on outlets, 2 day, and 2 night. That sounds like it would be very useful! Does anyone know what exactly that was?

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I'm so glad I'm getting some good responses. Thank you guys :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by obsidianembrace

I'm glad I can use the eco earth. I've liked it in the past because of its re-usability and looks.

I've ordered my Herpstat (3 day shipping, I'm so excited!) but I won't have a t-stat in the meantime. I'm going to add the thermometer temporarily inside the cage under the substrate because later I'm going to use that one for ambient temperatures. But I definitely want to be monitoring that UTH closely until the t-stat gets here.

Can someone explain the t-stat more clearly? I've never dealt with one before so I'm not even sure I have the right concept. I ordered the Herpstat 1 Basic. Does the thermostat have a probe? Is that the one that goes in between the UTH and glass? I'm guessing I plug the heat mat into the t-stat and the probe detects temperature and controls the wattage to the UTH.

Also the power strip that I mentioned in my OP.. does anyone know what that is? It still sounds so awesome and I could definitely use it if I end up needing a CHE or decide to light the cage.

I'm so glad I'm getting some good responses. Thank you guys :)

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Don't even turn your UTH on! Just leave it off until you get your thermostat in. Your snake will be okay. If you turn it on, it will heat up all the way (sometimes to 130*+ which will burn your snake quickly)

Yes, the thermostat will come with a probe and that's what you place between the UTH and the glass. Basically what it will do is only allow x-amount of power to the UTH so it doesn't heat up all the way. It's not like an on-off type of thermostat where it turns on full blast until it gets to 2*ish above your desired temp and then shuts off until about 2* below your desired temp (the hydrofarm works like this). Your UTH is on all the time but it's only heating up enough to reach your desired temp. That way, there are very little fluctuations in your temp.

When you get your thermostat, you will plug the actual unit into the wall and plug the UTH into the unit. Then hook up the probe and configure the settings. Then it's good to go!

As for the power strip, I have one of those that I used for a little bit. Honestly, it's not worth it. If you need the CHE for extra heat, chances are you need that extra heat all the time. Since your ball python doesn't need a day/night cycle, it's not necessary. now, if you had a corn snake, I'd recommend one of those with a day and night bulb. But you don't need it for ball pythons.

I've got two of those timers power strips. I was using one per 40 gallon tank. Mine are digital timers. I believe they are made by Zilla (if not Zilla, then ZooMed). I also use similar timer power strips on my fish tanks (although the fish tank timers are a different brand than my reptile timers, they look nearly identical and, I suspect, are made in the same factory). All of the timers tend to "gain" time. Even though I've had the reptile timers for only about 6 months now, one of them is already running 15-16 minutes fast. That being said, I do find them useful for lighting my enclosures (both the fish tanks and my T8). I originally bought the reptile ones to help regulate the heat, but when winter hit, I had to run the CHEs (and the UTHs) 24/7. The best solution for me ended up being a thermostat. I originally bought a ReptiTherm 500 from ZooMed. However, just yesterday (with the completion of my T8 setup), I switched to the Herpstat 2. Although I've only used the Herpstat for one day now, I fell much more comfortable with it than I ever did with the ReptiTherms. Thus, I think you'll be very glad that you purchased the Herpstat. So, the bottom line, IMHO, is use the Herpstat to regulate the heat and, if you want to regulate light, use the timer power strip. If your tank gets enough light from either windows or room lights (my T8 does not), then skip the timer power strip.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BHReptiles

Don't even turn your UTH on! Just leave it off until you get your thermostat in. Your snake will be okay. If you turn it on, it will heat up all the way (sometimes to 130*+ which will burn your snake quickly)

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My house tends to run very cold (like 63 at night..during the summer..) so I moved him to a room that's temperature controlled at 70. That's the best I can do without the UTH. I got 2-3 day shipping so hopefully the t-stat comes before the weekend!

After the t-stat comes and after one night of proper temps I think I'll feed him. Does that sound alright?

Looks like everything is waiting on the herpstat to get here! Thank you for answering my questions :) I'll give an update later this week (with pictures!)