Tank suggestions?

Hiya, I'm a proud new owner of a ball python and I wanted to ask some of the more seasoned owners for suggestions for my tank. I currently have one ball python (hidden gene woma cinnamon named Monty :) ) and I have a genetic stripe bp arriving on Tuesday. I don't plan on keeping the two together so I had originally planned on placing a piece of cardboard in the center to split it and holding it there with tape, but after reading some of the care sheets they say to avoid using tape. Is there anything you guys would recommend that I should use to split it in half?
(I've been misting the tank frequently to keep it humid until I can find a better top/lib.)
I own some Zoo-Med Forest Floor substrate but I haven't switched over to that just yet. The breeder that I got my cinnamon from recommended I stay on paper towels for a little while.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...%2FomTrEtD.jpg

Thanks for your help in advance from both Monty and I!

Dividing a tank can be difficult. The best thing to do would be to buy a separate enclosure. Cardboard is worthless since it will just breakdown due to the heat and humidity. Tape will get worked loose by the snake and eventually...stick to the snake.

If you are seriously thinking of dividing a tank, you best bet would be to get a custom piece of glass cut and seal it as a divider with aquarium sealant. You will need to keep your current snake somewhere else while the sealant out-gasses. Then, you will probably have to make a custom top for the tank because the divider will not have anything to hold it in place where it meets the screen....which will lead to the snake pushing up the screen and crossing the divider. Like I said...creating a good tank divider can be difficult.

Buy a separate enclosure or don't buy another snake. Other scenarios don't really end that well.

Also, you may what to enclose some of the screen you have open. A heat lamp with a fully open screen top is essentially a beef jerky maker.....so you need you to do something to retain humidity. There are several threads on this site that show how to properly setup a tank for one ball python. Check'em out.

Hope that helps.

There won't be a temp gradient for the snake to thermo regulate if you half this tank

Like mentioned, just go out and buy a second tank. At the risk of sounding like a jerk, if you cant afford the housing and what goes with the snake, then you cant afford the snake. The snake itself is the cheap part, its a one time payment and done. The expensive part is the food for the next 30 years, all the new toys and cages you buy your little 'kids' and most of all, the vet bills......the vet bills will kill you.

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Originally Posted by daniel1983

Dividing a tank can be difficult. The best thing to do would be to buy a separate enclosure. Cardboard is worthless since it will just breakdown due to the heat and humidity. Tape will get worked loose by the snake and eventually...stick to the snake.

If you are seriously thinking of dividing a tank, you best bet would be to get a custom piece of glass cut and seal it as a divider with aquarium sealant. You will need to keep your current snake somewhere else while the sealant out-gasses. Then, you will probably have to make a custom top for the tank because the divider will not have anything to hold it in place where it meets the screen....which will lead to the snake pushing up the screen and crossing the divider. Like I said...creating a good tank divider can be difficult.

Buy a separate enclosure or don't buy another snake. Other scenarios don't really end that well.

Also, you may what to enclose some of the screen you have open. A heat lamp with a fully open screen top is essentially a beef jerky maker.....so you need you to do something to retain humidity. There are several threads on this site that show how to properly setup a tank for one ball python. Check'em out.

Hope that helps.

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I know tape is bad, that's why I'm looking for another way to split it. I don't have the room for another tank at the moment. Otherwise, I'd obviously get another one and that's what I'm planning on doing next month. This is temporary. The second snake I'm buying is from someone local who isn't treating it well. Whatever I do to it would be an improvement to how it's being kept. I found out about it after I purchased the first one so that's the only reason I'm considering keeping two snakes in one enclosure.

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Originally Posted by Justinhicks

There won't be a temp gradient for the snake to thermo regulate if you half this tank

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The tank division is only temporary until I get another tank. The air in my apartment is usually pretty cold so I was thinking I could possibly keep the ambient temperature at 80*F and create a perch so that the snake can get closer to the heat light if it needs to.

I'd look on craig's list for another tank, they are cheap especially if they were fish tanks that leaked or check petco for $1 gal sales if you have one in your area. you can use plexiglass as a divider (though the smaller the space the harder it is to control the temp/create an adequate thermocline), Lowes in our area will cut it to size or if you are handy with a jigsaw and grinder you can cut it yourself. it's easy to drill to make vent holes too small for the snakes to get through but large enough to allow ventilation between sides. I just converted a 20 gal long to a side mount with a plexiglass slide door. I made the mistake of starting out with thin 1/8th inch and it cracked when I tried to cut it, I had to get 1/4 inch. you can use aquarium sealant to secure the plexiglass divider but you will need to house them in something for a good 48 hr plus till the tank sealant is fully cured and it's probably not worth it if it's just temporary.

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Originally Posted by Slither Seeker

I'd look on craig's list for another tank, they are cheap especially if they were fish tanks that leaked or check petco for $1 gal sales if you have one in your area. you can use plexiglass as a divider (though the smaller the space the harder it is to control the temp/create an adequate thermocline), Lowes in our area will cut it to size or if you are handy with a jigsaw and grinder you can cut it yourself. it's easy to drill to make vent holes too small for the snakes to get through but large enough to allow ventilation between sides. I just converted a 20 gal long to a side mount with a plexiglass slide door. I made the mistake of starting out with thin 1/8th inch and it cracked when I tried to cut it, I had to get 1/4 inch. you can use aquarium sealant to secure the plexiglass divider but you will need to house them in something for a good 48 hr plus till the tank sealant is fully cured and it's probably not worth it if it's just temporary.

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Thanks, I'll take a look at Lowes in the morning. Money wasn't the problem, just how much room I had available. I'll get a proper tank for the second snake soon. :)

Petco has the 1$ per gallon sale going now


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Get two tubs, you can stack them which saves on space, and sell the tank.

Or get a rack because at some point you'll want to get another snake, and another...

Cardboard and duct tape or packing tape would work in a pinch. I'd ditch the paper towels and get something like Eco-earth or Reptichip (anything coconut husk based). That will keep up the humidity. Have you taken a temp of the hot spot under those lights? Seems a bit overkill, make sure you don't go above 95F. I would think ball pythons would like it a bit darker, maybe get a red light or skip the lights and put one under tank heater with thermostat right in the middle of the tank, hotspots on each side, set the thermostat to 88F. I don't like those hides being open on both ends, I'd staple some cardboard to both ends and cut a small hole just big enough on one end.

I started with a setup similar to that with glass tanks and hides, the snakes will just stay in their hide all day long and it will look like you have a bunch of empty tanks LOL. My snakes didn't eat very well until I put them in solid grey tubs that are very dark inside, no hides, nothing but substrate in the tub (in an ARS rack). They love those dark tubs and thrive in them. I eventually used all my glass tanks to raise mice and rats, then moved all my rodents to an ARS rat breeder rack, then found my mice really stink in a rack so put them back in the glass tanks with carbon filter pads on the tops of the tanks, I just keep my rats and African Soft furs in the ARS rat breeder rack system. Works great for me.

I eventually pulled everything out of the mice tanks (glass tanks) and just put Mazuri blocks right on the shredded paper substrate and ball up newspaper to give them something to play with, the less decorations you have the easier it is to maintain with both the snakes and rodents. With balled up newspaper and toilet paper inner tubs all my toys are disposable and recycles something that would otherwise be thrown away LOL.

I you want to divide that tank and have something close to correct husbandry, divide left to right NOT front to back and DONT use tape.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

If you want to divide that tank and have something close to correct husbandry, divide left to right NOT front to back and DONT use tape.

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Great suggestions


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