help with new BP's home

Hello everyone. I have a new ball python who is less than 2 months old. I've had him in his 10g aquarium for a few days now and i cant seem to get the temps up. after doing a lot of reading i think im going to take a lot of stuff back to the store and go with some flexwatt tape and thermostat. What would you guys recomend i get as far as the flexwatt tape? 3" or 4"? I should cover no more than half the tank correct? Is the flexwatt tape self adheisive like the UTHs? I plan on returning the screen top and using some plexiglass for the lid. Will just the flexwatt tape provide enough heat for the whole tank?

Ive also been reading that a 10G tank isnt big enough for a growing BP. How will i know when to put him in a bigger home? the articles i read before getting him (I wish i found this community beforehand) said that a 10G tank is good up to 28" and a 30G tank is big enough for an adult. I am guessing these are not accurate. What size enclosure should i aim for when he gets bigger?

Also, any recomendations for a thermostat? cost is a factor, and i dont need the absolute best there is. Just something to keep my temps in the proper range.

Thank you all for your help and sorry for the bombardment of questions. I wish i would have been more prepared before i brought him home

If you're having trouble with heat, go with the 11" flexwatt. It is not adhesive, but I've found no need to do so with it. You can use foil tape I believe it is.

A 10 gallon tank will be fine for awhile.. up until he's around 2'. you may even consider moving the snake to a smaller (and more secure feeling) rubbermaid/sterilite shoebox type enclosure for now. Especially if your snake isn't eating, this can help.

The best thermostats are generally held to be Helix.. but they are pricey. Whatever you get, go with a proportional thermostat, not an on-off, as these can let the flexwatt overheat. Personally, if you are on a tight budget, I'd recommend going to the hardware store and getting a rotary lamp dimmer and a 6' extention cord and wiring this up to the flexwatt.

Do you find it difficult to find the "sweet spot" just using a dimmer? And will the flexwatt tape provide enough heat to keep the cooler part of the tank in the proper range? Thanks for the quick reply Shelby

JT

Flexwatt will provide plenty of heat to keep the tank at optimal temp. And, yes, definately, at least get a dimmer for it. Helix's are great thermostat's but I have a Johnson's Controls that I got for $65 that works great, too.

If you want a pre-wired thermostat or dimmer, plus pre-wired flexwatt, check out Matt's site: mgreptiles.com

All nine of my snakes are on flexwatt w/dimmer with no problems whatsoever.

Great advice.

In addition, having used a number of glass tanks in the past I can only add that covering that screen top makes a tremendous difference in retaining heat and humidity. Whether it is plastic sheets, ConTac paper or plexiglass just make sure you leave some openings on both ends in order to allow for air exchange as you dont want stagnation and cant make holes in the sides

Thanks so much for your help. I think i will try to use a dimmer as buying an expensive thermostat seems a bit overkill for my one and only snake. I was looking at the thermostats at the hardware store and i wonder if theres anyway to use those. Im not much of an electrician so its probably out of my league to use one of those. thanks again for your help everyone!

one more question... should i just get one foot of 11" flexwatt?

ok, two more. I assume that with the dimmer switch that i just play with the settings until i find that sweet spot. is that what you did Shelby?

JT

One 12 by 11 piece of flexwatt will do you just fine. And, yes, that's what you do with a dimmer... plug in your flexwatt to it and play around until you find the temp you want.

Something that is VERY useful for any snake keeper.. with one snake, or one hundred, is a temperature gun. It gives instant spot temperature readouts. Perfect.. and I think necessary for checking temps while tweaking your flexwatt. Buy one here.. it's $25. http://www.tempgun.com/main.html - the PE-1 model

the temperature gun is one of the greatest inventions ever for a nerd like me :D......I temp gun everything.....people, my food, rooms in my house, f/t mice, live mice, my snakes, my snake's enclosures, stuff outside, stuff in my truck (ha ha...my pal said 'man my truck is hot'...i replied "well mine is at about 135 F now"), the pet cat, light bulbs, in the stove (it is a few deg. off)......there is just too much stuff to list....

so.....like Shelby said....you can never go wrong by purchasing a temp gun :D

Yeah, temp guns are fun. I always temp gun a few degrees colder than my mom. I must be turning cold blooded.

I was looking as some caging options and came across herpcages.com, specifically this cage http://www.herpcages.com/test/241212t.html. Im sure its too big for him now, but not sure if its big enough when hes full grown... how big of a cage does a full grown BP need?

Also, what are AP cages and where do i find them for sale? I keep hearing about them but never any links...

Thanks

JT

A full grown BP can live in the equivalent to a 30 gallon tank. 3' long by 1' wide.

AP cages are better known as Animal Plastics. (yeah we like abbreviations)
www.animalplastics.com

Well, I ordered the recommended temp gun and a 12" x 11" piece of pre wired flexwatt and the pre wired johnson controls thermostat with some foil tape. all together $143 shipped. Not too bad. I decided the money is worth a happy, healthy ball python. Now i just need to figure out a name. Ive been racking my brain since i got him and im still unable to think of something cool... I kinda like Lucifer, cause i see quite a few snakes alredy named Diablo...

I just want to thank you all so much for your help. My current UTH barely keeps the basking side above 80. I know he'll be so much happier when i get the new stuff.

JT

the money will be worth for you too....alot less worrry :D

What are your current temperatures?

I have a digital thermometer on the side with the UTH and it currenty reads: 80.8. On the cooler side i have an analog thermometer that reads about 77ish. the hygrometer reads about 55. I plan on constructing a lid this weekend. I was thinking about using an inch of hardware cloth on each side for ventilation and having the middle covered with plexiglass. frame it all with some wood. Still toying with some plans. is an inch on each side enough or too much? thanks for the advice.

JT

To avoid getting adding a vet bill to the list.....you need to get those temps up a bit until your stuff arrives...

how can i raise the temps until the stuff gets here? any advice?

Um.. you can try putting a normal incandescent bulb over it during the day, or even better, buy a black or red bulb. Put the snake in the warmest part of the house.. no part of the tank should ever be below 75 degrees.. 55 is dangerous.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shelby

Um.. you can try putting a normal incandescent bulb over it during the day, or even better, buy a black or red bulb. Put the snake in the warmest part of the house.. no part of the tank should ever be below 75 degrees.. 55 is dangerous.

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he said 55% was the hygro reading....that is just fine.....if it were 55 degrees....geez...

Oh whoops.. I just got home from work, I'm still not alive in the brain department I guess.

i put the probe of the digi inside the hide on the warm side and it reads 92. where should i normally take temp readings? i guess my question is do i want the surface on the warm side to be 90-92 or do i want the air to be 90-92?

JT

I always measure the surface.