New Snek Momma

Hello BP forums!

First off I would like to say in advance thank you for all the advice and tips. All of my questions and pressing matters have already been addressed, so thank you all for that! And a special thank you to SilentHill who was answering my questions in the front page while waiting for my account to register!

Anyway, first time snake owner here. I always wanted one and about two months ago I decided to get one. So I did my research, got a terrarium and my supply list, and made sure the temperature and settings were good. Then once all that was done, I decided to get one. I ended up getting a Blue Eyed Leucitic (fell in love with them) who I have named Luna. Luna is female and she is two months old now. I ordered her from an online website that is near to me, who had good ratings and reviews.

She got home on the 14th, and seems to be doing well. I am still a bit nervous, being a first timer and all. So I would like to post my information about her so far just so people can point out anything that might cause issues down the road.

I cant post pictures right now (I'm at work), but I can post some if needed.

Terrarium setup -
A 40 gallon glass tank, that I divided into two with a removable wall. So her space is roughly 20 gallons, and I use the unused space for extra storage.
Her hot side is 90F, and her cold side is 80F. Both are under tank heaters, controlled with a sensor and thermostat.
Her humidity is a constant 50-60. I had problems at first, but I got a clear plastic vinyl sheet to go over it. (the same kind that goes on desks to protect them.) I then put holes in it. Ever sense then No humidity issues. If it creeps up past 65, I just open the top a little bit and it creeps back down.
My only worry is her air temperature, its usually between 71-73F. I rent the lowest floor of a house, and its partially sub-grade. I haven't noticed any issues yet, but what can I do to raise the air temperature if that's needed? I read you can use heat lamps with the ceramic bulbs, but how would you control the temperature? I don't think you could really use the same sensor and thermostat setup , so any guidance here would be appreciated.
She has two hides, one on the hot side and one on the cold.
She has a heavy water bowl which I change out every day or every other day.
I use the Zoo Med coconut fiber substrate. (I went with that because I was having humidity problems to start, and read that holds the moisture better.)

I think that's it as far as Terrarium setup goes?

Feeding-
Luna has refused two frozen/thawed fuzzies. Both were heated up in 105 degree water (in a plastic baggie) until the mouse was 90+. Then i hit it with a hair drier and offered it to her using feeder tongs. (And I did try to mimic movement both times,) but Luna wasn't having it. She wasn't interested, at all. The second time I offered a Fuzzy I read up on "braining" them, so I snipped open the top with utility scissors, and even then no luck.
However she did accept a live fuzzy on the 25th, which I was very happy about. I would like to get her on frozen/thawed, but right now I'm just happy she ate something. I plan on offering her more live feeders until shes eating constantly, then try to convert her over to frozen/thawed at a later date.
I did contact the Breeder and She said that Luna ate both live and frozen, but she has yet to accept a Frozen/thawed from me. But for right now, I am just happy she ate. We will see again on Sunday I guess!

Her next feed day will be the 31st.

Shedding -
Luna had her first successful shed. It came off in one whole piece, I checked her to make sure there were no eye caps or skin tags and so on. No issues there so happy snake mommy!

Handling -
I have only handled her 3 times sense she got home. I inspected her when she first arrived to make sure she looked happy and healthy. Then for her first feeding I tried to move her to a separate Tub. (it didn't work, that was one of the refused frozen/thawed). Then I handled her when she finished shedding about a week ago, checked for problems or issues. There were none so I put her back. All 3 handling's were brief, under 5-10 minutes.

Behavior -
She spent most of the two weeks hiding in her hot hide pretty much 24/7. I did catch her under her water bowl twice, and did catch her drinking and yawning. She is still a very shy girl! Anytime she sees me she freezes, and then moves to hide when I am out of sight.

Though last night when I got home it was completely different. (I basically got a show) Luna was playing in her plastic plants, generally crawling around, tongue flickering. Wrapping around her water bowl, trying to explore around. She even rested against the glass in plain view for about an hour. She still hid if she saw me though. Later in the evening I caught her playing "peek a boo" by raising her head to look at me, and would keep looking until I looked back, then she would creep back down again. But soon as I looked back to the TV, up her head would slowly pop again. It was pretty cute honestly.

Anyway, she was pretty active last night in the evening. This morning she was back to hiding under her water bowl with just her nosetip peeking out.

And that's it I think? I think I have a pretty good start on things. My only two bumps are the frozen/thawed, and the ambient air temperature. I am not planning on trying to get her on frozen now, until shes consistently eating. As far as the Ambient Air temp well, I'm not sure if 71-73 range is too cold, and how to fix it if it is.

Thank you all for the advice already, and I do hope my settings and snek care has been up to par. As I said I am still learning things. I can't wait until shes calmed down and relaxed enough to trust me. No idea how long that usually takes, as you guys mentioned every snake is different. so just got to be patient I guess!

Thanks Bunches!

Neiska

Hello! Welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of snake keeping!!

I did notice a few things, I'll just go in chronological order of your thread:

- the ambient temps need to come up a bit. 75 should be the absolute minimum. In order to achieve those temps it's important to understand that your UTH is there solely to provide a hot spot and not for ambient temps. So, unless the room the snake is in remains at a constant temp in the lower 80s you'll need an additional heat source. You can use a lamp with bulbs or CHEs.



- as for feeding, fuzzies are WAY too small for a BP. They eat hoppers right out of the egg for their first few meals only, typically 3-5 meals, and quickly move up to small adult mice.

You also may need to tweak the way you're heating. With a water temp that hot you may actually be cooking the mouse. Try lowering the temp to something that feels warm, but not hot, to the touch.

Also, don't bother with braining. You want to be consistent in the way you offer. So, heat an appropriately sized prey item and offer. If refused, wait a week and offer again.


- on to handling... You seem to be doing fine there. Keep handling to an absolute bare minimum until the snake has eaten three consecutive meals without refusal.

BUT, I did notice one MAJOR issue. Do NOT move the snake to a seperate feeding tub. Feed INSIDE the enclosure. Feeding tubs are old school and proven counter productive over time.

Transferring to a feeder tub will a) increase the chance of a refusal since moving the snake can stress it.... b) increase the chance of the snake regurgitating it's prey due to the stress of the snake being moved after it eats (if it eats) and ..... c) drastically increase your chances of being bitten since the snake will be in feed mode (this can last 24+ hours after feeding).



- lastly, her behavior indicates she's hungry. That would make sense since she's only eaten 1 meal with you and the prey item was way too small.

Try getting appropriately sized F/T prey and defrost in warm water, not hot. Feed at night IN THE ENCLOSURE.

Hope I helped. Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Welcome !!!


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Hello Craig, thank you for your reply!

Alright, I will try a frozen hopper then, and if that doesn't work then I will get a live one. And I can turn the temperature down of the water, its just what was coming out of the facet and I took the temp with the heat all the way up. The only think I read about offering frozen mice was to make sure they were 90f.

I do have a lamp and ceramic bulb, but no way to control it aside from plugging it in. And i do worry that it will melt the vinyl sheet I use for humidity. But push comes to shove, I can spray mist for humidity without the sheet. Not sure what you mean by CHE, (Ceramic heat emitter?)

The tub thing was more or less me being anxious to get her to eat. People seem to encourage different things, tub vs no tub, among other things. I plan on feeding her in her enclosure from now on.

Far as prey size goes, I thought you wanted a prey item no bigger than the widest part of her body?

Thanks bunches!

Neiska

Quote:

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

- as for feeding, fuzzies are WAY too small for a BP. They eat hoppers right out of the egg for their first few meals only, typically 3-5 meals, and quickly move up to small adult mice.

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I didn't see in the post that the type of prey was stated for mouse vs rat, so want to add that it is specifically MOUSE fuzzies are too small. Rat fuzzies are appropriate for a young BP, so if OP means rat fuzzies then it is likely fine for a 2 month old snake. (You can weigh the snake and prey using a kitchen scale, generally folks use grams, to confirm it is a good size. You want the prey to be about 10% of the snake's body weight.)

Adding the feeding chart for reference for OP.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...9e14fff99d.jpg

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Neiska

Hello Craig, thank you for your reply!

Alright, I will try a frozen hopper then, and if that doesn't work then I will get a live one. And I can turn the temperature down of the water, its just what was coming out of the facet and I took the temp with the heat all the way up. The only think I read about offering frozen mice was to make sure they were 90f.

I do have a lamp and ceramic bulb, but no way to control it aside from plugging it in. And i do worry that it will melt the vinyl sheet I use for humidity. But push comes to shove, I can spray mist for humidity without the sheet. Not sure what you mean by CHE, (Ceramic heat emitter?)

The tub thing was more or less me being anxious to get her to eat. People seem to encourage different things, tub vs no tub, among other things. I plan on feeding her in her enclosure from now on.

Far as prey size goes, I thought you wanted a prey item no bigger than the widest part of her body?

Thanks bunches!

Neiska

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You can go right to small mice. Since your snake was eating for the breeder she's already had 3-5 meals (a responsible breeder wouldn't sell an animal that hadn't eaten at least that).

You also want to aim for closer to 100 degrees when offering prey.

You're right, ALL heat sources should be regulated by a thermostat. So, you'll need another.
Running ambient temps below 75 you run the risk of your snake developing respiratory infection (RI).

There are 2 general rules of thumb for feeding juvenile BPs. 1) the prey item should be roughly the same size around as the snake at its widest point and 2) the prey item should be 10-15% of the snakes weight.

I'd be happy to share some of my tips for glass enclosures if you're interested. I've been using them since 2000ish with success. They take a bit more effort to get set up and dialed in, but once done it's easy.


....I was just about to share the same feeding chart above too

Update!

Okay, first off yes, i meant a mouse fuzzy, not a rat fuzzy, in my orginal post. so likely was too small.

So i went out and got her a new regular mouse. Will attempt a feeding later tonight, will let you guys know what happens.

Also, i did add a heat lamp, but im still not sure what sort of control device to use for it, as personally im not really comfortable just plugging it into the wall. is there a control you guys would recommend for a ceramic heat lamp?

These are the control devices i use for my UTH's, one for the hot and one for the cold.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So is there something like this for heat lamps that goes by air temperature, because im not sure if that sensor would work or not. If it does then great, i can just get another one. But if not what do you guys recommend using?

Thanks bunches again, fingers crossed she eats tonight!

Neiska

I would unplug one UTH. Use the remaining one for ypur hot spot. Then plug the lamp into the other tstat

alright, will do that, and will move the probe to the side of the tank. thanks bunches!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Neiska

alright, will do that, and will move the probe to the side of the tank. thanks bunches!

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You're very Welcome!

Feel free to PM me if you have other questions.
I'd be happy to help if you have any humidity issues once the lamp is in use (they unfortunately zap humidity). Depending where you're located you may need to tweak things to make humidity work.

heat lamp connected to cold control device, hung about 10 inches from the top of the tank (For safety). the probe is under it, near the top of the cage, set to 80. so when its 80 at the top of her tank it shuts off.

for humidity i only had a large water bowl and a vinyl covering across the top of the tank, it worked really well to keep the moisture in, it actually would creep to 70 if i didnt keep an eye on it. but i did cut a big hole under the lamp for the heat to get through, so now its watching tank settings.

Update: Well in the early evening I offered Luna an adult prekilled prey and she took it. It took a bit but she did! She still coiled around it but i assume thats a normal thing.

So thats 2 feedings down if we count the fuzzy she ate earlier!

The best way I’ve found to adjust ambient temps using a heat lamp or CHE is just adjusting how far off the screen they sit. Placed right on the screen, ambient temps are hotter. Raised higher, they lower. You’ll just have to mess with it a bit. I have five snakes currently and they’re all different eaters. One will only eat in its enclosure from tongs, one will only eat in a tub without tongs (I place the small tub back in the enclosure after and let him move out when he’s ready, I don’t handle him), I have one that will only eat if I’m holding her and hand feed her feeder, one that will eat anywhere and only misses a meal when in shed but she will hold her feeder and bonk her nose on it for ten minutes before eating then she will only eat ass these. It doesn’t matter or she grabs it face first, when it’s time to eat it’s always ass first. My last ensue is a rescue and we haven’t learned his habits yet. My point being you’ll figure out what Luna likes. It never hurts to ask the breeder if he or she noticed any little habits she had. Also, I’ve never heard of braining working. I’ve heard of it multiple times but I personally have never heard a success story from it. I did have a personal friend here have success letting a frozen thawed rat pup defrost in a bag of used rat bedding, shaking it around ever ten minutes or so, and blasting it with a hair dryer before feeding. Also, I love BEL’s and would love to see pics!


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what site/program do you all use to host images?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Neiska

what site/program do you all use to host images?

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I use the Tapatalk app and just upload directly.


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but im on my desktop. ill use the one i normally use -

https://ibb.co/sKHsKVn
https://ibb.co/Zhn207w
https://ibb.co/QMDgFqb
https://ibb.co/C019vPz

but heres a few pics of her, and heres my terrarium setup -

https://ibb.co/kMhzYPW

She is absolutely beautiful! Can’t wait to follow her story end watch her grow!


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Just chiming in to say that a really easy way to control the output of heat lamps is a dimmer switch. I buy the Flukers domes with a dimmer built in and use 75 watt infrared bulbs. I use this in conjunction with a UTH on the hot end to achieve my gradient. UTH is on a thermostat and I dim or turn up the lamp as needed.

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcos...mp-with-dimmer

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lusiphera

The best way I’ve found to adjust ambient temps using a heat lamp or CHE is just adjusting how far off the screen they sit. Placed right on the screen, ambient temps are hotter. Raised higher, they lower. You’ll just have to mess with it a bit.

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This doesn't help with the output of heat. It just throws max heat all the time. Using a thermostat is the only reliable way to go.
Using your method the temps will fluctuate as temps in the room fluctuate.
Not to mention, it's TONS of wasted heat and electricity.

The lamp belongs on the screen, controlled by a tstat. Otherwise the heat is escaping rather than being directed into the enclosure.

Bottom line: ALL HEAT SOURCES SHOULD BE REGULATED BY A THERMOSTAT.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

This doesn't help with the output of heat. It just throws max heat all the time. Using a thermostat is the only reliable way to go.
Using your method the temps will fluctuate as temps in the room fluctuate.
Not to mention, it's TONS of wasted heat and electricity.

The lamp belongs on the screen, controlled by a tstat. Otherwise the heat is escaping rather than being directed into the enclosure.

Bottom line: ALL HEAT SOURCES SHOULD BE REGULATED BY A THERMOSTAT.

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When I used this method I didn’t have temps fluctuate, I kept / keep foil wrapped cardstock on top of the screen lid to keep heat in and the screen guard surrounding the lamp was also wrapped. Of course some heat escaped between the lamp and the screen when I had it raised but not enough to fluctuate temps, checking twice daily. I don’t need to raise the lamps anymore because I use thermostats and dimmers but this is what I found most useful prior. I definitely agree all heat sources should have thermostats. It’s just too simple a solution and too necessary for the animals not to use and there’s an option for every budget but in the time between ordering and receiving mine, this is what worked for me. You guys had already handled all that in the post but I guess I should have clarified I meant in the mean time. :)


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mhm, i have a heat lamp hanging over her tank now about 10 inches away (for safety). its regulated by the cold side thermostat (unplugged cold side heat pad).

So now for the past 24 hours its been sitting at -
90 degree hotspot
78-80 air temp
52% humidity

but yes, currently all heat sources are controlled by thermostats. (no burning sneks!)

Here is a copy/paste of what I sent someone who has been helping me on the forums, i hope im just reading too far into things, but am a little worried something isn't right -

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Hello again,

Sorry to keep pestering you, but i just wanted your imput.

She ate on the evening of the 28th, havent handled her or anything sense then.

Last 2 nights when the lights were out/early evening, she was exploring her tank, climbing the plants and so on. (i asusme this is normal)

Today however, shes doing the same during the day. Normally she just hangs out in her hide. but today shes crawling around in the daytime.

I double checked her habitat and heres the following -

Fresh water,
90F hot spot
78-80 air temp
55% humidity

The forums said that if they are out and about in the daytime, that means something is off or they arent happy. But ill be darned if i can think of anything. Everything was fine for a few days but today shes pretty active during the day even.

But she is mostly climbing up her plants (they are stuck on the wall with those suction cups), but i would think its possible shes trying to escape out the top, she is nosing around the walls too.

So just wanted to check. She did poo but its still too soon to feed rigt? (guides say every 5-7 days, but its only been 3?) So its too soon to feed her again?

Thoughts?

Thank you in advance, and sorry to bother you. I will also copy/paste this in my post.

Neiska

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Just hope maybe shes curious or just checking things out, but shes been climbing her plants for the past two nights, and now during the day today too. Is this normal or a sign something is wrong?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Neiska

Here is a copy/paste of what I sent someone who has been helping me on the forums, i hope im just reading too far into things, but am a little worried something isn't right -

------------------------------------------------------

Hello again,

Sorry to keep pestering you, but i just wanted your imput.

She ate on the evening of the 28th, havent handled her or anything sense then.

Last 2 nights when the lights were out/early evening, she was exploring her tank, climbing the plants and so on. (i asusme this is normal)

Today however, shes doing the same during the day. Normally she just hangs out in her hide. but today shes crawling around in the daytime.

I double checked her habitat and heres the following -

Fresh water,
90F hot spot
78-80 air temp
55% humidity

The forums said that if they are out and about in the daytime, that means something is off or they arent happy. But ill be darned if i can think of anything. Everything was fine for a few days but today shes pretty active during the day even.

But she is mostly climbing up her plants (they are stuck on the wall with those suction cups), but i would think its possible shes trying to escape out the top, she is nosing around the walls too.

So just wanted to check. She did poo but its still too soon to feed rigt? (guides say every 5-7 days, but its only been 3?) So its too soon to feed her again?

Thoughts?

Thank you in advance, and sorry to bother you. I will also copy/paste this in my post.

Neiska

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Just hope maybe shes curious or just checking things out, but shes been climbing her plants for the past two nights, and now during the day today too. Is this normal or a sign something is wrong?

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One of my BP’s is extremely active at night, one is mildly active and one comes out every few days for a few minutes. None of then are active during the day unless they’re going for water or moving hides. You do have hides available on the warm and cool side? If you only have one on the warm side she could be coming out looking for a hiding spot somewhere cooler. Just a guess though.


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Yes, she does have two appropriate sized hides correct (One hot and one cool)? Also, what are you using measure temps?

i have a thermostat/humidity gage on the side of the tank, but i use digital thermostats to control temperature. so i set it, and when the heat reaches that point both the heat lamp or UTH pad shuts off.

but in other news, Luna did accept her 3rd meal in a row without a fuss. no feeding issues at all whatsoever, aside from she refuses frozen/thawed. but other than that? no issues. just happy shes eating.

She just seems like shes a climber/explorer, she will climb around her fake plants and the cork wood i have in her habitat. lately shes sort of hanging out in her hides, with her head out, unballed body, sort of just relaxing there with her chin propped on her water dish. she just seems active sometimes and i wondered if that was a normal thing or a sign something was off.

My bp only becomes really active at night near his scheduled feeding time. I think he’s just searching for food, doesn’t mean there’s husbandry issues. Although if yours is constantly moving that means it’s looking for something it can’t find. Maybe the temperature gradient is off, it’s hungry, or there could be a lack of hiding spots. If the animal is new it might take a while to calm down as well.


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Hi I first wanted to mention many of the things Craig been saying I wanted to second. He is patiently and kindly with honesty trying to help you which I think is very noble. There are so many people through the years that need help. And it gets easy to become impatient with them. Some people listen some don't. I have seen many give advice and sometimes it becomes kind of unkind or blunt. So I believe you can get help from him. (pm or forum )

Next i noticed by the pics that your girl is larger than many of us might have expected and is their a way you can get a weight of her in grams so we can use the feeding guide to get the right size feeder or feeders. Most charts say feed every 7 days.

I noticed the back bone of your snake is kind of prominent which means it might need some larger feeders or maybe even more that one so we really need a weight in grams. I missed it if you posted the weight I apologize if I did. But if you haven't can you please weigh your snake in grams. You'll need a scale that converts to the gram units by the push of the button.

Also by the pics I noticed you have the half log wooden hides. Those are what they use in pet stores, they don't offer much security and can be a problem in other ways so when you get a chance and the money you might want to get some better hides I like the black plastic type you find at reptilebasics.com and on Amazon too. They clean well and have off set openings which snakes seem to prefer going by the latest poll taken from them according to snake whisper's magazine. :P No seriously they like em.

I dont currently have a scale, but i will order one from amazon, as a few people have asked about her weight now. it just wasnt on the recommended supply list to start off.

And i actually have one of those plastic style hides, i will swap one out for it the next time i change her water and see if she likes it!

Yeah, she would have two hides.. one on each side and the hides should touch the snake on all sides so they feel secure (not too big). The sides should also be closed on three sides and have a single opening. If the snake is wandering during the day, I’d think something it it’s enclosure is off. If it wayndering at night it’s probably hungry. I ask what you’re using to measure temps because the stick on dial types are not accurate.

i use these, one to control her hotspot and one to control the lamp for ambient air temperature -

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

they have temperature probes that read pretty exact temps. one is attached to the side of her tank (but not touching the glass) and the other one is buried in the substrate under her hot spot.

she does have 2 hides, one on her cool side and one in her hotspot.

she hasnt been wandering lately though, i think she may have just been hungrys, she hasnt been doing much sense she ate. but will try swapping out her log hide for the plastic one thats covered on 3 sides.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Neiska

i use these, one to control her hotspot and one to control the lamp for ambient air temperature -

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

they have temperature probes that read pretty exact temps. one is attached to the side of her tank (but not touching the glass) and the other one is buried in the substrate under her hot spot.

she does have 2 hides, one on her cool side and one in her hotspot.

she hasnt been wandering lately though, i think she may have just been hungrys, she hasnt been doing much sense she ate. but will try swapping out her log hide for the plastic one thats covered on 3 sides.

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Just an FYI that proper probe placement for a UTH is to be sandwiched between the bottom of the enclosure and the UTH. So it would go UTH -> thermostat probe -> glass. You don't want the probe under the substrate inside the cage because a lot of things can affect the accuracy, ie snake moving the probe, peeing on it, etc.

Not to question that, but that's directly opposite of what was already directed to me before. They said that keeping the sensor under the glass wouldn't be an accurate reading, as it wouldn't be the actual temperature of what the snake is experiencing.

Currently its UTH - Glass - Sensor - Substrate,

and you are saying to make it UTH - Sensor - Glass - Substrate, so its actually outside of the tank, but on the underside?

I mean, if that's whats supposed to be i can certainly move it, its just the opposite of what I have already been told.

Thanks,

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Neiska

Not to question that, but that's directly opposite of what was already directed to me before. They said that keeping the sensor under the glass wouldn't be an accurate reading, as it wouldn't be the actual temperature of what the snake is experiencing.

Currently its UTH - Glass - Sensor - Substrate,

and you are saying to make it UTH - Sensor - Glass - Substrate, so its actually outside of the tank, but on the underside?

I mean, if that's whats supposed to be i can certainly move it, its just the opposite of what I have already been told.

Thanks,

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Yes you want the thermostat prob outside of the enclosure.. You may have to bump it up a couple of degrees to get it to the correct temp inside the enclosure... Lets say the snake dragged the probe away from the heat source somehow.. that is going to crank up the heat and potentially burn her..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jmarshall

Yes you want the thermostat prob outside of the enclosure.. You may have to bump it up a couple of degrees to get it to the correct temp inside the enclosure... Lets say the snake dragged the probe away from the heat source somehow.. that is going to crank up the heat and potentially burn her..

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Theoretically couldn’t you secure it under the substrate with duck tape or something? Depending on the species and setup I don’t see it being a huge issue. Sometimes placing the probe between the uth and the bottom of the enclosure is difficult. If you’re on a flat surface and the probe is round it doesn’t work very well. To fix this you need “legs” on the corners of your enclosure. I definitely agree to set it up properly if you can although I think there are ways around it if you need. If you securely fasten it to the bottom and layer substrate correctly I don’t see a major issue. The main thing would be inaccurate readings due to the substrate but you could always make a “capsule” to secure to the bottom. Anywho.... I’m just saying if you’re careful and inventive I think there are ways to safely control a uth with the probe on the inside. For the most accurate reading though place it under the enclosure if you can. Hope this helps!


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by MarkL1561

Theoretically couldn’t you secure it under the substrate with duck tape or something? Depending on the species and setup I don’t see it being a huge issue. Sometimes placing the probe between the uth and the bottom of the enclosure is difficult. If you’re on a flat surface and the probe is round it doesn’t work very well. To fix this you need “legs” on the corners of your enclosure. I definitely agree to set it up properly if you can although I think there are ways around it if you need. If you securely fasten it to the bottom and layer substrate correctly I don’t see a major issue. The main thing would be inaccurate readings due to the substrate but you could always make a “capsule” to secure to the bottom. Anywho.... I’m just saying if you’re careful and inventive I think there are ways to safely control a uth with the probe on the inside. For the most accurate reading though place it under the enclosure if you can. Hope this helps!


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You never want to put tape inside a snakes enclosure. I have heard of individuals using silicone to attach a probe but I just see room for mistakes to happen. And if something WERE to happen it could turn out very badly. I just dont see it worth the risk.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jmarshall

You never want to put tape inside a snakes enclosure. I have heard of individuals using silicone to attach a probe but I just see room for mistakes to happen. And if something WERE to happen it could turn out very badly. I just dont see it worth the risk.

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True. Have any ideas if they’re enclosure is on a flat table? What’s the best way to raise the enclosure while maintaining structural stability?


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*their [emoji23] wow horrible typo my bad


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by MarkL1561

True. Have any ideas if they’re enclosure is on a flat table? What’s the best way to raise the enclosure while maintaining structural stability?


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Personally I use little cans of wet cat food, lol. But I plan to order some hockey pucks. Others have styrofoam on the bottom of their tanks, which they cut into to route the probe and nestle it in directly under the UTH. That way the probe is secure on the outside of the enclosure but you don't actually have to put it under the UTH. I think Sunnyskies (sp?) has a good tutorial for it.

Replying to add link to her tutorial: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ight=styrofoam

I’ve see people used like a foam material or something softer underneath. I don’t use a glass enclosures or tub, nor am I using a Uth so I’m not 100% sure. I’ll let others with hands-on experience answer that.


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update -

handled her for the first time for about 15 minutes, she was calm and relaxed the whole time, lots of tongue flickering and i even got to sneak in a snoot boop.

also while i had her out of her habitat i moved the probe for her heat pad from inside to inbetween the UTH and the glass on the underside, going to set it for 95 degrees, just estimating a 5 degree loss in heat through the glass.

Thanks everyone!

ps - also ordered a scale, so will post her weight when it gets here!

Since your picking up a scale you may want to grab a temperature gun too. Theyre relatively cheap and you can get exact temp of the glass..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MarkL1561

Theoretically couldn’t you secure it under the substrate with duck tape or something? Depending on the species and setup I don’t see it being a huge issue.

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No no no!!
DEFINITELY no tape inside an enclosure. Especially over a heat source. The adhesive will soften and your snake will burrow under it eventually.
I've seen some horrible scale damage from take and even read of one case where the snake got stuck to the tape. It must have panicked and thrashed because the animals neck broke and the snake died.

No tape ever inside a reptile enclosure.

yea, every source i read online said 100% no kind of tape whatsoever, it can heat up and the humidity can irk the tape depending on the kind of tape, and then if the snake rubs against it, the tape can stick to it and do damage.

so i used those rubber suction cups to attach anything in the tank. havent had any fall off yet and they seem 100% safe for your danger noodle.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

No no no!!
DEFINITELY no tape inside an enclosure. Especially over a heat source. The adhesive will soften and your snake will burrow under it eventually.
I've seen some horrible scale damage from take and even read of one case where the snake got stuck to the tape. It must have panicked and thrashed because the animals neck broke and the snake died.

No tape ever inside a reptile enclosure.

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Seems unlikely but yeah I see how it’s a bad idea. I was just trying to think of a way that would work with the probe inside the enclosure. If you have a species that doesn’t burrow and had a layer of packed substrate I think the chances of them moving the probe is minimal. You could always place a heavy object over it as well. I could see a problem arising if the snake tried to eat it [emoji15] That could be bad. I agree it’s not worth the risk when there’s an alternative.


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Update -

Luna's scale arrived and I have just weighed her. She is 126 grams. I "think" she is about 1.5-2 months old now, but that is just a guess. I have only had her sense the 14th of March. i dont have an exact hatch date for her, but i did email the breeder to ask. So hoping thats a good weight for her.

Thanks everyone!

Hello BP forums, heres an update!

Luna has done well over the year. No bad sheds yet to date and has only refused 4 or 5 meals over the entire year. Her 1 year birthday is this week, and she weighs 525 grams. She hasnt ate in 2 weeks now, but i suspect thats due to the cold weather and humidity drop, which i am fighting now.

Ive kept a close eye on her weight, and she has lost a little bit, but if she doesnt eat this week Ill be calling the vet, just to be safe.

Some updated pics!

https://ibb.co/3BqQz10

https://ibb.co/SV9V4Hm

Did have a question though - How long can a 1 year old BP go without food before I should start to worry? Pretty sure this is her longest without food. Not overly worried just yet, but do want to be safe and sure.

Thanks in advance!