Is this plastic tube big enough?

I have a year-old, 2'+ ball python who's currently in a 30 gallon tank. I have a T10 from AP on order but it will be some (or many) months before that arrives so I've been working towards getting a tub setup ready since it's far easier to maintain humidity which I've been having issues with, and due to a miscalculation his much-needed new hides don't fit in his current home either.

Question though, is if the tub I got has enough room for the months ahead. It's 35.98"x16.81"x6.6" and I've added a picture of the hides inside (13"x9"x3" each) to show how much space there is.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...e5f176052f.jpghttps://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...69fc181ad7.jpghttps://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...169710ce6a.jpg

EDIT: I said TUBE instead of TUB in the title. Derp.

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Yes, plenty big enough. Are those the same hides he is already used to? They seem huge for a 1y BP. Whatever you have in his other enclosure I would put in the tub unless it's too tall to fit, in which case I would replace it with something similar so he doesn't feel overwhelmed with empty space.

Edit: missed the bit about the hides being new. They seem way too big. Not sure why he needed new hides, but if it's because they are too small, something intermediate would be better. Those look big enough for a full grown adult.

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Originally Posted by nikkubus

Edit: missed the bit about the hides being new. They seem way too big. Not sure why he needed new hides, but if it's because they are too small, something intermediate would be better. Those look big enough for a full grown adult.

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Agreed, the measurements OP gave for those hides are the same as the large pangea reptile hides. I have my 1 year old BP in mediums that are about 3 inches shorter than the large and they work great. Larges will probably be needed down the road, but my guy is closer to 3 feet stretched out and fits fine in a medium.

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Originally Posted by nikkubus

Yes, plenty big enough. Are those the same hides he is already used to? They seem huge for a 1y BP. Whatever you have in his other enclosure I would put in the tub unless it's too tall to fit, in which case I would replace it with something similar so he doesn't feel overwhelmed with empty space.

Edit: missed the bit about the hides being new. They seem way too big. Not sure why he needed new hides, but if it's because they are too small, something intermediate would be better. Those look big enough for a full grown adult.

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Oh dear, that's too bad. I'm terrible at judging sizes (this is my only snake so I'm very much still learning). I looked at the site just now and definitely misread. The medium boxes are recommended for BPs up to 700 grams (his last weigh in was barely 400) while the ones I got are for full adults. Oops. :(

He needs new hides because I started out with the log tunnel types. I know hides are best with one entrance so they're shoved up against the tank wall, and the walls have black foam board over them on the outside so it's perfectly dark for him. But he's gotten too big and both barely fits in them anymore and is too strong to where the logs constantly get moved away from the wall just by his movement, so the "one entrance security" aspect gets ruined. He doesn't seem too bothered by it but I'd imagine he'd prefer to have a hide where he's not sticking out of both ends like a hot dog too big for its bun. :P

So I'm guessing I need to get a couple of the medium hides then?

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Originally Posted by Snagrio

So I'm guessing I need to get a couple of the medium hides then?

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Not at all bud, you can divide the large ones you have already. You can use cardboard, moss, anything that you can split the hide to make it smaller just like you would a larger enclosure while your BP grows into them.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hugsplox

Not at all bud, you can divide the large ones you have already. You can use cardboard, moss, anything that you can split the hide to make it smaller just like you would a larger enclosure while your BP grows into them.


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That's not a bad idea. I can just stuff the hides with moss and he can make "nests" out of them as he pleases.

Got everything together to set things up tomorrow, but I'm debating if I even need the CHE. The tub is so shallow and closed in that I wonder if the UTH on its own will be enough. Would certainly be easier on the mind because even with thermostats I'm worried a CHE would be too much for such a low space (remember this tub is barely half a foot tall), not to mention I'm worried if having to carve out of meshed hole for it would lead to similar humidity-retaining issues I've been having as is.

For the record though, all of this is doubled from what is already set up from his current enclosure. All new heating, 'stats, ect. so I'm not pulling down what he's currently living in and can take my time testing things out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Snagrio

Got everything together to set things up tomorrow, but I'm debating if I even need the CHE. The tub is so shallow and closed in that I wonder if the UTH on its own will be enough. Would certainly be easier on the mind because even with thermostats I'm worried a CHE would be too much for such a low space (remember this tub is barely half a foot tall), not to mention I'm worried if having to carve out of meshed hole for it would lead to similar humidity-retaining issues I've been having as is.

For the record though, all of this is doubled from what is already set up from his current enclosure. All new heating, 'stats, ect. so I'm not pulling down what he's currently living in and can take my time testing things out.

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Take a look at the below thread too, it's jmcrook's quarantine set up he uses. I always try to link people to this one, and I hope crook doesn't mind, because I think it's dumb easy to set up and have used it myself. You can elevate the CHE as done in his photos so the height of the tub itself shouldn't matter. Just in case the UTH ends up not being enough, wanted to give you another option.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...Quarantine-Tub

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Originally Posted by Hugsplox

Take a look at the below thread too, it's jmcrook's quarantine set up he uses. I always try to link people to this one, and I hope crook doesn't mind, because I think it's dumb easy to set up and have used it myself. You can elevate the CHE as done in his photos so the height of the tub itself shouldn't matter. Just in case the UTH ends up not being enough, wanted to give you another option.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...Quarantine-Tub

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Upon further study, a CHE will be mandatory. Ambient temperature is around 70 here in the basement where he lives, and it will only get colder going into winter. Rather curious that there isn't even a hole cut out of the lid in the image though, the heat is strong enough to go right through it without melting?

Also I've had trouble making air holes in the sides of the tub yesterday. Tried using the heated head of a glue gun and heating a screwdriver to melt open openings but neither made so much as a dent. I figure I'm either going to get a soldering iron or try a method I saw on YT where a metal pipe was put over an open fire and pushed through the plastic to make holes. Probably the former since I need to go to the store to get more heat-resistant tape anyway.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Snagrio

Upon further study, a CHE will be mandatory. Ambient temperature is around 70 here in the basement where he lives, and it will only get colder going into winter. Rather curious that there isn't even a hole cut out of the lid in the image though, the heat is strong enough to go right through it without melting?

Also I've had trouble making air holes in the sides of the tub yesterday. Tried using the heated head of a glue gun and heating a screwdriver to melt open openings but neither made so much as a dent. I figure I'm either going to get a soldering iron or try a method I saw on YT where a metal pipe was put over an open fire and pushed through the plastic to make holes. Probably the former since I need to go to the store to get more heat-resistant tape anyway.

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I've found the heat from the CHE will heat up the lid and the air in the enclosure with no issue. As far as air holes, I've always used a wire clothes hanger. Cut the bottom of it with a pair of tin snips or wire cutters, and then just heat it up with a candle or something similar, obviously exercise a lot of caution here as everything will be hot, then just push through the sides or top to create your holes. This works a lot better than a screw driver because your pressure point, the end of the wire hanger, is much smaller and doesn't require as much heat or force to penetrate the plastic.

Just be careful, it's easy to hurt yourself.

Edit to add: Just to be clear, and I know I may not need to say it but just to say I did, as with any other enclosure, that Q set up with a tub runs for a week or so before anything goes in it. Still needs a thermostat and thermometer and hydrometer, same process as setting up a new PVC or glass enclosure.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hugsplox

I've found the heat from the CHE will heat up the lid and the air in the enclosure with no issue. As far as air holes, I've always used a wire clothes hanger. Cut the bottom of it with a pair of tin snips or wire cutters, and then just heat it up with a candle or something similar, obviously exercise a lot of caution here as everything will be hot, then just push through the sides or top to create your holes. This works a lot better than a screw driver because your pressure point, the end of the wire hanger, is much smaller and doesn't require as much heat or force to penetrate the plastic.

Just be careful, it's easy to hurt yourself.

Edit to add: Just to be clear, and I know I may not need to say it but just to say I did, as with any other enclosure, that Q set up with a tub runs for a week or so before anything goes in it. Still needs a thermostat and thermometer and hydrometer, same process as setting up a new PVC or glass enclosure.

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Way ahead of ya. I've essentially got an entire second set of equipment (heating elements, 'stats and dual 'meters) for the express purpose of being able to run a setup to test for a week while he's still in his original enclosure plus the heat gun I already have for more manual monitoring.

Another thing is finding a piece of furniture for the tub itself to sit on. I'll have to find one eventually anyway for the eventual PVC.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Snagrio

Upon further study, a CHE will be mandatory. Ambient temperature is around 70 here in the basement where he lives, and it will only get colder going into winter. Rather curious that there isn't even a hole cut out of the lid in the image though, the heat is strong enough to go right through it without melting?

Also I've had trouble making air holes in the sides of the tub yesterday. Tried using the heated head of a glue gun and heating a screwdriver to melt open openings but neither made so much as a dent. I figure I'm either going to get a soldering iron or try a method I saw on YT where a metal pipe was put over an open fire and pushed through the plastic to make holes. Probably the former since I need to go to the store to get more heat-resistant tape anyway.

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I’ve always used a drill to make ventilation holes in tubs.

Got a soldering iron and made a row of holes along the whole tub. Is that enough ventilation?

As an aside, I love the thing already. Going to be very useful later if I need to, say, make more hides out of plastic containers and I can now make smooth holes instead of jagged edges like what I had to deal with before when cutting with scissors or knives.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...a57b3ac690.jpg

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Here's how it's looking so far. Nothing's plugged in yet but I've got everything mostly set up. Unfortunately I flubbed and forgot to place the thermostat probe for the UTH between it and the tub. After I already added all the substrate. Sigh... Needless to say I'm taking a little break to quell frustration after that.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...1deba5ad8f.jpg

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Fixed the probe issue, added wood shimmies on either end of the tub to lift it off the table just enough to allow heat to dissipate from the UTH and got everything plugged in and set on thermostats. Let's see what happens.