3x2x2 Modification for Antaresia

Below for your review and comment is my plan to modify my ball python enclosure for a children's python. This is my current enclosure:
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil..._enclosure.jpg

It's a 3x2x2 plywood enclosure. I divided it in two to give my ball the option of hiding in a darkened tub or exploring in a terrarium. The tub is a cement mixing tub I got from Lowe's. My ball could move freely between the two through a triangular notch I cut into the divider. The tub is about 8 inches tall. The terrarium is about 14.5 inches tall. The other 1.5 inches was taken by the thickness of the plywood. Here are the enclosure's guts:
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...3x2x2_guts.jpg

The terrarium is heated by an 80 watt VE radiant heat panel. This provides heat for a basking spot. The tub is heated by heat tape. This keeps the cool side from getting too cool. Both are regulated using Jump Start thermostats.

I plan to replace the plywood divider with a melamine one. I want something more stain and odor resistant. I'll use a whole saw to cut a circular hole in the divider. I'm concerned that the notch I current have cut in the edge of the current divider will give the smaller children's python access to the edge of the tub that he may use to escape. I plan to replace the aluminum tracks that hold the divider in place with aluminum angles. Sliding the 1/2 inch divider through the 1/2 inch tracts was difficult. Particularly, when the recently washed divider was swollen with water. Lastly, to secure the sliding glass front, I'll add an additional aluminum angle to block access to the bottom of the glass and vinyl tubing filled with silicone sealant to close the gap at the top of the glass. This will have the additional benefit of giving me something to grab onto when I'm lifting the glass out.

As I'm writing this, I realize that this may be difficult for you to picture, so feel free to ask me to explain further, and thanks, in advance, for your time and consideration.

I don't think this looks bad at all. I will say, and take this with a grain of salt, those LEDs might be a tad much. The way my windows are in my reptile room allow me to skip enclosure lighting. My crew gets just natural light all day so like I said, take that with a grain of salt you may be fine.

Just remember that if you get a hatchling, it's going to be tiny. Like I was surpised how small mine was when I brought him home and even now he's barely as big around as my index finger. I know you already have a plan to fill in all those little spaces, but just be sure to double check them because these guys are small and stupid strong for their size. The only other thing I would suggest if you're going to try to put one directly into this, is clutter it up really really well so it'll feel secure. I started my guy off in a 10 gallon and he did really well, but have since moved him into a 20 gallon long and I don't see him outgrowing it anytime soon. To be honest though, I like your set up and might look into building one myself when the time comes for an upgrade.

The LEDs provide a wide range of lighting options. From bright white, pictured here, to dark red. I use the bright white to clean. Dark red to check on my snake at night. Mostly, I just leave them off. The room gets a lot of natural light.

My plan is to not leave any gaps that even a tiny snake can conceivably fit through. Then, I'll watch him like a hawk because I'm aware that snakes often do inconceivable things.

At this point, I don't know what I'm getting so I'm trying to modify the enclosure so that it's suitable for anything from a hatchling to an adult. Once I know, then I'll post another thread seeking advice on the furnishings, but I expect it to include a lot of clutter.

Please reassure me that the plywood has been water-proofed & thoroughly sealed? I do like the "double-decker" design- many snakes love that option, and it's more like what they'd experience in the great outdoors. Just like a house with a relatively small "foot-print", multiple stories greatly increase the living space (square footage). :gj:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Please reassure me that the plywood has been water-proofed & thoroughly sealed? I do like the "double-decker" design- many snakes love that option, and it's more like what they'd experience in the great outdoors. Just like a house with a relatively small "foot-print", multiple stories greatly increase the living space (square footage). :gj:

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I'm sorry to say that it is neither waterproofed nor sealed. Please enlighten me as to their importance.

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Originally Posted by Homebody

I'm sorry to say that it is neither waterproofed nor sealed. Please enlighten me as to their importance.

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Wood is porous & absorbs all kinds of bacteria, mold, etc. Basically you're exposing the next occupant to anything that the previous one had, plus it allows new pathogens to build up. It's really not sanitary unless well-coated with something non-toxic so it can no longer absorb everything, including fecal material.

Also, plywood off-gases toxic fumes, which are far more dangerous to a small animal that's breathing them all the time. Plywood is made in layers that are bonded together for strength- it's very useful for furniture & buildings- which at least are open to the air- but it's best to minimize exposure whenever you can- it's the adhesives/glues bonding the layers that are the chemical issue. Used to be that plywood off-gassed a fair amount of formaldehyde but they're finally cracking down on that IF it was made in the U.S. after 2018, but that's not saying there aren't OTHER things used that may be harmful to small creatures kept inside. Also, it apparently still off-gasses SOME formaldehyde, because the law only says it can't be excessive (ie. over a certain amount) and believe me, they didn't test it for snake safety. ;) They're only worried about human safety, & we're much bigger & better able to withstand such things- plus, we're not living in boxes made of uncoated plywood with minimal ventilation. The regulations relate to safety for how it's typically used.

Plywood splinters are another concern. I've gotten my share :( but your snake can't complain to you, much less remove them or treat their own wounds.

BTW, nearly all furniture finishing products (stains & coatings) are toxic to snakes, but there ARE some safe ones that are safe once fully dry. You want "NO VOC"- read all products carefully. (VOC = volatile organic compounds, ie. volatile means it's going to be off-gassing so you or your pets will be breathing it for a long time. Okay?) I've used a pet-safe clear waterproofing product before, but don't recall the brand now, it's been many years. (Others here have also.) It's best to let coated wood cabinets dry & air out for as long as possible, even when it's says "NO voc", just to be on the safe side. Glass is just so much simpler...:D But in the past, I've both stained & finished my own furniture & modified wood cabinets for some of my snakes too, just not with the same stuff!

It's held together with screws, so it shouldn't be too difficult to disassemble and treat. Curing will be a problem because I live in an apartment and I don't have an outdoor space, but I'll guess I'll figure out something.

Not even a patio?

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Not even a patio?

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No patio, no deck, no lawn, no garage, no utility room, no basement, no attic. All the work has to be done in my living/dining room. I might be able to get away with treating the wood in my local park and letting it cure there for a few hours.

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Originally Posted by Homebody

No patio, no deck, no lawn, no garage, no utility room, no basement, no attic. All the work has to be done in my living/dining room. I might be able to get away with treating the wood in my local park and letting it cure there for a few hours.

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I can understand the aggravation with this. Before I got married I lived in a little one bedroom and the "patio" I had was this tiny slab of concrete that came off a sliding glass door about 6 inches. Couldn't do anything back there, which is why I always had to buy glass enclosures. I'm sure you'll be able to find a spot to take care of this.

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Originally Posted by Hugsplox

I can understand the aggravation with this. Before I got married I lived in a little one bedroom and the "patio" I had was this tiny slab of concrete that came off a sliding glass door about 6 inches. Couldn't do anything back there, which is why I always had to buy glass enclosures. I'm sure you'll be able to find a spot to take care of this.

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Sure, I will. Us DIYers are a resourceful bunch.

Your setup looks good so far, especially after your clarifications about how you intend to handle the LED lights. Be aware that red lights are many, many, many times brighter than natural moonlight so they can be stressful even when just briefly used. If you really need to check on your snake at night it'd probably be lower stress to just flick on the regular blue LED.

The guy from 'Talking Serpents' in the video below makes DIY wood and PVC enclosures. I don't personally have any of them, but folks I know who do have them, have nothing but positive comments. He posted this to answer all of the questions he gets about the best options and methods used to safely and effectively seal and cure wood enclosures.

As an aside, I DO have a couple of his snake hooks, and they are excellent. Not that you'll need a hook for an Antaresia, but just in case others are reading.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3jw...alkingserpents

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Originally Posted by Caitlin

Your setup looks good so far, especially after your clarifications about how you intend to handle the LED lights. Be aware that red lights are many, many, many times brighter than natural moonlight so they can be stressful even when just briefly used. If you really need to check on your snake at night it'd probably be lower stress to just flick on the regular blue LED.

The guy from 'Talking Serpents' in the video below makes DIY wood and PVC enclosures. I don't personally have any of them, but folks I know who do have them, have nothing but positive comments. He posted this to answer all of the questions he gets about the best options and methods used to safely and effectively seal and cure wood enclosures.

As an aside, I DO have a couple of his snake hooks, and they are excellent. Not that you'll need a hook for an Antaresia, but just in case others are reading.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3jw...alkingserpents

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That video was just what I needed to see. Thanks.

Ok. I feel like I have a plan. Thanks to all of you for your input. To be honest, I was a little nervous posting my plan for the community's review, but I'm so glad I did. The cost of the project went up a little bit but I'm more confident that my snake's new home will be one he'll thrive in.

I put two coats of polyurethane on it this weekend. It should have plenty of time to cure before I put a snake in it. I need Santa to bring me the rest of the stuff I need to complete the enclosure.

A word of warning to the unwary: Heed the warning label regarding proper ventilation. I didn't and got a nasty headache.

Santa came early, so I was able to complete my modifications.
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...5/dsc03344.jpg
I had planned to rest the shelf on aluminum angles. Unfortunately, that exposed gaps between the shelf and the sides. It wasn't something a snake could escape through, but I thought he might hurt himself trying. I used aluminum c-channels instead.https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...5/dsc03345.jpg

I also decided to use PVC for the shelf rather than melamine. I hear melamine is heavy and tricky to cut. I also thought the PVC would be more water-resistant. My idea of using vinyl tubing filled with silicone sealant to close the gap at the top of the glass did not work. The tube I bought was curved. When I tried to straighten it, it created wrinkles and gaps through which the wet silicone oozed. What a mess! So, I tried v seal weatherstrip, but that wrinkled as well. I was also worried that I might be too flimsy. I ultimately settled on vinyl door weatherstrip. It's a little tight, but better too tight than too loose.

Overall, I'm satisfied I've created an enclosure that will keep my new snake healthy. The next step is to buy the snake. Once I have a little more money saved, I'll start a new thread seeking your assistance with that. Thanks again to you all.

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Originally Posted by Homebody

...I also decided to use PVC for the shelf rather than melamine. I hear melamine is heavy and tricky to cut...

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Melamine IS heavy & just wretched to cut! :taz: I once tried a long time ago- gave up on that idea, lol.

But just like you're doing- if at first you don't succeed, try another way- there's more than one way to get the results you need. :gj: Just part of the creative process...;)

I've added furnishings:
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...urnishings.jpg
The warm hide is on the left. It's built from a piece of cast iron water pipe sitting on a novelty cast iron frying pan and topped with a piece of slate. The cast iron modulates the temperature fluctuations caused by the on/off thermostat. A pulse proportional thermostat is high on my wish list. The cool hide on the right is just a stone mug with a cracked handle. In the back along the rear wall is a wire tunnel covered in fake foliage. It covers the entrance to the terrarium and will allow my snake to traverse the length of the terrarium under cover. The climbing branch was harvested from my local park, washed, dried and coated with 3 coats of polyurethane. I found the bench on the right in the garbage. I cleaned it and coated it with polyurethane. The fake flowers hold the probe of the thermostat that controls the RHP. The water bowl in the center is plastic. It has a wide flat bottom to keep it from tipping. Golum is a decoration that also gives the snake something to hold onto if he decides to take a bath. The lights are there just to take the picture. They are not a permanent part of the terrarium.
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...urnishings.jpg
The substrate in the tub is 2-3 inches of shredded paper. The water bowl is a stainless steel tray. I've found that if I put more than an ounce of water in the tray, the humidity in the tub reaches 90%. An ounce keeps the humidity around 60%. The porous stone is to aid with shedding. The hide on the left is obviously a milk carton and the one on the right is an overturned fruit bowl. He'll have to burrow to get into the fruit bowl but I'm sure he'll manage it.

Let me know what you think. I plan to pick up the snake on March 5th, so I have time to make corrections. Thanks.

Marvelous job! It appears to me that you covered all the bases. You obviously have skills as a diy. Congrats, the enclosure really is eye catching. I know I couldn’t do this type of building. My reptile room is a group of store bought racks that are stacked. I do have to swap out some old heat tape in a couple of my racks. So I will have a few diy projects soon. Thanks for the continuous explanations as you progressed on this project. Grats. :bow:

Just off the cuff here, but I'm not sure that using a milk carton for a hide is a good idea. Milk cartons are generally wax-coated cardboard- which is soft enough to make it difficult (or maybe impossible?) to completely wash out, & milk, as we all know, can spoil, so I'd be afraid of such a container holding a bit of moisture + bacteria to which your new little friend won't have been previously exposed to. How will you even know if he defecates inside it? I'd find another cardboard box to modify & use, personally.

I'd also use a real (small) bowl of some kind for him to drink from. Water evaporates much more when it's spread out like that in the tray- that's fine for just adding humidity but I wouldn't expect him to drink form that- & you'd have to be checking it all the time to make sure it's not evaporated, leaving him with NO water, & all that checking will be stressful, for him, at least. ;)

Not so sure about the overturned bowl either- that's not an obvious place to dash for cover with no visual door. I'd modify a small inverted cardboard box, personally, or a plastic food container.

I'd rate your tub as "room for improvement"-;) (I haven't assessed the first photo yet.)

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Originally Posted by Homebody

I've added furnishings:
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...urnishings.jpg
The warm hide is on the left. It's built from a piece of cast iron water pipe sitting on a novelty cast iron frying pan and topped with a piece of slate. The cast iron modulates the temperature fluctuations caused by the on/off thermostat. A pulse proportional thermostat is high on my wish list. The cool hide on the right is just a stone mug with a cracked handle. In the back along the rear wall is a wire tunnel covered in fake foliage. It covers the entrance to the terrarium and will allow my snake to traverse the length of the terrarium under cover. The climbing branch was harvested from my local park, washed, dried and coated with 3 coats of polyurethane. I found the bench on the right in the garbage. I cleaned it and coated it with polyurethane. The fake flowers hold the probe of the thermostat that controls the RHP. The water bowl in the center is plastic. It has a wide flat bottom to keep it from tipping. Golum is a decoration that also gives the snake something to hold onto if he decides to take a bath. The lights are there just to take the picture. They are not a permanent part of the terrarium....

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At first glance, it looks like fun for a snake, BUT- the wide open cup "hide" is not a hide- it's way too open- a snake will NOT feel hidden or safe in there. It's the equivalent of a half-round tree bark "hide" that also doesn't "hide" a snake either. At most, both are "cage furniture"- things to explore. A cardboard tube from a roll of paper towels would be a better "cool hide" for a tiny hatchling- & you can stuff some paper towel in one end so there's only one open end ("door"), then bury it most of the way in the paper shreds substrate.

About the slate-topped pan: can the slate slide off? If it can, a little constrictor pulling on it to climb can get crushed & injured/killed under it- & sooner or later, he'll be big enough or strong enough to do that. Any sharp edges on the water pipe section? Can't see it well enough to know about the size of the "doorway"- remember that hides need to provide privacy. Not too big, no "high ceilings", & a relatively small doorway. Being cast iron doesn't sound like anything a snake can tip or move, but it's deadly if your grip ever slips when picking it up- just saying. Good for heat retention though- just not "sure about it" for reasons given.

Also- many cast iron fry pans have a hole in the handle- again, not seeing it, but if it does, sooner or later your snake might get stuck in that hole, & there will be NO way to safely cut him free of it. Just saying...snakes think of everything to get into. Yours will never get stuck in the cup-handle, but you have to think of everything before they do. ;)

"Golum" in the water bowl is cute, but WILL be climbed on & tipped over -just saying; how heavy is it? Is it hollow? (Snakes might find the opening to be intriguing & then get stuck inside, or hurt on unfinished edges. And I wouldn't glue it into the water bowl, as that would be impossible to keep clean- many snakes like to defecate in the water bowl.

I do like the bench & branch. :gj: Also the vine-covered tunnel & flowers on the probe wire (which he will also climb on so make sure it's not going to move).

In the tub, rather than just having some water spread out like that for humidity, either use a wet sponge or some soaked sphagnum moss instead. Effective for humidity & MUCH more practical. And add a real water bowl, of course.

BTW, is the cup glued in place? If so, it's not practical to clean (snakes often defecate in hard to reach crevices), but if not, it could fall ON him. So re-think using that where it is, at least.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Just off the cuff here, but I'm not sure that using a milk carton for a hide is a good idea. Milk cartons are generally wax-coated cardboard- which is soft enough to make it difficult (or maybe impossible?) to completely wash out, & milk, as we all know, can spoil, so I'd be afraid of such a container holding a bit of moisture + bacteria to which your new little friend won't have been previously exposed to. How will you even know if he defecates inside it? I'd find another cardboard box to modify & use, personally.

I'd also use a real (small) bowl of some kind for him to drink from. Water evaporates much more when it's spread out like that in the tray- that's fine for just adding humidity but I wouldn't expect him to drink form that- & you'd have to be checking it all the time to make sure it's not evaporated, leaving him with NO water, & all that checking will be stressful, for him, at least. ;)

Not so sure about the overturned bowl either- that's not an obvious place to dash for cover with no visual door. I'd modify a small inverted cardboard box, personally, or a plastic food container.

I'd rate your tub as "room for improvement"-;) (I haven't assessed the first photo yet.)

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I don't have a lot invested in the milk carton, so I don't mind letting that go. I don't want to invest in hides until he arrives and I have a sense of how large he is, so I've been looking for food containers that would serve in the short term. I'll find another one.

I don't have a lot invested in the stainless steel tray either. I found it on the side of the road. I thought it would make a great water bowl. It's difficult to turn over. It's easy to clean. It's large enough to soak in. Then I tried it out and the humidity level went through the roof. The tub is way better at retaining humidity than I realized. I was so disappointed I suppose I'm still trying to find a way to make it work. A water bowl small enough to keep humidity levels down will be too easy to tip. I figure I'll use it a humidity bowl. It's great for that. It'll keep me from having to mist the paper shreds. If I ever do need to jack the humidity way up it's nice to know I'll have an easy way to do that. My snake can use the water bowl in the terrarium to drink from and soak in.

The fruit bowl was another disappointment I'm repurposing. It was originally a water bowl but I immediately noticed that it's too easy to tip. This is just my original set up. Once I have a chance to observe how my snake uses it, I'll modify it (no doubt extensively) to meet his particular tastes. Thanks for taking the time to give me feedback. I really appreciate it.

I hope it doesn't feel like I'm too critical of your efforts- I really just want to keep you out of trouble with your new tiny snake, by giving you the benefit of my years of experience w/ tiny :snake:s.

It's not necessary to invest in tiny hides for snakes that they'll outgrow- I'm a big fan of using all sorts of clean & dry cardboard boxes- snakes do outgrow them, & a Children's python will take a long time. But cardboard can't be washed either, so keep that in mind- when they're dirty, they're trash. Probably fit in a Jello box at first, or a pasta box, lol. You learn to save these things when you open food packages. ;)

They enjoy cardboard tubes from paper towel rolls also, but keep in mind, you can't lift it up to locate or remove the snake quickly, so that's a slight drawback. BTW, snakes cannot really get "stuck" in those either, though sometimes they can appear to be, it's mostly because they don't WANT to come out- but all you have to do is tear the cardboard tube along the spiral diagonal line where it's put together, & voila! you have the snake! :D (the tube is toast)

BTW, I've never used "tubs" to house snakes. But if there's too much humidity- you need more air-holes. (you can always cover them later from the outside if too much). But what are you making the ventilation holes with? Your snake will be quite tiny so they can get stuck in a pretty small hole- even if they can't go all the way thru, they can be injured or worse. I would ask the source of the snake what size hole they recommend? (the maximum size that the snake WON'T fit thru) When I got my yearling spotted python, she was still pretty small but she moved right into an aquarium with screen mesh top- if she felt nervous or lost, it was never apparent.

Water bowls should ALWAYS be flat-bottomed so they cannot be tipped. ;) I'd give you some if you were nearby, lol. Pet stores sell them (ceramic or plastic) but you can find suitable things in thrift stores too- such as a ramekin> > > https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/s...vzQIo&usqp=CAc
I mostly use glass bowls- not a plastic fan, & pet store bowls are usually over-priced- many "human bowls" are fine.

Tweak on...:D (tweak should be my middle name, lol) I appreciate your creativity, but I know this snake will be much different than you're used to.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

At first glance, it looks like fun for a snake, BUT- the wide open cup "hide" is not a hide- it's way too open- a snake will NOT feel hidden or safe in there. It's the equivalent of a half-round tree bark "hide" that also doesn't "hide" a snake either. At most, both are "cage furniture"- things to explore. A cardboard tube from a roll of paper towels would be a better "cool hide" for a tiny hatchling- & you can stuff some paper towel in one end so there's only one open end ("door"), then bury it most of the way in the paper shreds substrate.

About the slate-topped pan: can the slate slide off? If it can, a little constrictor pulling on it to climb can get crushed & injured/killed under it- & sooner or later, he'll be big enough or strong enough to do that. Any sharp edges on the water pipe section? Can't see it well enough to know about the size of the "doorway"- remember that hides need to provide privacy. Not too big, no "high ceilings", & a relatively small doorway. Being cast iron doesn't sound like anything a snake can tip or move, but it's deadly if your grip ever slips when picking it up- just saying. Good for heat retention though- just not "sure about it" for reasons given.

Also- many cast iron fry pans have a hole in the handle- again, not seeing it, but if it does, sooner or later your snake might get stuck in that hole, & there will be NO way to safely cut him free of it. Just saying...snakes think of everything to get into. Yours will never get stuck in the cup-handle, but you have to think of everything before they do. ;)

"Golum" in the water bowl is cute, but WILL be climbed on & tipped over -just saying; how heavy is it? Is it hollow? (Snakes might find the opening to be intriguing & then get stuck inside, or hurt on unfinished edges. And I wouldn't glue it into the water bowl, as that would be impossible to keep clean- many snakes like to defecate in the water bowl.

I do like the bench & branch. :gj: Also the vine-covered tunnel & flowers on the probe wire (which he will also climb on so make sure it's not going to move).

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The Children's Python that I'm getting is an 80 gram sub-adult. I don't have any experience with anything that small so it's tough for me to vision how how well he'll fit in the hides that I have for him. The mug is pretty deep but I can't imagine him in it. If he barely fits, I agree he won't feel secure. If he's able to coil up far enough away from the entrance, I think he may feel secure enough. I've heard Antaresia are fearless.

The slate on top of the water pipe is secure. My BP never moved it and he was much larger. Is it too large. Again, I don't think so, but I'll need to see him in it. Good point about the frying pan. It does have a whole in the handle. Probably too small for the snake to even attempt to fit through, but at least until I see him for myself, it comes out.

Golum's solid but not heavy enough to crush a snake even if he does tip it. I'm particularly proud of the wire tunnel, so I'm glad you like it. The probe is twist tied to the flower, so he can't knock it off. Can he move it? I suppose he can. If he does I'll find another way secure it where it needs to be.

All the furnishings are subject to my snake's approval. He doesn't use the cool hide. It's gone. Moves the slate on the warm hide even a little. It's gone. Keeps tipping Golum. Gone. Again, thanks for taking the time. I really appreciate it.

Frying pan hole: the other option is to permanently glue something inside the hole. I'm betting he'd fit in it, that's why I'm concerned. Always remember snakes are NOT logical about fitting all the way thru things- plenty are killed that way, when they get stuck & cannot back out because their directional scales prevent them from doing so- they "catch" on whatever the snake is stuck in.

And you can never trust pet stores NOT to sell you things that look 'cool' but are dangerous for at least some pets, like those "fake skulls" with many holes where some snakes can get stuck.

You might ask the seller for an estimate of the snake's length- to give you a better idea of his head size & all. While you're asking about the size of air holes...;)

I love tiny snakes & they do grow, eventually, but you have to be prepared for the differences in housing them. I have lots of practice with tiny snakes- I've raised plenty of corn snakes etc., whose heads are about the size of a sunflower seed. Remember that snakes are soft enough to smoosh their way into holes, especially air holes with enticing odors "elsewhere" in the room- they just like to explore, which is why they're fun to watch. But we have to do their thinking for them, lol.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

BTW, is the cup glued in place? If so, it's not practical to clean (snakes often defecate in hard to reach crevices), but if not, it could fall ON him. So re-think using that where it is, at least.

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The cup is now secured with a piece of twine. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

In the tub, rather than just having some water spread out like that for humidity, either use a wet sponge or some soaked sphagnum moss instead. Effective for humidity & MUCH more practical. And add a real water bowl, of course.

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I'll give a sponge a try and I'll keep my eye out for a small water dish, maybe something with a suction cup on it so the snake won't knock it over.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I hope it doesn't feel like I'm too critical of your efforts- I really just want to keep you out of trouble with your new tiny snake, by giving you the benefit of my years of experience w/ tiny :snake:s.

BTW, I've never used "tubs" to house snakes. But if there's too much humidity- you need more air-holes.

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Like anyone, I can get defensive when someone criticizes my efforts. But unlike some, I can step back and ask myself, "Is she right though?" So fire away. I asked for it.
So far I've been able to regulate the humidity by limiting the amount of water I put in there. If I have to drill holes, I'll be careful.

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Originally Posted by Homebody

I'll give a sponge a try and I'll keep my eye out for a small water dish, maybe something with a suction cup on it so the snake won't knock it over.

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:gj: & again, don't worry with a flat-bottom bowl- that's really all you need. (Besides, I don't think you'll FIND one with a suction cup on the bottom- :D)

Also, if you're putting the bowl inside that metal thing with the sponge, it won't even matter if it spills.

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Originally Posted by Homebody

Like anyone, I can get defensive when someone criticizes my efforts. But unlike some, I can step back and ask myself, "Is she right though?" So fire away. I asked for it.
So far I've been able to regulate the humidity by limiting the amount of water I put in there. If I have to drill holes, I'll be careful.

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Criticizing is never what I'm about (& it's actually fun to see what other ideas you came up with) but keeping your new little snake out of dangerous situations is. Until you've kept them for a while, they're going to think of many things that you never did, & some of those "things" can potentially hurt them. I'm always "thinking outside the box" too- that's why I like roaming thru home improvement-hardware stores & thrift stores. There's so many ways to do things. ;)

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Frying pan hole: the other option is to permanently glue something inside the hole.

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Great idea! I'll try filling it with silicone.

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Originally Posted by Homebody

Great idea! I'll try filling it with silicone.

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:gj: I've done the same thing with some nice driftwood that had a "dangerous" hole- Actually, I glued a small cork into it (it matched the wood color) but just the silicone will work too.

Speaking of "snake toys", one thing I've never tried (yet!) is giving a "Pet Hol-EE Roller dog toy" to a small snake (one that won't get anywhere NEAR stuck in the equal-sized openings) as something to climb in- it might be fun to suspend it also.

Note-they come in various sizes. :D https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcos...roller-dog-toy https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/s...l-r6Q&usqp=CAc

BPs have large heads & wider bodies, so I've never suggested it here before- but for small pythons like Antaresia or rat snakes of all kinds, it would be fine- good exercise, in fact.

BTW, I didn't think this up- I've heard from a friend about others giving these to their small snakes, & it sounds like a fun idea for them. You just have to remember to remove it (give it to a dog or cat to play with) when the snake begins to out-grow it. Cage furnishings for snakes are mostly never "permanent" anyway- just like WE don't keep the same furniture for life either. ;)

Like a jungle gym for snakes...some kinds have more "privacy" too: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcos...otball-dog-toy

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/s...G-stw&usqp=CAc
BTW, I'd suggest ONLY buying these in person- to double check the size of the HOLES compared to the width of your snake (with a meal on board)- not so much the overall size of the ball, but just to ensure your snake fits EASILY thru the holes. I'd guess only the largest ones would be suitable. Goes without saying that these are only for the snake to climb in- no bouncing or rolling the snake! :colbert:

I don't think your set up is bad but Boger makes some really good points and she's been keeping these smaller pythons way longer than I have, so take that good advice and run with it. I will say with the roller toys, I actually picked one of these up from my local Petsmart and my guy spends a ton of time on it. Gives you some more climbing room without adding something giant to the enclosure. The only downside about them is if you wanted to do a more naturalistic enclosure, these stick out like a sore thumb. For me I don't mind I just like the enrichment option for the snake, but just an obvious thing to keep in mind.

Personally aside from what Boger mentioned, I'd like to see some more climbing surfaces in there. You do have several options but I promise if you add more branches the snake WILL use them. I thought at first that I had too much but the more I watch our spotted python the more I noticed how much he uses every climbing surface in the enclosure.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hugsplox

Personally aside from what Boger mentioned, I'd like to see some more climbing surfaces in there. You do have several options but I promise if you add more branches the snake WILL use them. I thought at first that I had too much but the more I watch our spotted python the more I noticed how much he uses every climbing surface in the enclosure.

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I'll keep an eye out for a thin branch to run from the left rear bottom corner to the right front top corner. I need to be careful with climbing surfaces on the left of the enclosure. I don't want anything that will allow him to get too close to the RHP, and the RHP covers a full third of the terrarium.

I'm glad Hugsplox mentioned that you might want to add more climbing opportunities- I thought so too, but I figured your new snake might be a bit shy at first anyway- but yes, they seem to LOVE natural branches- straight things (like wooden dowels) not so much. You can add things -it doesn't all have to be there right from day one. I think some snakes (especially these & also rat snakes) enjoy "new furniture" to explore & climb on, as opposed to being upset by "changes".

4 days until my new arrival. For your review and comment, I've attached pictures and a brief description of my current enclosure furnishings.
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...ngs_403455.jpg
Warm side hide=black plastic bowl 7" in diameter x 2" deep w/slate cover; Cool side sky hide=same bowl secured to the ceiling; white water bowl 8.5" in diameter x 3" deep w/Golum statuette; 3 climbing branches coated in polyurethane (2 cross in the center and one runs along the back wall); 1 wire tunnel covered in fake foliage; 1 green paper tunnel with leaf stencil; 1 fake flower branch to hold the RHP thermostat probe; all the above on repticarpet.
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...ngs_123849.jpg
Two circular black plastic hides measuring 7" in diameter x 2" high; one water bowl of the same description with porous stone; one Accurite thermometer/hydrometer; on 3" of shredded paper substrate. Thank you for your time and consideration.

That is truly a amazing enclosure you put together. Grats on the planning and the final product. :D

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Originally Posted by Homebody

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...ngs_403455.jpg

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Oh! Forgot the wood bench. It's 19"x9.5"x10" and coated in polyurethane.

:gj: I like it & I'm pretty sure your new snake will too.

Looks great Homebody, you did a fantastic job with this. I'm sure your little python will be comfortable in this.

I like this enclosure - it has so many things that a curious, active Antaresia can engage with. If I remember your plans correctly you should have your new snake by now, so I will really be looking forward to updates!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Caitlin

If I remember your plans correctly you should have your new snake by now, so I will really be looking forward to updates!

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He arrived yesterday and he's settling in. I'll start a progression thread once I have some decent pics. My first impression, "He's so small!"

But if he's anything at all like the Antaresia python I have (a "Spotted" python rather than Children's) he THINKS big! :snake: When my little python first arrived, she cruised her new home for a while & checked it all out before settling in. I hope you have the same experience with your little cutie.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

But if he's anything at all like the Antaresia python I have (a "Spotted" python rather than Children's) he THINKS big! :snake: When my little python first arrived, she cruised her new home for a while & checked it all out before settling in. I hope you have the same experience with your little cutie.

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I give him three climbing branches, a large ledge and a sky hide. What's the first thing he climbs? The RHP cord.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Homebody

I give him three climbing branches, a large ledge and a sky hide. What's the first thing he climbs? The RHP cord.

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:rofl: Maybe he thought he was on a date? :rofl: Snakes never follow directions...;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Homebody

I give him three climbing branches, a large ledge and a sky hide. What's the first thing he climbs? The RHP cord.

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I don't even want to say what I've spent on nice hides, climbing branches, and other enrichment sources for my Children's Pythons. And what is consistently the Very Favorite Thing in their enclosures? A cardboard tube from a roll of paper towels.