help with setup!

hello all!this is my first post.i was wanting opinions about the setup i have now.i have a 20L tank 2 limbs to get on,one real one fake,2 coconut hides a lil water bowl a fake plant and a 60 watt blacklight.i have a basking light but i think it gets too hot.here are some pics.please feel free to criticize.thank you!
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<a href="http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n228/pinhigh/?action=view&current=Picture046.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n228/pinhigh/Picture046.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n228/pinhigh/?action=view&current=Picture053-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n228/pinhigh/Picture053-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Use the IMG code from photobucket.
But it sounds like you are heading in the right direction.

can i edit the first post or should i just put up the pics on a reply?thanks!

here are the pictures,hopefully
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n...cture044-1.jpg
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n...Picture045.jpg
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n...Picture046.jpg
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n...cture053-1.jpg

I really like those synthetic palm trees.

i do too as well as the snake but man does he mess it up
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n...Picture020.jpg

I just have a couple of suggestions. Are you measuring your temps and humidity with only those analogue thermometer and hygrometers? I would definitely recommend getting a digital thermometer. One of the most recommended, and the type that I use, is an accurite from Walmart. You can find them in the hardware section and they cost around 12$. They are definitely much more accurate in measuring the temps (I believe one or two people have posted pics on how off the analogue ones can be) and they measure humidity as well. I use them in all of my enclosures!!

Are you using the carpet or the mulch?? I noticed it changed in the pics. I would definitely stick with the mulch and not use the carpet. The carpet is just seemingly so hard to get really clean, but I have a thing against carpet in general.... I just got rid of all of mine in my house even!! LOL....

Otherwise it looks really nice!!! And your snake is definitely a cutie!!!:)

Awesome tank!!! Ditto what Pam said about the Accurite; the dials you have are inaccurate and they are also too high in your tank- remember, the snake lives on the floor and you're measuring temps half way up the tank!! :P
Also, lots of people cover the sides and back of the tank with dark paper, dark cloth, jungle print cloth (plant print), anything that allows for the snake to believe that they are safe and secure in a small space. So, covering your tank will go a long way in establishing your snake's sense of security :)
Other than that, and like I mentioned, it looks great!! Oh yes, how are you regulating the heat? I only ask because I don't see a t'stat gauge :rolleyes:
Looks good so far!! :D

Yep, I'm too slow. :)

What they said! Cover the back and sides with an opaque background of some sort, and then you might add cork or house foam board for insulation since glass does not hold heat without help. DUMP the little round thermometer things, they are crap, and get yourself a digital, preferably with probe for more accuracy. And I hope you ditched the reptile carpet; it is a haven for bacteria and very hard to clean. Aspen is the greatest.

I have the palm tree thing as well in my tank and she loves it:
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...tank_front.jpg

I love that driftwood piece you have! Wish I could find one that shape.

Where would I find a synthetic palm tree like that? It looks very good. All I have is fake ficus vine.

would it be ok to use the carpet if i change it every month?i couldnt seem to keep the humidity up with the aspen.and im definately workin on a digi thermometer.

I wouldn't use the carpet except maybe for changing and disinfecting weekly and for then only until you find a suitable replacement. Have you tried some of the other substrates that other members use: cyprus, coconut husk, etc?
And, hating to sound like a broken record, have you given consideration to a reptile cage...? :D

i got mine from petco,ive seen them at petsmart as well.they come with rubberbands holding the leaves so it will prolly look a lil different on the shelf.

are you talkin about the cage that goes on top of the glass tank i have now?if so yes i have thought of it but money is short.also scares me that it will fall and get hurt,pretty clumsy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Butters420

are you talkin about the cage that goes on top of the glass tank i have now?if so yes i have thought of it but money is short.also scares me that it will fall and get hurt,pretty clumsy.

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I'm referring to this: http://www.reptilebasics.com/2x3-Cag...h-p-16286.html

wow!i like that alot,but no way can i afford that now maybe wen the tax rebate comes.:)

The carpet is absolutely disgusting. Use newspaper or paper towels ONCE and you will see how much urine they actually put out. All of that urine and other liquids is going under the carpet and sitting there in the heat and humidity, creating a petri-dish of bacteria that your snake is having to lay on. Bacteria plus wet equals scale rot. You can't just clean something like that once a month and hope it turns out ok.

Either use newspaper, paper towels, aspen, cypress mulch, coconut fiber(the brick that you add water to-too messy and too wet IMHO), or indented kraft paper. Once you see how much they really urinate, you'll understand why people use a bedding that is easy to change out and inexpensive. When it's clean, it's clean. Clean doesn't mean picking up what feces or urates you see and being done with it. Cleaning is taking out ALL of the substrate, cleaning the tub, wiping the tub(or enclosure) with a disinfectant, and replacing the substrate.

Definitely find something other than that carpet, like Becky said. When I got my second BP and she went straight into a tub enclosure with newspaper I was almost shocked to see that they really urinate that much!!

When I had my tank enclosure I used either cypress mulch (the majority of the time), or the chunks of coconut bark. Both of those worked really well in helping to boost humidity. You still have to mist on occasion. I never had good luck keeping up the humidity with aspen either.

Also, have you covered the top of your lid to help trap in the humidity? And are you only using the light as heat? That will suck out the humidity also!!