Don't try this at home

I know I will probably rattle a few cages with this post, but I'm just curious if anyone (experienced) has ever figured out a BP set-up that maintains nearly perfect temps and humidity without using a thermostat?

I have my favorite BP (Lucy) in such an enclosure. I keep my baby in there because I know that in the event of an unexpected emergency the temperatures and humidity will not change enough to harm her.

Don't get me wrong. I am a firm believer in thermostats for all my other snakes, and I think everyone should use them.

Well, lets think of it this way...

How will you KNOW without a thermostat, that the temps and humidity are perfect all the time?

Because it's been set up that way for six months and I check the temps and humidity every day (two or three times) and they are always spot on.

I guess you could consider anyone who has a room devoted to snakes to have this kind of set up... I mean isnt it impossible to have a heat pad that only gets 92 degrees without a thermostat? Isnt it a fair statement to make that all heat pads will get above 100 without a thermostat? ... My snake room is set to keep my cool side temps around 80 so I have half the set up without a thermostat... but then again the heater I use has a built in thermostat so i guess it doesnt count :):)

Heather wouldnt an accurite tell you if your temps/humidity are correct w/o a thermostat?... I may have misunderstood your question

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Originally Posted by JoshJP7

Heather wouldnt an accurite tell you if your temps/humidity are correct w/o a thermostat?... I may have misunderstood your question

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Right, but fluxuations happen all the time uncontrolled..

How did you manage to get this "perfect" setup? What do you do? Pictures and a step by step would be nice. Not that I'm going to try it, but just because it would be interesting to see.

I am reluctant to post how I did it for obvious reasons. I was just curious if anyone else had figured it out. There are only very minor fluxuations because the room temperature is quite consistant. True, I couldn't do this in a room with a wide temperature swing.

So you have found the "perfect" BP setup with no fluxuations at all.

Wow, the hundreds of people who keep thousands of snakes, should come learn from you!

I think thats a little bold to say that you have the PERFECT set up. Be real.

What are the obvious reasons....?

Good job with your set up. There is more than one way to keep a ball python, and even many large breeders and keepers have their differences as far as what temperatures they think are optimal. If it works for your snake, go for it.

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Originally Posted by starmom

What are the obvious reasons....?

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Because it "obviously" ignores one of the many basics outlined in the care-sheets available. A constant "perfect" temperature and humidity (which are technically not constants in any enclosure) would indicate inadequate air exchange, temperature gradient, or any number of other possible fundamentals, and explaining how one would achieve such a setup would highlight the component that was ignored.

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Originally Posted by Rapture

Good job with your set up.

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I would seriously hold the Kudos until an explanation has been presented. This is like saying "Good job" to someone claiming to have perfected perpetual motion, but refusing to explain how they did it, or demonstrating the claim.

Well, I use rheostats in a room that's precisely heated with backup heat in case of a power outage. It would take a nuclear blast to sever the house's line from gas well to heater, to make my room go below its temperature! I would not recommend rheos to anyone who has an insecure base room temperature. So, yes, I maintain my snakes without a thermostat, technically. I swear by my Helix for my incubator though, because it is in a room that slightly fluctuates a few degrees.. can't fit it into my snake room.
So now I think that you should explain your method! Because I am a curious girl.

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Originally Posted by ctrlfreq

I would seriously hold the Kudos until an explanation has been presented. This is like saying "Good job" to someone claiming to have perfected perpetual motion, but refusing to explain how they did it, or demonstrating the claim.

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I have perfected perpetual inertia. Is this cool? :banana:

i dont understand the reason for this thread

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Originally Posted by Butters420

i dont understand the reason for this thread

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To help us realize that Cold-Fusion was actually not a hoax, and to believe in the perpetual motion machine.

JonV

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Originally Posted by Butters420

i dont understand the reason for this thread

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The OP wanted to start something and then she dropped it because it was ridiculous ;)

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Originally Posted by ctrlfreq

I would seriously hold the Kudos until an explanation has been presented. This is like saying "Good job" to someone claiming to have perfected perpetual motion, but refusing to explain how they did it, or demonstrating the claim.

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Perhaps I should have used a ";" instead of a "." there. That was not the end of my "Kudos."

My point is that as long as her snake is thriving, she is doing a good job.

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Originally Posted by nevohraalnavnoj

To help us realize that Cold-Fusion was actually not a hoax, and to believe in the perpetual motion machine.

JonV

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You know we never landed on the moon, right...:D

Ive been to Eugene Bessettes facility with thousands of snakes in racks and he uses no supplemental heat. The room is climate controlled only. He tries to stray people away from using items such as flexwatt and heat rope and hes be been breeding almost 30 years.

I think the issue here is that one way or another you are going to need a thermostat, unless you live in some magical place that has constant temperatures all year round. Whether in your house/facility or in the room the snakes are in or on their enclosures (or all of the above) it's pretty much impossible to get away without it.

JonV

OP, where art thou? :)

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Originally Posted by FIREball

Ive been to Eugene Bessettes facility with thousands of snakes in racks and he uses no supplemental heat. The room is climate controlled only. He tries to stray people away from using items such as flexwatt and heat rope and hes be been breeding almost 30 years.

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but wouldnt the climate controled room be controled by a thermostat? not a helix or herp but still a thermostat rite? and the OP is sayin none at all? im not sure bout this thread at all, wats the point?

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Originally Posted by naba2002

but wouldnt the climate controled room be controled by a thermostat? not a helix or herp but still a thermostat rite? and the OP is sayin none at all? im not sure bout this thread at all, wats the point?

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Exactly. Unless she lives somewhere that stays the same exact temperature... summer and winter... day and night... sun or rain... there is a thermostat.

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Originally Posted by naba2002

but wouldnt the climate controled room be controled by a thermostat? not a helix or herp but still a thermostat rite? and the OP is sayin none at all? im not sure bout this thread at all, wats the point?

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If you want to consider the facility being controled by a thermostat by the main HVAC than yes I am sorry. Yes they are controlled by a thermostat. Are they controled by a Helix or Herstat...NO!

Who says a ball python needs to be at a constant temperature year round or throughout the day at that matter? Why do you think they make night drop cords for the Helix or Herpstat ND (night drop)?

For me, it's not about constant temperature, it's about having control over a device that has the potential of shorting out and overheating. Overheating to the point of causing great harm to the animal inside the cage it is supposed to be heating, and possible harm to the house the cage is in if a fire decides to start.

My snakes could care less if there are slight fluctuations during the year, the keep on eating and doing what they're doing. Even if there aren't temp fluxes, you're going to have barometric changes and the snakes KNOW what time of year it is. Their internal clock always knows.

That thermostat could mean the life of your animal. It could mean the difference of your tank cracking or the tub melting. It could even mean the difference in saving your home from a potential fire. If that heat pad ever decided to short out or malfunction to the point of overheating, the thermostat it is connected to would turn off all power to it and alert you to the problem.

It's not about fluctuations.. It's about having control over a potential hazard that could cause harm to other people and animals. What's $75 to $100 to ensure that your investments, be it a single Ball Python(I bought a Herpstat 2 to protect my first Ball Python. I don't regret it one bit and she's here almost 5 years later because I took those precautions and kept her safe) or rooms full of 1000+ Ball Pythons worth in excess of a couple million dollars.

I don't care if a room stays perfectly stable year round, or if a heat pad doesn't malfunction after 6 months.. I care about not losing my animals or my house because I didn't want to spend $75 on a Johnson thermostat that could have prevented it.

Actually one of the things she likes about her set up is that her heating device is not strong enough to overheat her snake, unlike devices that require thermostats. If your thermostat fails, your snake cooks. Her heating device is already running on full power and has not become a danger to her snake.

And if a storm comes through and causes a power surge? That heat pad could easily overheat.

I don't see how anyone can condone not having any type of control on a heat source. AT LEAST get a dimmer or something and hook it up to a surge protector for your snake's sake. They're a whole $10. VPI uses dimmers that I know of..

We all know that even little 4" flexwatt that is what.. 6watts? can easily overheat and melt.

If she doesn't want to protect her snake, herself and her house, then by all means, go for it!

In that case couldn't she just keep it on a surge protector? I am sincerely not trying to be difficult, just wondering about that one.

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

And if a storm comes through and causes a power surge? That heat pad could easily overheat.

I don't see how anyone can condone not having any type of control on a heat source. AT LEAST get a dimmer or something and hook it up to a surge protector for your snake's sake. They're a whole $10. VPI uses dimmers that I know of..

We all know that even little 4" flexwatt that is what.. 6watts? can easily overheat and melt.

If she doesn't want to protect her snake, herself and her house, then by all means, go for it!

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I would definately Not condone not using a t-stat or rheostat! That is just asking for trouble in my opinion. The only reason that I mentioned that my general temperatures are the same year-round, is because I do use rhestats, and unless the ambient temps stay the same, those are not really safe. Let's say that a new keeper has their UTH hooked to a rheostat in your typical living room. Temps go from 65 to 75 overnight (this happens in the upstairs of this house on hot days when the heat isn't on.. no snakes up there though.) That rheo is going to possibly either cook the snake, or be inadequate and cause its temps to drop too low.
So technically, yes, I have the house's thermostat controlling my snake room. So no, I am not without a t-stat myself. I really want to see how the OP does things.. I will re-read the thread because I don't recall her explaining things.

OK, I re-read the thread, and I see no explanation by the OP. So this thread is pretty pointless in my opinion, unless she's just busy and hasn't had time to reply yet.
IMO, there are many ways to do things. But using Unregulated heating device is not one of those ways.

Is the OP 'Jenn' Jenn Harrison?

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Originally Posted by starmom

Is the OP 'Jenn' Jenn Harrison?

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Probably.

'Nuff said.

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Originally Posted by starmom

Is the OP 'Jenn' Jenn Harrison?

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No!

"no" as in not Jenn Harrison?
If this is correct, then the OP ought to follow up....

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Originally Posted by starmom

"no" as in not Jenn Harrison?
If this is correct, then the OP ought to follow up....

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NO, not Jen Harrison!

Great; then she might want to follow up and enlighten us! ;)

Hey just thought that I would add to this thread. I bought a BP about 6 months ago and it took awhile to get my setup the way I wanted it....which I would call perfect for me but maybe not to others. I have a 20 long with a heat pad on under his hide. I have a black light that hovers above the tank...yes just a cheap 2 dollar black light from wal-mart. My tank stays anywhere from 85 to 92 degrees but is usually at 89 degrees. For humidity I put some paper towels on the top of the tank and soak them in water. This way is acts as clouds above the hot tank and in return keeps the humidity between 40% - 50% at all times. My snake seems to love it, and he sheds about once a month and every time he shed's it is a complete shed nothing left over at all. Now again I call this perfect for me without using a thermostat but to others they may not like this method. So Jenn if it works for you that is great I'm glad you found it.

Hope the heat pad doesn't spike and cook your snake.

who is jenn harrision?

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=66163

WOW. I was reluctant to post how I did it because the tempratures in my house are quite consistant, and I didn't want to encourage such a set-up to beginners (or anyone really).

Here's the deal. I took a twenty long and a stand, and cut a piece of 1/2 inch plywood to fit on top of the stand (between the tank and the stand). Then I glued two strips of 3/8" wood along the front and back of the plywood (to elevate the tank)leaving the two ends open.

Next I drilled a 1 and 1/2" hole in the middle of the plywood for the heat pad cord to go through. The heat pad needs to be twice as large as normal. I used a heat pad designed for a 40 gallon tank. The heat pad now lays on the plywood, covering about half of it, with its cord going down through the hole in the middle.

Now the tank goes on top. With the recess in the bottom of the tank, and the additional 3/8 inch spacer strips on the front and back of the base, the tank now sits about 1/2" ABOVE the heat pad. I don't even peel the paper off the pad. It's key that air can flow between the heat pad and the tank bottom. Cool air comes in from the cool side and flows right out the warm side (BETWEEN the heat pad and the bottom of the tank).

Now the heat pad can be slid in or out a few inches from the end for fine-tuning of the tempratures.

The top is a piece of 1/4' plexiglass cut to fit exactly in the recessed top of the tank with about a dozen 1/4" holes drilled in the cool side and twice as many holes drilled in the warm side.

The set-up is insulated on top of the plexiglass (with holes cut above the air holes) and on three sides.

Everything else is the same as with any set-up.

I've had this set-up for six months and the temps and humidity run "nearly" as consistant as my thermostat controlled set-ups. But, like I said, the room temprature needs to be pretty consistant.

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Originally Posted by Jenn

WOW. I was reluctant to post how I did it because the tempratures in my house are quite consistant, and I didn't want to encourage such a set-up to beginners (or anyone really).

Here's the deal. I took a twenty long and a stand, and cut a piece of 1/2 inch plywood to fit on top of the stand (between the tank and the stand). Then I glued two strips of 3/8" wood along the front and back of the plywood (to elevate the tank)leaving the two ends open.

Next I drilled a 1 and 1/2" hole in the middle of the plywood for the heat pad cord to go through. The heat pad needs to be twice as large as normal. I used a heat pad designed for a 40 gallon tank. The heat pad now lays on the plywood, covering about half of it, with its cord going down through the hole in the middle.

Now the tank goes on top. With the recess in the bottom of the tank, and the additional 3/8 inch spacer strips on the front and back of the base, the tank now sits about 1/2" ABOVE the heat pad. I don't even peel the paper off the pad. It's key that air can flow between the heat pad and the tank bottom. Cool air comes in from the cool side and flows right out the warm side (BETWEEN the heat pad and the bottom of the tank).

Now the heat pad can be slid in or out a few inches from the end for fine-tuning of the tempratures.

The top is a piece of 1/4' plexiglass cut to fit exactly in the recessed top of the tank with about a dozen 1/4" holes drilled in the cool side and twice as many holes drilled in the warm side.

The set-up is insulated on top of the plexiglass (with holes cut above the air holes) and on three sides.

Everything else is the same as with any set-up.

I've had this set-up for six months and the temps and humidity run "nearly" as consistant as my thermostat controlled set-ups. But, like I said, the room temprature needs to be pretty consistant.

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Good luck!:gj:

I know several breeders that have hundreds of snakes in there controled room. And use no extra heating for there racks. I'm working on that right now also..