BP Questions

Hey Everybody

I'm interested in getting a ball python in the near future and I have a few questions. First off I'm probably going to be using some sort of tub. I hear glass enclosures are hard to keep humidity and heat. So I was watching this video on youtube and I'm wondering if this is ok to follow by:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMfEz1KTHXE
And also I'm going to be using a heat pad and I'm wondering should I stick it directly on the bottom of the bin or will this burn the bin? And should there be space below the bin to let some heat out or no? The heat pad will be attached to a reostat or thermostat so it won't be overheating. And I've heard the basking temps should be around 88F-92F and an ambient temp of around 80F-85F is it alright to keep these temps 24/7? Or should the temps drop at night and if so how would I do this? And with the heatpad how much of the bottom of the bin should it cover? And I'm interested in buying these products for heating the tub,has anyone else used these and how are they?
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...llon-heat-pad/
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...at-with-probe/

Thanks
Alex

i know when i bought my UTH it came with four little rubber feet, to help lift the corners of the tank and provide flow through ventilation underneath

I almost would say use the bin you have for feeding as the beginner home bin. Until you get him on a routine feeding schedule I wouldn't try to move him out of the bin to eat. Once he's eating well, then you can try. The smaller bin will provide more security for the smaller snake and will allow for less roaming - less stress.

I like ZooMed. They're products that have worked well for me.

Can anyone else help answer the questions I have?

Thanks
Alex

Ok, first off good going looking into things BEFORE you get the snake! :D

Now then, ZooMed UTH pads are reliable and a good product to use. I have them on all my enclosures - from my new rack to stand alone tubs to tanks - and they work great. The key is NOT to use the adhesive that is on the pad! Instead, use foil tape to attach the pad to the underside of the tub. And no, it won't melt or burn your tub as long as you have the essential thermostat to control it.

'Basking' temps isn't really the right wording. Better is 'warm side' temps. BPs don't bask, they hide in their hides and gather their warmth from below. :) Sorry, the Bio student in me just had to speak. Otherwise, ideal temps measured at the bottom surface of the tub are Warm side - 89-93, Cool side - 80-83, Ambient air 78-81. Those are central numbers, and you can see ranges that are warmer or cooler, but those numbers work for me.
You do not need a temp drop at night, or at all, unless you're cooling for breeding.

The UTH should cover 1/4-1/3 of the bottom of the enclosure. The t-stat probe then goes directly on the UTH under the tub.

LLL products are fine...but there are cheaper things that work great out there. Most of us around here (that don't use flexwatt tape) use ZooMed UTHs and the Acurite digital thermometers and they are terrific. :)

Ask away if you have any other questions.

Hi,

Quote:

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Originally Posted by uTiRambo

Hey Everybody

I'm interested in getting a ball python in the near future and I have a few questions. First off I'm probably going to be using some sort of tub. I hear glass enclosures are hard to keep humidity and heat. So I was watching this video on youtube and I'm wondering if this is ok to follow by:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMfEz1KTHXE
And also I'm going to be using a heat pad and I'm wondering should I stick it directly on the bottom of the bin or will this burn the bin? And should there be space below the bin to let some heat out or no? The heat pad will be attached to a reostat or thermostat so it won't be overheating.

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Seems ok in general - though I would probably keep it simple till you've had a chance to make sure there are no problems. (mites etc)

By that I mean I would use newspaper - 2 simple identical tight hides and a ceramic waterbowl.

What size of snake do you think you will get? She was right about them liking smaller enclosures so for a really small hatchling that may be slightly too large.

You also need to give some serious thought about how to avoid escapee's - these lil guys are amazing escape artists so you will probably need either binder clips or bungee cords to make sure he can't force a gap to get out of.

I wouldn't actually stick the heat pad to the tub but rather sit the tub on top of it - if the tub has a perfectly flat bottom perhaps some small rubber feet to keep a small gap might be ok.

As long as it is atatched to a good quality thermostat ( or controlled via the rheostat) then it shouldnt cause any damage to the tub even if it is sitting directly on top of it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by uTiRambo

And I've heard the basking temps should be around 88F-92F and an ambient temp of around 80F-85F is it alright to keep these temps 24/7? Or should the temps drop at night and if so how would I do this? And with the heatpad how much of the bottom of the bin should it cover?

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I would try and arrange it so the temps at the warm end under the substrate do not get higher than 94f and then adjust the depth of the substrate to keep it around 90-93f on the surface inside the hides where the snake will spend most of its time.

Cool end/ ambients should be fine at around 80-82f.

I would keep those temps 24/7 and the warm end heatmat should cover approx a third of the tub and (if needed) a second heatmat can be used to keep the cool end temps up under another third of it - it is always a good idea to have at least some of the floor with no heat source in case of accidents or overloads.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by uTiRambo

And I'm interested in buying these products for heating the tub,has anyone else used these and how are they?
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...llon-heat-pad/
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...at-with-probe/

Thanks
Alex

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I'm afraid someone else will have to advise you on the heat pads etc as we do not have them over here - though I will say I have read mixed comments about the thermostat and it might be a better idea to invest in either a ranco, jhonson or even a helix or herpstat.

Since they can be moved from tank to tank as he grows they would be a good investment.

I would also suggest setting the tank up a bit more in advance than she did to iron out any possible problems - a week if you can arrange it just to double check.

One thing you will definately need I didn't see listed was a reliable digital thermometer - preferably with a probe.

You can find a good one in walmart which will also measure humidity at the base unit or you can splash out and get a temp gun as well. :gj:

But the $12 indoor/outdoor weather station from walmart will let you check the temps at various points in the tub.

Have you had a read of our caresheet?


dr del

Thank you guys for the fast responses. I already have a temp gun so I will probably end up using those for my ball also. I also have a digital thermometer with probe, so I might just use that but will see. I'm not sure what age or size of ball I'm getting yet but I'm getting it from a breeder so I don't think I will have to worry about mites. And Argentra when you said "The t-stat probe then goes directly on the UTH under the tub." Do you mean the probe that comes with the thermostat? And you place it directly in between the heat pad and the tub?

Thanks
Alex

Quote:

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Originally Posted by uTiRambo

Thank you guys for the fast responses. I already have a temp gun so I will probably end up using those for my ball also. I also have a digital thermometer with probe, so I might just use that but will see. I'm not sure what age or size of ball I'm getting yet but I'm getting it from a breeder so I don't think I will have to worry about mites. And Argentra when you said "The t-stat probe then goes directly on the UTH under the tub." Do you mean the probe that comes with the thermostat? And you place it directly in between the heat pad and the tub?

Thanks
Alex

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Yes, most Thermostats have a probe that come with them so they can read the temperature. The probe should be placed directly on the heating source for the best results. You may have to bump up the thermostat temperature to 105 or so (thats how mine is) in order to get the 90-93 and 83-86 temperatures in the actual enclosure. I place mine in between the heat pad and the tub, and have had no problems, I think thats what others do as well, but I'm sure you could tape it to the outside of the heat pad.

Temp. guns are fantastic. I suggest you weigh him in grams when you get him and it would determine if he should be in the larger or smaller container. The larger container looks like that it would house anything over 180-200g and the smaller container would be under that. :]

^ Thank you very much.

I'm been looking threw reptilebasics and I found this product and I'm wondering what thermostat I should use for 1 ball python?

This one:
http://www.reptilebasics.com/Johnson...d-p-16178.html

Or this one:
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...at-with-probe/

And is the johnson a proportional thermostat?

Thanks
Alex

Helix and Herpstat are proportional and Ranco and Johnson are the on/off variety. RBI sells Helix as well as Johnson and Ranco and Rich advises that a proportional be used as the main t'stat with a Ranco or Johnson acting as a back-up should the proportional fail :gj:

It is only my opinion, but I would purchase the best thermostat you can. Again, my opinion, but I think that Helix and Herpstat are the best. My opinion.

But then again I'm only going to be housing 1 normal ball python. If I buy a helix thermostat I'm paying more for the thermostat then the ball python. I basically want to know has anyone used the johnson and had any success with it. And also if it's not a proportional thermostat is the johnson any better then the zilla?

Thanks
Alex

And can anyone suggest a good hygrometer? And where would I place the hygrometer in the tub?

Thanks
Alex

I found this hygrometer and I'm wondering if anyone has used it or would reccomend a better one

http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...er-with-probe/

Where should I put the probes in his tub?

All help is appreciated.

Thanks
Alex

Ok... whether you have one or 100, the proportional thermostats are always a good purchase. Though I would recommend a Herpstat over helix since I've heard about more problems with Helix...
If you can afford the $110, get a Herpstat. If you only have $80 to spare, get the Johnson. Zilla t-stats are crap, and the Johnson is a great stat to have.

If you get the Acurite digital thermometer that everyone recommends, it has a probe and it also registers humidity. In my enclosures, I use two meters: the main unit Acurite and a single reading Acurite with probe. The main unit is placed on the center of the back wall with the probe under the warm hide. That reads ambient temps, warm side, and humidity. The second Acurite sits outside the tank and that probe is placed under the cool side hide.
When just using the main three reading unit, the unit is placed near the bottom on the cool side and the probe goes to the warm side. All meter probes should be placed against the floor of the enclosure to read the hottest spot.

For your situation, I would buy either a Johnson or a Herpstat. I have a Johnson and it works fine for me, but because you are after all only housing one bp, I think a herpstat would do fine enough for what you want it for.

I don't know anything about that hygrometer..

So how come everyone on here don't like the helix? I thought that was the #1 thermostat on the market. I've asked many breeders and thats the one thermostat they recommend. And where can I buy the accurite digital thermomater? And if I place the one probe under the warm side hiding spot won't the humidity be higher under the hide then everywhere else?

Thanks
Alex

The Acurite can be found in the hardware or garden section of Walmart, or the garden section of Lowes, Home Depot, etc. Usually costs about $12.

Helix are top notch, but more stories are out about them suddenly breaking or going out. Herpstat has taken precautions against those things, so they are now 'better'. :)

And the probe does not measure humidity... the main unit does. The probe measures the "outside" temp, which would be the temp of the warm side.

Oh thank you for clearing that up, where do you suggest I put the unit it self in his tub? And do you know where I can buy a herpstat?

Thanks
Alex

Herpstat can be found at SpiderRobotics.com or at beanfarm.com. And remember, you don't need night drop. :)

And the main unit Acurite should go either on the cool side if you're only using that one t-meter, or in the center if you have a second t-meter. Either way it should be as close to the floor as possible since that's where the temps need to be measured.

Thank for those links, I guess I will be picking up a herpstat. :)

And as for the Acurite I will only be using that device to check the humidity in the tub. Because like I said in my other post I have a temp gun so I will be using this to check the temperatures. So where would I put the Acurite if I just want to be able to check the humidity? I probably will stick the probe under his warm side anyways but I just want to know where the device it self should be in order to check the humidity.

Thanks
Alex

And also what's the difference between the "Herpstat Proportional Thermostat" and the "Herpstat Proportional Thermostat - Grounded"

Thanks
Alex

Quote:

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Originally Posted by uTiRambo

And also what's the difference between the "Herpstat Proportional Thermostat" and the "Herpstat Proportional Thermostat - Grounded"

Thanks
Alex

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One is grounded and one is not. I purchased my first Helix as grounded, and my second as not. After talking with Rich at Reptile Basics, he didn't feel I really needed the grounded one.

And yes, I use Helix and have no problems. I'll probably buy a Herpstat next just for comparing for myself.

what's it mean by grounded? I don't understand.

And what one should I get? I will be housing 1 ball python in a tub enclosure.

I'm thinking about getting this one, because there located in Canada.

http://www.cornelsworld.com/

Thanks
Alex

Grounded means a three prong plug...the one with the round third prong in addition to the two flat regular ones. It protects the device when you're using high amounts of energy. You don't really need it since you only have one cage.

And, I would still place the Acurite probe under the warm hide just to get a good comparison temp constantly. As for positioning for humidity, you'd still want to place the unit at the back center to get a general reading.

Ok thanks for clearing that up. I will be picking up the herpstat proportional thermostat and an acurite digital thermometer. So if I'm understanding you right I place the acurite device at the back center of the tub and the probe under the warm side hide. And I put the herpstat probe in between the UTH and the bottem of the tub.

Thanks
Alex

Since you're using a tub, you can place the Acurite unit at the back OR at the front, whichever is easier to see from the outside, but it should be pretty much centralized. Probe goes under the warm hide (so the hide can hold the probe wire in place) on the floor of the tub. And the Herpstat probe can go either between the UTH and tub or under the tub taped onto the UTH. :)

Johnson Controls are also very good thermostats. I have 2 and one is running my incubator. Very little fluctuation if any. So! If you want to save a bit of money, but still get a quality digital thermostat, get a JC Tstat. They can control 1500 watts as opposed to the lower wattage that Helix/Herpstats can. I have all three, and they all work great, but for just one snake in a tub, get a Johnson Controls and some flexwatt. You can use the extra money on a scale or some hemostats, or a better digital thermometer/temp gun.

So what's the verdict? Should I get the Herpstat or the Johnson? Whatever thermostat I get it will be hooked up to a Heat pad(Zoo Med). I don't really want to mess with that flex watt heat tape.

Thanks
Alex :)

The choice is yours. Both are great stats (I have two Johnsons that work great), and the only real thing between them is that the Johnson is cheaper, but it's 'on/off' style (meaning it will turn on to heat the pad to the set temp, then turn off when it reaches that temp) and it clicks. :)

If you want to save the $20-30 for something else for snake keeping, then get the Johnson. If you want the best stat you can get right from the off and can spare the money, then get the Herpstat.

Thank you for the response. I think I'm going to go with the Herpstat, I mide as well get the best thermostat now.

Thanks
Alex

And I read something about not handling after feeding, how long should I wait before handling after feeding?

Thanks
Alex

24 hrs minimum wait. I wait 48 hrs, just to be sure, since I have a few sensitive corns. :)

Hi,

Yep I wait a minimum of 48 hours too - longer if it was a larger meal than they were used to.


dr del

I just want to thank everyone for all of the help. :) I will post pictures of the tub and ball when I get him/her.

Thanks again everyone.

Alex

Not sure if you are still between stats or not but I use the Johnson also, I work for a heating and Air company so I get the Johnson stat and wire them up with the grounded power cord and power strip.