Hows my set up?

and how can i make it better? Thanks yall.

It's a 20 large. Hiding place might be a bit too big for the snake... When i get money i might just buy 2 smaller hiding place... I am not sure yet. I have a thermostat, I have the heating bulb that doesn't light up, but does heat, it's for reptiles.

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/577/dsc03567ud9.jpg

UTH: Under tank Heater

Safer, works better... :)

Looks good... just a few things:

Like LadyOhh said, you should get a UTH for heat from below. Snakes don't bask the same way lizards do, so they don't really need heat from above. Also, lamp heat sucks out moisture.

Cover the back and both sides with some opaque background to help the snake feel more secure...especially with only one hide. Getting two smaller hides, as you said, is a good goal.

Maybe add some greenery, like a soft fake vine, around those bare vines to lessen the open space in there.

:)

I actually have 2 UTH, but not installed, I though this would had been better. Should i put the UTH Under the hiding place? middle? or in all way to the right?

Your UTH should be all the way to one side (the warm side). BP's thermoregulate, that means that you need to supply them with a warm side and a cool side. The UTH should cover no more than about a third of the bottom so if your thermostat fails the snaks can escape the heat. You souldn't hook up a UTH without a thermostat. Check out some of the stickies on setting up a tank.

I just noticed that you have been a member since 2006!!! What kind of a snake do you have?

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Originally Posted by Jenn

I just noticed that you have been a member since 2006!!! What kind of a snake do you have?

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Yeah i joined back then when i was thinking of getting a ball python but never did. Ended up getting a corn snake and it died around a week after i bought it. Now i have a 1 month old ball python. Had it for a week now.

Did you ever figure out what happend to your Corn Snake. So sorry. Is your BP in the tank you pictured?

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Originally Posted by Jenn

Did you ever figure out what happend to your Corn Snake. So sorry. Is your BP in the tank you pictured?

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Well, it seemed like it choked it self... It was in a real weird position when i saw it... idk , Yes the ball python was hiding, here is a pic of her.

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/822/1111kg0.jpg

I don't think your month old BP will be very happy in that tank. It's waaaaayyyy too big. A ten gallon would be more than enough. And a small tub may be even better for you. I made the same mistake!!!

WOW that's big for a month old. Are you sure about the age?

Yeah, it said hatch date june 11 2008..., and it actually kinda looks a bit bigger in that picture..

I'm surprised no one has said it yet, but your tank is way too big for a baby. In fact it looks exactly like mine did a few weeks ago!!! Young ball pythons stress really easily and a tank that big will be nothing but trouble for your. My ball wouldn't eat for two months because she was stressed from the big tank, she JUST started eating for me last week.


Edit: There they said it, I was just slow typing this....

OK, disregard my last post. I would cover three sides of the tank, start saving up for a thermostat, and check out some threads on tank set-up. That's a beautiful snake!!! Not a month old though.

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Originally Posted by Jenn

OK, disregard my last post. I would cover three sides of the tank, start saving up for a thermostat, and check out some threads on tank set-up. That's a beautiful snake!!! Not a month old though.

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Hmm, i will ask the breeder to confirm the Birth date right now, I do have a thermostat btw, I will be covering the tank if that is best then. Maybe today or tomorrow.. How can this tank be too big? When i see her moving around she takes up alot of space

I think the tank can be made to work if you provide plenty of cover and hides. ;) Here's a pic of what I did for my corns tank. I plan on doing the same for my other animals someday. The corn loves it, lots of underbrush for him to hide in. :)

I've since upgraded him to a neat rock hide I had Chris JB weld together and removed the tree, although he loved it.

Experiment! If you acheive proper climate control in the larger tank, and you feel comfortable filling it up with decor, I think it will be an attractive piece. :gj:

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=63198

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http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...G/IMG_3452.jpg

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http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/45f75705.jpg

Here's a picture of what I changed mine to (what most BP owners have for babies). It's a 6qt tub that cost $1. I got rid of the aspen and use newspaper now. I know it's dissapointing to spend all that money, but save that stuff! You might be able to use it when your BP is an adult.

A lot of people with their first BP say the same thing!!! I did too. But the fact is that BP's really do like small tight spaces. In their natural environment they live in rodent dens or termite mounds and just sit and wait for some food to walk by.

Alright thanks guys... Ill see what ill do... I mean... If i get a 10 gallon, i will just have it on the floor or something... idk

Connie, that's not a viv. It's a work of art!!!

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Originally Posted by Jenn

Connie, that's not a viv. It's a work of art!!!

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Haha thanks! Hobby lobby is my friend. Especially when they have stuff on sale! Wow, talk about awesome tank decor!!! :gj:

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Originally Posted by xbxteen

Alright thanks guys... Ill see what ill do... I mean... If i get a 10 gallon, i will just have it on the floor or something... idk

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I hate to say it, but a 10 gallon is going to be too big for a month old BP too. Trust me on this one. My BP looks TERRIBLE because I put it in a big tank and thought it would be ok. She's litterally skin and bones and it's been awful trying to get her to feed again. I still might loose her, but I've got my fingers crossed she'll eat again this week.

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Originally Posted by Isis

I hate to say it, but a 10 gallon is going to be too big for a month old BP too. Trust me on this one. My BP looks TERRIBLE because I put it in a big tank and thought it would be ok. She's litterally skin and bones and it's been awful trying to get her to feed again. I still might loose her, but I've got my fingers crossed she'll eat again this week.

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On the contrary, many people successfully keep their babies in a 10g tank. ;) On a side note, many people do keep them in 6-12 qt tubs, but that's not to say it's impossible to keep them in a 10 gallon.

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Originally Posted by Isis

I hate to say it, but a 10 gallon is going to be too big for a month old BP too. Trust me on this one. My BP looks TERRIBLE because I put it in a big tank and thought it would be ok. She's litterally skin and bones and it's been awful trying to get her to feed again. I still might loose her, but I've got my fingers crossed she'll eat again this week.

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may i ask how big is your BP? I fed mines on saturday and it ate

My BP is a 3-4 months old. I'm just telling you what I learned from this site. If it's eating I guess you could leave it be, I'm just warning you that it could become stressed.

A good indicator that it's stressed is a lot of roaming.

Good luck.

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Originally Posted by Isis

My BP is a 3-4 months old. I'm just telling you what I learned from this site. If it's eating I guess you could leave it be, I'm just warning you that it could become stressed.

A good indicator that it's stressed is a lot of roaming.

Good luck.

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Hmm, Well mines is always in the hiding place, which i heard is a good thing... but can you tell me how long is your snake?

That is good!

She/he is 17-18 inches, I haven't measured since I got the snake because I haven't handled her much since I've been trying to get her weight back up.

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Originally Posted by Isis

That is good!

She/he is 17-18 inches, I haven't measured since I got the snake because I haven't handled her much since I've been trying to get her weight back up.

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wow, pretty long... Now my question is... If she seems not stressed out in this tank, should i still go and get 2 smaller hiding places, and will she have to adapt again? So i cant handle it for another week ect?

I'm not sure how big your hides are, but they need to touch the snake on all sides. I used one of those small butter containers and cut it down so it was about 1-2 inches high with a hole cut in the side. Since your tank is big enough it would be good to have 2 IDENTICAL hides, one on the warm side, one on the cold side. If you have two different hides the snake will choose the one it likes better, not the one it really needs to be in.

Another good hide is one of those plastic pot saucers. The things that go under your plants so the water doesn't leak all over your floor. I just bought two of those and I'm switching to them as soon as I get a hole cut out. They cost $.97 at Wal-Mart.

I actually used two identical bowls from my kitchen (haven't had a chance to buy/make some more yet). I want to get my bowls back eventually, so I didn't cut a hole, I propped each one up on a rock (they are both in the corner and cannot be moved so that they fall shut). If you want the ease of a butter bowl, without the look, you can cut a butter bowl to the size you need and hot glue/silicone rocks/pebbles/aquarium gravel to the top and sides. Another benefit to that is that it provides a rough surface for your snake during shedding.

ehehe hey meghan not used to seing you here lol that is a good idea with the butter bowls tho btw =)

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Originally Posted by Athen

ehehe hey meghan not used to seing you here lol that is a good idea with the butter bowls tho btw =)

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Just tryin' to do some better research and get some advice about my poor skinny snake... As for the butter bowls, I was thinking something along the lines of that Gecko vive that guy posted pics of... You know, the one where the link to his build log was to a Russian site? Am I allowed to post a link to another forum on this site?

im not too sure of the rules in this site i have read some threads where they have but it went along with the conversation at hand they werent advertising they were just helping out and adding to the convo at any rate it never hurts to ask in the online list the people with green or red names are the mods and admin ask one of them they generally answer rather quickly =)

Okay so i got her 2 smaller hiding places.. but i had to take the small tree out.. No space... I kinda liked the tree... lol....I am also using the UTH now... One of the hiding place is on top and the other one is in the cool side and water bowl is in the middle! wohoo

Well, in that case, here's a link that shows what it would look like to cover a butter bowl with pebbles/aquarium gravel for a BP hide. It is a Gecko tank, and the background is covered in the way I mentioned. The pictures are at the top, and if you scroll down, the OP gives a link to the site he posted the build log on. The site he links to is in Russian, but if you continue to scroll, I posted a link to a translation. Hope that gives you ideas for inexpensive, custom hides!

EDIT: lmao, I forgot to put in the link!!!

http://www.vivariumforum.com/communi...ckos-tank.html

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

I think the tank can be made to work if you provide plenty of cover and hides. ;) Here's a pic of what I did for my corns tank. I plan on doing the same for my other animals someday. The corn loves it, lots of underbrush for him to hide in. :)

I've since upgraded him to a neat rock hide I had Chris JB weld together and removed the tree, although he loved it.

Experiment! If you acheive proper climate control in the larger tank, and you feel comfortable filling it up with decor, I think it will be an attractive piece. :gj:

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=63198

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This looks like a professional exibit.

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Originally Posted by xbxteen

Okay so i got her 2 smaller hiding places.. but i had to take the small tree out.. No space... I kinda liked the tree... lol....I am also using the UTH now... One of the hiding place is on top and the other one is in the cool side and water bowl is in the middle! wohoo

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Sounds good! The UTH is very important, you might have a need for the heat lamp someday. I'm planing to use it once winter gets here to keep the temp up.

I like that idea with the butter bowls to glue rocks on the outside! Pretty and useful!

I know the tree look sreally nice but don't worry about loosing it for the extra hide...you BP will be happier with the hide than the tree:)

We have a baby BP we were told to keep in a 20 gallon long...so we are?
He has aspen substrate, UTH, 3 small hides with the openings facing the back of the tank (one in each end and one in the middle), and two moist hides with the openings in the top (one on either side of the middle). The back of the tank is covered with fabric.
When we got him he was eating live mice once a week.
From the first feeding he took f/t no problem.

Maybe each BP is a bit different in their comfort level given enclosure size?