got a 50 qt tub...now what?

just got a 50qt tote to convert into a house for my full grown female bp. i also got a cheap soldering iron to make some air holes. i have some questions...

how should i heat it? a uth and no heat lamp?

it has 2 slidable locking tabs on each end. how do i make it closed securely?

also, would a normal household bulb work for heat or should i get a "reptile basking lamp"?

bought a different tote, this one is just right. got an uth and a thermostat, now i'm stuck figuring out how to keep the damn thing closed. i got some big plastic clamps thinking they would work...nope.

any suggestions?

I don't have any tubs (yet) but I know a lot of people use bungee cords, but I've heard of big snakes being able to push up corners to escape, so maybe put a heavy book on the sides and bungee cords in the middle

well, i went back to the 50qt. put some airholes around the top and this one has some better locking tabs on the ends. i found some smaller bungee cords to fit across the middle, went to the basement for some ideas and saw these laying around. if she ever got out, my wife would have a heart attack.

i have a small uth that i just bought for 10-20gal tanks. i guess this should work fine? it will fit across almost 1/2 the tub and hopefully will be my only heatsource. i also got a repistat and a thermometer w/ probe. i having trouble keeping the heat up in the tank already so i'm going to try a tub.

You can use large binder clips on the sides to make it more escape proof. You can pick em up at Walmart, Staples, Office Max......near the envelopes and office supplies.

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Originally Posted by waltah!

You can use large binder clips on the sides to make it more escape proof. You can pick em up at Walmart, Staples, Office Max......near the envelopes and office supplies.

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yeah, i might go w/ those instead later. the bungee cords are sorta ghetto looking.

ok, got the tub ready and the heat pad installed. i had the thermo probe outside on the pad directly at 1st but figured it's kinda pointless that way. pad is reading like 140+ degrees full blast (i have a stat on high) and a thermometer sitting atop the bedding over the pad was only reading about 86. i thought i would have to turn the stat down but i'm only getting 86 degrees?

i now put the probe on the inside right atop the pad and covered w/ bedding. i will wait and see what the temp reads then. i hope this tub thing works as i'm starting to not like the tank.

You know what will work better than bungee cords? Vinyl straps like the ones you had on your backpack as a kid. Just get clips and sections of strap (usually come in 60" sections, I think) and use that. Easy and it doesn't stretch so it will have a firm hold.

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Originally Posted by Oxylepy

You know what will work better than bungee cords? Vinyl straps like the ones you had on your backpack as a kid. Just get clips and sections of strap (usually come in 60" sections, I think) and use that. Easy and it doesn't stretch so it will have a firm hold.

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yes, those would be definitely better looking than those cords. where would i get the vinyl straps?

i have run into a problem w/ the tub. the absolute lowest thermostat setting (one turn from being shut off) still gives out 105 degree heat on the tub bottom. the bedding will only help out until the snake eventually touches the bottom. could i offset this by adding a couple layers of newspaper?

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Originally Posted by python baller

yes, those would be definitely better looking than those cords. where would i get the vinyl straps?

i have run into a problem w/ the tub. the absolute lowest thermostat setting (one turn from being shut off) still gives out 105 degree heat on the tub bottom. the bedding will only help out until the snake eventually touches the bottom. could i offset this by adding a couple layers of newspaper?

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What type of thermostat are you using?
They should be able to go down much lower than that.

it's by zoo med...reptistat. i threw the box away and i'm too lazy to go upstairs right now. the cool side is at 80 degrees, so that's a pro.

i think if i lay something down between the tub bottom and bedding i'll be ok.

also, is one row of airholes around the top of the tub good enough? remember she's a pretty big ball.

i also ran into the guy i got her from. he acted frustrated that i was gonna put her in a tub.

well, i don't like the tub so i'm putting her tank back together. i went out and got some foam board to insulate the tank sides, 2 hides, and another lamp and nighttime red bulb.

i can't wait to feed her in a few days. one question about feeding, is there a particular time that i shouldn't feed her?

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Originally Posted by python baller

it's by zoo med...reptistat. i threw the box away and i'm too lazy to go upstairs right now. the cool side is at 80 degrees, so that's a pro.

i think if i lay something down between the tub bottom and bedding i'll be ok.

also, is one row of airholes around the top of the tub good enough? remember she's a pretty big ball.

i also ran into the guy i got her from. he acted frustrated that i was gonna put her in a tub.

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When I first put mine in a tub, I just used a lamp dimmer (from home depot) with a UTH from Reptile Basics until we were able to get a thermostat (Herpstat ND) for the rack. It worked pretty good. It usually ran at about 50% and kept the tub at perfect temps (our house was kept at about 68-72degrees. If the zoomed doens't work, maybe try picking up a lamp dimmer from a local hardware store, about $10, they work the same as a "reptistat".

It's important that the bottom of the tub doesn't get too high because even with newspaper on the bottom, the snake could easily find a way underneath the substrate and the newspaper- we have one guy who hides under his newspaper :/

good luck :D

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Originally Posted by Libitina

When I first put mine in a tub, I just used a lamp dimmer (from home depot) with a UTH from Reptile Basics until we were able to get a thermostat (Herpstat ND) for the rack. It worked pretty good. It usually ran at about 50% and kept the tub at perfect temps (our house was kept at about 68-72degrees. If the zoomed doens't work, maybe try picking up a lamp dimmer from a local hardware store, about $10, they work the same as a "reptistat".

It's important that the bottom of the tub doesn't get too high because even with newspaper on the bottom, the snake could easily find a way underneath the substrate and the newspaper- we have one guy who hides under his newspaper :/

good luck :D

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for some reason, i couldn't get the stat to adjust the temp right. not sure if it was the pad or the stat that was being troublesome. it's fine now. at 1st, the lowest setting right b4 turn off was reading over 100 degrees. i was about to ditch it and i'm glad i didn't.

what is a good temp to run the pad at? i have about 1/2" of bedding on top of about 3 layers of newspaper and the probe is on the outside bottom of the heat pad. i only have a pad on the hot side right now but my overall tank temps are ok. it's a 55gal tank(tall) and she's a full grown bp.

man, i had trouble finding some decent hides for her that i liked. i tried clay pots but i smashed the heck outta them both. i decided to go ahead and buy some fluker's hides(i think that was the brand) that are just some cut wood. man, i'm in the wrong business if spare wood can be sold for $12 a piece.

btw, this is an awesome forum. lots of helpful people here helping me care for my new pet snake. i've had a few other types of reptiles and snakes are the coolest. :bow:

The temp on the floor of the hot side should not get hotter than 92degrees. Most on here say that between 88 ad 92 is perfect.
For hides, just make sure that they are very closed off, we had some wood hides from the pet store that were wide open on one side, which don't allow the snake to feel secure. Now we use dog bowls and solder an opening with a soldering iron just large enough for them to get in.
:D

Oh the vinyl straps can be bought at walmart or any arts and crafts store. Pretty much you just buy a set of clips and the strap, probably cost you all of 2 dollars, and then you just us them. They can be tightened to not have much give, this will stop the snake from getting out a lot better than a bungee cord.

well, i've decide to put her back in the tank. i have foam board around the 3 sides and it's covering 1/2 the screen top. i then have foil wrapped around the lights. this keeps my temps more stable and the humidity is better.