New BP! help?

Last night I went to pick up a BP, not sure of age... its about 1.5-2ft long, and 1.75"-2" wide at its thickest. Nice healthy snake.. he said it had mites but he treated it. (not sure of sex either). Nothing around the nose/eyes, breathes ok.

It came with a 50g tank, light, and some general stuff for the cage. I bought a 40g under tank heat pad, and a 150watt infrared heat lamp, a large half log hide. It came with a nice rock type (heavy) water dish.

This is my first BP so I'm nervous along with a lot a bit of excited! On the warm side of the tank (where the hide/climb logs are) its about 88-91 degrees. On the cooler side (water dish, fake decoration plants) its around 77-82 degrees. About mid tank, its between the two. I have the heat pad set up mid tank (closer to warm side).

Humidity I'm have a HUGE problem. I know it needs to be around 50%, right now im at 17%. Last night it dropped down to 10%! The top of the cage is a open screen, so today i taped some tin foil (not reflective side aimed down) about 3/4 the way covering the cool side. I left room for some air to get out, and also for the heat lamp. The substrate (i think thats what its called, if im wrong, than the bedding) is like a mossy/dirt. I put some beak moss around the water dish (says its acceptable for snakes) and some around the climb stick on the warm side. I cant get the humidity to stay up! I didnt have a clean spray bottle yesterday, but I plan to spray it twice a day, once at night, and once in the morning.. possibly mid day also.

Im changing the water daily(and plan to) with cold fresh water. I have a stick on thermometer about mid cage, a digital humidity reader, and a digital thermometer.

Also, I plan on buying a type of snake bark bedding to put ontop of the dirt.. with intentions of increasing humidity.

The guy i got it from said he was just fed 4-5 days ago.. Im going away this weekend and when i return on monday, i plan to try and feed him(or her).

A few questions, can I leave the infrared light on all day/night? Its nice to see where my little friend is at night, and it DOES keep the right temp all day/night. Secondly, is the bedding i currently have ok? Its called T-rex Forest bed expandable substrate. Is it ok to put some type of reptile woodchips on top of this? Which kind of woodchips should i get?

Thanks a ton,

Derek

Searching is a good option along with reading the caresheets but I will help.

1. Tank is WAAAY too big IMO. The largest reccomended is a 30 long. I keep mine in rubbermaid tubs.

2. Not sure about the substrate but most people use newspaper, aspen, coconut bark, or paper towels. I have personally used all except newspaper and haven't had a problem with any. The Aspen and coconut bark both keep the humidity in well.

3. The light is what is zapping all of your humidity out. If you were to downgrade your tank and get some flexwatt for the UTH along with a dimmer/thermostat you shouldn't have a problem with heat/humidity.

4. What kind of thermometer are you using along with what kind of dimmer/thermostat?

5. If you do want to keep that large cage size make sure your snake has plenty of places to hide because it will get rather stressed in a 50 gallon tank. i am speaking from experience because I had mine in a 40 gallon breeder and he wouldn't eat for me.

6. If you want something for night time viewing I would suggest getting a 25 watt red bulb.

7. Pics please of both the snake and enclosure.

Hope this helps.:gj:

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Originally Posted by Little B-Py

Searching is a good option along with reading the caresheets but I will help.

1. Tank is WAAAY too big IMO. The largest reccomended is a 30 long. I keep mine in rubbermaid tubs.

2. Not sure about the substrate but most people use newspaper, aspen, coconut bark, or paper towels. I have personally used all except newspaper and haven't had a problem with any. The Aspen and coconut bark both keep the humidity in well.

3. The light is what is zapping all of your humidity out. If you were to downgrade your tank and get some flexwatt for the UTH along with a dimmer/thermostat you shouldn't have a problem with heat/humidity.

4. What kind of thermometer are you using along with what kind of dimmer/thermostat?

5. If you do want to keep that large cage size make sure your snake has plenty of places to hide because it will get rather stressed in a 50 gallon tank. i am speaking from experience because I had mine in a 40 gallon breeder and he wouldn't eat for me.

6. If you want something for night time viewing I would suggest getting a 25 watt red bulb.

7. Pics please of both the snake and enclosure.

Hope this helps.:gj:

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You go little B

I try.:gj:

Also, Ninjamonkey1, a 40 breeder can be pulled off. I have seen it, but it requires a fully grown snake, preferably a female because they naturally get larger.

This tank i have at the moment is all i have, and pretty much all i can afford. right now at least... All i have is a digital hydrometer, and a digital thermometer, no dimmer/thermostats or what you call it.

pretty much my first snake, i just want to give it a good home.

here are some pics...

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...k/02121332.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2.../02121332a.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...k/02121336.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2.../02121336a.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...k/02121341.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ninjamonkey1

This tank i have at the moment is all i have, and pretty much all i can afford. right now at least... All i have is a digital hydrometer, and a digital thermometer, no dimmer/thermostats or what you call it.

pretty much my first snake, i just want to give it a good home.

here are some pics...

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...k/02121332.jpg

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your tank size is fine, get rid of that light, get a uth cover up more of the top of that screen with foil, add more beaked moss and another hide. also make sure that you have the uth on a thermostat.

and read threw the caresheets and lots of the other post here to help you out

welcome to the site and congrats on the bp you now are infected with the bug it will cause you to spend more and more time looking at and planing on buyin more bps and will end up with you having bps all over your home... there is no know cure.

A important area of concern is monitoring your under tank heatpad. Heatpads can fluctuate, and go up to very high temperatures that can be harmful to your Ball python. Thermostats are used to set an desired temperature, but can be pricey. A common light dimmer can be used to monitor your heatpad, but have be checked up upon regularly.

If you are still having troubles with humidity, you can try moving the water bowl closer to a heat source. Although putting the water ball underneath the heat lamp will dry it out quicker, it should raise humidity.

Lastly, it is better if you have two identical hides on both sides of the tank. This way the snake does not have to choose security over temperature. Also, half logs are not the best for Ball Python; they prefer hides that hugs them from all sides.

I hope this helps.

A little update...

I went to the pet store, and I got some Coco (coconut i believe) bedding. I was told it was better than the douglas fir wood chips because it holds moisture, but it doesnt grow mold like douglas fir.

Anyway, i left some of the old dirt around the cool area of the tank, (with moss on top), and filled the rest of the tank with coco bedding. I put a hide that came with the snake in their, AND the half log hide i have. I also changed the light bulb back to the white one, so ill just have to turn it off at night.

I sprayed the tank down with water (fake leaves, the bedding, everything really) and behold... i think i did a great job. The humidity hit 55%, and now its fluctuating from high 30%'s, to mid 40's... its not what I want yet, but its WAY better than what i had.

I caught her yawning for the first time :) I will upload pictures from my good camera and post them.

Glad to be a part of this forum, and I love my new snake Monty.. (yes, its cliche.. but yet funny :D)

Edit: I really want her to be healthy AND safe, where can i find a thermostat? how do they work, and about how much are they?

thermostats controll the temp in your cage just like the one on the wall for your ac/heat
they range from $20 to $400 you can find them online np http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=75
http://spyderrobotics.com/
http://www.reptilebasics.com/Thermostats-p-1-c-250.html

You are definitely going to want a Thermostat. If you can't afford one right now a rheostat will work for the time being. I ran mine on a rheostat for a couple months but I would recommend Dion at SpyderRobotics and a Herpstat.

Also the tank isn't too big. I brought Furio home and he was a lot smaller than your snake and he's in a 40 breeder and only has refused to eat once.

It is smart though to have a lot of places for him to crawl around. Most the floor space is covered and every once in awhile I'll catch him out and about playing. Remember that if he's hiding all the time he's a happy snake! Furio spends 99.93% of his days and nights sleeping.

I use Aspen as a substrate and I know a lot of other people do as well but it doesn't help the humidity. I can't tell what kind of light that is that you're running but I leave a 50 watt infrared running 24 hours a day no tin foil or anything else. Just some moss misted down twice a day and my humidity stays about 55%.

I would recommend either the exo-terra hides or the ones a lot of people use on here are from RBI. I keep a big half log in Furio's tank still with the 2 identical exo's but he more plays on it than uses it for sleep.

Good luck with the new guy. They're a blast!

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Originally Posted by ninjamonkey1

Glad to be a part of this forum, and I love my new snake Monty.. (yes, its cliche.. but yet funny :D)

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i think that makes number 8. lol. there is a "monty" poll around here somewhere.

since putting the cedar in, the tank is doing great.. 50% humidity constant.. and it hits 80-90 when i spray it.

so if the snake is laying around a lot, that means shes healthy and happy?

any other tips for me? no one answered me before... should i use the reg white light or red 150watt light? if i use the red light, can i leave it on 24hrs? they both keep the temps.. but im not sure if the temp will stay at a constant if i turn the light off tonight?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ninjamonkey1

since putting the cedar in, the tank is doing great.. 50% humidity constant.. and it hits 80-90 when i spray it.

so if the snake is laying around a lot, that means shes healthy and happy?

any other tips for me? no one answered me before... should i use the reg white light or red 150watt light? if i use the red light, can i leave it on 24hrs? they both keep the temps.. but im not sure if the temp will stay at a constant if i turn the light off tonight?

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You can leave the red light on 24/7 but make sure nothing flammable is around it (just in case!)

Is he laying in his hide? I usually find that if my BP is hiding, that means she feels secure.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ninjamonkey1

since putting the cedar in

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i hope you didnt really use cedar bedding. its oils are very toxic to rodents and reptile alike.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nixer

i hope you didnt really use cedar bedding. its oils are very toxic to rodents and reptile alike.

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Wow, i totally was thinking one thing and typed another. I used coconut bedding!

There are a few things im worried about, (shes new, and i want her to be happy, and healthy). The humidity is up.. I have a humidifyer in my room, and i spray the tank twice, maybe 3 times a day with a spray bottle of water. its at around 60% at the moment. I noticed her skin is a little loose. I was reading and saw loose skin was a sign of dehydration? Is this possible? She has fresh water, and a humid tank. The water dish is plenty big enough for her to go into if she needs.

I want to handle my snake at least once a day (except for after feeding), is this good? for maybe 15-30 mins a day? If shes in her hide, is it bad to take her out of it and handle her, and then put her back?

My main concern is the loose skin (mostly only when shes curled in a spot (snakes make a S shape, in the bends is where its a little lose/wrinkley). And seeing the humidity is so high, the temp is going down a bit? towards the warmer side of the tank, the temp is only low 80's (83.6 at the moment). is this bad? i know its significantly cooler on the cool side, but is that too low?

Also, i want to feed her in a seperate tank.. some said i may have a hard time feeding her in such a big tank, but if i use a little 10 gallon tank, would she most likely take food easier?

I may be over reacting a bit, but i want it to be a perfect habitat for her :(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ninjamonkey1

Wow, i totally was thinking one thing and typed another. I used coconut bedding!

There are a few things im worried about, (shes new, and i want her to be happy, and healthy). The humidity is up.. I have a humidifyer in my room, and i spray the tank twice, maybe 3 times a day with a spray bottle of water. its at around 60% at the moment. I noticed her skin is a little loose. I was reading and saw loose skin was a sign of dehydration? Is this possible? She has fresh water, and a humid tank. The water dish is plenty big enough for her to go into if she needs.

I want to handle my snake at least once a day (except for after feeding), is this good? for maybe 15-30 mins a day? If shes in her hide, is it bad to take her out of it and handle her, and then put her back?

My main concern is the loose skin (mostly only when shes curled in a spot (snakes make a S shape, in the bends is where its a little lose/wrinkley). And seeing the humidity is so high, the temp is going down a bit? towards the warmer side of the tank, the temp is only low 80's (83.6 at the moment). is this bad? i know its significantly cooler on the cool side, but is that too low?

Also, i want to feed her in a seperate tank.. some said i may have a hard time feeding her in such a big tank, but if i use a little 10 gallon tank, would she most likely take food easier?

I may be over reacting a bit, but i want it to be a perfect habitat for her :(

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I wouldn't worry about the loose skin. When a ball curls up, there are bound to be some fold in the skin. If the humidity has been down for a few days before, it might take a little while for her to adjust. She should be fine though.

Handling for 15-20 minutes every-day is fine. You can just lift up her hide box and take her out. Then just put her back wherever. Mine usually goes straight for the hide when I plop her back in. I would avoid handling her during shed or right before you feed her. Also (as you know) wait at LEAST 24 hours (48 is preferred) after feeding to handle her again.

If your hot side is only 83 degrees, there is a problem. It should always sit between 90-94. Your COOL side should be between 80-85. Are you only using the heat light to heat? I would get a UTH and a thermostat to help maintain hot side belly temps.

You can feed her in the same enclosure. Her temperament will stay the same. It can be stressful for her to move from her normal cage to a feeding enclosure and then back again. Worst case scenario, it could cause a regurgitation, and that is no good!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

I wouldn't worry about the loose skin. When a ball curls up, there are bound to be some fold in the skin. If the humidity has been down for a few days before, it might take a little while for her to adjust. She should be fine though.

Handling for 15-20 minutes every-day is fine. You can just lift up her hide box and take her out. Then just put her back wherever. Mine usually goes straight for the hide when I plop her back in. I would avoid handling her during shed or right before you feed her. Also (as you know) wait at LEAST 24 hours (48 is preferred) after feeding to handle her again.

If your hot side is only 83 degrees, there is a problem. It should always sit between 90-94. Your COOL side should be between 80-85. Are you only using the heat light to heat? I would get a UTH and a thermostat to help maintain hot side belly temps.

You can feed her in the same enclosure. Her temperament will stay the same. It can be stressful for her to move from her normal cage to a feeding enclosure and then back again. Worst case scenario, it could cause a regurgitation, and that is no good!

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Right now im using the heat light with a 150watt infrared heat bulb, and a 30-40gallon UTH. I dont know why its so cold in there?

Theres a thermometer on the glass mid tank, its reading 85-90 degrees (not sure how to read the non digital one..) but my digital one about 1" off the bedding, on the warm side is reading 83.8 now (slowly rising since i moved the position of the thermometer towards the ground).

I cant seem to get this right AT ALL. first i had the heat perfect, and horrible humidity, now i have the humidity great, and horrible heat.

I saw her drinking though, thats good huh? :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ninjamonkey1

Right now im using the heat light with a 150watt infrared heat bulb, and a 30-40gallon UTH. I dont know why its so cold in there?

Theres a thermometer on the glass mid tank, its reading 85-90 degrees (not sure how to read the non digital one..) but my digital one about 1" off the bedding, on the warm side is reading 83.8 now (slowly rising since i moved the position of the thermometer towards the ground).

I cant seem to get this right AT ALL. first i had the heat perfect, and horrible humidity, now i have the humidity great, and horrible heat.

I saw her drinking though, thats good huh? :)

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Seeing a ball python drink is pretty rare! What a lucky sight!

As for the temps, I would invest in some digital probe thermometers. Those dial ones are hard to read for a reason, they are crappy. The digital that you have 1 inch off the ground, is it the flukers one? If so, that one is good for measuring humidity and ambient temperatures, so you are doing okay with the ambients (or cool side).

The best advice I can give you for right now is to place the digital thermometer right on the glass above the UTH. If the temp is around 90 (but less than 95) you should be fine with your temps. But first thing tomorrow, go out and get a thermometer with a probe and a light dimmer for your UTH (which is probably too hot).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Seeing a ball python drink is pretty rare! What a lucky sight!

As for the temps, I would invest in some digital probe thermometers. Those dial ones are hard to read for a reason, they are crappy. The digital that you have 1 inch off the ground, is it the flukers one? If so, that one is good for measuring humidity and ambient temperatures, so you are doing okay with the ambients (or cool side).

The best advice I can give you for right now is to place the digital thermometer right on the glass above the UTH. If the temp is around 90 (but less than 95) you should be fine with your temps. But first thing tomorrow, go out and get a thermometer with a probe and a light dimmer for your UTH (which is probably too hot).

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http://www.zilla-rules.com/products/...terrariums.htm Thats the type of thermometer/humidity reader i have.. both Zilla. I cant really afford to get anything else at the moment.. can having the cool side around 75-80 and warm side 82-85 be bad for the snake?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Seeing a ball python drink is pretty rare! What a lucky sight!

As for the temps, I would invest in some digital probe thermometers. Those dial ones are hard to read for a reason, they are crappy. The digital that you have 1 inch off the ground, is it the flukers one? If so, that one is good for measuring humidity and ambient temperatures, so you are doing okay with the ambients (or cool side).

The best advice I can give you for right now is to place the digital thermometer right on the glass above the UTH. If the temp is around 90 (but less than 95) you should be fine with your temps. But first thing tomorrow, go out and get a thermometer with a probe and a light dimmer for your UTH (which is probably too hot).

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Also, she keeps burrowing =/ that mean shes cold? the temp TOUCHING the UTH is 110... its warm to the touch of my hand, can she get burned on it? i can hold my hand on it without it getting hot.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ninjamonkey1

Also, she keeps burrowing =/ that mean shes cold? the temp TOUCHING the UTH is 110... its warm to the touch of my hand, can she get burned on it? i can hold my hand on it without it getting hot.

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Stick the probe right on the UTH and leave it there. This is your hot side temp.
110 is waaay to hot. If you can't afford to buy a thermostat, then get a $10 light dimmer from the home depot until you can get a proper thermostat. She shouldn't be cold with those temps. But if she is burrowing, then for sure get that dimmer right away. 110 can cook your snake. If you haven't fed her recently, I would just turn it off and leave the heat light on.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Stick the probe right on the UTH and leave it there. This is your hot side temp.
110 is waaay to hot. If you can't afford to buy a thermostat, then get a $10 light dimmer from the home depot until you can get a proper thermostat. She shouldn't be cold with those temps. But if she is burrowing, then for sure get that dimmer right away. 110 can cook your snake. If you haven't fed her recently, I would just turn it off and leave the heat light on.

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Is it safe to turn the UTH off? I dont want it to get so cold that she suffers, but i also REALLY dont want her to get burned!

What kind of dimmer should i get?

Hi,

I think the brand names I have heard people mention were lutron and credenza?

Check out this sticky.

Bear in mind you will need to monitor and adjust them frequently - but it should be a good stop-gap measure until you can get a good thermostat.


dr del