Is this acceptable for heat?

So, in my search for a proper heating system, I think I have an idea. Since my tank is large (55) and the top has two sections...I was thinking that I could keep a screen over the warm side with a lamp over it. I would keep the plexiglass over the cool side. Since humidity is no problem, the screen wouldn't do much damage there. I know under belly heat is preferable, but I don't have work until deeper into spring (I train horses). Please and thank you.

I don't really know why you have a 55 gallon for a ball python.. that is ridiculously large..

In order to heat that, you would need 2-3 UTH's or 2-3 Heat lamps. Ball pythons hide in hides, so they don't get the heat from the lamps as efficiently.. so they are virtually useless as a heat source. You need UTH's of some type.

I don't know how humidity won't be a problem in that large of a cage.

You could make a divider out of something and just heat a smaller area with a smaller bulb, and have a happier snake and a smaller electric bill. :)

a 55 gal is way to big, it will probably stress the snake out, balls like smaller enclosed spaces. and if heating is not going to be right that will just add more stress to the poor snake

I'm a little angry about everything I've been getting about how evil big tanks are. The snakes have Africa , I don't think a big tank when provided with plenty of hides is going to have them dying from the stress. The only other thing I have is a 20 high.

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

I don't really know why you have a 55 gallon for a ball python.. that is ridiculously large..

In order to heat that, you would need 2-3 UTH's or 2-3 Heat lamps. Ball pythons hide in hides, so they don't get the heat from the lamps as efficiently.. so they are virtually useless as a heat source. You need UTH's of some type.

I don't know how humidity won't be a problem in that large of a cage.

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I have a 55 gallon because I have a 55 gallon. Some guy I met gave it to me for free w/ stand because he had just got a 90g for his saltwater fish.

It's not that big tanks are 'evil'... though there are many here that think tanks of any size are a write off. :) No, it's that a 55gal is way too TALL to properly maintain the heat the way a snake needs it. I have my biggest girl in a 40gal and had to do some creative insulating to get the temps stable (which they are) because of the height of the tank.

Make sure you have UTH or flexwatt heat first, and if that proves to not be enough THEN add lamps. Snakes get their heat from heated ground, so lamps alone don't quite cut it for them. :)

Would my 20 high be better for the snake? No matter how much I'm going to hate wresting the 55 to the bottom of the stand, I will if I am doing any damage to my snake by having him in the 55. He is exactly 24 inches and 7 months old.

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

Ball pythons hide in hides, so they don't get the heat from the lamps as efficiently.. so they are virtually useless as a heat source. You need UTH's of some type.

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Really?? So your saying that an RHP would be useless as a heat source?


Mike~

If you can keep your temps and humidity right, and your snake eating and shedding properly, then a 55 gallon will be fine. The issue is that it is difficult to keep heat and humidity right, and snakes will normally go off feed in such a large enclosure, because they do not feel secure.

If I were you, I would do your best to make sure your heat and humidity is the recommended range in the 55 gallon. If you are having trouble keeping these in the proper range, or you snake goes off feed, then move to a smaller tank.

Hope this helps.

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Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

If you can keep your temps and humidity right, and your snake eating and shedding properly, then a 55 gallon will be fine. The issue is that it is difficult to keep heat and humidity right, and snakes will normally go off feed in such a large enclosure, because they do not feel secure.

If I were you, I would do your best to make sure your heat and humidity is the recommended range in the 55 gallon. If you are having trouble keeping these in the proper range, or you snake goes off feed, then move to a smaller tank.

Hope this helps.

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But would the 20 be better until he is too large for it? I also have a very long, but short plastic tub. I really want to do what's best for my snake so I'm willing to do anything.
His first feeding is due to be today so we'll see how it goes.
I was also thinking a UTH on one side and a lamp on the other...

See how the eating goes first. I have a 55 also, that was given to me. I struggled to get everything right, but its there. I have a late 08 hatchling, so he's tiny, but he's eating well. You really need and under tank heater. I don't use my lamp at all because it sucks too much humidity out. I have three hides in there too. I had to put one in the middle because i think its a lot of work going from one side to the other, and I would catch her sleeping in the middle of her cage. Let me know if you have any trouble. I can send you pics if you want.

Pics would be great.

Just fed him. Put the mouse in there and within five seconds he was out of his hide and constricting it. Rest In Peace, Porkchop. LOL. That's what I named the mouse. I'm thinking BLT for the next one...

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Originally Posted by demonicchild

Just fed him. Put the mouse in there and within five seconds he was out of his hide and constricting it. Rest In Peace, Porkchop. LOL. That's what I named the mouse. I'm thinking BLT for the next one...

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LMAO @ naming your feed mice :lmao:



Mike~

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Originally Posted by MikeG

LMAO @ naming your feed mice :lmao:



Mike~

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my girlfriend names them all, we've had an abou, booboo, belly button, Gary..... and many more lol

Well, maybe if Porkchop hadn't tried to bite me..

cant say ive ghad a feeder bite me they are seem pretty tame and oblivious to whats happening

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Originally Posted by JeffJ

cant say ive ghad a feeder bite me they are seem pretty tame and oblivious to whats happening

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Yeah. I picked him up and he turned around to bite and I dropped him. Too bad for Porkchop that my hand just happened to be right over Ram's tank. Whoopsie... :rolleye2:

tongs dude. i never touch my Snakes food.

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Originally Posted by JeffJ

tongs dude. i never touch my Snakes food.

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I don't have any. I'll just dump it in next time.

get some feeder tongs and hold it by its nape. bp will get it and no risk of bites.

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Originally Posted by JeffJ

get some feeder tongs and hold it by its nape. bp will get it and no risk of bites.

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I'll try that out :gj:

I have a 55 gal with no problems.
It has a large UTH under the warm side set up to a Ranco thermostat and a CHE on each end.
I don't do anything and it maintains a consistent 80 degrees ambient, 91 degree belly temp (checked regularly with infra-red temp gun) and 45% humidity.
I bought a submersible pump and mister nozzles that I was going to set up to a timer to mist once a day for a minute, but I haven't had to.

I agree that in the wild, they have a much larger area to roam.
As long as they have plenty of areas to hide at different temps, I don't see the problem.

He has been shedding in one piece and eats like a champ.

Here's my set up that I built around a glass tank.

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...016_resize.jpg


http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...015_resize.jpg

Whoa Delta, that's an exceptionally nice setup you got there!! Really sweet.

@MikeG,

Think about it this way: The sun is above! RHPs heat the ground, and also the air. For reference, the top of my hidebox is 93* and the substrate under the hide is high 80s.. the snake, however, is in the low 90s, because the top of it's body is in contact with the hide.

Trust me, RHPs are fine!

you could make a Ball python happy in a 10000 gallon tank, as long as you maintain good husbandry, good temps, and humidity....

OK I only kinda read over this...

If you will post pictures of your set-up and give us a detailed list of your "tools" your using we can help.

You need to use digital everything...

All your gauges need to be digital...

I use a temp gun to measure surface temp and that is a life saver!

Most any kind of heat source is acceptable as long as it is regulated!

UTH's are ok I personally hate them. I use RHP's and flexwat.

What kind of hides are you using?

If you share with us we can maybe give suggestions you never thought of. I know when I came to this place I thought I new something about BPs. I learned I knew nothing that was right.

Mike

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hoax

OK I only kinda read over this...

If you will post pictures of your set-up and give us a detailed list of your "tools" your using we can help.

You need to use digital everything...

All your gauges need to be digital...

I use a temp gun to measure surface temp and that is a life saver!

Most any kind of heat source is acceptable as long as it is regulated!

UTH's are ok I personally hate them. I use RHP's and flexwat.

What kind of hides are you using?

If you share with us we can maybe give suggestions you never thought of. I know when I came to this place I thought I new something about BPs. I learned I knew nothing that was right.

Mike

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Mike,

Great minds think alike...

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

Mike,

Great minds think alike...

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You can't argue with results..

Every UTH I have used results in hot spots some up to 130*F not something I want my snake on. I have heard other people of using them with great success, I have to ask myself if they have gone over them with a digi temp gun several times a day for several days at a time.

Hopefully more people will learn how dangerous these UTH's can be and use proper care

hey i have my 2 of my bp's in 4x2x1 cages and with a tstat im useing a 50watt bulb and im getting a hot spot of 92-95 abient temp of 87ish and a cool side of 85-84. now thats daytime cycle. at night im getting abiemnt temp around 85 with a hot side or 90ish and a cool side or 82ish and the heat emitter (thats right no lights) on a rheostat. on more thing i have red rope leds on the ceilling of each cage

oh yeah i tried using a uth and guess what nothing happened even with the uth on a rheostat i guess the birch just adsorbs that heat and dissipates it

infrared thermometers are amazing tho everyone should have one if you have a reptile they should be in the golden rules of reptiles

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hoax

OK I only kinda read over this...

If you will post pictures of your set-up and give us a detailed list of your "tools" your using we can help.

You need to use digital everything...

All your gauges need to be digital...

I use a temp gun to measure surface temp and that is a life saver!

Most any kind of heat source is acceptable as long as it is regulated!

UTH's are ok I personally hate them. I use RHP's and flexwat.

What kind of hides are you using?

If you share with us we can maybe give suggestions you never thought of. I know when I came to this place I thought I new something about BPs. I learned I knew nothing that was right.

Mike

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Sorry. I don't have pics yet. I'm currently searching for an acu-rite. I found one store that carries them but they are 33 dollars there...As far as hides go, he has a tight, shallow box and a larger dome thing. He prefers the larger hide. I don't know why considering everything I read says they prefer tight spaces. The tank stays at about 85 (sometimes a few degrees higher) all on its own due to the temp of the room.

like we have said go digital with everything and fo sho get a infrared temp gun its a life saver

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

Whoa Delta, that's an exceptionally nice setup you got there!! Really sweet.

@MikeG,

Think about it this way: The sun is above! RHPs heat the ground, and also the air. For reference, the top of my hidebox is 93* and the substrate under the hide is high 80s.. the snake, however, is in the low 90s, because the top of it's body is in contact with the hide.

Trust me, RHPs are fine!

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Yea, ive read enough good things about them, i was just wondering why anyone would call them "virtually useless":confused:

Thanks for that reassurance!


Mike~

Mike,

I talked to Mark @ AP and he said that all RHPs are is flexwatt with insulation that forces the heat to go down... That might be why...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

Mike,

I talked to Mark @ AP and he said that all RHPs are is flexwatt with insulation that forces the heat to go down... That might be why...

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sorry about my ignorance what is the def. of RHP mean and RBI

sorry im just really that dumb:taz: like ogar

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Originally Posted by zombie&lemons

sorry about my ignorance what is the def. of RHP mean and RBI

sorry im just really that dumb:taz: like ogar

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RHP= Radiant Heat Panel
RBI = Reptile Basics Inc (www.reptilebasics.com)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zombie&lemons

sorry about my ignorance what is the def. of RHP mean and RBI

sorry im just really that dumb:taz: like ogar

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No stupid questions here, my friend.