Terrarium Branches...

Okay, I am trying to find a nice set of branches so that I can put into my 20 gallon long cage. I am having difficulty looking for good quality branches that won't break my wallet. I found http://www.blackjungle.com/Merchant2...tegory_Code=GW but I am not sure if that can handle humidity levels of 35 - 70.

I was even thinking of just going out and looking for branches then obviously cleaning them then baking it, but I'm not sure what type of wood is safe for my ball python, and I am not familiar with the types of trees in Florida.

I would rather have these branches match with the terrarium layout so please don't recommend me using pvc or anything of that sort, I am looking for a type of wood or material that looks aesthetically pleasing and that can be used for climbing.

I know that ball pythons don't tend to climb but trust me my little guy climbs a lot.

If there is anyone that can point me in the right direction that would be great.

Thank You.

Does he climb during the day? Most petstores sell branches that would probably be easier and cheaper than ordering online.

Ball pythons don't really climb :/

She moves a lot at night. She is on a normal schedule where she chills during the day and moves at night. She's been like that since I got her.

I tried going to pet stores but here in Gainesville, Fl but there is not much to choose from. I usually go to Pangea Pets (very well known reptile shop in Gainesville) and they have crappy branches. Ive also tried pet smart and petco but there stuff is garbage and over priced.

Her current setup can be seen below. She currently has a branch but the bark is starting to peel off. There is NO mold, mites, or anything that can cause harm to the snake on the branch I just want to get something a little different. I also thought of maybe pressure sanding the current branch but I dont know where I can do that.

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/8485/img0003yjs.jpg

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Ball pythons don't really climb :/

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You trying to boost your posts or something... I clearly stated that in my first post.

No, she is one of the most helpful members here. What I think she is trying to allude to, is climbing is not normal bp behavior. And while you say she's always done that, by seeing your enclosure I would say it's because of stress.

My recommendations, take them how you will, are:

get rid of the analog thermometers and get probed digital ones (the Accurite comes to mind)
ditch the heat lamp and get a UTH and thermostat to regulate it
get rid of the two log hides and get her two identical snug hides with one hole large enough for her to crawl in and out
clutter up the open space with fake plants so she feels more secure
Put an opaque material on the sides and back of the tank for added security and to help maintain ambient temps

Also, check out the caresheet for any specific husbandry details, as well as the glass tank sticky in this forum.

If all that is done, you'll find she won't even use the stick except maybe to help her shed. I have a similar one in my tank

Your ball python is over active because his hides are not adequate. I do not believe that half log hides are beneficial to BPs as they usually result in a stressed snake.

The rock cave hides are a better option and you will probably notice your snake become calmer.

Ball pythons are terrestrial snakes and don't climb. Some of the younger ones might, but usually the only reason they climb is too look for a way out.

Here's an example: this is my 20 L tank.
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/w...g?t=1247100332

Okay, great guys. Thank you for your feedback.
After a little research this is what I found:

Fluker`s Digital Thermo-Hygrometer (I'm not sure which digital thermometer/hydrometer is good, suggestions would be nice)
The Accurite thermometers seem a little large.

http://ebay.f3images.com/IMD/feeds/FK34134_50.jpg

Zilla Reptile Basking Stump Den (Medium) x2

http://ebay.f3images.com/IMD/feeds/ES68502_50.jpg

Zilla Terrarium Treasure Vine Var Pothos x2

http://ebay.f3images.com/IMD/feeds/ES65034_50.jpg


I have a UTH currently installed under the hide on the left. So I guess I won't need the lamp right? I don't seem to understand how I can regulate the UTH.

As far as the opaque liner is concerned what do you recommend?

Let me know if there is something better than what I found. I want to make my snake as happy as possible.

All the stuff you linked looks good. To regulate the UTH, you'll need either a rheostat (lamp dimmer) or a thermostat. I recommend using a dimmer as a backup to any thermostat. Look up the Lutron 300W at lowes.com. The cheapest (but hey, it works) thermostat is the Reptitemp 500R, which can be found at reptilesupply.com.
To black out the sides and back, I use black foam board from walmart. I glued a terrarium background to the inside of each panel to give the tank a jungle look. You can atach the boards to the tank using blue tack so it can be removed easily.

On a side note, if you've been using that UTH unregulated you could be burning your snake as they get way too hot. I would turn it off immediately until you get a thermostat or a rheostat.

As I won't be on the forum until tomorrow afternoon, if you need any help feel free to ask any other member, or do a search in the forums for keywords.

I agree - watch out for that unregulated UTH. unplug it immediately and check your snake over for any burns.

As a test I had my ZooMed 10-20 gallon UTH unregulated and in less then 4 hours it went up to 138F. I use the Reptitemp 500r Thermostat and it works great for small scale setups.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sarin

I agree - watch out for that unregulated UTH. unplug it immediately and check your snake over for any burns.

As a test I had my ZooMed 10-20 gallon UTH unregulated and in less then 4 hours it went up to 138F. I use the Reptitemp 500r Thermostat and it works great for small scale setups.

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Thanks for the heads up.
Even though the UTH has been on there for months there seems to be zero burns on my snake. Her belly is as white since I got her. I do check the temperature weekly just in case but it never seemed to pass 93. I have to agree that the bulb may have been a bit much but I assure you that there are no burns whats so ever on the snake.
I take her out daily and check her.

I have unplugged it as of now and I will be purchasing a rheostat.

So to get this straight.
I plug the UTH in the rheostat then the rheostat into the wall correct?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ralphdp21

So to get this straight.
I plug the UTH in the rheostat then the rheostat into the wall correct?

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that is correct. just keep an eye on your temps. it also helps to use a pen or marker to mark your rheo settings...


Rob

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Your ball python is over active because his hides are not adequate. I do not believe that half log hides are beneficial to BPs as they usually result in a stressed snake.

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Umm, they are adequate. If you have one end against the glass with bedding between the log and the glass, and bedding stuffed into the hide, the snake will fit snugly and happily.

Also, my bp climbs a lot during the night when I stay up till the AMs.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by abuja

Umm, they are adequate. If you have one end against the glass with bedding between the log and the glass, and bedding stuffed into the hide, the snake will fit snugly and happily.

Also, my bp climbs a lot during the night when I stay up till the AMs.

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90% of the time when you change from log hides to "rock cave" hides, the snake stops all cruising. This is because they feel more SAFE in my opinion.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

90% of the time when you change from log hides to "rock cave" hides, the snake stops all cruising. This is because they feel more SAFE in my opinion.

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i concur...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

90% of the time when you change from log hides to "rock cave" hides, the snake stops all cruising. This is because they feel more SAFE in my opinion.

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The same thing happened to my bp when I got rid of her half logs for caves.

Oh. Well all I know (he's my first snake) is that he cruises from midnight till about 5 am (i've pulled some late nighters :P) then heads back into his half log. Actually, for his birthday (november) im planning on getting him a new home, and new decor, but maybe I'll get him a snake cave sooner than that! Next time I'm in petsmart I'll pick him up one and tell him he was born in august instead :D lol. Thanks!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by abuja

Oh. Well all I know (he's my first snake) is that he cruises from midnight till about 5 am (i've pulled some late nighters :P) then heads back into his half log. Actually, for his birthday (november) im planning on getting him a new home, and new decor, but maybe I'll get him a snake cave sooner than that! Next time I'm in petsmart I'll pick him up one and tell him he was born in august instead :D lol. Thanks!

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lol that made me laugh. but yea I constantly pull all nighters and she just loves to slither around. I'll sometimes find her wrapped up on the branch as if she's an amazon boa, lol. I don't know, but its almost as if she's happy cruising around and not because she stressed. But obviously i don't know just my opinion.

By the way is this thermostat/hydrometer any good? $7.00 at Wal-Mart:
http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/3982/img0026d.jpg

I had thought the same thing when I first brought my BP home, I had one rock cave and one half log, and my BP would cruise all night long. I didn't realize this was stress until I replaced the two hides with new caves, now when he is content he pokes out of his hide, almost like he knows this will get me to open his cage so he can explore a bit.

It seems like in your case he might be a bit insecure. Slithering all night seems to me that the snake isn't comfortable and secure in the cage, so it is constantly moving. Some activity and cruising during the night is more typical than never stopping of course.

However, I keep a "flexible" branch in his tank, spanning the entire length. The only time he uses this is when he is in "hunt mode" and this is my key to know that he is hungry. He will sit on top and smell through the screen, since I defrost mice on top of his cage. It doesn't mean he "likes" climbing, but he does it when hes hunting, so I will always put one in his cage.


BTW The thermometer looks fine. Just make sure you have a reading on temperature for the other end of the tank.
Just my two cents.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StormSerpent

It seems like in your case he might be a bit insecure. Slithering all night seems to me that the snake isn't comfortable and secure in the cage, so it is constantly moving. Some activity and cruising during the night is more typical than never stopping of course.

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Well the thing is that she doesn't cruise around all night. She just happens to have her moments 2-4 hours sometimes where she will like to move around and get a bit curious. I don't see that as being odd for a ball python as you all clearly state that they are terrestrial and nocturnal so maybe she's just trying to be active. That's my common sense talking, but hey I could be wrong, again. lol

sorry for the double post.

I bought and installed the rheostat for the UTH last night and now when I went to grab my snake I noticed that she was cold. I checked the connections and the level of the rheostat (which is at about 85%) and then checked the temperature inside the tank. No increase. I dig into the substrate put my finger against the glass and compared it to the area where the uth is at and NO heat at all. I unplugged the uth from the rheostat and waited to see if it would warm up. It did warm back up. So that rheostat clearly doesnt work. And I feel that I am not harming my snake by keep the uth un-monitored so I will be keeping it the way it is. The temperature is about 90-91 on the hot side and 82 on the cold.

I noticed the picture of the thermometer from Wal-Mart. I'd concur that the thermometer looks okay too, but the placement looks all wrong. It should be about 1" above the bottom of the cage. Not at the top -- it needs to be measuring the temp where the snake is actually spending its time.

Later,

George

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ralphdp21

sorry for the double post.

I bought and installed the rheostat for the UTH last night and now when I went to grab my snake I noticed that she was cold. I checked the connections and the level of the rheostat (which is at about 85%) and then checked the temperature inside the tank. No increase. I dig into the substrate put my finger against the glass and compared it to the area where the uth is at and NO heat at all. I unplugged the uth from the rheostat and waited to see if it would warm up. It did warm back up. So that rheostat clearly doesnt work. And I feel that I am not harming my snake by keep the uth un-monitored so I will be keeping it the way it is. The temperature is about 90-91 on the hot side and 82 on the cold.

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If im not mistaken someone else had the same problem with their rehostat recently, is it the lamp dimmer style from lowes, i think its called a lutron? if so check to see if you are moving the control the right way it is at its hottest when the LED light is at its dimmest (seemed wierd to me but thats the way it works). I would not suggest leaving the uth un regulated however as it can cause some serious problems should your snake ever get down low enough to come in contact with the glass the uth is attached to. also i would try to get a probed thermometer ( 12 bucks at walmart for the accurite version) this way you can monitor temps on the substrate where the snake will actually be.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ralphdp21

sorry for the double post.

I bought and installed the rheostat for the UTH last night and now when I went to grab my snake I noticed that she was cold. I checked the connections and the level of the rheostat (which is at about 85%) and then checked the temperature inside the tank. No increase. I dig into the substrate put my finger against the glass and compared it to the area where the uth is at and NO heat at all. I unplugged the uth from the rheostat and waited to see if it would warm up. It did warm back up. So that rheostat clearly doesnt work. And I feel that I am not harming my snake by keep the uth un-monitored so I will be keeping it the way it is. The temperature is about 90-91 on the hot side and 82 on the cold.

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Yeah, you're sliding it the wrong way. :D Happens to all of us at first. Test it out on a light bulb and see.

Also, your hand is the worst way to measure the temp of the snake. Naturally it would feel cool because it's temp has to be below our body temp.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mrshawt

Yeah, you're sliding it the wrong way. :D Happens to all of us at first. Test it out on a light bulb and see.

Also, your hand is the worst way to measure the temp of the snake. Naturally it would feel cool because it's temp has to be below our body temp.

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Except that the temperature of our body in our appendages is much lower than our core body temperature. It also fluctuates a lot. :)

Would it go below 92?

Research time. :)
EDIT: Who has a temp gun?

And still, just with the fluctuations, it makes it an inaccurate way.

okay I have returned the rheostat and I'm going to find a better one. I just installed the inner-linner for the tank and I decided to take a quick picture:

http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/8998/img0003e.jpg

I'm sure thats the correct way to install it, so please correct me if I'm wrong.

I have ordered the new hides, and leaves and they should arrive soon. I am thinking of returning that digital thermometer and just getting the accurite with probes from walmart.

Okay, I am 99% done with the setup. All I am waiting for is her new hides.

This is her new almost complete set-up, subtracting the new hides.
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/1839/img0030lul.jpg

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/108/img0019ypa.jpg
rheostat on the bottom left

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/6022/img0017ykw.jpg
the temperature has not leveled out yet, I dropped the rheostat and I'm trying to get it at 90degrees. That should be fine right? Don't you have to take in account for the thickness of substrate?

No, the hottest point in the tank should be 95*. So just try and set the rheostat there.

Also, the acurite needs to go in the tank so you can measure ambient temperature and humidity (measured by the unit itself).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

No, the hottest point in the tank should be 95*. So just try and set the rheostat there.

Also, the acurite needs to go in the tank so you can measure ambient temperature and humidity (measured by the unit itself).

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Okay so I can set it to 95 no problem.
I have a problem putting the acurite in the tank. It wont hold up on the black linner. The weight will pull the linner off. I guess I can mess with it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ralphdp21

Okay so I can set it to 95 no problem.
I have a problem putting the acurite in the tank. It wont hold up on the black linner. The weight will pull the linner off. I guess I can mess with it.

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It should have a little stand that you can pull out on the back, so you can just set it right on the substrate.

The black liner should be on the outside of the cage. I see tape in there and trust me, you do not want your snake stuck to that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

It should have a little stand that you can pull out on the back, so you can just set it right on the substrate.

The black liner should be on the outside of the cage. I see tape in there and trust me, you do not want your snake stuck to that.

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So the liner outside? Okay. Argg. That took me a while to setup and cut. lol. o well. to take all that out again. :tears:

Okay, I have officially completed her setup. The temperatures are perfect (the UTH is attached to a rheostat and has been calibrated), and she seems to like the new layout. So I am going to put a photo of what I believe is the final setup.

Please note that the above lamp is for when it gets cooler than normal.
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/1231/img0005foj.jpg

and by the way, I got the leaves at the Dollar Store. All you see there for $4.

I'm sure you'll be suprised how much your setup is going to change. You'll find more things that you like, you'll change stuff around.
You'll have a bunch of hides that you've replaced, old plants that you put in with new ones and other decorations popping up throughout the vivarium. I'm finding new things that I like all the time and I see new setups from other people that I like and have to steal little ideas from. You'll see lots of neat ideas on this site for setups.

I would also like to mention two things:

There is a button that says:

temp
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clock

click on that button so your acurite reads the top line as the "IN" temperature, the second line reads the "OUT" temperature and the third reads the humidity...

The probe is what reads the "IN"



Second thing i want to mention is checking your humidity....if it starts to get a little low, heres a quick link for a suggestion...http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=90187


I hope that helps...


I did the same silly thing on having the Acurite out side of the tank...i even went back and exchanged it because i thought it didnt read the humidity right...I even turned his tank into a rainforest because the humidity didnt go up...thanks to everyone here, i got my setup A-OK

I love this site, and a lot of people help out here...Me and my snake are grateful for this site...

I forgot if they mentioned to you the caresheets here...if not, you should look into them as well...

and by the way,

:welcome:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Montie Python

I would also like to mention two things:

There is a button that says:

temp
-----
clock

click on that button so your acurite reads the top line as the "IN" temperature, the second line reads the "OUT" temperature and the third reads the humidity...

The probe is what reads the "IN"

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Thank you for the heads up but I think you may have it backwards. The probe should be "OUT" when I move the rheostat setting the "OUT" starts to change.

Please some one double check on that, but I don't see the "IN" temperature change when I alter the rheostat, only the "OUT".

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ralphdp21

Thank you for the heads up but I think you may have it backwards. The probe should be "OUT" when I move the rheostat setting the "OUT" starts to change.

Please some one double check on that, but I don't see the "IN" temperature change when I alter the rheostat, only the "OUT".

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Correct, "OUT" = outside, measured by the probe. "IN"/inside is measured by the unit itself (which is assumed to be inside).

oops...my bad, thats what i meant...