My Set Up.

Good or Bad? Suggestions?

I got a 29gal tank with a undertank heater which is placed under her hiding spot, a little hut sold mainly for small animals, but she loves it. The lid is a mesh top with lid locks (two on both sides). I use retro bark and I have a little stick in there with a blue water dish (this will be temporary, though I may keep it because she likes to wedge herself and move things around anyway), and some plastic foliage. I switch lights from daylight in the morning to infrared nocturnal light at night. Temps stay good, I keep a little blanket over top the one half of the tank when the room gets cold and take it off when it's hot.

All in all, she's a very happy ball python, loves her environment. The most docile thing I've owned, even when starting to shed I could tie her in a knot (figuratively speaking) and have her not be aggressive.

You need another identical hide on the cool side

Personally, I don't like glass tanks for reptile enclosures, but if you are going to use one here is a great post: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=56846

I agree with the first post. You need an identical hide on the cool end of the enclosure. This way the snake can thermoregulate. If you do not have an identical hide but you have some type of hide on the cool end the chances are the snake will not like that hide and may not even go in it at all. Don't let your snake choose between heat or safety if you do not have two identical hides.

Also, do you have your heat sources controlled by a thermostat or at least a rheostat/dimmer? If not, I highly recommend buying one. UTHs and heat lamps can unexpectedly get very hot. I did a test to see how hot a 10-20 gallon UTH would get on a 20 gallon enclosure. I took the snake out just in case. In little time, the UTH got as hot as 113F and was still rising. So, it's not really that safe to keep a UTH running without a thermostat or at least a rheostat.

Besides those two things, your enclosure seems to be just fine.

I wish I had the room for another hide. The tank is too small. I'm looking to get a bigger one soon with a UTH specifically for that size, another hide and all.

I have the thermostat in there definitely, it's never gotten hot in there, nor the UTH... I usually shut off the UTH every other week to let it cool for a day then put it back on. I've actually been having trouble with regulating the heat at the right temp because of the central cooling we have, and how low it's set. So, she's definitely not burning. Humidity stays pretty good but I might definitely put moss in there to help it stay up when I'm not home and at work.

You say you have a thermostat, why would you let it cool for a day? Are you mixing up thermometer and thermostat?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vesta

I wish I had the room for another hide. The tank is too small. I'm looking to get a bigger one soon with a UTH specifically for that size, another hide and all.

I have the thermostat in there definitely, it's never gotten hot in there, nor the UTH... I usually shut off the UTH every other week to let it cool for a day then put it back on. I've actually been having trouble with regulating the heat at the right temp because of the central cooling we have, and how low it's set. So, she's definitely not burning. Humidity stays pretty good but I might definitely put moss in there to help it stay up when I'm not home and at work.

---

Maybe taking some plants out would be best to fit in the cool side hide. I can fit another hide in my 20 gallon ever since I took out this one plant. The snake really needs that cool hide, so I would say get it in there as soon as possible or whenever you can.

I have just a small thermostat for the tank. I'm going to buy a probe thermostat for the warming spot where the UTH is.

But I shut the UTH for a day so that it won't come to a point of overheating. It's precautionary.

You do need something to control your heat mat. They can get extremely hot, especially on glass. Your snake will burrow down to the heat and burn itself.

If you buy a digital thermostat, you can set it to the desired temp and leave it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CoolioTiffany

Maybe taking some plants out would be best to fit in the cool side hide. I can fit another hide in my 20 gallon ever since I took out this one plant. The snake really needs that cool hide, so I would say get it in there as soon as possible or whenever you can.

---

It the one hide I have that is large. But she likes it and wouldn't take it out for the world because if I place it on the bed and hold her... she tends to find her way to it still haha. So I guess I'll have to go towards a 40 gallon to put another one in.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vesta

I have just a small thermostat for the tank. I'm going to buy a probe thermostat for the warming spot where the UTH is.

But I shut the UTH for a day so that it won't come to a point of overheating. It's precautionary.

---

I've never seen a UTH with a temp regulator on it and I work at a petstore... Where do you find them?

BTW thanks guys for throwing this stuff out... I only want the best for my little girl.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vesta

It the one hide I have that is large. But she likes it and wouldn't take it out for the world because if I place it on the bed and hold her... she tends to find her way to it still haha. So I guess I'll have to go towards a 40 gallon to put another one in.

---

Your snake would most likely enjoy two smaller hides. It will make her feel more secure. They tend to get in the smallest area they can, and some will even seem to wear there hide as a shell if it is small enough, kinda like a turtle.

You could also look into something like this for a cage instead of a glass tank: http://dragons4you.net/24x12x12w.JPG. Digital thermostats can be bought here: http://reptilebasics.com/Thermostats-p-1-c-250.html.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tbowman

Your snake would most likely enjoy two smaller hides. It will make her feel more secure. They tend to get in the smallest area they can, and some will even seem to wear there hide as a shell if it is small enough, kinda like a turtle.

---

The smaller ones feel like they are too small. She's a nice four foot snake with a pretty wide girth. I want something nice and decorative, too.

You'd be surprised what they can fit into.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

You could also look into something like this for a cage instead of a glass tank: http://dragons4you.net/24x12x12w.JPG. Digital thermostats can be bought here: http://reptilebasics.com/Thermostats-p-1-c-250.html.

---

Thanks mucho! And I love you for bringing the picture up of the tank. I want one for her! I just don't know what they are called to look into it and I do want something that's going to definitely be big enough for her.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vesta

It the one hide I have that is large. But she likes it and wouldn't take it out for the world because if I place it on the bed and hold her... she tends to find her way to it still haha. So I guess I'll have to go towards a 40 gallon to put another one in.

---

Ball pythons don't normally feel secure in large hides, it can stress them out. They like to crunch themselves in hides and getting a hide that is large enough for her to fit in she'll love that one even more.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tbowman

You'd be surprised what they can fit into.

---

I figured when she jammed herself in her waterbowl, but I guess I could find something it's still going to take up space.

Give me a sec I will show you some pics of my bps setup

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vesta

I figured when she jammed herself in her waterbowl, but I guess I could find something it's still going to take up space.

---

Well, the best thing is to get two smaller similar hides that she can fit into. If your tank cannot really hold the two hides, I suggest getting a 40 or 55 gallon enclosure. A 4 foot snake would seem kind of large for a 29 gallon enclosure, wouldn't it? I have a Kingsnake that is a little over 4 feet long and he fits perfectly in a 40 gallon enclosure.

I know my hides aren't identicle, but my bp doesn't care, he uses them both regularly.

Sorry for the quality.
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i2...an92/cage1.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i2...an92/cage2.jpg

Beautiful snake, and I see how the two hides are definitely a good thing.. I am going to be getting a 40gal next pay check if not the pay check after that. I fell in love with the exo terra caves... so I am probably gonna get two of them for hides. And I'm going to get a more rock-ish looking water dish. Some moss and all that.

And my Vesta is almost done shedding so I shall be posting pictures up soon! WOOT.

Thanks, mucho guys. You all got me thinking and I'm definitely going to have a perfect set up once I'm done. My snake is my life right now. Suffering a bad break, where the ex wants "his" snake, when he would never have the money to take care of her, unless he took from his CAR fund. I told him no and I'm keeping the snake. YAY.

So when I upgrade I know I have to change the UTH to the one specified for the 40gal. Do I have to up bulb wattage? I know we sell a tank with a lid that slides on and I can get a combo lock for it to make sure she doesn't get out. The two hides will be coming from exo-terra, but should I just get the large or x-large for her... I don't know if we sell the caves at my store to compare her with. I saw the carry-on on the site that I wanted to I'm happy about that.

I would get a 30gallon breeder. Same size as 40, but just shorter. Less air space to heat and humidify.

OR you can just save up money and get an Animal Plastics or RBI enclosure. Would look a whole lot better than the tank and be better insulated. Be sure to get a nice digital thermostat too so you can be sure the snake won't get burned by an uncontrolled heat source.

What are animal plastics... or rbi enclosures?

Alright so how does setting up the heating for these RBI tanks work because if I save up and get one.... I need to know how it all works.