Need help with single tub setup

[bman123]

I will try to make this easy plus I'm posting from a iPhone. I have a show local in 2 weeks and I want to buy a Bp while I am there. I want to have this tub set up and running at least a week ahead of time. Here's the questions

1 what size tub to get?
2 what size uth to get? I will buy local from petsmart or psplus
3 how to apply the uth to the tub?
4 what can I use for a cheap hide and water dish

I am going to the dollar store to buy the tub with a snap on locking lid, that are like $3 for a 15qt or 32qt tub. Then to walmart to get a accurite thermo and papertowels for substrate. Then to home depot to get a lutron lamp dimmer.

This is my first time using a tub. How would you set it up basically if you were doing it. It would be great if I can get the hide and bow at walmart while I'm there. I plan on getting a 2010 born bp by the way. Thanks in advance

[seeya205]

I would get the 15 quart tub and attach a small uth on it with foil tape. Do not use peel the paper off the uth and stick it on then you will not be able to take it off! You can use anything for a hide as long as it is just big enough for the bp which a baby is pretty small. You can use a plastic cat/dog dish and turn it upside down and cut a hole in it. Burn the edges of the hole so they are not sharp. The dollar store is a great place to get hides and water dishes!

[bman123]

DoesIDles the brand of uth matter? I was thinking maybe a small cereal bowl for a hide and a ramekin for a dish at the $1 store would work.

How long can a 2010 hatchling stay in a 15qt tub? For the holes in the tub now. Should I set it up and put the lid on with everything inside. Then watch the temp and humidity then put holes in one by one? I have no clue how many holes it normally takes.

Would it be better to put the holes on the cool side? That way the heat from the uth has to travel across the tub before exiting?

[bman123]

Does anyone have anything to add here? I am more then likely getting my BP next saturday, I need to buy this stuff tomorrow or tuesday so I can have it all set up and ready to go. Please chime in if you have tub knoweldge

[AkHerps]

Alright things you need:
Tub

UTH/flexwatt

Aluminum foil tape

Thermostat/rheostat/lamp dimmer

Accurite thermometer with a probe (Walmart)

Start with like, maybe 8 holes on the long sides. About an inch down from the top of the tub. If you don't have a soldering thingy, use a screwdriver that you heat up with fire.

How to set up your tub:

Aluminum foil tape your heat pad under the tub on the outside. Plug the heat pad into one of your controlling devices, lamp dimmers are cheap. Then take the accurite thermometer probe and place it INSIDE your tub, under the substrate on top of the heat pad. Adjust your lamp dimmer or whatever you use as needed to gain a hot spot in between 90-95. Place the accurite unite (shows the temps) into the tub on your cool side. This way you will get your hot side temps, cool side temps, plus humidity.

[bman123]

I was told before to put the thermo probe on the bottom of the uth not inside the tub. Just want to make sure I am gonna do it right the first time.

I found a sweet male spider locally for a great price. I'm gonna get everything on my way home tomorrow so it will be all set up. I'm getting him on Saturday hopefully

[AkHerps]

If you have a thermostat, you put the thermostat probe directly on the heat pad, and then your thermometer probe inside.

If you are using a lamp dimmer/rheostat, you put the thermometer probe on the inside of your tub under the substrate to get the temperature of where your snake will be laying, since you aren't using a thermostat with it's own probe.

If you put the thermometer probe on the UTH, you won't know what temp it is where your snake is laying because it will vary a few degrees because of the air pocket in between tub and the heat pad.

[bman123]

Ok I gotcha, thanks for clearing that up for me. If I get a 2010 born baby how long do you think I can keep it in a 15qt tub?

[AkHerps]

mmm, probably a nice amount of time. Mine stayed in a 10X10 square enclosure for like 3 months. I moved mine into a larger tub when he was pretty young still, but cluttered it up and set it up how his other one was. The dimensions of his tub right now are...24L x 15W x 6H.

I think he'll be able to grow into it for the next couple months, I just need to up his hide size soon.

[Vypyrz]

Here are some pics of my basic tub set-up. I recommend getting a soldering iron while you are at Wal-Mart. They cost about $10-$15 and will make so much easier when you punch the holes and make the hides. I don't know know what dollar store chain you have in your area, but the ones where I'm at have these 44 ounce plastic cereal bowls for $1 each. All you have to do is melt a semi-circular hole in the side, flip it upside down, and put it in the tub. It's basically the same as the Reptile Basics hides, except it is round. I've made some different modifications to my tubs recently, I just haven't got around to getting the pics up yet, but this should get you started with the basics. The tub size I'm using is a 32 quart.

1) This is optional, but I use a ruler to mark where I want my holes just to keep the line straight. Next, punch the holes with whatever method you are going to use. Like AK said above, 8-10 holes on each of the long sides is a good starting point. Watch the humidity for a day or two and add more holes if needed...



2) Flip the tub upside down. If you are using a thermostat, mount the probe to the bottom:


Depending on the brand of UTH you get, it may have an adhesive side to stick it on. Don't do that. Just tape it down with aluminum tape, and it will be alot easier to remove and re-apply when needed. Also, some UTH's come with little rubber riser feet that stick to the corners. If yours doesn't have these then glue some plastic bottle caps to the corners and they will work just as well:


3) Set-up the inside and you are done. For the Acu-Rite, I would suggest melting a hole near the bottom on the cool end and the warm end. When you place the Acu-Rite on the cool end, run the probe wire out through the hole, around, and in through the hole on the warm end, and place it under the substrate over the UTH. That way you won't have 6 feet of probe wire jammed under the substrate. You can keep all the extra rolled up and tucked out of site behind the tub:


While you are at Wal-Mart, don't forget to go to the Office/School Supplies section and pick up some of those black binder clips. Once you lock the lid down with the handles, put a few binder clips on it to keep the lid and tub pinched together. Hope this helps some and good luck...