Hello everyone

[Matt2190]

Hi, my name is Matthew, and I am a new BP owner, and obviously a new member to this forum. I typically am just more of a lurker and not a poster on most forums. But I have been using all your guys' posts to help answer any of my questions, so I decided to intoduce myself. I bought my normal BP at the end Jan. this year at a local pet store. I was told he was a male, and 8 months old, but I know I cant fully rely on that info. I named him Buck, after the guitar player Buckethead. My girlfriend an I are renting a room from our friends which is terrible with keeping a steady temp. In summer its blaring hot, and winter its freezing cold! This has made things a bit more difficult for me. I keep him in a terrarium. Something I want to look nice, and meet all of my BPs needs.

I have him in a 30 gal. long tank. It has a slide in mesh lid with a lock. For heat I am using a UTH on the left side, which covers about 1/3 of the tank. I have it hooked up to a Herpstat ND to control the temps. Because our room fluctuates temps so much, and gets so cold, I also am running a 75 watt red heat bulb above the tank 24/7. I have this bulb hooked up to a zoo med rheostat, so I can turn it up, down, or off depending on the temps. On the far right of the tank I have a very small heat pad which is programmed to turn on at night. Sometimes his cool side would drop a little too low at night for my liking. I have this hooked up to a cheap target dimmer, so I can have it low or off in summer, and higher on a cold winter night. I also have a sheet of foil along the dresser below all of the heat pads to try and retain some heat and save some electricity. Along the back of the tank I have a thick foam board (green) suction cupped to the outside of his tank. This helps making him feel secure, and keeps the temps up from being near a window.

Hummidity is a bit of an issue using the heat lamp, so I spray a little bit in his tank everyday. I also have plexiglass covering about half the top of the tank, with a damp towel (which I wet daily) in between the plexiglass and the mesh. I heard towels will soak up the hummidity, so I have tried foil, but that doesnt seem to do the trick for me. I have a larger corner water bowel in his tank to help a little bit with hummidity, which I change the water every other day. For substrate I am using Eco Earth to help with hummidity even a little bit more, which is the only reason I am feeding outside the tank.

Under the Eco Earth I have some reptile carpet above each heat pad to help prevent any burns. Beacause of this I have to set the Herpstat at a higher temp to achieve the temps I want for is hot side. I am measuring his temps with 2 probed thermometers, one on each side. Also a third thermometer/hygrometer I have dead center of the tank. I also use a Pro Exotics temp gun once a day to double check my temps. He has two hides, although not identical hides like some people recommed. I have found that not quite necessary for my BP.

I gave him a week to adjust to his new home when I first got him, even though it was SO hard to do! I just wanted to play with him! The first time he shed it was in little bits and pieces all over the place. Since then I have found ways to up the hummidity, and his last shed was one perfect piece, and came off in just two days. He eats once a week, (pre-killed mice) and has had 7 meals. Never refused one. He digests all of his meals just fine. I dont handle him too much, about 10 or 15 minutes a day, if that. He is really sweet, has never struck at me. I just love the little guy and want whats best for him.

Wow...sorry for anyone who reads all that! Haha, I just started typing and it all came out. I will also post a really bad cell phone picture of Bucks tank set up, and a picture of him. Thanks for being a cool, very helpful, and fun forum for me to read through!

His tank set up.


Very bad picture of Buck.

[Johan]

Hey hey, Welcome to the forum. Looks like you did your research and your setup looks great. Its really nice to see first time posters with things sorted out nicely . I just got my Tuna on the first of March. She was apparently 6 months old (like you I doubt the info). How much does Buck weigh? I love the name by the way

Buck is looking good (but yeah your pic sucks haha)

[Matt2190]

Thank you Johan! That is the one thing I have been lacking on...a scale! I am not sure of his weight. I am 100% sure though that he has been growing, and gaining weight since I have bought him, so I have not been too worried. But it is something on my list to buy.

[Drumsinthenight.]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

[Johan]

Thank you Johan! That is the one thing I have been lacking on...a scale! I am not sure of his weight. I am 100% sure though that he has been growing, and gaining weight since I have bought him, so I have not been too worried. But it is something on my list to buy.

Great, a scale is a lot of fun. I like using the wt of my ball to determine food size. 10-15% body weight and you know your good (I check to make sure it ain't too fat of course). When I got my girl last much she weighed 293 grams. A little over a month later and she weighs 474 grams. She is growing really fast

[rexrem]

Matt! Nice shot of Buck. I like it when they roll into a ball and peak.

[dragonboy4578]

Welcome.....