I have some temperature and enclosure questions.

[RaptorNinja]

As some of you may know, I am hoping to get a ball python, and I've been doing a lot of research on keeping a ball python. But I still have some questions that I couldn't get a concrete anwser for.

Enclosure wise, what should I buy for an enclosure. Should I buy a glass aquarium? and how big should it be? 3 feet long by 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep? And how much would that cost?

Temperature wise, what should I buy to keep track of the temperature and humidity?

I am curious because this will be my first ball python if I am allowed to get one, and I want to be able to take good care of it!

[mjmendoza]

As some of you may know, I am hoping to get a ball python, and I've been doing a lot of research on keeping a ball python. But I still have some questions that I couldn't get a concrete anwser for.

Enclosure wise, what should I buy for an enclosure. Should I buy a glass aquarium? and how big should it be? 3 feet long by 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep? And how much would that cost?

Temperature wise, what should I buy to keep track of the temperature and humidity?

I am curious because this will be my first ball python if I am allowed to get one, and I want to be able to take good care of it!

Enclosure wise if looks doesnt matter to you a sterilite tub would work perfectly fine. Holds humidity really well. But if you want a tank that would work to. A 10 gallon with a screen top should be fine to start off with if your ball python is baby. Glass tanks are a little harder to keep humidity up but it all depends on your location. I have my pastel in a glass tank and the humidity is perfect. People on this forum have said to put foil over the screen just to keep humidity up if you need to.

As for making sure your temperature stays in the right range you would want to purchase a thermostat. You can set your desired temp on the thermostat and when it reaches that temp it turns off your heat source but when the temp drops it will turn on again. Misting would also get your humidity up. Do you know what kind of substrate you would be using?

hope this helps you. just search on the forum because there is a bunch of information on here. everybody really helps out on here also. good luck!

[RaptorNinja]

For substrate, I was thinking on going with astro-turf. According to my findings it works well. Would I need 2 thermostats? Because I know that one half of the tank is supposed to be a few degrees cooler than the other.

[Skittles1101]

For substrate, I was thinking on going with astro-turf. According to my findings it works well. Would I need 2 thermostats? Because I know that one half of the tank is supposed to be a few degrees cooler than the other.

A thermostat is needed for any heat source. I only have one UTH, therefore I only have one thermostat. I have read some people use a smaller UTH for the cool side, but IMO unless it gets very cold in your house it's unnecessary for an UTH for the cool side.

Also, for what it's worth, I got turned off from the carpet/astro turf because of how dingy and gross looking it gets after being soiled just a few times. I use aspen in my 1 tank and in my quarantine rack,and I use newspaper in my other rack.

[RetiredJedi]

Check out this GREAT TUB SETUP.

[RaptorNinja]

A thermostat is needed for any heat source. I only have one UTH, therefore I only have one thermostat. I have read some people use a smaller UTH for the cool side, but IMO unless it gets very cold in your house it's unnecessary for an UTH for the cool side.

Also, for what it's worth, I got turned off from the carpet/astro turf because of how dingy and gross looking it gets after being soiled just a few times. I use aspen in my 1 tank and in my quarantine rack,and I use newspaper in my other rack.

I am not the most internet language smart person, and it may make me look stupid, but what does IMO stand for? Oh, and while i'm at it, what is a UTH?

[RaptorNinja]

Check out this GREAT TUB SETUP.

Thank you for that!

[RaptorNinja]

I am not the most internet language smart person, and it may make me look stupid, but what does IMO stand for? Oh, and while i'm at it, what is a UTH?

About the UTH, nevermind! it stands for Under-Tank-Heater right? And you only put it under the warmer half right?

[RetiredJedi]

About the UTH, nevermind! it stands for Under-Tank-Heater right? And you only put it under the warmer half right?

yes it goes on the warm side and should cover about 1/3 of the bottom.

oh and IMO stands for In My Opinion.

[kitedemon]

Good for you doing your homework!

The problem with some of your questions is the answer is a bit dependant on the environment the enclosure is going in to.

Lets say you get a tub, and thermostat (YOU NEED ONE!) and set it up in a cool room where I am that can be quite cool so lets use my case, 65-68º. The heater and t-stat (thermostat) do the job and heat the surface of the substrate to 90º. The problem is two fold the air temps are very cold and the heater while is heating the ground is not able to heat the air temps as much so lets say the air temp gains 3 degrees that means the so 69-71º. That is quite cool for the cool end temps. This is why I went with a second UTH and t-stat. Many people use a room heater to do the same thing raise the ambient temps in the room to 80ºF.

My case still has an issue in that the air temps are still quite cool and need to be heated as well personally I use two way for that insulated enclosures that keep some of the surface heat and use that to heat air and lighting inside the enclosure (fluorescent) to heat the air during the day at night the temps slowly fall and by morning reach the coolest but then start to lift again.

You can see the problem mine is an extreme example if you had warm room temps high 70s most of the year it is unlikely this would be needed. I can't say for you only for myself.

Never downplay how important ambient air temps are. Ball Pythons need air temps to be at least 78ºF and 85-6 on the higher end to make use of the surface heat coming from the UTH.

why... in case you want to know...

Snakes have a long lung and a short one. The long lung is where the respiration is done the short is not important to this discussion. The long lung passes along beside the heart and liver as well as all the major arteries and veins of the body. If the temp in the lung is the ambient air temp it is very hard to get that blood flow warm enough but running through the muscles on the lower end of the snake that is touching the substrate that is heated.

On a cold day leaning up against a hot car might feel nice but you are still not going to take your jacket off.