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  1. #1
    BPnet Veteran Marla's Avatar
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    As my roommate and cousin are both looking to get ball pythons and want my help, I need to plan a couple of cages. I found this cool-looking plastic bin cage plan and I like the idea of having the window to be able to read gauges without disturbing the snake. However, I have a few questions that I hope you could help me with.

    First, how is the effectiveness of a UTH affected by the thickness or type of plastic that you use? I understand they work just fine with Sterilite shoe boxes and such, but would they work as well with a bin like the one in the link or like this Rubbermaid one? I like how easy it appears to be to secure that one against escape. If it's too thick for a UTH, would you go for a thinner material or create a hot spot another way?

    Second, would one UTH and one incandescent bulb (50w? 60w? 75w?) be enough to manage heat for a container that size? If not, what would you suggest?

    Third, what are your experiences with regard to BP's preferring something to climb on or being happy with just hides? There are a lot of stackable or drawer type containers that might work well in limited space but wouldn't allow for a climbing structure made with PVC or branches. In other words, what is a good height guideline for plastic enclosures and why?
    3.1.1 BP (Snyder, Hanover, Bo Peep, Sir NAITF, Eve), 1.2.3 Rhacodactylus ciliatus (Sandiego, Carmen, Scooby, Camo, BABIES ), 1.0 Chow (Buddha), 0.2 cats (Jezebel, PCBH "Nanners"), 0.3 humans
    xnview for resizing and coverting pics

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  2. #2
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    Dang, those plans are better then mine, lol.

    UTH's would be effective in that. A 75 would heat it perfectly. And babies love to climb, but adults like hides.

  3. #3
    BPnet Veteran Marla's Avatar
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    I went over to the dark side last night. I was so tempted by the rack plans I was looking at and the plan linked above that I went and bought a Sterilite drawer setup. It has 4 drawers, 2 deep and 2 shallow, and there's room under the bottom one for a human heat pad and under the others for flexwatt. I rearranged the drawers so that the deep ones are top and bottom with the shallow in the middle, because I feel like that creates a heat trap better and because it would protect a climbing snake from getting burned. I wasn't sure how well a snake would be able to push out the front of the drawer just enough to slither out, so I added velcro on both sides for security. It's definitely holding humidity better than the aquarium, but I'm a little concerned about the temperature. On the warm side on top of the substrate (newspaper) it was about 85F. I don't want to cut up the top and add a light because I think that would mess with my humidity and boost the temp too high, not to mention I think Snyder would be happier without it. Is 85F okay, or do I really need to get it up another couple of degrees?
    3.1.1 BP (Snyder, Hanover, Bo Peep, Sir NAITF, Eve), 1.2.3 Rhacodactylus ciliatus (Sandiego, Carmen, Scooby, Camo, BABIES ), 1.0 Chow (Buddha), 0.2 cats (Jezebel, PCBH "Nanners"), 0.3 humans
    xnview for resizing and coverting pics

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  4. #4
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    OMG! I cant believe I overlooked this thread, thats it! Thats the perfect plastic ,perfectly viewable setup. Thank you sooo much Marla for posting that link. If anybody can answer Marlas questions Id surely apreciate that cause it would help me out as well. What a great idea.Ya know its a good idea when ya say "why didnt I think of that".

  5. #5
    BPnet Veteran steelsack's Avatar
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    Basically the only way to for sure find out if some of your plans are going to work is to set it up. Do this the week before you get your bp so you can iron out all bugs. Just set it up and run it as though there was a snake inside. Monitor temps, humidity, hot zones, cool zones. The plastic should conduct heat no problem. It may take a little while longer to reach max temp, but with constant heat underneath, it has no choice but to heat up.
    Marla, 85 is the low end of the hot zone IMO. Is that the hottest the uth will get it? How many sheets of news are you using? You could go to one or two layers perhaps...........unless you're doing that already.
    Ah the joys of tweaking!

  6. #6
    BPnet Veteran Jeanne's Avatar
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    I am not usually one to think about a cage like that..but got to say, it is a good idea... and it looks nice too!!! :lol:
    *Jeanne*

    "To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe"

  7. #7
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    Using opaque gives you a view, but since snakes have poor eyesight that thing might as well be solid. Saves time too.

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