enclosure check list help

[geminibutts]

so i was wondering if i have everything i need before i get my ball python tomorrow.
-large plastic sterilite tub (106 quarts or 26 gallons) with a lot of small holes drilled into the sides
-newspaper substrate
-3 hides (one on warm side, one on cool side, and a big cup laying on it's side in the middle)
-a heavy water bowl in the middle
-a tiny but heavy water bowl on the warm side to get some humidity going
-an infrared thermometer gun
-1 non-digital hydrometer/thermometer for one side of the cage (don't worry i'm getting another tomorrow for the other side and i'm buying a digital one with my next paycheck. i will check with gun often)
-a heat pad on one side of the cage
-a rheostat connected to the heat pad so that it doesn't get too hot
-two rocks because i heard they can help with shed (i boiled them beforehand to kill all the germs and such)

and i think that's it. i will get a digital scale eventually and until then i will take her to the pet food center near my house to be weighed. here are the temps recorded with my temp gun.
warmest part - 95
middle section - 76
coolest part - 76
i'm having some trouble making an effective gradient since it seems like the parts that aren't covered by the heat pad are the same temperature. do you think it will even out if i add more humidity? i haven't messed with the humidity yet other than putting the small water bowl on the warm side.

[tbowman]

What size snake are you getting? A 106 qt tub is gigantic even for the largest BP. If the snake is an adult I would put it in a sterilite 41 qt tub or an Iris CB70 tub. I would also bring down the hot spot to around 90. As long as the ambient temp is in the mid to upper 70s I think you'll be fine.

The essentials:

Tub
Heat
Thermostat / Rheostat
Substrate
Two hides
Water bowl

[geminibutts]

What size snake are you getting? A 106 qt tub is gigantic even for the largest BP. If the snake is an adult I would put it in a sterilite 41 qt tub or an Iris CB70 tub. I would also bring down the hot spot to around 90. As long as the ambient temp is in the mid to upper 70s I think you'll be fine.

The essentials:

Tub
Heat
Thermostat / Rheostat
Substrate
Two hides
Water bowl

that seems so small! the ball i'm buying (from a breeder) is 928 grams (2 pounds i think). i read that i should use a 30 gallon tub but since she's still a bit small i went with a 26 gallon tub. if you really think i should then i'll get another. and i'm really glad you said that about the temps 'cause it was frustrating me to no end!

[Mustang5]

that seems so small! the ball i'm buying (from a breeder) is 928 grams (2 pounds i think). i read that i should use a 30 gallon tub but since she's still a bit small i went with a 26 gallon tub. if you really think i should then i'll get another. and i'm really glad you said that about the temps 'cause it was frustrating me to no end!

I use a 66q sterilite tub for my 1000g female and it fits her perfect. I would recommend trying that if you want to try a tub, good luck

[pbyeerts]

There's a really good Sticky about how to set up a tub (and another for tanks).


Pamela and GINGER, my wonderful BP

1 dog, 3 cats, 1 macaw, 1 husband, 1 daughter, and GINGER


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[Eric Alan]

Have you been here yet? Ball Python (Python regius) Caresheet
What about here? How to Setup a Glass Tank (20 long) With Pictures!

Yes, I realize that you're looking at a tub vs a glass enclosure, but a lot of the equipment and set-up advice still directly apply.

[tbowman]

The tubs I mentioned are pretty much "industry standard" for adult BPs.

The 66qt that somebody mentioned is not too large but it has wheels so the bottom of the tub is not flat. The sterilite 41qt has grooves in the bottom and can be a little harder to clean. The iris cb70 is completely flat on the bottom and very easy to clean.

[Eric Alan]

The tubs I mentioned are pretty much "industry standard" for adult BPs.

The 66qt that somebody mentioned is not too large but it has wheels so the bottom of the tub is not flat. The sterilite 41qt has grooves in the bottom and can be a little harder to clean. The iris cb70 is completely flat on the bottom and very easy to clean.

THIS

I currently use Vision V-18 tubs for my hatchlings (18" x 7.5" x 3.5"), Iris MCB-L tubs for my grow-ups and adult males (32 qt - 16.5" x 24.25" x 6.25"), and Vision V-70 tubs for my adult females (41 qt - 34" x 17.5" x 5.25"). These are very standard sizes of tubs when it comes to BPs.

For a 928 gram BP in my collection, I wouldn't even be considering moving up from a 32 qt to a 41 qt tub until they gained another 300+ grams (if it were a male, it'd be staying permanently in the 32 qt). Even then, I'd be very conscious of any feeding issues associated with moving to a larger enclosure. Many times they are comforted by being in a smaller space and will eat much more reliably there.

[Mustang5]

The tubs I mentioned are pretty much "industry standard" for adult BPs.

The 66qt that somebody mentioned is not too large but it has wheels so the bottom of the tub is not flat. The sterilite 41qt has grooves in the bottom and can be a little harder to clean. The iris cb70 is completely flat on the bottom and very easy to clean.

Just a small correction. Mine doesn't have wheels on the bottom but the bottom is not flat as you mentioned. I agree with you that the iris cb70 is also a really good option.

[pbyeerts]

I see a rheostat, but I don't see a thermostat on your list? Just checking.....


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Pamela and GINGER, my wonderful BP

1 dog, 3 cats, 1 macaw, 1 husband, 1 daughter, and GINGER


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk