Stressed out new guy here... could use some help...

[LittleTreeGuy]

Hey all... so I decided recently that I want a ball python (I like those pastel Mojave's). I've been researching, reading, researching some more and my head hurts from all the stuff I've been reading. I figured I'd post up what I'm thinking and maybe see if I'm even on the right track or not. I want to get a set-up in place for a while so I can make sure I'm able to get the temps and humidity where it needs to be and keep it there before I go introducing an animal to it. I think that will be easier on me and the snake.

Here is what I'm thinking:

T8 enclosure with the following:
- Sliding glass doors
- Door lock
- Divider
- Flexwatt bottom heater
- LED lights (I read I can call/email them to add this option)

So... I know I'll need a few more things...

- Water dish (not worried about finding this)
- hides (matching for hot/cool sides not too worried about finding this)
- Thermometer (2 or three, at least one with a probe for the bottom heater)
- Humidity gauge (Like the Walmart 2 in 1 perhaps?)
- Substrate... I'll probably start out with paper towels or a roll of paper. I like the aspen, but that seems hard on the humidity.

Now, the big question... will I need additional heat for the ambient temperature? My house is very very old and it gets drafty and cool... to the mid 60's at times. I'm not sure if I need a hole cut in the top of the cage for a ceramic heater, or if I should look at getting one of the radiant heat panels and put that in the top of the cage? If I do that, the height of the cage decreases. Is that bad?

This leads me to my next question... if I have two heat sources, I need two thermostats correct? I know the Herpstat ones seem to be the popular choice, but is there anything else... or is $200 par for the course for a two thermostat setup?

Am I missing anything else??

[bcr229]

Yes, if you have 2 heat sources you need 2 thermostats. I think belly heat + RHP on both sides would overwhelm a divided T8 though. I use just 11" wide FlexWatt in mine and even when the house drops to 70*F it's ok.

I have three of the T8's with sliding doors, and other enclosures have drop-down doors. I find the drop doors easier to manage. Also I've found with the sliding doors that the left side of my T8 stack, which has the door on the inside track, stays a lot more humid than the right side. So, I run my juvenile BRB's in there, and my juvenile Dumeril's boas on the other side, since both species have the same heat requirements but the BRB's need higher humidity.

[BCS]

In the wild, ball pythons naturally have a cool down period in the winter. Just because Africa is known for searing heat does not mean they do not have a winter. I agree with the 11" - 12" heat tape. Where I am from heat tape only comes in 3", 6", and 12" so I guess it depends where you get it from. I do not think you will need a second heat source.

Thermometers should always have probes. Those "stick to the sides" analog ones do not work well. They should be digital and have probes on both the cold and hot side. A hydrometer is hydrometer and anyone will do (still in my opinion digitals are better).

Not really sure why you would need a divider... explain?

Cypress mulch mixed with coconut husk will do well with keeping in humidity. This is what I use for my boa. Paper and paper towel are no better for keeping humidity then aspen is.

Depending on how dark it is in your room (or wherever you plan on keeping your ball python), LED lights may stress your ball python. Ball pythons are not decorative snakes and LED lighting my do more harm than good. Doesn't mean you cannot use it as long as your ball python continues to eat and stays active at night.

[pbyeerts]

Is there a reason why u got the divider? Because a RHP would do just fine in a T8


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Pamela and GINGER, my wonderful BP

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


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[JoshSloane]

RHP+belly heat is major overkill. AP cages do a great job of holding heat. 11" heat tape should be enough to heat the entire enclosure.

[LittleTreeGuy]

Thanks for all the input folks. My plan took a short detour this past weekend. I went to two reptile expos and ended up coming home with a 28x24x12 plastic enclosure. It's an older enclosure and not nearly as thick as the T8, like I still hope to get one of these days. It's maybe 1/8" or so... It already had a UTH on one side of it, I found a few other things and ended up coming home with my first pet snake... a female Mojave.

[Mr. Misha]

Thanks for all the input folks. My plan took a short detour this past weekend. I went to two reptile expos and ended up coming home with a 28x24x12 plastic enclosure. It's an older enclosure and not nearly as thick as the T8, like I still hope to get one of these days. It's maybe 1/8" or so... It already had a UTH on one side of it, I found a few other things and ended up coming home with my first pet snake... a female Mojave.

Congrats! Set up a thermometer/hydrometer so you can keep track of ambent temp in the enclosure. If the UTH is doing a good job providing the correct ambient temperature, then maybe you don't need a RHP. Otherwise you can add one to make sure your new BP had the right temps.

Personally, I only run RHPs in my terrariums and that works out very well for me. You just have to figure out what works for you and your BP.

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[LittleTreeGuy]

I have 2 walmart temp/humidity digital guages in the enclosure, one on the warm side and one on the cool side. Cool side temps are in the mid-high 70's and warm side is low to mid 80's. Humidity is between 50-60% consistently. I have a cheap digital thermometer with prob inside the warm side hide above the UTH, and have been setting it to turn off at 93F. I checked with a temp gun last night and I think that thermometer is reading higher than the actual temps. The temp gun was a good 5 degrees cooler than that thermostat but right on with the ones from walmart, so I may allow the UTH to heat up a little more. I have a better thermostat arriving today , so hopefull that will help.


I also picked up another UTH and a CHE with a dimmer thinking maybe that would be a good way to heat up the rest of the tank... to bring up the ambient temps. Any thoughts before I cut a 9" hole in the top of this plastic box? I know I may have a hardtime time with humidity, but I want the bp to stay warm.

[bcr229]

I also picked up another UTH and a CHE with a dimmer thinking maybe that would be a good way to heat up the rest of the tank... to bring up the ambient temps. Any thoughts before I cut a 9" hole in the top of this plastic box? I know I may have a hardtime time with humidity, but I want the bp to stay warm.

Yeah, don't. If you need to heat it more use a radiant heat panel - but first set up the UTH on a thermostat, set so the hot spot is about 92*F, and put a hide over top of it. Measure the temperature under the hide, it will likely be more than adequate to keep your guy warm. Otherwise for my PVC enclosures and racks if they leak heat too fast in the winter, covering them with a blanket bumps up the temperatures enough that there's no need to add another heater.

[bulldog herp]

Yes, if you have 2 heat sources you need 2 thermostats. I think belly heat + RHP on both sides would overwhelm a divided T8 though. I use just 11" wide FlexWatt in mine and even when the house drops to 70*F it's ok.

I have three of the T8's with sliding doors, and other enclosures have drop-down doors. I find the drop doors easier to manage. Also I've found with the sliding doors that the left side of my T8 stack, which has the door on the inside track, stays a lot more humid than the right side. So, I run my juvenile BRB's in there, and my juvenile Dumeril's boas on the other side, since both species have the same heat requirements but the BRB's need higher humidity.

Buy the herpstat 2 or 3 or 4 then you will only need 1 thermostats. The 2 will come with 2 probe the 3 with 3 and 4 etc. I love mine.