Setup ok? and future plans

[SamSimon]

Sooo I got my first ball on 3/12/16 (That format of writing dates will take much to getting used to it).

As stated in my indroduction thread I am from germany, we use the metric system but I'll try to convert the things for you if something seems odd, just ask probably I made a mistake while convertig.

He should be a normal, 128g and ate a 8g hopper on 3/13, after reading here I realized that is way to small for a good meal. I had a problem with a dwarf hamster and realized to late I could give it to him - I alredy pushed the button of the CO2-chamber. He only had gotten live so far (told by the breeder) but hey it was worth a try. He took the hamster ...well with a little hesitation.

Sooo he is living in an little tub right now, I moved him in my bathroom (toilet is extra) since this is the room with the most constantest temperature.

He has a heat mat that is controlled by a timer (half an hour on, an hour of, half an hour on and so on).
The room is 77, tub: warm side 89, cool side floor 77, air 80.
He has a hide, water bowl and a wet box that he loves humitity is 70.

The Box he is in now has 15,7" x 11,8" x 4,7"
I allready got him an larger one 31,4" x 23,6" x 6,7"

I am planning to upgrade all my snakes to PVC-cages, so far only one snake has one , I am still planing but his end-vivarium will be eighter 47 x 31,5 x 15,7 or 59 x 31,5 x 15,7.











4 times the room

[redshepherd]

He has a neat pattern on his tail end! :0 And congrats on your first ball!

I would take out the wet box, as there's no need- or remove whatever is inside that is causing the condensation. Ball pythons need a dry bottom/dry substrate, just with 60~70% humidity in the air; they don't need wetness/soaking. Humidity as high as condensed in that box, with a wet bottom, can risk scale rot for ball pythons.

I would also get a thermostat, instead of the timer. A thermostat is required with a heat mat- not optional equipment. Even if it turns on and off every 30 minutes, a heat mat can go above 110*F unregulated in only a few minutes. A thermostat will regulate the temperature to an exact, so your snake won't get burned or cool off too much.

[Terminal]

I would also get a thermostat, instead of the timer. A thermostat is required with a heat mat- not optional equipment. Even if it turns on and off every 30 minutes, a heat mat can go above 110*F unregulated in only a few minutes. A thermostat will regulate the temperature to an exact, so your snake won't get burned or cool off too much.

Agreed. A thermost for the uth or heat tape is required.

[SamSimon]

Wetbox is now moss-free but he still likes it more as 'hide'.

Well I also could just turn the damn heat mat off, close the bathroom door, turn up the room-heating and have around 80 to 85. I belive this even will be cheaper then the electricity for the mat

[redshepherd]

Wetbox is now moss-free but he still likes it more as 'hide'.

Well I also could just turn the damn heat mat off, close the bathroom door, turn up the room-heating and have around 80 to 85. I belive this even will be cheaper then the electricity for the mat

Oh lol, you can definitely go with that then!

Electricity is extremely expensive where I live, so heating an entire room constantly would be... $$$$$.

[SamSimon]

I dont know how you call that in english, I have a zentral heating system with gas that is heating all rooms via pipes and individual heaters in the rooms and is also providing the hot water. That is acually really cheap. Also the bath is only with an shower and sink and only 6 x 6 feet.
It costs more to do heating with electricity, acually all my snakes only have the room temperature. The house snakes and younger corns are in the living room there it will not be under 77/79 (86 and up in summer) so I never had any problems with them. The larger Corns are in the bedroom, 86 and up on warm days in Summer, but only 60 in winter, so I can hibernate them without much fuss. (In our country they say you are not keeping them right if you dont hibernate, well my larger corns want to make it themselfs, only hiding and fasting in winter).

I am not so sure if 77 is ok for a young ball, otherwise I would just put him where the other young snakes are. Thats the reason I put him in the bath and on the heatmat (that I only have for emercencys, in spring I always get baby animal to rise up.)