Full Setup Advice

[KWAddict]

Hey all,

Pretty new to the hobby. I use to be friends with a guy that would breed and keep super retics. I spent plenty of time around him and his setup but never quite 100% understood all of the inner workings. I currently have a 4 month old pinstripe ball in a medium low Exo-Terra setup and I'm not happy with it at all. It'll do for now but I'm looking to go ahead and try to get a new full setup ordered with the wait times I'm seeing posted in other threads. So here is what I am thinking. Please critique and correct me at all steps! I'd rather be 100% informed than screwed when it doesn't work out as I had expected.

- AP T12 (Sliding glass doors, Flexwatt belly heat, 2 fluorescent fixtures)
- ProProducts Radiant Heat Panels
- ProProducts Mist System
- Herpstat 6

I was hoping I could use the Herpstat 6 to control every element of the environment. It may seem like overkill but using this, could I control:
Channel 1 - Flexwatt heat
Channel 2 - Radiant heat
Channel 3 - Lighting
Channel 4 - Misting system

Is there a way to channel the misting system based upon the readings the Herpstat takes in? I was thinking about attempting to only use 3 channels so I could use the Herpstat 6 when I eventually want to expand and get another T12. I would probably just go ahead and upgrade with another Herpstat 6 at that time though.

I live in Bryan, TX and from what I've been told from the few people in the area that I have spoken with, they sometimes have to mist twice a day. I also like the look of a good, little bit of substrate. That's why I was going with the Flexwatt, radiant overhead panels, and potentially the mist system.

Please don't think I want to automate everything I can as a way to be lazy or to take all of the work out of it. I am a big fan of consistency. In my theory, the more consistency I can provide, they happier she will be!

Will this setup work the way I hope for it to or am I way off here? Thanks in advance!

[vikingr]

That AP set-up is the way to go but can I ask what issues you're having with the med/low ET? I have the same cage and with a few mods I have it keeping temps and humidity really well.

[KWAddict]

Well none just yet to be honest.

For some reason it FEELS small. I actually got to talking to a guy after I made this post last night that told me she's more than fine in that size. I think calculating the dimensions out put it as a 20 gal. enclosure? I feel like with just a water bowl and a hide, it's cramped in there.

After talking to said guy from last night, I considered even going with the T12 and splitting it in half an potentially getting another. 3 channels per side on the Herpstat 6.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[vikingr]

yeah a 24x18x12 = 22.4 gallons... seemed small to me too (especially after adding dish, hide, etc.). I was prepared to buy the large 36x18x18 but the local snake expert said the med/low was more than an adequate footprint/size for a BP, + 12" is a preferred height over the taller ET enclosure for BPs... was advised to cram it up w/décor if I bought a hatchling (= more security) and remove stuff as they grow to open up more space. I did have issues maintaining humidity which was resolved by covering the top screen sections with acrylic and switching to eco earth.

Good luck with your path forward (and 4 dogs!). I'm sticking with just a snake and med/low exo-terra.

[ShaneSilva]

The herpstat can control the mister With a timer or with the optional humidity probe it'll spray as needed according to your settings. Also if you do decide to split the t12 you can hook the same equipment from both sides onto the same channel if everything is identical ( same size and placement of flexwatt and rhp) as long as you don't exceed the maximum wattage. Don't quote me but I believe it's 375 for each outlet and 1800 total for the herpstat 6 but verify with the Spyder robotics website. And as far as heating if the room you have the snake in doesn't get too cold you'd probably be okay with just the RHP for heat and a good layer of Cypress, coco chips, or any other substrate that holds humidity well so you won't need the mister. That would allow you to hook up the RHP and lighting to a herpstat 2. And like I said if you decide to split your t12 you can still hook both sides up to one herpstat 2.

[ShaneSilva]

Or if you wanted to save more money hook the heat up to a herpstat 1 and get a cheap timer from Walmart or something for the lighting

[KWAddict]

VikingR,

Can I ask how you had your med-low set up? I have a large UTH on the left side with a heat lamp. I did purchase a second heat lamp today to use but I accidentally broke the old one this evening. Sooo I'm headed out to purchase another heat lamp tomorrow. I'm having some temperature issues. I'm using EcoEarth but it's probably a little too thick. The left side with only the UTH is running like 78 degrees. The right side is like 73 degrees. I've been keeping the lamp on the left side to assist the UTH and it is keeping the that side around 88 degrees so she has at least one comfortable side. Unfortunately, my wife likes the house relatively cool. I haven't had any humidity issues yet but I can see moisture build up on the inside of the tank around the substrate so it must still be pretty moist from when I soaked it so it could expand. Guys in the area I have spoken with have talked about having to mist twice a day though. I also don't really want to disturb her on only day 3 of being here.

I really can't decide what to do. Maybe a T10 split in half, flexwatt, RHP, Herpstat 6, etc. Maybe a full T10 CLUTTERED until she gets bigger. We also move into a large house in the next few weeks so I think I will be able to have my own reptile/hobby room

I also appreciate it! We may have 6 dogs in the house as of tomorrow, haha. We foster for a local rescue and took in one foster today. My wife has also been searching all rescues within like a 6 hour radius for her own pitbull and thinks she may have found one. So the new pit would make dog number 5 for us personally and number 6 in the house. We're animal lovers if you can't tell lol.

-----------

Shane,

I appreciate the input! Since we are moving in the near future, I may hold off on the mister and then if it's necessary, I can drill and install myself.

Do you think a full T10 would be too much for a ball python? I saw her stretch out a minute ago and at only 4 months, she can almost stretch corner to corner in this 18X24X12. Obviously she would need it cluttered until she grew but I would rather her have too much room and plenty of hiding spots than not enough room to move.


I suppose the size is what I need the most help with. I'm pretty set on the flexwatt and RHP. If nothing else, that stuff can just be shut off or just won't run if it's not necessary.

Also, does anyone have any experience with LEDs in an enclosure? I'll probably go on a searching spree as soon as I submit this but could you use LEDs with multiple color options to simulate day and night using the herpstat?

Thanks again, guys!

[vikingr]

VikingR,
Can I ask how you had your med-low set up?

Sure, I’m new here too (not to reptiles), this is my current set-up:
-exo-terra med low terrarium (24x18x12) with zoo-med UTH connected to herpstat 1 redline (hot side 88-92F, cool side 77-82F)
-exo-terra 24” light fixture with 2-25 watt daytime heat bulbs + 1-25 watt night time bulb – my house it kept cool (65-68F) so I do need these bulbs to keep the ambient temp up – they provide a very low light level, which I also wanted for this “display” (preferred a glass terrarium, not a collector, 1 BP, no sweater tub)
-I cut 3 pieces of 1/8" opaque plaskolite/acrylic and pressure fit them precisely into the exo-terra screen cover (just 3 of the 4 sections, left the hot spot open). This helped maintain humidity above 50% in dry NJ; I also switched from cypress mulch to eco-earth and added a bit of sphagnummoss to get closer to 70%
- For cage clutter, have a zoo-med medium hide (hot side), water dish & large grape-wood jungle gym covered w/plants (on cool-side) - bunch of other crap I can add here too... I use an exo-terra combo-meter, accurite combo, and an IR gun for monitoring temp/humidity.

I took a couple photos of my initial set-up in my post from last week:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-I-ready/page2

I am planning to cover the sides too - just figuring out what would look best.

[ShaneSilva]

A t10 is probably too big for a 4 month old BP but every snake is different and she might be fine with enough hides and clutter. Or you could pay the extra $20 for a removable divider and keep her on one side until she grows into it.

As far as lighting and the herpstat it can control when the light turns on/off. It's ramping feature can also control how long it takes for the light to go from dim to full power and from full power dimming until it's off to stimulate sunrise and sunset. But as far as I know it will not change the colors of the LEDs you'd have to do it manually, a lot of the color changing LEDs come with a remote control. Or install 2 sets of LED lights one for the day and one for night. Lighting isn't required for ball pythons so it's completely up to you to customize it how you want just don't have a bright light shining all night. I've had my BP under both red and black lights at night before and it didn't disrupt his normal behavior.

[KWAddict]

Okay, I really like the information and I appreciate it again!!

I THINK while she's this young, maybe I'll keep this setup going for 6-8 months? Maybe then get an AP enclosure started and move her? Maybe start another small Ball in this setup at that point and use the same process even. Move up to another AP enclosure again 6 months later or so. Might end up working as a good cycle to expand slowly!

One more question. Since I will eventually need a Herpstat, what do you think of the idea of getting one now and the THG heat tape from Reptile Basics? That should be a huge help in moderating the temperature. Has anyone ever put UTH on both ends and split the channels? That way I could be absolutely positive both sides are maintaining proper temps. I really don't like these cool spots I'm finding with the IR thermometer. It makes me rather uncomfortable. Then I could seal 3 parts with acrylic and provide the spotlight as well.

Good idea?

It might even be a good time to attempt to find a Herpstat 4 used since the 6 is out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro