New Tub Set-Up

[purpleroan]

I am creating my first ball python enclosure this week, and have been searching this forum up and down for opinions and advice on keeping balls in tubs. I am picking up the snake Sunday, but here's my dilemma; the seller is also selling me a thermostat since they had an extra and they have always found the brand to work wonderfully. I will have the tub, thermometers, hides, uth, etc by Saturday, but I have a few questions about how to make this transition as seamless as possible for her since it will not have been completely set up and running with the thermostat..also, just a few general husbandry questions. Thanks for any info you can provide!!

-How many holes/how big/how far apart should I melt in the tub for adequate air flow?
-should I avoid testing the heat pad before I have the thermostat, in the event it could melt the plastic?
-How can I ensure that the ambient temperature is appropriate with a plastic tub, since I can't use a heat lamp? Increasing the temp of the entire room is not an option.
-I am planning on using newspaper for a substrate due to ease of cleaning. How often should it be changed, and if I must mist the tub to maintain humidity is this a poor choice of substrate?
-how far above the surface of whatever the tub is sitting on should the heat pad be? I don't want it to ruin the desk I am planning on keeping her on. Also, any suggestions as far as feet go for attaching to the tub to lift it up? I heard bottle caps somewhere but that doesn't seem like much space

Ok, I guess most of those didn't have much to do with the late arrival of the thermostat. Still, I'm big on planning everything ahead so that part is giving me a bit of anxiety. Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[Virago]

Hey congrats on your first BP, I got mine almost 3 month ago an also went the tub route. the people here have helped me a ton. I am by no means an expert or very experienced but ive studied a ton before getting mine and have learned alot from the people here an so far i am having alot of success.
First of all i suggest holding off on getting your BP untill you have success keeping temps and humidity up in the tub without the snake. I did an it allowed me to work out the errors before putting in a live animal. Do a 2 day test run.
1. I dont think it matters how big the holes are as long as the snake cant fit through. i put a bunch of holes about 3-4mm wide around the upper portion of the tub, about half inch to an inch apart. sand off the residential plastic.
2. i wouldn't leave the heat pad running without a thermostat, i guess just to see if it works first, but dont leave it running, no real point.
3. Sure you can use a heat lamp, just keep the CHE a foot or more away from the lid an regulate with a thermostat, the heat will penetrate the lid without melting it. I use a 150w CHE.
4. I dont use paper so i wont speak on it. I do use cypress chips an i dont think ill switch to anything else. Kinda pricey but spot cleaning is easy. It soaks up the pee so my girl is sitting in a peepee puddle. An ive found it to be easy to keep humidity in my dry room. i spot clean every day and 100% clean everything once a month.
5. Not sure, mine is on a wood desk an up less than a bottle caps height an its been fine. think youll be good with bottle caps, good idea i might do that lol.

Again im not an expert an i hope someone will correct me if i said anything wrong.
Do a test run for at least 2 days, temps are very important. I did an i glad i did because i had problems lol. good luck

[c0r3yr0s3]

You can use Legos to raise up the tub. The best part about Legos is you can adjust the height to your liking

[purpleroan]

Thanks so much! Is there any harm though in putting the thermostat probe on top of the uth but in the tub, so theres a layer of plastic between it? I figure it wouldn't make a difference, or might even be more accurate since it's closer to where the snake will actually be, no?

[c0r3yr0s3]

Thanks so much! Is there any harm though in putting the thermostat probe on top of the uth but in the tub, so theres a layer of plastic between it? I figure it wouldn't make a difference, or might even be more accurate since it's closer to where the snake will actually be, no?

Putting the probe in the enclosure isn't a good idea. If the snake moves it or poos on it, the uth will think its cold and heat up to much

[Virago]

What C0r3y0s3 said, the snake will move it/pee or poo on it. Put the thermostat probe between the UTH and the tub. It is the safest way possible to accurately regulate your heat mat. Then put a thermometer probe in the tub under the substrate to see what the real temp is on the inside.

I did put the thermostat probe inside my tub for one day an went to work. when i got back the temp was almost 100°! luckily it was only one day and she wasn't directly on the plastic.

[Virago]

An you may need to set the thermostat higher than you actually want the temps to be on the inside.
For example I have my thermostat set to 95° and the thermometer inside the tub reads between 89-91°.

[purpleroan]

Ah, that makes so much sense! Thanks guys! Just have to figure out how to gingerly unstick my uth since I jumped the gun a bit.

[Virago]

you can just pull it off. it will loose its stickyness but you can use metal foil tape to stick it back on.

[Sgt7212]

I have a glass tank, but is a UTH ok to use on plastic tubs or acrylic? I’m guessing with the use of a thermostat, it wouldn’t get hot enough to melt the plastic, just wanting to verify, in case I ever go the more economical route and use plastic tubs.


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