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  1. #21
    BPnet Veteran MissterDog's Avatar
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    Re: Simple snake noob questions

    Quote Originally Posted by redshepherd View Post
    Nope. Very common newbie mistake... A thermostat is what regulates the heat source, so that your snake doesn't get burned or cooked alive, depending on what heat source you got.
    Something like this if you're currently on a budget:
    https://www.amazon.com/MTPRTC-Contro...mostat+reptile

    Or a herpstat, which is the best kind and will last you years or for most of the lifetime of the snake:
    https://www.spyderrobotics.com/index...products_id=24

    A temp gun is "aim at a spot and tells the temp".

    A digital thermometer is what you place in the enclosure to get the ambient temp.

    You need all of these things, but the thermostat is the #1 most important for the immediate safety of the animal.

    Also, it really only takes following a good caresheet to get all the basics right. Just stick to this one and follow it to a T and make things easier: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...s%29-Caresheet
    Seconding Herpstats 100%


    Jumpstarts are a great starter thermostat but keep in mind they will not be as accurate as a proportional thermostat like Herpstats. Jumpstart is an on/off style of thermostat meaning it can only go from 0% to 100% full power, instead of gradually like portional ones. It's also worth mentioning they have a shorter lifespan, unfortunately they are prone to needing to be replaced within a year or so.


    However if you are in a tight budget the Jumpstart is a good placeholder until you can upgrade to a Herpstat. I PROMISE the lifespan and reliability of a Herpstat is sooooo worth the upfront cost! Plus they look snazzy!
    1.0 Ball Python (Mystic Potion) Tapioca
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    0.1 Russian Rat Snake (Melanistic) Kallari (RIP)

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  3. #22
    BPnet Veteran WhompingWillow's Avatar
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    Re: Simple snake noob questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Queenofredlions View Post
    Hello snake friends! I’m a one week old snake mom and I just have a few small questions and a concern.

    1. I see a lot of people say feed the snake in their enclosure. I’ve come to realize I have aspen bedding. (When the previous owner showed me the bedding he uses, all I saw was “snake bedding”) then later on here I saw that’s not the best bedding, I also saw a snake get sick from consuming it. My snake defidently swallowed some while he was eating the rat I fed him yesterday. Will he be okay? I had a nightmare he got sick ^^;
    I also have paper bedding in as well (I added more in case he wanted to burrow) cause when I was at Walmart before I got him I wanted to pick up bedding, and I googled what to use and paper came up as one of the better things to use.

    2. Do I need to find a specific vet for him if he needs to see a vet or do most vets treat snakes?

    3. He eats medium size live rats, but my friend went to the pet store under the influence and bought a mouse thinking we could feed Mr. Noodles with it. Is there a chance of him taking interest in it? Is it worth feeding him since I won’t be able to handle him? And after and I fed him yesterday? How long should I wait if it’s okay to feed?

    4. This one probably sounds stupid but I gotta know. I always hear that snakes can smell fear. Can they smell other feelings? At least the basic ones they can comprehend?

    ALSO IM STILL LEARNING ABBREVIATIONS ON HERE.
    Also, to answer some of your initial questions: Substrate choice, like a lot of things, depends on the keeper and their preferences/environmental parameters. Common options include newspaper/paper towel, aspen, cypress mulch (like Forest Floor), ReptiBark, coconut fiber/husk (I'm not as familiar with this, but I believe things like EcoEarth and Reptile Prime?) Aspen should be fine if you live in a pretty humid environment, as aspen tends to be drying and BPs require humidity. Aspen also molds quickly so can't be sprayed as easily as other substrates.

    General consensus on feeding is appropriately sized prey 1x per week, although this may decrease to biweekly as the snake reaches full size.
    BALL PYTHONS: 1.0 Pied/Clark, 1.0 Pastel Vanilla Super Stripe/Sunny, 0.1 Dragon Fly/Buffy, 0.1 Pastel Vanilla Yellow Belly/Cher, 0.1 BEL (Mojave Lesser)/Arya, 0.0.1 Normal/Norm, 0.1 Cinnamon Enchi/Peaches, 1.0 Cinnamon Calico/Yoshi, 0.1 Pewter Het Dreamsicle/Ariel
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  5. #23
    BPnet Lifer redshepherd's Avatar
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    Re: Simple snake noob questions

    Quote Originally Posted by WhompingWillow View Post
    coconut fiber/husk (I'm not as familiar with this, but I believe things like EcoEarth and Reptile Prime?)
    Coco husk is like coco chips, big pieces, which I prefer now! Coco fiber is Eco Earth and is very fine and dusty and sticks on everything, like planting soil.




  6. #24
    Registered User Queenofredlions's Avatar
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    Re: Simple snake noob questions

    Uuuugh sorry guys I’ve always struggled with those terms but yeah a temp gun sounds right.

    I use it to monitor the temperature and turn on/off the heat lamp when it gets too hot. When I saw those could be used I was just like “OK YEAH I GOT THAT”

    redshepard, in that forum, it mentions a thermometer you don’t use and a thermometer you do use?
    from what I understand it needs to be one with a probe. So would I need one for each heat source plus the tank itself?

    thermostats if I’m understanding correctly measure the temp using a thermometer, so do they cool/heat as well? I think I’m having trouble understanding how it works. I don’t think google explains it in depth enough.

    Or can someone link me an in-depth forum JUST for thermo things?


  7. #25
    Registered User Queenofredlions's Avatar
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    Re: Simple snake noob questions

    Also sorry I suck at replying to people this is getting hard to follow on a phone and it’s all I have for the next few weeks. I swear I’m seeing posts on pages that weren’t there.


  8. #26
    BPnet Senior Member jmcrook's Avatar
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    Simple snake noob questions

    Thermostat works just like the one controlling the heat and AC in your house. You set it to the desired temp, the heat source activates (turns on the heat) until the desired temp is reached and then turns off. That is the “on/off” type thermostat such as jumpstart brand. Proportional thermostats such as herpstat will gradually increase the amount of power supplied to the heat source and then reduce or cut off power to the heating element once the set temperature is reached. Just like when you have the heat on in your house in the winter. Without a thermostat the heat would just crank until it’s 200* in your house. The thermostat is a regulatory device to prevent that from happening. No different in the case of heating a reptile enclosure
    Also, Tapatalk is a nice app for accessing the forum on your phone. Much easier than using a browser and also makes uploading pictures a breeze

    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Last edited by jmcrook; 05-14-2018 at 12:02 AM.

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  10. #27
    BPnet Lifer redshepherd's Avatar
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    Re: Simple snake noob questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Queenofredlions View Post
    Uuuugh sorry guys I’ve always struggled with those terms but yeah a temp gun sounds right.

    I use it to monitor the temperature and turn on/off the heat lamp when it gets too hot. When I saw those could be used I was just like “OK YEAH I GOT THAT”

    redshepard, in that forum, it mentions a thermometer you don’t use and a thermometer you do use?
    from what I understand it needs to be one with a probe. So would I need one for each heat source plus the tank itself?

    thermostats if I’m understanding correctly measure the temp using a thermometer, so do they cool/heat as well? I think I’m having trouble understanding how it works. I don’t think google explains it in depth enough.

    Or can someone link me an in-depth forum JUST for thermo things?
    A thermostat and thermometer are two completely different things- a thermostat is actually what you plug your heat source into (not sure if you use a UTH or heat lamp), so that your heat source isn't plugged into the wall. If you get the $30 thermostats, it does automatically what you're currently doing manually: turns the heat source off when it hits the desired temperature, and turns it back on when the temperature gets too low. So it prevents the heat source from becoming extremely hot, which they do very quickly when they aren't plugged into a thermostat. You can set the thermostat to a desired temperature.

    All thermostats come with a probe attached, that's their function- you dont need to buy a probe

    the probe is placed between the bottom of your tank and the UTH. If you have a heat lamp/above heating, the probe should be hanging in the air under your lamp.

    the probe tells the thermostat what the temperature is, which is how it determines when to turn it off or on

    Basically the thermostat CONTROLS your heat source's power.
    Last edited by redshepherd; 05-14-2018 at 12:07 AM.




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  12. #28
    Registered User Queenofredlions's Avatar
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    Re: Simple snake noob questions

    Quote Originally Posted by WhompingWillow View Post
    Welcome! It's awesome that you've done so much research and are continuing to educate yourself. I am also new to snakes and have found this forum invaluable. I joined a BP group on FB and immediately unjoined because of how narrow the range of opinions were and generally how elitist everyone came across. I've been given some great advice by Craig and others during my short time here and am happy to keep learning from experienced keepers.

    From what you've posted, my only questions are whether you have a thermostat(s) for your heating pad(s) and what style hides/are they identical. And sorry if you already addressed those somewhere.
    Responding to the hides, ones a rock looking thing with a hole in it and my other ones just a log hide. I’ll be replacing it next week after payday though as I’ve read those aren’t sufficient. (:


  13. #29
    BPnet Senior Member Sunnieskys's Avatar
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    Re: Simple snake noob questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Queenofredlions View Post
    Responding to the hides, ones a rock looking thing with a hole in it and my other ones just a log hide. I’ll be replacing it next week after payday though as I’ve read those aren’t sufficient. (:
    Get two indentical hides. Then they won't choose one over the other for security. They can thermoregulate themselves without choosing one over the other.
    ~Sunny~
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    *~* Nothing sticky (tape, stick on gauges, Velcro) goes into your enclosure! Again...NOTHING sticky goes into your enclosure....EVER! *~*

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  15. #30
    Registered User Queenofredlions's Avatar
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    Re: Simple snake noob questions

    Quote Originally Posted by redshepherd View Post
    A thermostat and thermometer are two completely different things- a thermostat is actually what you plug your heat source into (not sure if you use a UTH or heat lamp), so that your heat source isn't plugged into the wall. If you get the $30 thermostats, it does automatically what you're currently doing manually: turns the heat source off when it hits the desired temperature, and turns it back on when the temperature gets too low. So it prevents the heat source from becoming extremely hot, which they do very quickly when they aren't plugged into a thermostat. You can set the thermostat to a desired temperature.

    All thermostats come with a probe attached, that's their function- you dont need to buy a probe

    the probe is placed between the bottom of your tank and the UTH. If you have a heat lamp/above heating, the probe should be hanging in the air under your lamp.

    the probe tells the thermostat what the temperature is, which is how it determines when to turn it off or on

    Basically the thermostat CONTROLS your heat source's power.

    !!!!!THANKS SO MUCH DUDE I couldn’t connect the dots. -_- I can pick one up at my local fish/reptile store I bet so I’ll grab one ASAP!


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