Got our first python Sunday... few ?s

[indyerin]

Thanks ... no screen for a heat lamp but I could easily modify. I'm liking this light weight ABS and plan to order some panels myself to make lighter wait outdoor painting stuff (pochade box, panel holder etc.) . I do like the radiant heat panel... never seen those before. Need to investigate which one to buy and from where and assume it also connects to my thermostadt...

Always fun to discover what no one at the reptile fair tells you ~ I swear I asked like everyone about their husbandry practices. They probably have warmer rooms.

I have red heat lamps from my chickens I can hang well above him for now and secure to keep ambient temps higher.

[Craiga 01453]

Thanks ... no screen for a heat lamp but I could easily modify. I'm liking this light weight ABS and plan to order some panels myself to make lighter wait outdoor painting stuff (pochade box, panel holder etc.) . I do like the radiant heat panel... never seen those before. Need to investigate which one to buy and from where and assume it also connects to my thermostadt...Always fun to discover what no one at the reptile fair tells you ~ I swear I asked like everyone about their husbandry practices. They probably have warmer rooms.I have red heat lamps from my chickens I can hang well above him for now and secure to keep ambient temps higher.

Yeah, RHPs are fantastic. If you can afford one that's the way to go. Super easy.
And yeah, ties right into the thermostat.

This is why we always advise to have enclosures setup, equipment running and dialed in prior to bringing the animal home.

But hey, we all start somewhere and we've all made mistakes. It's important to simply learn and apply what you learn.

I always tell people to cross reference different sources too, cause there's TONS of be advice and incorrect info out there.

Anyway, keep up the good work and when you get your NEXT snake you'll be up and running before bringing it home.

Good luck! Ask all the questions you need to. We're happy to help.

[indyerin]

Yep... I always "plan" to have the enclosures all set up for my pets before I buy them...50% of the time it works as planned. .. but then when you shop for the enclosures ... there all the wonderful animals are and that temptation to just go ahead and get it all at once is right there. You think this is bad.... I should tell you about the time we brought our first two goats home before I had the fence *quite* finished! lol. In this day and age with amazon prime and shops everywhere its hard to screw up super bad though. Although ... those goats sure had too much fun in my garage that night....

[Craiga 01453]

Yep... I always "plan" to have the enclosures all set up for my pets before I buy them...50% of the time it works as planned. .. but then when you shop for the enclosures ... there all the wonderful animals are and that temptation to just go ahead and get it all at once is right there. You think this is bad.... I should tell you about the time we brought our first two goats home before I had the fence *quite* finished! lol. In this day and age with amazon prime and shops everywhere its hard to screw up super bad though. Although ... those goats sure had too much fun in my garage that night....

Hahahhaha,I hear ya!!

Like I said, feel free to ask any questions you have, even if they sound silly. That's how we learn after all.

[indyerin]

Okay ... my RHP is on order. In the meantime, I brought in my whole-room safe space heater and placed it near but definitely not too near the enclosure but so that cross ventilation would take in the warmer air. It worked! Definitely prefer the safety of an RHP long term but the space heater in the room over about an hour got the cool side and the warm side of the enclosure within range. I set a thermostat alarm for if it gets to high. So far so good. Now I just need to get a small locking lid bin to place him in while I install my RHP when it comes.

I'm still a little concerned that the humidity is holding at 99%. The bowl I get him is a flat but wide ceramic bowl I made years ago ... it's like 12" across but only 1" deep and filled halfway. I'm thinking that much surface area is making it too humid so I may try a smaller bowl when I install the RHP. The coconut substrate was nearly dry when I put it in so I'm surprised it is holding humidity this well, especially with the number of holes drilled along the back of the enclosure. It's so moist the walls and front are covered in droplets. Wiping them down should theoretically be removing moisture but with it staying that high the bowl is the only source of water in there. Still glad too have too wet as a problem over too dry...we will get there.

[Craiga 01453]

Okay ... my RHP is on order.

Now I just need to get a small locking lid bin to place him in while I install my RHP when it comes.

Awesome!!!

Just a little tip: you can always use a pillow case to keep the snake secure while you install the RHP.
But having a spare tub is always good too. When transporting snakes (for vet trips or moving or whatever) a pillow case will work if temps are safe. The tub allows you to control the temps a bit though.

[Ranulf]

Okay ... my RHP is on order. In the meantime, I brought in my whole-room safe space heater and placed it near but definitely not too near the enclosure but so that cross ventilation would take in the warmer air. It worked! Definitely prefer the safety of an RHP long term but the space heater in the room over about an hour got the cool side and the warm side of the enclosure within range. I set a thermostat alarm for if it gets to high. So far so good. Now I just need to get a small locking lid bin to place him in while I install my RHP when it comes.

I'm still a little concerned that the humidity is holding at 99%. The bowl I get him is a flat but wide ceramic bowl I made years ago ... it's like 12" across but only 1" deep and filled halfway. I'm thinking that much surface area is making it too humid so I may try a smaller bowl when I install the RHP. The coconut substrate was nearly dry when I put it in so I'm surprised it is holding humidity this well, especially with the number of holes drilled along the back of the enclosure. It's so moist the walls and front are covered in droplets. Wiping them down should theoretically be removing moisture but with it staying that high the bowl is the only source of water in there. Still glad too have too wet as a problem over too dry...we will get there.

I would get another method of checking your humidity levels. Get one of the digital ones if you don't have one already. Lots of the analog ones just get stuck. You likely don't have 99% humidity, though the fact there are droplets forming says that it is at the least very high...

[indyerin]

I have a very nice digital sensor in their and it fluctuates between 90 and 99% humidity. :/ my one from my garden room says the same.

[Ranulf]

Well, in that case, when you get your RHP amd take him out, maybe give everything a good drying out.

Ive heard blow dryers can work, or if you have heat lamps on stand clamps, hang them over the top until the humidity gets down lower. Seeing as you don't have a problem keeping humidity high, you could probably dry it out to below range, wait to see if it goes back up, and if it doesn't, add humidity until you have it where you want it.

I'm not sure how long that would take though, but at this point I can't think of another method aside from emptying everything out, changing the substrate, and giving everything a good drying.

I also don't know how long they can be in such high humidity environments before starting to get health problems. :/