Cant get my tank to stay the same temp and humidity

[ATARI]

How do I make sure I maintain a thermal gradient

[Craiga 01453]

okay thank you! So could I make another humidity hide out of something that I have at home? And I live right near a forest, if I clean branches and cover up atleast two of the sides will that make her feel less stressed?

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Could you send me a link to a proper caresheet?

Absolutely, I'm happy to help. Great questions too

You can definitely make a hide out of lots of household items. Tupperware containers, take out containers, cereal boxes, Terra Cotta pots.
Just make sure there are no sharp edges and no tape. Sharp edges are self explanatory, but many people don't realize how dangerous tape is. Snakes can get stuck to it, no matter how well it's stuck. Heat and humidity cause the glue to be really loose and sticky. Snakes have gotten stuck and had horrible scale damage and I even heard of one being fatal cause the snake thrashed trying to free itself and broke it's neck.

But as long as there are no sharp edges and no tape you can use your imagination and use whatever you have handy. If you go with cardboard, just swap it out periodically so it doesn't collect moisture and grow mold.

And yes, you can absolutely use sticks and brancges from the forest. What I do is choose clean pieces with no visible parasites. Then I give them a good clean with soap and water. Then bake them in the oven at 209° for a few hours. Anything that may have been present won't survive that and you'll have a nice, safe, natural looking enclosure decoration that adds clutter, security and enrichment.

You'll have best results if you cover the back and both sides. I've used foam board insulation in the past because it helps keep heat and humidity contained, but anything that blocks light works. Just make sure it's outside the enclosure and no tape is inside.

I'm happy you're showing that your open to learning and making improvements for your snake. That shows great maturity and you handled the constructive criticism like an adult. Huge props to you.
I know sometimes over text I sound mean, I don't intend to. I just want to see animals get the care they deserve and help people enjoy their pets. I'll happily help you out any time

Here are a few links to get you started...

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-With-Pictures!

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ips-and-Tricks

Those will get you going. Let me know if you have follow up questions.

And again, thank you for handling this better than many adults. It shows you care about your pet. Great job!

[Craiga 01453]

How do I make sure I maintain a thermal gradient

Sometimes it requires some trial and error, but essentially you put your heat lamp towards one side of the enclosure. Right below it would be your warm side and the opposite side the cool side. It may take a little tinkering, but you'll get it. Once your tstat arrives it'll keep your temps right where you want them.

[ATARI]

yeah thanks! Im only 16 and this is the first pet ive ever owned. So Im trying my hardest to make sure she feels as happy as possible with what I can do. My step-mom makes jewelry and has a workshop so I have plenty of supplies to make DIY neccessities. How do I make sure that her branches stay up right in the tank?

[Craiga 01453]

yeah thanks! Im only 16 and this is the first pet ive ever owned. So Im trying my hardest to make sure she feels as happy as possible with what I can do. My step-mom makes jewelry and has a workshop so I have plenty of supplies to make DIY neccessities. How do I make sure that her branches stay up right in the tank?

Unfortunately, unless you buy mounting hardware you really can't it stay upright all that well. I've had to trim a few down to get them to kinda squeeze in just right so the glass holds one side and the floor holds the other.

I guess you could create a base too, kinda like what you see on large driftwood pieces at stores.

Just get creative. Your snake will probably move them around anyway.

And you're doing an awesome job!! It shows that you care in how eager you are to learn and fix things. Keep up the good work and your pet will have a great life for many years!

[ATARI]

Unfortunately, unless you buy mounting hardware you really can't it stay upright all that well. I've had to trim a few down to get them to kinda squeeze in just right so the glass holds one side and the floor holds the other.

I guess you could create a base too, kinda like what you see on large driftwood pieces at stores.

Just get creative. Your snake will probably move them around anyway.

And you're doing an awesome job!! It shows that you care in how eager you are to learn and fix things. Keep up the good work and your pet will have a great life for many years!

Awesome, thanks! Can you send a picture of your tank or a good one online? I wanna know how cluttered “cluttered” is haha.

Should I buy moss online for her as well?

[Craiga 01453]

Awesome, thanks! Can you send a picture of your tank or a good one online? I wanna know how cluttered “cluttered” is haha.

Should I buy moss online for her as well?

You're very welcome.

I use sphagnum moss in humid hides during sheds primarily. I've used it mixed into substrate to help maintain humidity, but not in a few years.
It's good to have on hand.

Oooh, just cause I thought of it right now and don't want to forget.... Do you have a temp gun? If not I highly recommend getting one when you can, they're an extremely valuable tool to have when keeping reptiles.

I'll get you some pics of my setups. Mine aren't as cluttered though. My BPs are both well established adults, so they don't require quite as much clutter. Once they've got more size on them they develop more confidence and you can simplify a bit.
But you'll get an idea. Just so I don't sound hypocritical, the reason I advise more clutter is that your snake is still small, nervous and acclimating.
Essentially, you just want to provide security, so less wide open area is the goal.

I'll have to take pics, I don't have any of my setups. Gimme a few but I'll get em for you shortly.

[ATARI]

okay, tysm! I just washed 4 branches I got in the forest, gonna put them in the oven shortly! Now I just need another humidity box and something to cover the sides, does printer paper work to cover the outside? Actually what about tin foil?

[jmcrook]

Printer paper, newspaper, cardboard, anything really. Just helps the snake not feel like it’s exposed on all sides of the enclosure


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[Craiga 01453]

Sweet!!! I love it!!!

I wouldn't use foil on the outside, I think it would reflect too much light. But that's a guess, I don't know for sure. I know people use it to cover the screen, but that's not being hit by the light.
Printer paper is fine. It'll definitely make your snake feel more snug and secure.


Here are a few enclosure pics. The bottom is one of my BPs. It's actually cluttered more than I thought. He spilled his water bowl, gggrrrr. So now I need to clean that out. Oh well, gotta love him!!!

The middle is my Bredli Python, you won't need the arboreal perches, but it gives you an idea of clutter.

The top is my Hognose, his is cluttered up pretty well, but also pretty random. He tends to "redecorate" within days after I clean and set it up. So aesthetically it's not pretty, but it's great for functionality.

I think this gives you a decent idea. Just have some fun with it. But remember if you put a ton of stuff in there it all has to come out and be cleaned occasionally. So don't go overboard unless you don't mind the extra cleaning.


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