Opinions On My Glass Enclosure Set Up

[Chief Underverse]

Hi everyone!

This is my first post but I have been visiting since I got my female ball python in April 22. I would like to know if I should move the location of my CHE to improve Isabella's environment.

First she is completely healthy and has grown to 326g from approximately 150g when I got her in late April. She eats every week, usually a large live mouse (35g or so) but is not a consistent F/T weened rat eater (she has taken only 3 over the last few months). When I heat up the F/T with a heat lamp (to 105^o degrees) after fully thawing overnight in fridge, I can get her to strike but she doesn't wrap it and only has eaten it over the course of the night twice (the other times she moved the F/T around but didn't eat it). When she refuses the F/T, I buy a live mouse the following day and she strikes/wraps it within a minute.

Isabella's sheds are perfect, I add a humid hide when she enters blue and make sure to keep the humidity around 80% until she is through shed.

Here's my setup (moisture in pic is from me misting right before taking pic):

- 20 gal enclosure (30x12x12")
- heat mat taped to underside of right side of enclosure w/consistent 90^o over hide (on thermostat)
- single layer of foil covering all of the screen top (taped with foil tape and cut out for CHE & LED)
- 150w CHE over "cool side" (on thermostat)
- low temp LED right of CHE (on 12hr timer)
- repti-chip substrate
- 2 identical hides (cool and hot sides)
- Govee thermometer/hydrometer on each side 3" above substrate

- Right (hot side) ambient temp stays around 75^o (90^o directly below hide)
- Left (cool side) ambient temp stays around 80^o
- Left side humidity (below CHE) is around 40%
- Right side humidity is 50-60% (I mist once a day)

She seems to be staying only in her hot hide since the last few weeks.

Should I move the CHE to above the hot side or reverse the dual light fixture to shift CHE more to center of enclosure for more consistent ambient temps?

Is 40% humidity ok under CHE (average humidity is probably around 50%)?

[Homebody]

Nice set up. I'd add a humid hide (tupperware with sphagnum moss) to the cool side. Might try a bigger water bowl.

[Chief Underverse]

Thanks!

I am looking to get a larger water dish soon. I actually have some "moss" towards the hot side. Isabella actually went into the "cold" today so I wonder if raising the ambiant Temps helped.

Should I keep it the same way?

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[Homebody]

Should I keep it the same way?

I really think you've got all your bases covered. So, keep it the same way.

[Chief Underverse]

Thanks Homebody! I increased the cold side 1^o and she is in her cold hide this morning lol!

[Homebody]

Oh! And keep in mind that this is not her forever home. She'll outgrow it.

[Chief Underverse]

Yep, I'm looking at a vision PVC enclosure (36 gal?). I plan on getting one or 2 more species now that the kids are mostly out of the house.

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[Homebody]

Yep, I'm looking at a vision PVC enclosure (36 gal?). I plan on getting one or 2 more species now that the kids are mostly out of the house.

36 gallons sounds small for an adult female bp. Think 75 to 120 gallons. I know, they're expensive, but your kids are out of the house (mostly). What else you gonna spend your money on?

[Chief Underverse]

True!