Rookie walking

[SGB_74]

Check this out http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ight=tub+setup

It gives some pretty good pics and info about tub setup. It's not perfect, but should help.

As far as thermometers and humidity gages go -- most people on here agree that if it's not an accurite it is garbage. You can pick one up at WalMart for about 12 bucks.

Good luck!!

i dont know if i'm taking this a bit personal but what would you consider to be a "perfect" tub setup? thermo-hygro, uth, water dish, ventilation, thermostat, hide(s) and bedding are all you need for any setup.

[David802]

I have 2 accurites and i swear one of them is wrong. Is there a better one out there? It always measures my hot side above what it is. I can tell by touching it. My UTH only has a dimmer on it at the moment but I swear the thermometer is off. I don't know. Also a 50watt red lamp with a dimmer that stays on all the time. I've had him for a month and so far he has eaten, basked, and pooped regularly. I am definitely more stressed than he is (which is fine with me, I want him to be happy) He has 4 hides and uses all of them and hides a lot! He hasn't gone through a shed cycle and honestly I'm a bit terrified because I'm constantly battling with the humidity. Money is not an issue, any suggestions?
hot side thermometer says 95-98 (like I said, I don't think it's that hot)
cool side- 82
humidity usually around 40% 30 gallon tank with screen top
I feed him live in a separate enclosure.
This is my first reptile so I will take any and all advice that you've got! Thanks in advance!

KK, I don't know about whether or not accurites fail a lot, but EVERYBODY uses them here lol, so I'm guessing there generally pretty accurate, if it says its 98 I'd believe it.

That leads me into my next thing, your hot temps should be 92-94, so you’re a little hot there, cool side is good, you might try getting rid of the heat lamp as it seems like you don’t need it.

There are a couple of things you can do for your humidity, you can cover 3/4 of your screen top with foil or tape, this helps hold in the humidity while still getting enough air in there to circulate. Another thing you can try for the humidity is to get rid of the heat lamp, if your warm side is to hot and the lamp is on the warm side that may be able to kill two birds with 1 stone. You can also make sure that the water dish is placed over the UTH as that will warm the water up a bit and help raise the humidity.

Lastly don’t bother moving to a separate enclosure to feed, the whole thing about snakes getting aggressive when you stick your hand in the cage if you feed them in the cage thing is a myth...

It is my opinion how ever that its good to know that a snake will eat in a separate enclosure, I've fed in a separate enclosure twice now because I hadn't had time to clean there cage the day before and I like to handle my snake as little as possible on feeding days, putting her in a box with a mouse and waiting for her to kill it, then cleaning the cage while she chows down is great in my opinion, some snakes wont do it because its to stressfull being moved but if your snake will eat in a separate enclosure it is nice to have that option on feeding day if you’ve been really busy before hand.

[stevepoppers]

Humans nor any other animal can accurately sense temperatures.

1. The sensations of hot and cold are relative. Stick one hand in ice water, one hand in hot water, then after a few minutes, stick both in room temperature water. It'll feel hot to the hand in the ice water and cold to the hand in the hot water.

2. All room temperature objects conduct heat differently. Metal feels cooler than wood, though both may be 70 degrees. Metal conducts/absorbs the heat from your hand quicker, which is exactly what we feel is cold.

[chapskis1]

i dont know if i'm taking this a bit personal but what would you consider to be a "perfect" tub setup? thermo-hygro, uth, water dish, ventilation, thermostat, hide(s) and bedding are all you need for any setup.

I just said that because some people on the thread disagreed with probe placement, hides, etc.

Everyone is gonna have slightly different opinions, and can nitpick on any setup. I'm sure my setups aren't "perfect". I just like to cover myself and have an out -- nothing is perfect. But I did say your tutorial is a very good place to start and get the set up going in the right direction.

[dmcminn]

Why would I put the probe between the UTH and the bottom of the tub? I don't see getting an accurate reading of the inside of the tub.

[chapskis1]

Why would I put the probe between the UTH and the bottom of the tub? I don't see getting an accurate reading of the inside of the tub.

That is where you would place the THERMOSTAT probe. That way it can't get peed on or moved by the snake and therefore getting inaccurate readings and/or spiking the temps.

You then place the THERMOMETER probe inside the tub directly on the floor above the uth. You then tweak the thermostat so it gives you the desired hotspot inside the tub.

Hope this makes sense...

[stevepoppers]

The thermostat probe has to monitor the UTH directly, with as little influence from ambient air as possible. That makes that the best position possible.

You DO get an accurate reading from the digital thermometer probe you place inside the tub directly over the center of the UTH, probably with something like a glue gun or super glue. This is what you depend upon, and ignore whatever the thermostat says the temperature is. You want to know the hottest possible temperature inside the tub, and set the thermostat/UTH to whatever gives you the desired temps inside the tub, with a 95 degree max.

I actually put the probe on the outside of the UTH, because I have two on one thermostat, and the probe kept the one UTH from making direct contact, while the other DID make direct contact.

[JSass]

Steve... no this is great. That puts things into perspective for me.

[JSass]

The red lamp is on the cool side keeping it around 81. The water is on half of the UTH.Humidity has improved to a constant 50 so we're getting better. I'm going to foil portions of the screen top to help with that. I have a humid hide as well. Ahh I could pull my hair out. I suppose it doesn't help that I have OCD.

[dmcminn]

So, Would it be safe to feed after his shead...... he looks like he shead allright? i havent messed with him in 2 days. ??