Son getting ball python. Cage setup help please

[Animals As Leaders]

Be careful what thermostat you get. I know they sell ones that are ok, and ones that have more options for cheaper... Well I got the cheaper one. Figured it would be better, it has 2 input things so I can regulate 2 things, but after a few months i guess the one broke so now im stuck with one, which i dont mind but I would have been able to use the second one now that im getting a second snake....

Mine was $30.(zoomed reptitemp 500R) Just sayin. Id still go with the one that I got.

Also understand that you have to keep the thermostat probe ON the uth. The snake can move it, and thats bad... If it comes out of the substrate and is sticking up the thermostat things "I need to give the UTH more wattage so its at the right temp" When really the UTH is at the right temp, its just the PROBE is at the wrong temp. Easy way to get high temps, and this makes me wonder how a thermostat can be much better then a rheostat when this happens...

FYI petsmart kinda isnt good. lol. I got alot of my stuff off of reptilesupply.com and its probably cheaper than if you got it in a store, even with shipping...

Also big tanks arent that much of a big deal. I wouldnt go with the 10 because you will just have to buy a bigger tank, and then figure out how to un stick the UTH with out breaking it, or buy a new one... I bought a used 38 tall like i said, it was $20 and came with almost everything needed and have had my BP in there since she was a baby.

The repti-therm is a piece and what he has pictured there IS a good unit for the time being. I don't agree that these are not good therm's and really do get the job done. I would reccomend buying a better one as time goes on, but in NO way is this unit a piece of junk. DO make sure about that probe!! If it moves and is NOT on the UTH you have BIG problem.

I don't know why you would even say how a dimmer is in anyway as reliable as a thermostat. You have to correct it ALL the time. Whenever the temp around it changes so does your belly heat. How is this AS good as something MAKING sure it doesn't go above X? No logic there sorry.

And a 10 is TOTALLY a better idea. It's tried and proved that bigger spaces can cause issues. Who are you to say otherwise? Its not saying that they will, but why risk it? A 10 gallon tank is 12 dollars at petco? I hate shopping at these stores, but I am not waiting 10-14 days for something I can go get there. I DO NOT buy animals from there ever.

Also, once he outgrows the 10 you can find 20 longs for like 20 bucks as well which are better suited for these snakes.