Critique my Set Up? (pic included)
Hello,
I'm new to these forums, and to being a ball python owner. I've owned many other reptiles but this is my first BP - she's a black pastel lesser.
She's 9-10 months old (750 g and almost 2 feet) and she's in a 40 gal breeder. I know you're all going to say an aquarium was a bad choice and that I should put her in a tub but this is what I have to work with. I'm a little stressed about her set up and concerned that it's going to affect her health/happiness. I'd like more experienced owners to critique my set up and tell me how I can improve (except for recommending I move her to a tub as that is not an option).
She has two identical hides on each side of the tank, with an UTH under one of them. I have a digital temp probe in each hide, as well as an Acurite thermometer/hydrometer in the middle of the cage to monitor ambient temp. The UTH is hooked up to a thermostat, and the thermostat probe is also in her warm hide (on top of the UTH). I have the thermostat set to 93*, but the other temp probe always reads about 3 degrees cooler so I'm never sure which one to trust? One will usually say 88-90* and the other at 92-94*.
I have clear plastic wrap on top of the entire screen lid, except for where her 100 watt CHE is resting above the warm hide. There's also a 12 watt LED light shining above the tank on a 12 on/12 off cycle, but it doesn't put off any heat. The plastic was an attempt at keeping the humidity and ambient temps up and it seems to work for the most part. She's on a combo of forest floor cypress mulch and eco earth coco bedding, with damp sphagnum lying sprinkled in the tank to aid with humidity. I had to add the CHE as the tank was pretty cold with just the UTH. It has seemed to help, but the ambient temp in the middle of the tank is 78* and inside her cool hide is 68* which is obviously way too cold.
Any tips on how to fix this? I thought about getting a 150 watt CHE instead - but right now the surface temperature (used my temp gun) directly below the CHE, on top of her warm hide, is 95*... so getting a stronger one would make a surface temp that could burn the snake! Should I use a heat bulb instead or would it even make a difference? I have no idea what to do! Luckily, she's just been in her warm hide since I got her so she's staying warm enough for now.
For reference:
Humidity fluctuates between 55-65% depending on if I misted or not
cold side is 75* ambient temp with inside cool hide being 66-68*
middle ambient is 78-80*
warm side is 88-92* ambient with inside warm hide being 88-94*
Also, I have another question if you feel so inclined:
She has been eating live food her whole life, but I would like to switch her to frozen/thaw. She's currently eating a large mouse once a week. Is it possible she would take to a f/t at her first feeding? I only got her a week ago. Let me know if you have any suggestions.
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