Advice for a new BP mother?

[CopperNightShade]

I just got my very first BP! This is the first reptile I have owned, so I am a little nervous. He is a 3-5mo old hatchling, as far as the pet store told me.

I have the 40 gallon aquarium (with towels stuffed on the sides so he doesn't feel exposed), repicarpet, driftwood for climbing, waterbowl and two hideboxes. The basking temperature is sitting between 89F-92F, the majority of the tank is running between 86-78 and the coldest portion of the tank is sitting at 75F. I am using only human heating pads to heat the enclosure: one covering 1/2 the bottom of the aquarium providing the basking spot and the general heat, and one on the opposite side on the top keeping most of the heat from escaping.

I'd read and read and read and read about BPs in the months leading up to my deciding to get this little guy. I know all the basic stuff that is on all of the websites. Age, size, eating habits... got it. What I want to know is all of the stuff they *don't* say. Ya know, the stuff only experience teaches you? What did you have to learn on your own?

I appreciate your help

-Copper

[LadyOhh]

Human heating pads are not the best choice for heat.

I would suggest getting an under the tank heater built specifically for Herps, and attach it to a thermostat.

A 40 gallon tank is also very large for a baby that you have, so make sure to put more stuff in there to "crowd" it up.

Good luck and welcome to the fold

[elevenphoenix]

I would recommend getting a UTH (under tank heater) as opposed to a human heating pad. The UTH under the tank is the only heating source I use, no lights or anything. In addition, get a rheostat or thermostat so you can regulate the temperature that the UTH is givng off; otherwise, the UTH could get too hot or too cold. A decent sized UTH costs about 20$ and the rheostat I used for my first BP is by ZooMed and it was maybe 20$. Some type of rheostat/thermostat is a good investment.

As for the size of the tank, 40 gallons seems a bit big for a baby snake. Maybe get a 10gal and move up to the 40 when she's ready? Or maybe your snake has already adjusted and doesn't mind the extra space *shrugs* If you don't want to spend more $ on a tank, check our Craig's List, there are always cheap aquariums on there and even free cracked aquariums.

Other than that, it sounds like you are off a great start!!

[CopperNightShade]

Thanks for the advice! I was using the human heating pad because it had the low-med-hi settings so I could adjust it when I drop the temperature in the bedroom at night. I didn't even think of a rheostat! Is there any particular reason why the reptile ones are better?

Also, I have cluttered up the 40 gallon just as much as I could. There are 4 towels bunched up in the corners and another along the back. He seems confident enough to wander about. Then again, I haven't fed him yet (I was told to wait a week,) so I don't know for sure if he will be confident enough to eat.

Thank you again!

[Kaorte]

I personally would not put towels in an enclosure. I feel like if they got wet they would mold really fast. Same goes for the reptile carpet. That stuff is NIGHTMARE to clean. No matter how much you scrub it, it will always smell off and still hold bacteria. I prefer paper towels or aspen.

I would opt for a thermostat rather than a rheostat. From what it sounds like, your temps fluctuate in the room and that + rheostat = constantly adjusting and crazy heat spikes. The cheapest thermostat is the reptitemp 500r available in some pet stores and online.

Also, it sounds like you are not getting accurate temps. Get some nice digital thermometers with a PROBE. This is very important so you can get accurate reading of the temps in the enclosure. Gauges and stick on thermometers can be off by 10*F which can be enough to COOK your snake. D:

I know it seems like your BP cruising around means he is happy with his surroundings but it is actually quite the opposite. A happy BP is a hiding BP. They spend about 90% of their time hiding. That is usually how I know that my snakes are settled, they stop cruising and start hiding.

[Spaniard]

Is there any particular reason why the reptile ones are better?
Thank you again!

The reptile UTHs are designed to run 24/7; human heat pads are not designed for this application and can catch fire.

[Kaorte]

The reptile UTHs are designed to run 24/7; human heat pads are not designed for this application and can catch fire.

Not to mention they are used for the heating of HUMANS, not snakes. Your core body temp is 98.6*. Ball pythons are meant to be kept at max 94*. If you need to heat up a human, the heating source must be higher than 98.6* which is much too high for a ball python.

It will burn the snake at some point. Those human heating pads get well past 115* which could even cook the snake.

[CopperNightShade]

Kaorte:
Is there anything else besides towels that I can put in there to clutter it up and make him feel safe? And do you know of a good brand of aspen to use? Does it matter?

And I do have two good thermometers with probes. Expensive little buggers. But they read accurately, I tested them against the chemistry thermometer I have in my work lab.

And Eshu (my little bp) does spend most of the day hiding. But when I put him in just after taking him out or adjusting things he does check everything out before going back to his hidebox.

Spaniard:
Catch fire!? o.0 Oh my. I steered clear of the reptile UTHs because I read that they were impossible to clean or adjust... Are there some that are easier to use than others?

[CopperNightShade]

Not to mention they are used for the heating of HUMANS, not snakes. Your core body temp is 98.6*. Ball pythons are meant to be kept at max 94*. If you need to heat up a human, the heating source must be higher than 98.6* which is much too high for a ball python.

It will burn the snake at some point. Those human heating pads get well past 115* which could even cook the snake.

Oh I got one that runs at 110F on low - and there is a piece of cardboard, the aquarium glass and the repicarpet to dissipate the heat.
Still... perhaps a repi UTH would be better.

[Kaorte]

Any aspen works fine. I have used rodent aspen and snake aspen. They are basically the same.

Well, everything sounds good there then!

You shouldn't need to clean or adjust a UTH. They go on the outside of the enclosure and you can either tape it on with aluminum tape, or use the adhesive that it comes with. I don't know why you would need to adjust it..