New here. Need help!!! May have made a HUGE mistake!

[ArmsandLegs]

Hey get two Mojaves, they make a leucistic! We have a pair of Mojaves too... who could resist? They're lookers in their own right!

My friend got a spider and pastel today, because she wants a bee!

I just may have to do that! I'm going to spend my Saturday night looking up BP morphs now

[stratus_020202]

Hi!! I'm from Topeka, and was at the show all day today. Hope you had as much fun as I did. It could be ghost or albino. Those were the only two hets I remember seeing. If you think about it I was wearing a white t-shirt with an albino on it that says "Got Balls?"

We brought home a gorgeous Pastel female het for Ghost. Tell what booth you bought him at and I'll try and remember what I remember seeing there. If you need any additional help, I'm pretty close by, just pm me.

Maybe we can meet up sometime in the future if yours is a het ghost. Mine is only possible 66%, but I'd love to try and prove her out with your male. She has plans already with my pastel, when she's old enough. Which will be awhile since she's only 106 g's. But maybe after I get my super we can work out a deal with the babies.

Anyway, hit me up anytime if you need anything. Later!

[blackcrystal22]

About the Het thing, did the breeder say that the animal was Possible Het for something or a certain percentage like 50% het or 66% het??
How much did you pay for him approximately? It could help determine the het. If he was under 80$ IMO, he's probably possible het (%) which means he has a certain percentage out of the clutch of being one of the hets, but could or could not carry the actual gene.

Also, good job at spotting your problems right away. Check out this caresheet and make you husbandry on spot, it's important to try and not miss anything if possible. That female is also very pretty, having a reduced pattern with few alien heads is very nice for breeding and cleaning up morphs!

[Kaorte]

Well, if you don't mind a bit of enclosure criticism

What are you measuring your temps with? You should have some digital thermometers with a probe. You should have one under the substrate on the glass where the UTH to make sure your hot side isn't too hot.

Your best option would be to get two identical hides so the snake doesn't sacrifice proper temps for security. They will pick their favorite. The best kind to get are those rock cave types with the small opening in the front.

The tank you have is quite tall. Ball pythons are terrestrial snakes and don't need more than 12" of headroom. You might think that they enjoy climbing and what not but the only reason they do it is usually because of stress (they are looking for a way out).

I think your enclosure is due for a few upgrades (thermostat!). Hopefully you will be seeing some money shortly so you can spoil your slitheries.

[4theSNAKElady]

Mistakes wouldn't be mistakes if we couldn't learn from them... and calm down...you're in the right place..

[ArmsandLegs]

Well, if you don't mind a bit of enclosure criticism

What are you measuring your temps with? You should have some digital thermometers with a probe. You should have one under the substrate on the glass where the UTH to make sure your hot side isn't too hot.

Your best option would be to get two identical hides so the snake doesn't sacrifice proper temps for security. They will pick their favorite. The best kind to get are those rock cave types with the small opening in the front.

The tank you have is quite tall. Ball pythons are terrestrial snakes and don't need more than 12" of headroom. You might think that they enjoy climbing and what not but the only reason they do it is usually because of stress (they are looking for a way out).

I think your enclosure is due for a few upgrades (thermostat!). Hopefully you will be seeing some money shortly so you can spoil your slitheries.

Got a thermostat today. Thanks, I definitely needed one, turns out the UTH was placed on the side and not giving nearly enough heat. The substrate on the hot side is a steady 83 degrees now. The male has been moved to a plastic sterlite with a ZooMed UTH. Will the UTH melt the plastic? I'm kinda nervous about it...Man, I have learned SO much being on this forum for only one day!

[Kaorte]

Got a thermostat today. Thanks, I definitely needed one, turns out the UTH was placed on the side and not giving nearly enough heat. The substrate on the hot side is a steady 83 degrees now. The male has been moved to a plastic sterlite with a ZooMed UTH. Will the UTH melt the plastic? I'm kinda nervous about it...Man, I have learned SO much being on this forum for only one day!

83 for your hotside? That is REALLY low. It should be around 92-94*.

If a UTH would melt plastic, it would melt your BP in a glass tank. So no, they do not melt plastic.

What kind of thermometers are you using?

[ArmsandLegs]

83 for your hotside? That is REALLY low. It should be around 92-94*.

If a UTH would melt plastic, it would melt your BP in a glass tank. So no, they do not melt plastic.

What kind of thermometers are you using?

Crap, I think I need to drop my substrate levels. I'm using Aspen, about two inches...that may be why it's so low. I bought two of the ZooMed digital therms with a probe. The probe is barely resting on the substrate, so it may be a more ambient temp. I'll drop the substrate levels and see if that helps.

The only reason I'm worried about the plastic and UTH is the ZooMed ones specifically say not for use on plastic...does anyone else use the ZooMed ones? Or am I overreacting? Wouldn't be the first time

[Kaorte]

Crap, I think I need to drop my substrate levels. I'm using Aspen, about two inches...that may be why it's so low. I bought two of the ZooMed digital therms with a probe. The probe is barely resting on the substrate, so it may be a more ambient temp. I'll drop the substrate levels and see if that helps.

The only reason I'm worried about the plastic and UTH is the ZooMed ones specifically say not for use on plastic...does anyone else use the ZooMed ones? Or am I overreacting? Wouldn't be the first time

Yeah two inches is probably too much. one should be just fine. Make sure you put the probe right on the glass UNDER the substrate. 94* should be the hottest point in the entire tank, not the substrate surface temp. 83* is a good ambient temp.

They say not to use them on plastic because they can heat up to 115* or more unregulated. As long as you are regulating it, your tub and snake will be just fine. I have used a zoomed heat pad with a tub just fine.

These are normal questions and they get asked frequently.

[ArmsandLegs]

Yeah two inches is probably too much. one should be just fine. Make sure you put the probe right on the glass UNDER the substrate. 94* should be the hottest point in the entire tank, not the substrate surface temp. 83* is a good ambient temp.

They say not to use them on plastic because they can heat up to 115* or more unregulated. As long as you are regulating it, your tub and snake will be just fine. I have used a zoomed heat pad with a tub just fine.

These are normal questions and they get asked frequently.

So do I need to get a rheostat before I use it on the plastic? It's on there now, it seems like the bottom has warped a bit since I put in on earlier today.