Do YOU think there's anything wrong with this set-up?

[Beardedragon]

I am not so sure about the sand thing, but what i use for substrate is crushed walnut.... same kind of set up like sand, but I knwo that the BP can digest it and it will pass all the way through. Also it seems to stop odors.

Crushed walnut shells cut your snakes intestines on the way down.

[Lolo76]

No offense, but if you can't afford a thermostat you probably shouldn't be keeping pets. Any animal can get sick and require a visit to the vet. At the low end you are look at $50+ and in some cases several hundred dollars. Maybe you should think about putting some money into a savings account a little at a time in case one day something does happen.

I can't speak for the original poster, but as for myself... it's not that I don't have money, it's just that I can't justify spending extra when something cheaper works fine. If one of my pets - of any species - needs veterinary care, that is a completely different situation. I have emergency credit cards, savings, and even parents as a last resort... hate to admit it, but my mother paid the $800 bill when my dog ate a poisonous plant.

My point is that just because someone says "I can't afford this-or-that," don't assume they aren't prepared for an emergency. Some people have different budgets/resources for separate things, and can usually come up with money for the important stuff. Otherwise, I agree with the sentiment of what you're saying.

[DustinB]

My point is that just because someone says "I can't afford this-or-that," don't assume they aren't prepared for an emergency. Some people have different budgets/resources for separate things, and can usually come up with money for the important stuff. Otherwise, I agree with the sentiment of what you're saying.

How am I not supposed to assume? If someone says they can't "afford" a $40 thermostat then that generally means there's no money for vet bills. If they said can't "justify" paying that, then that's different. I don't see a problem with a rheostat over a t-stat if someone chooses and it works. Just me personally, I prefer to use both at the same time. Rheostat set slight higher incase the tstat fails one day. I don't have alot of money, but I make sure my animals have the absolute best care possible.

As for backup sources to go to a vet, what if the parents or friends don't have the cash or your cards are filled with the unexpected car repairs you had to pay? I feel that since "you" are caring for a live animal, "you" should have the ability to take care of it at any time.

Just my opinion...

[Ash]

Thanks lolo76. That is exactly what I meant. Yes, I have the money for it available. But nobody that I know would spend $40 - $100 on something that they didn't think was absolutely necessary.

And to Dustin - We have a big enough 'buffer zone' of cash to cover a $50 vet visit, regardless of what happens. Anybody who can't come up with $50 after unexpected car repairs shouldn't have any animal depending on them, I agree with you there. However, I don't appreciate being told I shouldn't have my snakes just because I'm not prepared to invest in a thermostat. I spend plenty of time, energy and money on them as is. I do appreciate your input, though. I know you're only concerned for the animals.

[Neal]

Thanks lolo76. That is exactly what I meant. Yes, I have the money for it available. But nobody that I know would spend $40 - $100 on something that they didn't think was absolutely necessary.

And to Dustin - We have a big enough 'buffer zone' of cash to cover a $50 vet visit, regardless of what happens. Anybody who can't come up with $50 after unexpected car repairs shouldn't have any animal depending on them, I agree with you there. However, I don't appreciate being told I shouldn't have my snakes just because I'm not prepared to invest in a thermostat. I spend plenty of time, energy and money on them as is. I do appreciate your input, though. I know you're only concerned for the animals.

I mean everybody is different. I have those fluker thermometer/hydrometer to measure, but I don't have it on a T-stat with a probe. I have $5 dimmer switchs from lowes, with a UTH on the bottom that stays on, and a heat lamp that I control the temp with. I had a BAH-1000 system but I honestly didn't like it, and I sold it on here. It fluxuated -3/+3 degrees of what you set it to, and the snake constantly would knock it down.

[Ash]

I mean everybody is different. I have those fluker thermometer/hydrometer to measure, but I don't have it on a T-stat with a probe.

yupyup, I have one of those too.

[Neal]

yupyup, I have one of those too.

They work great, and I even borrowed a friends temp gun, the temps are accurate. Just be careful not to spill water on them, you can mist them but water kills them(I thought they were waterproof at first). You don't need an expensive setup, as long as you monitor everything and know when to make changes/adjustments.

[Lolo76]

How am I not supposed to assume? If someone says they can't "afford" a $40 thermostat then that generally means there's no money for vet bills. If they said can't "justify" paying that, then that's different. I don't see a problem with a rheostat over a t-stat if someone chooses and it works. Just me personally, I prefer to use both at the same time. Rheostat set slight higher incase the tstat fails one day. I don't have alot of money, but I make sure my animals have the absolute best care possible.

Bad choice of words, I guess... but either way, I think anyone responsible would have a back-up plan for emergencies.

As for backup sources to go to a vet, what if the parents or friends don't have the cash or your cards are filled with the unexpected car repairs you had to pay? I feel that since "you" are caring for a live animal, "you" should have the ability to take care of it at any time.

Just my opinion...

Well, I personally won't have that problem, for reasons there's no need to explain on here. But I do agree, if there's ANY chance you won't be able to cover an emergency, you shouldn't have a pet. Although most vets are willing to work with their clients, and will do a payment plan in dire situations. Pet insurance is great too!

[h00blah]

about overall husbandry of a ball python.. MANY things are simply HIGHLY recommended. i did very little research b4 i bought my first bp, and i had it in a 40 g tank, no t stat (didnt kno wut they were), 2 half logs as hides (not identical), a heat lamp as WELL as a heat pad, and it was just a bare tank, so no covering of the sides... my bp didnt eat bc of stuck eye caps so i got rid of the heat lamp (to assist in shed), and soaked my bp, and it was NEVER like that again. it ate, it shed PERFECTLY.

with nothing but messups in my husbandry, aside from the heat lamp sucking out my moisture (didnt think about that at ALL), as soon as i got rid of that, everything was great. actually, a comment i got on one of my posts wondering about how my husbandry was:
"Well if she is eating for you and shedding ok I wouldn't say there was a massive pressure to change anything."

although he offered some suggestions, its true.. it was eating for me, and shedding properly, hiding all day, only at night she would swap hides (idk y LOL), and everything was fine.

so i would just pass that quote to u, but i would also re-consider the t-stat thing. if u got one, u wouldnt rly think about the dangers of a heat pad bc it's regulated.

[DustinB]

However, I don't appreciate being told I shouldn't have my snakes just because I'm not prepared to invest in a thermostat. I spend plenty of time, energy and money on them as is. I do appreciate your input, though. I know you're only concerned for the animals.

I never stated you shouldn't have snakes because you weren't "prepared" to invest in a t-stat. I only stated that because you said you couldn't "afford" one in your first post. As I said in my previous post, even a $10 light dimmer is ok with me if it works, as long as there was some way to regulate the heat. I just personally opt to go all out. Your posts are going from not being able to afford one to not being able to justify the cost... 2 very different things.

There's lot of ways to go about caring for animals, expensive ways and cheap ways. As long as the animal has proper care then thats just fine.