Intro & Pics of Enclosure

[jjc]

Hello, all! I just purchased my baby BP on Saturday, and I'm a very excited newbie. I've wanted a snake since I was a kid, but my parents never let me, and my ex hated them. Well, I'm all grown up, and the ex is long gone, so here we are. Now, I'm just looking for some reassurance (or criticism, for that matter) on the little guy's (girl's?) living arrangements.

Current Setup:
1 - 20gal long tank
2 - 8"x8" 8w undertank heaters (one on each side)
1 - 60w ceramic heat emitter (on the "hot" side)
1 - water bowl
2 - identical hides (these)
1 - rock den hide that came with the snake kit
1 - crappy dial temp/humidity gauge
Heavy duty aluminum foil on top (except for the area with the CHE)
Douglas Fir bark substrate, dampened sphagnum moss spread throughout, a rock, miscellaneous logs/branches, and some fake greenery

Shopping List:
Better temp/humidity gauges - I've been looking for an excuse to get an infrared temperature gun for the kitchen, anyway
Thermostat(s?)
Privacy lining/insulation for the walls
Carpet/matting for the bottom glass
Plexiglas for the top of the enclosure

From what I'm reading, the moonlight bulbs are more for the owner to be able to see the snake "in the dark", so that's not really essential, correct? I will light the cage during the day, but don't know if I need or want an additional lamp. I'm not exactly blessed with lots of storage space in the snake area.

So, how am I doing so far? My next milestone will be the first feeding...planning on Wednesday or Thursday, most likely. Pics of the baby and his accomodations are here.

I'm sure you've seen thousands of similar posts from similarly goofy new snake owners, so thanks for taking the time to read this and/or respond.

[Kaorte]

well first of all, !!!

Well I must say you are doing very well for a newbie!

I do have a few suggestions and recommendations for you though.

Hides- Those hides are really great but your snake will quickly outgrow them. Ball pythons are heavy bodied snakes and your baby will soon not be able to fit through that small opening. A better option is a hide without a bottom, with a half circle cut out of the side so that the snake can slither through without getting stuck.

Thermometers- The best unit you can get for a single tank setup is the Accurite weather station. This can be found and most home depots, lowes, or walmarts. It has an external probe to measure the hot side (heat pad) and an internal thermometer and humidity sensor. It costs about $11

Thermostats- For a one snake setup, I would go for the reptitemp 500r, it is simple but it gets the job done. You can find this online for around $25.

Wall covering- You are right with this one. I find that black foam core board works the best and looks rather nice. It also helps to keep the tank warmer.

Cage carpet- Not such a good idea. Reusable substrates with ball pythons usually turns out to be rather stinky and full of bacteria. Stick to wood shavings (no pine or cedar) or some sort of paper substrate.

Chances are you might not even need the CHE or lamp on. It is probably a lot hotter in there than you think. Those dial gauges are really inaccurate.

Wait until Saturday to feed or handle your new buddy. After a hopefully successful feeding, wait 2 days to allow the snake to digest its meal before attempting to handle him.

Hope this helps!

[jjc]

You're right about the hides. I was in a hurry to get him/her two identical hides, and my options were limited (and closing time was fast approaching) at the two stores I've visited (my other options were half logs). I was going to get the larger version of the current hides, but the holes were the same size (not sure what sense that makes). I intend to replace the hides in the very near future (sooner, if they don't get any use), but figured they were better than nothing until I placed/received an online order. So far, the rock den from day one seems to be pretty popular, but even a cardboard box I tossed in to serve as an extra hide for the first two days was well received. The two new hides I purchased in the quest to obtain two identical hides have been completely ignored so far, lol. Can't say I blame the poor snake...they don't seem particularly welcoming.

Should I turn off the CHE for now? I don't want the little guy to get chilled, but I also don't want to roast him. I'll be picking up thermometers tomorrow (why can't all of these stores be closer to one another, so I can just knock out all my shopping at once? - and yes, I know that a more responsible person would have obtained all of these items prior to purchasing the snake), but now I'm confused about the best course of action until I can get a proper thermometer and thermostat in place. CHE on or off? I have yet to locate a suitable thermostat in a brick and mortar pet store. Any suggestions for where I could pick one up tomorrow, or should I just place an online order right now and try to relax for the next couple of days?

Thanks for the help!

[Vypyrz]

You're right about the hides. I was in a hurry to get him/her two identical hides, and my options were limited (and closing time was fast approaching) at the two stores I've visited (my other options were half logs). I was going to get the larger version of the current hides, but the holes were the same size (not sure what sense that makes). I intend to replace the hides in the very near future (sooner, if they don't get any use), but figured they were better than nothing until I placed/received an online order. So far, the rock den from day one seems to be pretty popular, but even a cardboard box I tossed in to serve as an extra hide for the first two days was well received. The two new hides I purchased in the quest to obtain two identical hides have been completely ignored so far, lol. Can't say I blame the poor snake...they don't seem particularly welcoming.

Should I turn off the CHE for now? I don't want the little guy to get chilled, but I also don't want to roast him. I'll be picking up thermometers tomorrow (why can't all of these stores be closer to one another, so I can just knock out all my shopping at once? - and yes, I know that a more responsible person would have obtained all of these items prior to purchasing the snake), but now I'm confused about the best course of action until I can get a proper thermometer and thermostat in place. CHE on or off? I have yet to locate a suitable thermostat in a brick and mortar pet store. Any suggestions for where I could pick one up tomorrow, or should I just place an online order right now and try to relax for the next couple of days?

Thanks for the help!

If you are using 2 UTH's then you will need a way to control them so either 2 thermostats or at least 2 dimmers. Very few pet stores carry t-stats, but they are readily available online ranging in price from $25- $200. I use the Ranco T-stats, which are mid priced ($80.00)

http://www.reptilebasics.com/Thermostats-p-1-c-250.html

As for the CHE. Unless your house temp is below 75-76deg you shouldn't need it. But if you need it, you can always get one of those digital light timers from Wal-mart and set the CHE to cycle on and off...

[Neal]

Welcome to the forums,

Now I recommend Exo-Terra hides normally, but unless you get the bigger ones, they will quickly be outgrown(I don't mean the huge ones).

I wouldn't use any kind of turf/carpet or anything as bedding. Stick to aspen.

As far as heating, with an UTH you can't go wrong, and that usually does the trick for the temperature, however if it doesn't then you can use a heat emitter, just make sure it's on a dimmer switch.

[jjc]

My house is pretty cold, and it's a constant point of contention between us (me + boyfriend + cats). Suffice it to say, we're not getting any help with the ambient temp from my living room climate. I got the AcuRite thermometers with wired sensors today, and they have been enlightening.

I am confused about where to place the sensors for the thermometers. They are currently reporting about 100F right on the glass (without dimmers, but I can add the dimmers), but it's certainly not that high on top of the substrate (I didn't find an infrared thermometer in three of the stores I visited today...sigh). I know he can burrow under the substrate, if he feels like it (which is why I was concerned about the mat/carpet recommended in the Glass Tank Setup sticky), but I can't seem to wrap my brain around the optimal location for the sensors. Even if I get a dimmer and/or thermostat for each UTH, where do I want to get my temp reading from?

This is what I'm thinking...put the cooler side's UTH (based on the sensor temp - wherever it's supposed to be located) and the CHE (based on the ambient air temp) on the thermostat(s? still not sure if a dual-port thermostat is enough for this situation), since they're supposed to be about the same (depending on the placement of the sensor, presumably), and put the hot side's UTH on a dimmer, which I adjust based on the thermometer's reading from that side (I now have an AcuRite thermometer/hygrometer on each side of the tank with sensors buried under the substrate).

My geeky side is totally digging all of this, but my soft-hearted animal-loving side is experiencing a bit of a freak-out with all of these variables. Mammalian pets don't usually freeze or overheat to death at any temperatures that are comfortable for humans, so I feel a little out of my element.

Again, thanks for all your help. Today, the little guy got the addition of the black foam sheets around two sides of his tank, the new thermometers w/ sensors, and a couple of the plug-in dimmers.

I'm pretty sure I will just return the hides he doesn't like (or just eat the loss) and get him another one or two of his Zilla rock dens, since he likes the one so much. He still hasn't shown the slightest interest in the other hides, and I don't want him living in the one rock den for lack of a better option on the warmer/cooler side.

Lest I forget, this is fun...I love having the little snake. I'm well aware that they have survived in less-than-optimal environments for much longer than a couple of days while their owners figure out what they should be doing, but it's in my nature to be a bit of a control freak about my pet's diet/environment (don't even ask about the cats or ferrets, lol). Thanks again!

[gmcclurelssu]

for the thermometer placement, i would recommend placing the probe on the hot side glass, then use a infrared to spot check the surface of the substrate. I do this to insure that the glass never gets dangerously hot, but that the substrate is the proper temp. For the thermostat, i tend to buy the good (expensive) equipment first so you don't have to later. On that note, i would recommend going with a herpstat that will control both UTHs. I think this leads to a less complex setup with higher quality components. Unless the room is really cold, i wouldn't think that the CHE is necessary, especially if you tank covering ends up being some kind of foam board that would provide a level of insulation. Other than that, looks like you got everything taken care of!