new cage questions

[Welwood]

I currently have a 10 gallon glass tank but i am having some issues with keeping my temps up now that winter is getting closer. I was wondering if i bought a professional cage would it be easier to keep my temps up?

Also I am planning on picking up another ball python at an up coming reptile expo so i am looking at getting a cage that is able to cage two balls separately. Do you guys have any suggestions of a company or store to get a cage that fits my needs?

[Kaorte]

Animal plastics has some great cages that you can get dividers for:

http://www.animalplastics.com/

If you need help keeping your temps up in the meantime, explain your setup or post a picture of your setup. Many people here use glass tanks even in colder climates and they have found ways of keeping the heat and humidity perfect.

[Welwood]

Its a 10 gallon glass tank with aspen bedding. I got two hides one is plastic the other is real wood plus a wooden branch to climb on. i got a Repti-Therm UTH and a Zilla incandescent day white light with reflector on a Zilla 1000 watt thermostat. There is a large water dish on the cooler side that is large enough for her to get into and soak. i keep a towel over half the lid to help keep the humidity up.

here are some images

[Capt._Howdy]

i have the same kind of set up but only thing i did differently is that i put a 5 gal heat mat and taped it to the cool side of the cage that keeps it at 80 deg. and i have a 60 watt red bulb for the basking spot. the cool side stays at 80 deg. and on the basking side stays at around 88 deg never less i keep a temp prob on each side so i can see what the temps are at all times and i have a digital humidity gauge in the middle of the cage so i can keep an eye on that.. Im a newbie but my wife has had many snakes so shes helping me out. here is a pic of my 09 mojave set up im waiting for my new rack so hes stuck there for another week.hope this helps a little.

[SDballp]

capt. howdy, to the best of my knowledge the prob that you have on the hot side should be down on the ground semi burried in substrate so you can get a reading on the temp he's laying on.
the air temp could be 80 but he might be burrying into 100º substrate

and to welwood, you might try taking some substrate out? maybe your UTH is trying to heat up to much aspen so when it gets to ur temp gauges its way down

[Capt._Howdy]

i have one prob in the aspen bedding giving me a temp inside the black hide so thats what i base my temps on and how i a just the thermostat

[Darkice]

Another thing you can do is put a UTH on the side of the aquarium. Helps with the ambiant temp. Also cover the sides with styrofoam insulation to trap the heat in.

[seeya205]

Also those hides aren't good for a ball python! They like hides that have one small opening only and they should just fit in them.

[Welwood]

I replaced the fake log with this plastic bowl is that a better hide for my ball?

[Kaorte]

Its better but it is still a bit tall and the opening is a bit big.