NEW HERE.. WITH QUESTIONS.. sorry if its long im concerned

[toddsbabygirl]

Hi, my name is brandi and of course im new here and I have a few questions.. I am the first time owner of a ball python .. well i had one as a kid but my father cared for it, so that dont really count.
my husband has begged for a snake for months now (he's always wanted one never had one) so today we went and purchased one...(this is of course after weeks of looking for a healthy snake) "she" ( dont know ) is BEAUTIFULLY marked.. and young too.. which is my first question

how do i determine age? "she/he" is approx 16 " long

my second question is about her habitat .. here is what my hubby bought today for her

10 gal tank
screen lid with clamps
a small heat pad for under the cage
heat light for top
big bark bedding (the dark with big pieces)
water bowl
huge piece of drift wood and
background

so my next question is about the heat pad.. the take is 10 gal but the pad says for a 5 gal tank.. the pet owner said i didnt need a bigger one since i was using a heat light as well (my light has a 45 watt bulb)
IS THIS ENOUGH????
it is 7 pm here and she has been laying right where the pad is at (under tank of course) for an hour now. before hand she explored her cage crawled under and over her wood checked everything out.. now shes staying on the padded spot.

i know i need a temp checker (sorry cant spell what its really called lol)
ill get that in the morning

sorry this is long thank you if your still reading.. but here is a small list i made for things to pick up tomorrow

red heat light for night time
ceramic bowl to replace plastic small one i have now
some fake trees
a cave to hide in
spray bottle for water
and a large plastic tub to feed her in
also food (been 6 days since she ate) i was told she eats once a week

ANYTHING else you all recommend????

[BPelizabeth]

I would first say read the Ball Python care sheet as this will answer most of your questions.

The temps should be 82-83 on the cool side, 92-93 on the warm..your humidity should be 60%. The hides should be enclosed and small and tight...that is how they like it. You can just get plastic bowls or etc. cut a hole and burn the edges so they are not sharp. You will need 2 one on the cool side and one on the warm side. The screen top is going to be difficult to keep in the humidity. You can get a piece of plexi-glass to cover it up or you can use aluminum foil. Otherwise you are going to loose all of your humidity. The heating pad....please be sure it is an under the tank heater...needs to be on a thermostat to control it otherwise it could get too hot. You should also have 2 thermometers...with probes...one for each side. (you can get these at wally world) also you need a hygrometer to measure your humidity. If your under the tank heater works enough then you should not need your light. BP's do not really need a light cycle....and the light will further hurt the humidity. If the UTH is not working to capacity I would get a bigger one....but again it will need to be controlled with a thermostat.

Also I don't think I read what you are using for susbstrate (stuff on the bottom of the cage)....please see the care sheet as it will list what you can and cannot use.

Once all is set up make sure that you leave your snake in there for about one week....with no touching. (trust me this is the hardest thing to do) but it will help her adjust and to get acustom to her new digs.

Congrats and enjoy your new snake.....care it becomes an addiction so quickly. By the way welcome to the forum....you will find that everyone is awesome on here and really really help so much!!

[Kaorte]

!!!

Might I suggest a few things to add and subtract from your shopping list.

1. Thermostat: You probably won't be able to find this in stores so you will have to order it online. If you intend to use an under tank heater then you MUST use it with a thermostat controlling the heat output. If you don't have a thermostat, there is a high chance your snake will get burned by the heat pad. The reptitemp 500r is a very inexpensive thermostat and is great for single setups.

2. Digital thermometers: These are just as important as a thermostat. The accurite weather station from the home depot isn't intended for reptile use but it works perfectly for what you need. It reads outdoor temp, indoor temp, and ambient humidity. So you can measure your hot side, cool side, and humidity with one unit.

3. Two IDENTICAL tight fitting "cave" hides. You don't necessarily have to get the pet store kind. I am very cheap and get plastic bowls from the dollar store and cut holes in the hides. They work great and they are super cheap.




If you can get away with it, ditch the lamps. They suck humidity out of the air and make it almost impossible to keep up. If your house temperatures are above 75* you won't need the light.

There is absolutely no reason to feed your snake in a separate container, save your money and feed in her home enclosure. It is just easier for everyone.

I hope this helps!

[toddsbabygirl]

!!!



2. Digital thermometers: These are just as important as a thermostat. The accurite weather station from the home depot isn't intended for reptile use but it works perfectly for what you need. It reads outdoor temp, indoor temp, and ambient humidity. So you can measure your hot side, cool side, and humidity with one unit.

If you can get away with it, ditch the lamps. They suck humidity out of the air and make it almost impossible to keep up. If your house temperatures are above 75* you won't need the light.

There is absolutely no reason to feed your snake in a separate container, save your money and feed in her home enclosure. It is just easier for everyone.

I hope this helps!

okay a few Q's again.. one what kind of digital thermometer??? and where do i find one???

two my house is COOOOLD.. it stays about 68 at night and 69-70 during the day.

i do have the under tank pad but its meant for a 1-5 gal tank and i have a 10.. i was worried that this wouldnt be enough heat for her... right now i KNOW that she is cold and i have the pad and the light going I felt of her when i put water in there a few min ago and she was like ice

[Kaorte]

The UTH should cover about 1/3 of the floor of the tank.

The accurite weather station can be found at the home depot for about $11. You might have to ask around to find it.

If your house is cold then get a low wattage red bulb and run it 24/7.

[toddsbabygirl]

The UTH should cover about 1/3 of the floor of the tank.



If your house is cold then get a low wattage red bulb and run it 24/7.

yes i have a red bulb on my list.. im making it as we type.. lol
as for the pad it is very close if not dead on covering that much. i live in a very old farm house we are remodeling and its pretty drafty in here at times. i have an amazon parrot and she needs it 70 and i still keep a light on her all the time because she gets cold.

i dont have a home depot where i live but i searched on walmart.com and they have that thermostat.. once i get it how do i use it.. where do i put it????

[Kaorte]

yes i have a red bulb on my list.. im making it as we type.. lol
as for the pad it is very close if not dead on covering that much. i live in a very old farm house we are remodeling and its pretty drafty in here at times. i have an amazon parrot and she needs it 70 and i still keep a light on her all the time because she gets cold.

i dont have a home depot where i live but i searched on walmart.com and they have that thermostat.. once i get it how do i use it.. where do i put it????

You mean that thermometer?

When you get it, you will notice it comes with an external probe. You will stick this right on the glass inside the tank where the UTH is. You want to measure the hottest point the snake can get too. Then put the rest of the unit of the opposite side of the tank or the "cool side".

[toddsbabygirl]

You mean that thermometer?

When you get it, you will notice it comes with an external probe. You will stick this right on the glass inside the tank where the UTH is. You want to measure the hottest point the snake can get too. Then put the rest of the unit of the opposite side of the tank or the "cool side".

i think im looking at something different.. sorry im having to hit quote my quick reply dont work

here are the two im seeing
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...ct_id=10661061

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

[Kaorte]

Those a both thermometers but you probably don't want the wireless version.

This is the version I have used but I know they have a newer version of this model now.

http://www.wildbirdsandbeyond.com/im...tail/00891.jpg

You might not be able to see it on walmarts website, but most of them carry it in stores.

[toddsbabygirl]

GREAT
the pic really helps me out.. so as of now
my list consists of

thermostat
digital thermometer
caves(bowls)
red heat light
and i want some fake trees just for me.. lol