Ok, first, read the caresheet. Get/make two identical hides that are very secure and closed in, just barely bigger than your snake can fit. Get a thermostat. (Reptitemp 500R is the cheapest, but will do in a pinch.) The UTH can reach 120* F and sometimes 140-150. It will burn your snake. A vet visit and treatment is more expensive than the thermostat, so get one! Put the thermostat probe on the UTH directly and use the thermometer to set it. Get a digital thermometer with a probe if you don't have one already. No one trusts the round gauges or mercury or stick-on things. There's an AccuRite that's usually at walmart or lowes or home depot etc. Keep the glass under the hot hide in the low 90s. 95 and up is unsafe. For the humidity, cover the screentop with something. A permanent solution is foil tape. The 'swimming' could be her trying to drown mites, so just look for those. They often hide in skin flaps like under her chin and in the vents. Drowned mites will float in the water.
<--I can't believe that exists.
Last edited by stevepoppers; 05-25-2010 at 01:37 PM.
A few days ago I noticed my female was out of her hide so I decided to handle her, and she had apparently just gotten a drink because it all spilled out of her mouth all over my jeans.
You really do need to address a few things like buying a thermostat. That UTH can and WILL burn your snake unregulated. I plugged mine in before I had a thermostat (it was not being used with an enclosure) and watched it reach 140* .
You really HAVE to have a thermostat on your heat mat as they can and will spike and burn your snake to death. You can do a search online or on this forum for ideas. I know that spyder robtics has some great ones that I use and Reptile Basics have some great ones that are affordable.
When in a tank the humidity is the hardest thing to keep up. A daily mist with water helps as well as foiling off the top of the cage where the screen is. When their eyes go blue they are going to go in shed...I use to take a wet wash cloth and put it over the warm hide ...it assisted in creating more humidity.
There are a ton more ideas on here...this site is truly amazing for ideas on how to keep your BP properly.
Michelle
Lets just say it has advanced to ....way too much to list