Any tips for a new BP owner?

[Bones]

1) A happy ball python is a hiding ball python. If she's too active and you notice her frequently being "out and about", that's a good sign that something is wrong. Keep monitoring her and if she continues to avoid the hot side, it is most likely too hot. Unless you have two different sized hides, then that could also mean she could be favoring a hide.

2) No, it's not a valid concern. BP's don't need any special kind of light. Lamps can also suck the humidity out of the tank. My BP's tank is in the back corner of my bedroom, adjacent to a window. I'm not home a lot, so the only light he really gets is the natural light that shines through the window and that is sufficient.

3) A thermostat is a must! An UTH plug into it and it will keep the warm side at a constant temperature. I can't really elaborate because you didn't say how hot your hot side is. It is around 100* or so, with your cool side being about 96*? (I'm just guessing.) How are you monitoring your temperatures? Do you have digital thermostats with probes; one on the cool side and one on the hot side? What do you use to measure your humidity?

4) Save your money, don't buy that cage. Just do a foil treatment on the screen lid. The foil will help hold the humidity and keep the temperatures stable in the tank and it will cost you a lot less than $120.

5) As long as it is large enough to keep the entire area of his hide warm, I think that is good enough. I have an 8x12 under my 30 gallon and that seems to be more than enough.


Random tips:
- Paper towels are a great substrate. Cheap, easy to clean, and looks nice. I used to use shredded Aspen, but not anymore.

- An old toothbrush is great for cleaning poopy spots off of hides.

- A pair of feeding tongs is a great thing to have.

- Make sure you have some kind of container/pillow case available to put your snake in while you're cleaning it's tank.

- Screen clips are also another must have item.

- Covering the back and sides of the tank with some kind of non-transparent material will help your snake feel more secure.

- You do not need to move your snake to a 10g or a tub. She will be fine in a 20g long as long as you crowd up your tank. You can put wadded up pieces of paper, sterilized rocks, fake plants, etc. in it.



Here is a link to the BP caresheet:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules/...warticle&id=59

Here is a link that explains how to do the foil treatment on the lid. You'll have to scroll down a bit to get to it. I did this with my tank and I haven't had any problems with temps/humidity since.
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ring+foil+tape