Wondering just where to begin?

[angllady2]

Flexwatt comes in several different widths and wattages. I have a nice little homemade rack system for my snakes. I run a strip of flexwatt down the back of each shelf, to make a hot spot that takes up roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of the tub going from back to front. Since I keep my house at a steady 77 degrees, my cool sides { the front of the tubs} stay between 77 and 80 with no heat source. The hot spots { over the flexwatt } I keep at 89.

While it may not be "by the numbers" all of my snakes seem to do very well with this arrangement and have for roughly 2 years now. Since I use an open rack system, I have hides in my tubs. I only use one hide, and the snakes happily move it from front to back as they see fit. Of course, these are very lightweight hides and I have very spoiled snakes. Most people recommend two hides per enclosure one hot and one cool, because not all snakes will re-arrange their hides like mine do.

I use strips of aluminum foil tape, which can be found at any hardware store, to attach the edges of the flexwatt to the shelf, not the tub. Most people here use the Accurite brand digital thermometer from Wal-Mart, they usually work well, and can be modified easily to fit your needs. If yours is giving you a problem, there are other options, some of which are reasonable, some of which are really expensive.

The big thing is to try not to get in too far too fast. I lot of people dive in headfirst with no clue what they are doing. They get overwhelmed quickly, and it's the animals who suffer. Start out small, with your lovely little boy and a nice girl. Maybe two girls if you have the room and find some you like. Keep track of what you spend each month on things like food, bedding and etc. If you don't have a good source for food, now is the time to find one where you get quality food at a decent price, as well as one that offers the different sizes you will eventually need.

Start buying future breeding supplies a little at a time, so you don't get ahead of yourself and spend way too much money. Add a few baby tubs here and there. Find some little bitty hides and water dishes. Remember the Dollar Store is your new best friend. Start keeping an eye on Craigslist and the classifieds for items that could be turned into a rack or an incubator { there is a LOT of DIY stuff to be found here }. Invest in a good scale to weigh your snakes and help you track their growth. A chart or spreadsheet to keep track of who ate what and when and who didn't, as well as who shed and other things can be very helpful.

Decide if you want to go with tubs for your new snakes, and maybe set up your Quarantine area with a tub to get familiar with how they differ from tanks or vivs. There is much to learn and much to experience on this journey into breeding. But I've got to tell you, for me at least, seeing that first tiny head peek out of that crumpled egg made everything all worth while.

Gale