Help with my BP

[WifeOfSlasher]

Okay... before we knew about using UTHs with a thermostat we used just bulbs because we did not trust them. We use to do day/night switch and don't anymore.

You can use the day bulb during the day and the night bulb at night. In a 15 gallon tank both lights would most likely be waaaaay to much heat and you would not have a thermogradient in the tank allowing him to go where he needs to be for the correct temps.

Without the thermostat I would NOT use the UTH

Increase the temps in your home to 72-75

Place the red bulb in the light hood and place on one side of the top.

Place the hide under the direct center of the bulb. This will make it so that he can climb on top for even warmer temps if he needs to.

Place the water dish on the cool side close the the center of the tank.

Place a hot, damp towel over the top 1/2-2/3 of the tank on the cool side. This will help keep the heat inside of the tank.

With me so far?

[FkNdRk]

Aaron, you have all your BPs set up like that?

[WifeOfSlasher]

Looked at Aaron's photo, but it looks like one side is infrared and the other side is not.

From what I can see there are holes for two lights but there is only one heat bulb in use with another viewing light inside of the enclosure.

[WifeOfSlasher]

Here's the tank for our BP. We now use a UTH so the light is turned waaaaaaay down to maintain the ambient temp.



Please ignore the 7 ish feet of probe wire hanging off the back of the tank.

[The Serpent Merchant]

Yes/no the cage in that picture is a T12 (4x2x2) I use this cage for my carpet python.

My 4 ball pythons are in T8's (4x2x1) I also no longer use the heat lamps. I use Flexwatt for my hot side and a RHP to maintain the ambiant/cool side temperatures.

All 5 PVC cages are stacked. I live in a one bedroom apartment so I don't have a huge amount of space for cages lol

[momma_mia]

This is what the set up looks like now.

On the left is a half-log and underneath is the UTH.

I put the other half log in front, just to provide a surface for him to scratch on if he is shedding.

On the right is the light (regular basking for day, infrared for night).

We do have a larger tank that we can move him into if need be. It's a long 20 gallon I believe.

[The Serpent Merchant]

Oops, sorry, my bad. My bulbs are 75W, not 100W. I was confusing them with my beardies' light.

Daytime
http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...ductId=2752666

Nighttime
http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...122&lmdn=Brand


So, I am extremely confused right now!

Am I supposed to have 2 bulbs on at all times on the tank? Are they BOTH supposed to be infrared?

Looked at Aaron's photo, but it looks like one side is infrared and the other side is not.

I only have one heat lamp in those pictures the other light is a floressent light for viewing purposes.

I would just use your infra-red bulb 24/7 that is what I use to do when I used 10 gallon tanks.

[The Serpent Merchant]

This is what the set up looks like now.

On the left is a half-log and underneath is the UTH.

I put the other half log in front, just to provide a surface for him to scratch on if he is shedding.

On the right is the light (regular basking for day, infrared for night).

We do have a larger tank that we can move him into if need be. It's a long 20 gallon I believe.

Your tank is the perfect size (for now)

If the UTH is not being controlled by a thermostat it needs to be unplugged. They can cause burns that can kill your snake.

[WifeOfSlasher]

This is what the set up looks like now.

On the left is a half-log and underneath is the UTH.

I put the other half log in front, just to provide a surface for him to scratch on if he is shedding.

On the right is the light (regular basking for day, infrared for night).

We do have a larger tank that we can move him into if need be. It's a long 20 gallon I believe.

Cover the open surface of the top with a damp towel, move the light to the same side of the tank as the UTH, and I think you will be golden until you can tune things in with the thermostat, dimmer, and thermometer/hydrometer.

[Kamille Kirkendoll]

Everyone here has given you excellent advice, and like they have said, even BP hatchlings don't consume pinkies. Our adult male eats medium rats, and could take large ones if he wanted to. A pinkie is the size of a human finger, which is significantly too small. Considering your Ball is currently very underweight, I wouldn't feed food items that were too big, but he does need bigger meals. As for your question about why he wouldn't more readily accept meals - if the conditions are horrible, BP will refuse meals. If the tank is too hot, if it's stressed, etc.

I would suggest buying a BP manual.