New BP owner- want to make sure I'm doing this right!

[Crazymonkee]

Home depot has light dimmers for $9-$12. They're in the lighting section

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[rocknrollmama1980]

Perfect... I didn't know if there was a special kind


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[Crazymonkee]

The one I got ya just plug the light into the dimmer then the dimmer into the wall and done... adjust as needed

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[KMG]

There's no right or wrong way to set up a terrarium as long as you have the temp and humidity at the required specifications for the animal, both on the cool side and hot side of the tank.

There most certainly is a right and wrong way to do things. Things like a UTH in the tank or the use of tape in the tank is wrong and common among some new keepers.

ball pythons don't really need a lot of space but the ten gallon tank is hard to find a gradiant because of its small enclosure but it is poossible. a general rule of thumb is the tank not be less than 2/3 in length of the snake long. Mine out grew hers in two months (10 gal). during that time I used a 75 watt blue nightlight bulb to keep from getting to hot which would dehydrate. 75 degrees for an extended period of time is like us going outside in 40 degree weather with no jacket to a snake and would develope ri. snakes are real sensitive to temps but IMO I would rather have it a little on the warm side but closely monitor for dehydration (dry wrinkly skin, can easily be confused with pre-shed) because it would be easier to deal with than ri.

A 75 watt bulb is way to much for a 10 gallon tank. Was it on a dimmer? How cold was the room?

My home is 68 and on the cool side of a 40 gallon glass tank I have a 60 watt bulb for added heat and even using a lamp stand that suspends the fixture about 15 inches from the tank floor it creates 78-82 degree surface temps under it. If I was to lay the fixture on the screen like many do it would create a hotspot that is to warm without the use of a dimmer. I do not use dimmers and instead adjust the heat by adjusting the height of the lamp stand to create more or less distance which equates to less or more heat.

My snakes never have dry wrinkly skin during a shed. They get loose skin but they never appear to be dry.

Do you use a IR temp gun to check surface temps? You can show to have correct ambient temps while having surface temps that are to warm.

[IamMyEnd]

Just remember with a dimmer, when your room temperature fluctuates, you may have to adjust the dimmer, also if you have any kind of draft or run a fan, especially in summer it will change it. A temp gun is very helpful especially with a dimmer. I have one dimmer that I use to use and especially in winter I had to adjust it constantly, so I kept track of the cages temps for a few days to a week, then I made two marks on the dimmer, one for night and the other for day. My house temps are crazy in winter.

[rocknrollmama1980]

I have a temp gun now! Great tool I also bought a dimmer. For my temp/ humidity register I bought a wireless one.. Can I stick this whole remote in the cage? Or should I return this?

It was the only one they had.


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[h20hunter]

Mr. Mittens.....we need a pic of this snake named Mr. Mittens....

[Crazymonkee]

I have a temp gun now! Great tool I also bought a dimmer. For my temp/ humidity register I bought a wireless one.. Can I stick this whole remote in the cage? Or should I return this?

It was the only one they had.


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I can't see the pic

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[winglesshornet]

There most certainly is a right and wrong way to do things. Things like a UTH in the tank or the use of tape in the tank is wrong and common among some new keepers.



A 75 watt bulb is way to much for a 10 gallon tank. Was it on a dimmer? How cold was the room?

My home is 68 and on the cool side of a 40 gallon glass tank I have a 60 watt bulb for added heat and even using a lamp stand that suspends the fixture about 15 inches from the tank floor it creates 78-82 degree surface temps under it. If I was to lay the fixture on the screen like many do it would create a hotspot that is to warm without the use of a dimmer. I do not use dimmers and instead adjust the heat by adjusting the height of the lamp stand to create more or less distance which equates to less or more heat.

My snakes never have dry wrinkly skin during a shed. They get loose skin but they never appear to be dry.

Do you use a IR temp gun to check surface temps? You can show to have correct ambient temps while having surface temps that are to warm.

As far as the UTH or heat tape going into tanks is a big no no, I grant you that and I failed to mention it, as well as not to use heat rocks. My house is old and it gets cold at night especially during the winter and the upstairs room temp been known to drop to upper fifty's even though the furnace is set at 78 with 90 blowing out of the register ducts. The 75 watt blue bulb i used kept the old tank at 83 at the surface during the night even though i didn't not have to adjust the dimmer and the light off during the day. The day light bulb i had suspended above the hot side (and the UTH on thermostat. For temp monitoring was two acu-rite gauges modified to have 3 probes (two temps & 1 hum.) and probes were mounted accordingly to give me readings at the surface and ambient (not mounted on the glass or side) at hot and cold side. The only probe under the substrate (at the time terrarium liner) was the thermostat for the UTH. I calibrate/verify my thermostats and the acu-rites every three months with a N.I.S.T. traceable standard. I rescued my snake from my neighbor who had her for four weeks and neglected her. When i first saw her, the 3 gallon tank my neighbor kept her in was at 130, with no water, and one hide that she was sitting on top of, i kid you not. She looked like a raisin, we had a little chat and I ended up taking her home. The vet gave her a 10% chance. I've had her for three months now got her from 75 grams to 180 grams (currently 8 months old... basing from the age i was told from guy I got her from). I make certain that she is comfortable, she's been shedding good since i had her (other than the very bad shed my third week after rescuing her).

[KMG]

winglesshornet,

Good rescue.

Thank you for your added information. One thing I always try to do is explain my heat sources with a description of my homes conditions. You and I have cold homes so larger heat sources are needed but if we don't explain that a noob can read your post and think a 75 watt bulb will work for their 10 gallon tank when they have a warm home. They could cook their snake because they applied a heat source that is inappropriate for their conditions.

While what you say makes since to you it may not to somebody else because they are not in your head with the rest of the knowledge.