New Here! 1st time BP owner.

[dejadoo]

I've been reading a lot here the last few days.

My son (12 next month) brought home a young male Lemon Blast yesterday afternoon. We do not have a scale yet but he's approximately 18" long at this point.

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My son has had tarantulas for the last three years and mom FINALLY agreed to a snake. We've been working on the tank for the last couple of days trying to get things dialed in and we're thinking we've just about got it but thought we would run it by a couple of folks who know a little more about it than us.

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We're using a 10 gal tank to start with; basic set-up to learn on (especially for keeping clean) with 2 hides, water dish and a lamp at this point. We have a UTH under the hot end of the tank but it was not enough by itself and was too much in combination with the light. So as of this evening we are running just the light and are currently seeing 83 F air temps on the cool end with surface temps running 79-82 F and the hot end is 90 F air temp with the surface temps from 86-89 F (using an infrared gun to measure the surface temps). At the moment the humidity is hovering around 58%. You'll notice the cooking rack on the top of the tank - it lifts the light about an inch off the screen and brought the air temps down to what I listed above.

This is the bulb we are running currently.

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Our only real concern at this point is the temp of the enclosure on the hot end of the tank; being close the lamp the surface temp of the hide reads 93.8 F, but the soil inside shows upper 80's when we shoot it with the gun. I'm thinking if the little guy is getting too warm he'll head over to the cooler hide as opposed to baking inside the hot hide.

Any thoughts or suggestions at this point?


Thanks in advance!!!

[SKO]

First thing is: do you have the UTH on a thermostat? If not, unplug it. No heat source should go unregulated. A UTH that is not regulated can cause serious burns. What exactly are you using for substrate? The substrate will have lower temps than plastic or ceramic hides. The temps you should be concerned about it where the hides are. A hot spot can range from 90 to 95 really but 92 is ideal.

Yes, your new buddy will decide to move between hot and cold sides on his own.

[dejadoo]

Thanks SKO.

We're NOT using the UTH. One, we do not yet have a thermostat and two, the pad is probably a little small for the tank as we were not able to get the hot side warm enough using just it.

As for the bedding we are using Zoo Med Forest Floor; our local guys use & recommend it - in part for controlling humidity levels (which at this point appears to be a non-issue).

[dejadoo]

Thanks SKO.

We're NOT using the UTH. One, we do not yet have a thermostat and two, the pad is probably a little small for the tank as we were not able to get the hot side warm enough using just it.

As for the bedding we are using Zoo Med Forest Floor; our local guys use & recommend it - in part for controlling humidity levels (which at this point appears to be a non-issue).

Mistake on my part. We're using Zilla Jungle Mix, not the Forest Floor.


And an observation this morning - the air temps are holding steady at 91/82 with the humidity at 57% on the cool end. However, this morning we checked the surface temp of the soil under the hide on the hot end (where the yet to be named BP has been camped for a day and a half) and it registered right at 85F. With that, how critical is it to have the surface temp in the low 90's? Outside the hot hide the surface temp of the soil varies between 90 and 92; is it a must to have the low 90's at his belly under the hot hide?

The ambient temp of the room swings between 75 and 77 from morning to afternoon, so we'll check under the hide again this afternoon when the room is warmer but I do not expect to find much, if any, of a difference. If the 90s are needed at his belly in the hide we'll be getting a thermostat ASAP.

[Jennacarandang05]

Not sure if I am posting this correctly, but here goes. I bought a ball python on Monday and I want to make sure I'm doing what I'm supposed to. I've been handling her everyday and she doesn't seem to mind. I was also told to wait to feed her for 2 weeks. Should I at least try this week? I also have cats and before buying the snake I asked if it was a bad idea and they said as long as they are separated or watched closely they will be fine, any further advice?

[thejennabird]

Rather than posting your topic in response to someone else's thread, it's generally easier if you start an entirely new thread. In this instance, your questions are better as their own post rather than a reply to dejadoo. To start your thread, select the appropriate forum - such as "General BP's" - then click the big blue "Post New Thread" button.

Waiting 2 weeks to feed is fine, but you could try waiting 1 week instead. You might want to tone down the handling and allow your snake to get settled in. So much handling after a big move can be stressful! I'd recommend only minimal handling - or no handling at all - until after her first successful feeding with you. You can start handling her more once she's eating and comfortable.

[dejadoo]

My son got his this past Saturday - minimal handling Saturday & Sunday. He was disappointed when I told him he needed to let the little guy settle in and it would be the this next weekend, following the 1st feeding, before he could handle it again.

Fast forward to today. First time for us feeding a snake and first time for him eating in his new abode. His BP was a pro and the whole process lasted less than 20 minutes with a hopper. Now Saturday can't get here fast enough for my son.