Just got Mr. snuggles and need general help please :)

[JimJam]

Well my gf and I just bought him from petsmart for $50 and spent about $500 on a tank, bedding, hiding spot, water bowl, thermometer, two lamps, etc, etc, etc. This was all at the advice of a store worker, but after reading up on this site I feel like my habitat isn't so great. I've attached some pics. I'd love opinions but I'm also not wanting to render my $500 habitat useless unless absolutely necessary.

My main concerns are that I have two heat lamps, one being a 100w heat bulb for reptile enclosures and another 75w infrared bulb. I have the 100w on a 12 hour timer from 6a-6p and the infrared running the other 12 hours at night. Is it ok to leave them running all the time? I bought an analog temp and humidity sensor and it's been about 85 degrees and 50-60% humidity. I live in the dry climate of west Texas so I don't know how to keep it humid enough if the bulbs burn off all the humidity.

The top of the tank is a screen, and I love the front doors that make feeding and handling easy because they swing out. So far Mr. Snuggles is about 1.5 feet long and about an inch or so in diameter. I haven't fed him yet because the worker told me to wait about a week.

How do I keep humidity at the correct level (of 50-65%?) when I leave next week for 7 days? Thanks for all your help and opinions in advance!

http://imgur.com/a/aVobt

[bcr229]

Wow. I really wish you had come here for advice before buying the snake, I think we could have saved you a lot of money.

First, did you get a thermostat (not thermometer) for those lamps to regulate them so that the enclosure doesn't overheat? If not you left out the most important piece of equipment.

Second, you need two hides, one on the cool side and one on the warm side, so your guy can thermoregulate. Ball pythons are naturally shy snakes and they like to burrow and hide. The hide should be just large enough so your snake can squeeze into it. Stay away from the wood log ones with two open ends, they are crap. Personally I use food containers with a hole cut in them, they cost next to nothing.

Using cypress for substrate is good, it will help with humidity and unlike aspen you can get it sopping wet and it won't mold.

You also need to make some sort of a solid top that goes on top of the enclosure to keep heat and humidity in it. Short-term you can cover it with something like Glad Press n Seal, just leave openings for the heat lamps. Long term you can make them out of plexiglass or wood.

I would also add a big water bowl to help with humidity.

[J3554]

Looks to me like you need more hides/ cover in the tank. Go to the dollar tree (if you have those in your area) and buy some fake foliage. Those can be a nice way to add coverage in your tank and also help your snake feel more secure. The cool side needs a hide.

One thing you could do to increase at least an area of humidity that will be a little longer term than just spraying is add a humid hide. I don't have as much experience with Balls. I've done this for my Corn Snakes if they are having issues shedding. It makes sense to me though that you could add one of these for your BP for while you're gone. They also are pretty cheap and easy to make.

Take a Tupperware container, old plastic container from yogurt or something, ect. Cut a small hole in the container.. large enough for your snake to enter and exit, but not too large. Get a bag of sphagnum moss. This will be the most expensive part of the project unless you want a really fancy looking hide. Soak the moss in warm water. stuff the container full of it. I'd keep it on the warm side of the tank so that it ups humidity even more. You could always rearrange stuff a little and put the large hide you have in your tank on the cool side, and switch a humid hide and the water bowl to the warm side to up humidity.

Here is a visual example (not my picture) of a humid hide.

[JimJam]

Thanks y'all! I'm going to see if I can find a thermostat at Lowe's or some place and the humid hide while I'm gone seems like a great idea! I already got him a smaller hide to put on the cool side of the tank. I think I'm going to skip the heated pad and try out the lamps and thermostat for now. Humidity seems ok so far and I'll see how his first shedding goes. This site has been so helpful! I'll update when I get it all set up properly. Thanks again for the ideas!

[Yodawagon]

For 500, you could have got a lot more online. You need a good thermostat. Not a house thermostat from Lowe's. Get a herpstat or a vivarium electronics. If those are out of you price range, get a hydrofarm.

[Yodawagon]

Also, a screen top in Texas is going to be a nightmare to maintain humidity. Especially with heat lamps. You will be making python jerky in no time.

[Yodawagon]

Throw that analog thermometer/hydrometer out the window and got a digital accurite.