Substrate question (and let's throw in one about lights, too)

[Soord]

Thanks guys!
Okay, I can return the bulb for a CHE next time I go; I haven't used the red bulb yet. Do not mix substate. Save for that Herpstat - maybe even get a cheap on-off, use the dimmer and always check with the heat gun. *note to self, but it more batteries! The battery low message keeps coming up...*


@Chris, I've done A LOT of looking, and ordering from Canada and shipping to where I live (which isn't somewhere in the middle of no where!) is more expensive than shipping from Spyder themselves or Bean Farm (cheapest). Sadly, all options are near 200$ and I can't afford that right now.



@Soord, that unit at checkout is about 60$. I was hoping I would just save for a Herpstat Intro+, or a Hertpstat 2 if I should run the lamp+UTH. I have a digital temp/humidity probe and a digital - on - the - glass temp reader and a heat gun. The tank will be in an area I'm in 80% of the time, so there will be plenty of time to check it! I didn't think BPs could see the infrared light, though? How do we/you/they know they 'hate it'? I got red so I could keep it on all night. White light is stressful, and probably would not help me sleep I was wondering if a 'moonlight' would even be better than a red.


@Frankie_Frog, okay, I won't mix the substrate. I was just wondering since it feels chunky if it would be hard for them. Maybe I'm just a worry wart lol. I plan on doing the UTH/Lamp set up in the future. How long is the red lamp on at night? Are you saying that at night the UTH turned off and the lamp came on, or both were on at night?


@Soord, again, I'm afraid of the aspen my store carries now since my friend's was infested with mites... I also like the smell of mulch, hehe. I was worried about the soil/stuff getting caught in the eyes or heat pits, so that's why I asked. I just wanted to see if I could have a natural substrate that's less.. chunky, ad a bit more natural.


@Jordan, I'm keeping the BP as a pet, so I'd like him to have a nicer display than a translucent, plain papered tub that I can't enjoy watching him in. Yes, it would be the most cost effective and easily maintained, but I'd like to be able to peek over and see him doing his noodly stuff, than a foggy white bin. I understand their uses and pros, especially for breeders. But as a pet owner, I guess I'm going more for a... 'vivarium'?


What problems to heat and light emitters cause you? Humidity? I will be getting a UTH when I can afford a Herpstat, but 200+ is quite a lot for a unit that's 99$.


I'm not listening to the pet store employees; I mostly mentioned them because what they say contradicts the thousands of experienced keepers and breeders here, almost to a funny extent! I don't usually listen to them when they speak to me. Smile and nod, and read all you can weeks ahead of time. Though, I'd feel bad if someone said that to me and I worked in a pet store, because I love my animals and want to give them good care beyond "Oh yeah just get the plastic tiny hamster cage from All Living Things and all these tubes and attachments he can suffocate in. It's just a hamster, buy another".


I was talking to a breeder who used to work at one of the pet stores, who moved to a more specialized one, and when I told him he got upset and was tempted to go in and give them a big lecture! Some are passionate, some are there because "Animals!!!!" and a paycheck. Heck, I'd say most are there because "Animals!!!!",but that's a discussion for another time

Also if you are going for display and not utility (most cages for cheap) you should look into an animal plastic t8. They look really nice and make great display cages with both benefits of a tank and a tub

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[Moosefriend]

@Frog: I must be cold blooded cos I'm unhappy if the temp is 20 or lower (why am I in Canada?!), so my room is always hot. Though, even in the summer now, the temp was 30 (86) on Tuesday, and last night it was 2 (35), so I was fully intending on using both a UTH and lamp. For now, I'll just keep my heat on in my room, since I enjoy it too (not that I turned it off yet...). There was a petstore in the city that DID carry thermostats (on/off) but they are going out of business and closing officially on the 15th. I'm just a month late! I had called and looked myself and they were gone. Apparently, one of the stores will still be open in the city 2h away, so maybe I can go up there and check or get it mailed. It'll be cheaper than shipping and such.

@Chrid: I was hoping the lamp would make the hot area, and carry-over heat would help heat the other side. There was a heat cable for 70% off at the store that I Was tempted to get that had it's own dimmer (not thermostat) but I'm sure it's gone, now.

@Soord: Conversion plus shipping to Canada (which is absurdly expensive, even within Canada!) makes buying anything online difficult I used to have Prime, but we didn't use it enough and I was able to use the 90$ refund on something I needed. It's useful, but .CA doesn't have as many, or as good items as .COM, and 50% of items on .COM won't ship to Canada, so it was kinda hard to use, anyway.

As for mites, the aspen was supposed to be pre-treated. She said she thought she saw a 'mass of black' when she put it in, but only noticed the mites recently, so were thinking those might have been eggs. Her snake hasn't been in contact with any other snakes or animals since she got him, and I don't have mites, so the aspen is all we can think of. I told her to go to the store and complain about it, but she'd rather treat him now and just not buy it again in the future... I would complain and get a refund, at least. And actually, since it was 14 days since she got him, she could have argued for a refund on the snake, too, since he was technically 'sick'.

I'll look into plastic t8 for the future! Always looking to get nice displays~

[JodanOrNoDan]

I'm keeping the BP as a pet, so I'd like him to have a nicer display than a translucent, plain papered tub that I can't enjoy watching him in. Yes, it would be the most cost effective and easily maintained, but I'd like to be able to peek over and see him doing his noodly stuff, than a foggy white bin. I understand their uses and pros, especially for breeders. But as a pet owner, I guess I'm going more for a... 'vivarium'?


What problems to heat and light emitters cause you? Humidity? I will be getting a UTH when I can afford a Herpstat, but 200+ is quite a lot for a unit that's 99$.

You can run heat tape and a rheostat for about $8 total. This is not ideal but is safe when monitored. I understand the desire to display your pet. All of my animals other than the ones being sold are treated as pets. They are taken care of and handled by my entire family. When we want to see one we take it out. The problem is that a happy ball python is a very poor display animal. You can spend a lot of time and effort making a beautiful and functional vivarium and what you are going to end up looking at are your snake's hides. A ball python does very little. A "happy" ball python does nothing but hide. They do like to paint though. With their poop. Be ready to clean everything in the enclosure. If you want a display animal I would suggest getting something that puts on a little bit more of a show.

As to lights, they can be a humidity nightmare and ball pythons do not care for bright light. Due to personal experience I also view lights as a potential safety hazard (my nephew set a bed on fire because he took a light array off a a tank while it was still on and put it on a bed).

Can you successfully keep a ball python in a tank? Yup. I think I recall Pit saying he started out this way. Is it worth the effort? I don't think so.

On another note most people that I know that keep balls start out with one then another one, then another one etc. This is where the thermostat, heat tape and bins really start to make sense.

[Moosefriend]

Hmm, the JumpStart, ZooMed ReptiTemp and R-Zilla thermostats are 42-51$ with free shipping on Amazon.CA. That's up to 15$ cheaper than the .COM one... I'll have to check my visa.

[Moosefriend]

The problem is that a happy ball python is a very poor display animal. You can spend a lot of time and effort making a beautiful and functional vivarium and what you are going to end up looking at are your snake's hides. A ball python does very little. A "happy" ball python does nothing but hide. They do like to paint though. With their poop. Be ready to clean everything in the enclosure. If you want a display animal I would suggest getting something that puts on a little bit more of a show.

On another note most people that I know that keep balls start out with one then another one, then another one etc. This is where the thermostat, heat tape and bins really start to make sense.

I think just a nice vivarium would be calming for me to look at, even if I can't spot the noodle. I realize setting up a tank is much more work, but hey, at least I didn't spend the 200-400$ on the tank. We had a 5, 15, 40 and 55 in the basement. Just needed a bit of a clean.

Haha, well, I'm running out of space as is. We have a lot of bookshelves that are full, and my craft room is full of large items, too. So I don't think I'd get another any time soon, mostly due to space. Maybe when I move out in... er... whenever that'll be.

[Nitewolfie]

For bedding- In my opinion, i'd mix it with a bit of eco earth dirt, but to each his own- Since I have paper towels right now but been thinking of switching to different type(s) of bedding(I may do different beddings in the terrarium to try em out). I also have a humidity box with eco earth and some moss, which you may want to do(you can easily make a box from a container from your kitchen or a shoe box container).

For Lights- I like to use the blue uva lights for daytime, sometimes the red ones, you'll just have to try them out, since every snake is different.

For UTH- I've been trying this heat pad that doesn't get very hot(it's for putting in dogs beds) that I got at petco clearance section. So far I like it. My mother also made a comment that I could try the heat pads for humans(with temperature control on it).

Hope this helps!

[JodanOrNoDan]

My mother also made a comment that I could try the heat pads for humans(with temperature control on it).
Hope this helps!

Do not do this. They are not made for this use. I like to think that I am at least slightly smarter than my snakes but I managed to give myself a nice second degree burn when I fell asleep on one. It got a lot hotter than it was set for.

[Moosefriend]

I managed to give myself a nice second degree burn when I fell asleep on one. It got a lot hotter than it was set for.

Oh gosh! That's awful!

[Sonny1318]

I use the zoo med 40 watt night red in a mini deep dome. 20 gallon long. Zoo med large coner bowl. NPI hide. Zilla screen top with zilla heavy duty clamps. One plastic plant. 1/3 custom cover on top. And put moss in the hide (humidity covered). Have six display cages set up. If you want I'll post a picture in my gallery. I'm in Chicago. Yeah, I like bulbs. Edit: I have two temp guns. I'm very happy with the temps.

[Moosefriend]

Oh, I would love pictures!!

We just finished cutting the plexiglass for our custom top (our tank is an awkward size, nothing fits!). I lo e seeing other people's set ups