Setup Review - 1 month in

[Tonald Drump]

I can attest to this. I was having high humidity issues (90%) using one of those wide exoterra water bowls. Barely had any water in it. It was suggested I get a smaller water dish which I fill to the brim and now I'm lucky to get in the low 70s.

Yeah, you're right, I probably should've specified how much I fill it. Currently I'm just using a small waterbowl filled 2/3rds of the way.

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[Zincubus]

Looks like you have a little guy in the Viv


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[SDA]

I know there are some sales going on with animal plastics but I really like being able to reach in from the top - reaching in from the front in a small tank he always seems really defensive and coiled whereas from the top I can scoop him out pretty easily and I know with those PVC enclosures you can only go in from the front just not sure how I feel about that Since we like to handle him 2 to 3X a week...

You may like reaching in from the top but trust me as someone who had glass for years, the difference in having conditions just right and stressing about keeping them right make a PVC enclosure worth it. With time and training you can easily get your snake to be comfortable with any direction you come in to handle them.

So ask yourself this: Is it more important for you to have an easy time to scoop my snake out or is it better for your snake to have perfect conditions?

[The Night King]

You may like reaching in from the top but trust me as someone who had glass for years, the difference in having conditions just right and stressing about keeping them right make a PVC enclosure worth it. With time and training you can easily get your snake to be comfortable with any direction you come in to handle them.

So ask yourself this: Is it more important for you to have an easy time to scoop my snake out or is it better for your snake to have perfect conditions?

Perfct conditions of course! Hopefully we can figure out to make that happen with learning to help the little fella feel comfortable, happy and trusting of us

I may try some sphagnum moss around the tank in a bowl of water.....I was helping him shed last night with a wet warm rage rubbing him gently on his areas of skin that didn't quite come off. I got a lot of it off but not quite all. He was very calm during it...that made me me happy!

[The Night King]

Couple pics:

[Zincubus]

I was helping him shed last night with a wet warm rage rubbing him gently on his areas of skin that didn't quite come off. I got a lot of it off but not quite all. He was very calm during it...that made me me happy!

Yeah .... Having them slither continually in your hands through a wet , rough textured towel works great .


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[The Night King]

It seems like I have read to try and get some moisture in his hide when I see him start to shed (eyes get cloudy). How do I do that exactly? It's such an enclosed area, I'd have to shove a semi wet rag or moss, etc in there while he's in it right?

Or maybe just put the sphagnum moss in a little bowl near the front of his hide? Where do you get sphagnum moss anyway?

[SDA]

It seems like I have read to try and get some moisture in his hide when I see him start to shed (eyes get cloudy). How do I do that exactly? It's such an enclosed area, I'd have to shove a semi wet rag or moss, etc in there while he's in it right?

Or maybe just put the sphagnum moss in a little bowl near the front of his hide? Where do you get sphagnum moss anyway?

Pet store or online.

Just put moss near the hide and make sure to mist the enclosure daily during shed.

[vikingr]

Had the same exo-terra cage and struggled to keep humidity above 50% with 3/4 of the top covered (uth and heat lamps); however, I had 3 successful/full sheds by adding damp sphagnum and misting lightly during the shed cycle... I piled it atop and around the hide and it brought humidity up to ~60-65%.

[The Night King]

Ok so after reading the PVC setup thread over and I over I decided to go ahead and take the plunge to a AP Cage. I ordered the T10 today from Ali at AP Cages....or at least got the order in line. 10-12 week wait for the cage.


So the plan is this:

T10 Cage
Herpstat 2
PP RHP - not sure of size or wattage (will talk to Bob @ PP) but I'm guessing 80W.
Led lighting (multi color from Lowes, etc)
THG heat tape from RBI.


Initial questions:

• Currently my little fella stays in his cool side hide about 90% of the time, sometimes all the way in, other times poking his little head out. I rarely, rarely see him on hot side. I've also noticed when I take his hide off to be able to take him out for handling, he has burrowed down right next to the tank floor. The cool side (right side of current setup) has a CHE and stays about 80-81 degrees consistently. Hot side (left side) is Ultratherm UTH.

The room where the new T10 cage will be is our main living room and stays 68-72 consistently year round. We are in N. Atlanta so some change of seasons here, but nothing crazy.

Im hoping the RHP alone will get the cage where it needs to be but will have the THG tape also just in case. Here's my question....what does the above behavior (staying in cool hide all the time) mean, if anything?

With the new setup should I have the RHP on the LEFT side since that will now be the hot side, and assuming he'll stay on cool side / left side of tank?


is there anything about the setup plans that stands out or needs to be re-evaluated?

Thanks 🙂