Quote Originally Posted by SubieRoadKill View Post
This tank is just gonna be the starter tank, in the near future I am planning on going to a t10-or t11 inclosure from ap. But I need to start somewhere so this is going to be my starter tank and my pythons 1st home with us.

so I am now convinced to keep it vertical and finish the top with a hinged door for access, but I like the idea of insulting this with wood or cork or styrofoam for heat retention. Thank you Bogertophis!
Why bother is my question? A simple tub in the warmest part of the house would be 100X easier for a first setup. It's a hassle to keep them in an aquarium, hence all this stuff that you are buying then going to retire quickly down the line and upgrade to what you actually need and want anyways so why not just save, buy quality equipment and caging straight off the bat? I've played the buy cheap and upgrade later game, with snakes, with fish, etc and it's not the smart way to go. Especially with your house so cold, it's going to be a battle between heat and humidity. Don't go cheap is my advice, it's only going to cost more in the end. Buy a herpstat, buy a quality cage, the upfront cost is more but the payoff is worth it long term in health and ease of care. You don't have the snake yet so no rush. Do it right. On/off thermostats aren't the best for heating either, I prefer a proportional one that keeps temps steady regulating output instead of 100% on or 100% off which fluctuates your temps.