New tank please give input

[Vianky]

Ok Guys like I said this is my first BP and Im trying to do the best I can. I set up its new tank and what not today and here are some photos please tell me if everything is ok or what it does not need or what it does you know just give me your imput to see if I did it right. thanks guys!













In adition to the heating lamp it also has a lill heating pad on the bottom of the tank on the outside

[lillyorchid]

Make sure you put something on that top, or you are going to have a missing snake in no time at all!

[JLC]

It's very pretty!


A little critique to help you tweak it to perfection:

I don't see a way for you to measure temps and humidity, except for one little sitck-on dial. Those aren't at all accurate and don't measure in the right place to begin with. Get yourself an indoor/outdoor digital thermometer from Walmart or Home Depot or similar store. They also measure humidity for you, too! Will tell you the temps in both your warm spot, your cool spot, and your humidity, all in one neat little accurate package. (And not very expensive, either!)

The other thing to fix is the hides. BP's don't do as well in the half-logs as other critters might. They prefer a hide that feels snug and tight on all sides and above. The tighter it is, the happier they are. A small, plastic dish turned upside down with a "door" cut into it works fine...but you can look for more naturalistic hides at the petstore if you want to spend the money.

The key is to get TWO of them that are the same...and put one on each end of the tank...the warm side and the cool side. That way, the snake never has to choose between its favorite security spot and the right temperature for its body.

Good luck with it!

[iceman25]

Nice little setup you got there. However it's missing a few things. I'll just reinforce on top of what Judy already said.

Ok Guys like I said this is my first BP and Im trying to do the best I can. I set up its new tank and what not today and here are some photos please tell me if everything is ok or what it does not need or what it does you know just give me your imput to see if I did it right. thanks guys!

The tank is too open all the way around. Get some Reflectix from the Depot or equivalent and cover the sides and back. The analog temp dial is prone to errors and will lead to husbandry malpractice. Get your self an Acurite digital therm/hygrometer from Wally world and you will be able to measure hot and cold end temps as well as gauge your humidity properly.

If the tank is setup in a high trafic area of the house it may lead to a stressed out snake. If it's such an area I would advice moving it to a more quiter place.

The lamp that you have is going to suck the moisture out of the air. If humidity is not up to par then you will have stuck sheds and many other issues. If the room is not that cold, I would advice using a second UTH under the tank with the other one. Purchace a couple of thermostats so you can control the heat out put: 82 to 84 on the cold end; 92 to 94 on the hot side. Use a CHE(ceramic heat emitter) along with the two UTHs if your room is too cold. Put a larger water bowl if using the CHE directly underneath it and play around with the system till you get a 50%-60% humidity and an 80 degree ambient temp. Also cover at least 2/3 of the top of the tank with contact paper so that you can retain humidity. Cut out a hole in the paper for the CHE(if using it).

This hide is way too big for the snake. A ball python needs tight places to hide in order to feel safe. Try using identical hides like Judy suggested on either ends of the tank. An insecure bp will not eat for you down the line and can lead to an overall unhealthy snake. Hope all of this was helpful and if you need more info refer to a sticky in this forum on how to setup glass tanks.

[iceman25]

Forgot the link to the sticky. Here it is.

Glass tank setup

[lisa77]

are all the dial thermometers not accurate ? I use these & the strip ones

[Ginevive]

You want a good AcuRite digi thermometer/hygrometer. They are available right at Home Depot. I have a wireless one and it is awesome.
You can use a tank; I use them, though I admit they are a big pain to lug around at cleaning time; many people opt for a Rubbermaid container. They are lighter and easier to just carry into your bathtub to clean..
My main concern with my tanks is, an escape-proof lid. I have those locking clips that you can buy at a pet store for mine; the other tank is a "reptile type" aquarium with thinner glass and a slidig lid with a lock attached. You don't want to rely on books or rocks on top, to keep the lid on; snakes, especially strong little guys like BPs, can easily push that off. Make sure the locks work and keep that lid on there tight before getting your snake; my rule is, you should be able to lift the tank up by holding the lid! Yes, I am that demanding; I had an escapee years ago who died and it about killed me to find her frozen in my basement.
Substrates are all about preference. I like using paper towels for new snakes, to check on any presence of mites or ticks (easier to see there.) For heat tape, flezwatt on a thermostat is great. I would recomend covering a third of your tank floor with it to create a "hot spot" where you can put the hide on top of.
They really don't need anything to climb on; most things either present a danger (say, getting stuck inside a crevice of driftwood) or are just unnecessary. I do put a large, flat, rough rock in with each of mine; it helps to weigh down the paper towels and also acts as something "natural" for them to rub on in a shed.
There are so many little things about caging and keeping these guys; any other questions, please ask!

[frankykeno]

With that type of lid you can buy special and very strong metal clips. I know most pet stores stock them as well I've seen them at Meijers. They come two to a package so I'd say get four or even six. They are very strong and will keep that lid from shifting or raising even slightly. If you have any trouble finding them just let me know and I can run take a picture of mine that we use to keep the lid snug on my daughter's milksnake tank.

[Ginevive]

I use those Jo, on Ginger's tank; they work great. A little tough to get onto the lid at first, but you kinda develop a knack at it after awhile Then they stay on and you merely clip them onto the lip going around the tank.. they're great. Never could get them to work for the 10g size though; but my tanks were old so that could be why the fit was bad.

[frankykeno]

If your ten gallon is the older style with a plastic lip they don't work all that well. Beth's ten gallon for Emi is a newer one with a metal lip and two of them work so well that after almost a year Beth still can't get those clips off by herself LOL. They just don't warp or bend much at all so are a great idea for tank security.