Introducing Tinkle

[keeb]

Welcome aboard the BP.net crew!

I'm just gonna make a list of the items I'd recommend getting.
First off: temps
Do you have an under tank heater? (a heat mat that sticks onto the bottom of half of the tank) If not, you should. Ball pythons benefit from "belly heat" since they don't need to bask like other reptiles. You can get one here.
You will need to control it with a dimmer, which can be bought here.
Also you will need a digital thermometer, as the little dial ones are very inaccurate. Walmart sells one called AcuRite Indoor/Outdoor thermometer like this . You should place the actual unit on the cool side of the cage near the bottom and put the little probe on the warm side. You want the cool side to be 80-85 and the warm around 92-95, but no higher. Humidity generally should be around 50%, but can be bumped up to 70% during a shed. Too high of humidity can possibly cause scale-rot, which is hard on the snake and can leave horrific scars.

As for hides, you want two: one on the warm side, one on the cool. They need to be tight and touching the snake on all sides... the little logs aren't very good. I use these . They are more clay-colored and have smaller entrances than pictured, but are very well made.

I think that about covers it.

I have a UHV, but I side mounted it along with a Red Thermal Light.

Digital Thermometer, got it today as well.

I got him a smaller hide, and made him another one out of glad tupperware. He's out exploring his new cage today, since I also got him new substrate - Aspen Bedding. I like it a lot more, but the smell still bothers me (remembered from a previous snake -- King, long ago)

I'll move the log to the other side once I use something like the one you are.

He seems to be very very active and I am thinking I am going to feed him tomorrow -- that's when the pet store recommended it eventhough they admitted they feed them every sunday morning. The guy at the pet store said Large feeder mice. I haven't seen a large feeder mouse before, but he's 20-21" long, and 3/4-1' in diameter at his biggest point. Do you guys concur? I can provide more shots as needed.

Updated: Here's an image of him and his new tank!