New cage for my BP, I need suggestions

[rabernet]

If she's very active, she's stressed. A un-stressed ball python is one that you will rarely see during the day.

85 is not hot at all, considering the warm side belly heat needs to be 90-94 degrees.

I think your first priority is to get her seen by a vet this coming week.

[Argentra]

Definitely. Get the snake to a vet and then work on your setup. Would you be able to tell us exactly what you have for that 20 gallon? What heat sources you have, what you're using to measure temps, substrate, all of it? If you already put it somewhere else, I'm sorry I didn't see. Letting us know what you have and don't have will really let us help you get everything setup right.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

If you already had issues keeping proper temps with a 20 gallons (which already is TOO big for a 4 month old BP) imagine with a 50 gallons tanks

she's not hiding all the time

Well she should BP spend most of their time hiding

She has shown no signs to me that she had any problems at all, aside from the weezing.

Did you know that RI can be cause not only by low temps but also by stress due to an oversized enclosure?

I think you need to get back to the basic here, check the caresheet out http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules....warticle&id=59, also look at how to properly maintain a glass enclosure http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...004#post569004.

Right now you need to concentrate on your BP and is actual enclosure not one that will not be used for at least the next 3 years if even used at all (yes 50 gallons is too big even for an adult).

Not to mention you MUST take your BP to a vet here is how to find one in your area http://www.arav.org/USMembers.htm

You need to downsize your enclosure 10 gallons tank or even better 15 quarts tub.

Your temps should be 90-94 on the warm side and 80-84 on the cool side. (This mean measured with a digital thermometer)

The hardest part will be to keep proper temps on the cool side especially considering your ambient temps.

Here are your options.

1# have your BP in a room that is kept in the low 80’s with a oil filled heater.
2# have a second UTH on the cool side with a second thermostat.

[Reptilian]

I am gonna add my two cents in well cause i can, lol.

First off I agree with the others, get a to the vet first. If you need help finding one let us know.

Secondly, with having a tank. I personally like having my snakes in tanks. It IS a bit of work to keep humidity and temps correct, but that's how you play the game. A bin/tub is easier to handle with heating and humidity and if you find that the best way to play, the go for it. If you want to keep the tank for th bp, that's fine to (IMO), you'll just need to work at keeping it correctly calibrated.

Higher wattage bulbs will put out more heat, also where the blub is situtated will determine how much how hot the area will get. Further from the basking spot will give you lower temps, closer to, higher temps. You can adjust the distance from the basking spot by purchasing one of those light holders that lowers or raises the light, or by controling the actual watage of the blub by buying a rheostat, themostat, or dimmer which is greatly suggested. I've noticed a new product at my Petsmart that is a clamp lamp that has a built in dimmer. I have my bp in a 20 long with two lamps on each side to give me the correct readings, both are controled by these new dimmers/rheostats.

UTHs need to be controled by a thermostat, dimmer, or a rheostat as well.

Ways to increase the humidity are by:

*Misting your reptile's habitat daily, do not mist till the substraite is sopping wet, that can cause other problems.

*Place a towel or plastic wrap over 2/3rds of the tank. Be careful if you are using heating sources that are on top of the tank, it maybe a fire hazard.

*Try making a humid hide

*Change your substrate to something that holds more humidity, such as coconut husk.

Once again do get your little one to the vet, if you dont' have one let us know so we can help you find one. Best of luck and keep us updated.

[Elvyra's Keeper]

I'm definately working on the vet, I'm worried about the vet because she is in the middle of her shed cycle (her eyes just cleared) Should I wait for her to finish.

With the larger tank, it's 98 on the side with the UTH (I just purchased a rheostat today and plan on setting that to around 92-94), it's around 85 in the middle under the light with no UTH and the coldest side is 80-82. It's keeping better temps than her cage.

I didn't cause the RI by moving her into the larger cage cause I didn't even put her near it yet.

I can only get the humidity in the large tank to about 40%, but that's when I had the water on the cold side, I'm trying it in the middle under the light now and I'm going to place foil on the top and back sides tonight and check the temps and humidty later.

I feel the temps in the larger cage are about perfect, except for the side with the UTH which I will fix tonight with the rheostat.

[Elvyra's Keeper]

I also forgot to metion with her not hiding, she isn't moving aroud panicing, she just comes out and lays down on top of her hide, or by her water dish, then goes back in about 20 min or so.

[Elvyra's Keeper]

I checked that website for vets, they don't have any on there. Any other ways to find a vet?

[Noek]

Do a yellow page search in your area...certainly there are vets nearby

Alot of the information in this post is excellent advise.

Definitely consider switching to a smaller size enclosure. The only time I get a glimpse of my snake is sometimes at night, especially when she's ready to feed. Other than that, she remains in her hides.

[Noek]

try here for vets

http://www.repticzone.com/articles/vets/Texas.html

[SatanicIntention]

I'm in Waco, there are TWO good exotics vets here. Why not make the drive or let me take the snake for awhile until she's recovered.

There is also Dr. Carpino in Temple, you can always see if she'll look at snakes(she's a bird vet).

That snake needs to be seen by a vet. She doesn't need a bigger cage, she doesn't need to be fussed with. She needs proper husbandry and a 50gallon tank in winter isn't going to cut it.

I have extra tubs if you want one, as well as some heat tape and rheostats.

I suggest getting her into a much smaller enclosure, bumping up the heat and humidity(and measuring it properly with a digital thermometer) and getting her seen by a vet as soon as possible. If you cannot afford that, then let me know and I can. I can always meet you in Lorena or I can just go all the way to Temple.