Ball python heat and hidy houses

[chinchillachic18]

Ok so ive read a bunch of websites and a bunch of books on ball pythons and alot have them have different answers to things.

is this page a good one?
http://www.kingsnake.com/ballpythonguide/

im kinda confused on how all this is suppose to work.
i have a 27 inch ball python in a ten gallon with a water bowl, vines, and aspen bedding (and of course the heat lamp and a humidity and heat thermometer) and they keep mentioning these "hidy houses" but a ten gallon is too small for a hidy house. So how is that suppose to work? and that page also says to keep them away from the lamp..so u clamp the lamp to the cage...well my ten gallon has a screen lid -.- duh. So i dont get how that person fits one or two hidy houses in a ten gallon and clamps a light to the cage. O.o im having a hard time with that...

Soo i may not have worded that very well but if you can help that would be great. and as far as heat goes what would you say is the ideal temp? and what wattage is good?

[RoyalGuardian]

most everyone here uses 2 hides. I do for my baby ball Calypso but not for my big boy Kyros. Kyros has always preffured plants. he thermoregulates himself and the temps and humidity are perfect. It depends on the ball. you could look for a hide that is also a water dish. maybe that would clear some space!

[sneakerpro]

Go to a dollar store and buy a couple of cheap plastic bowls, and then take some scissors and cut an entry into the bowls. This is a cheap and easy way to get two identical hides for a small BP, and they shouldn't take up too much space. Another alternative to plastic bowls is to use small flower pots. These are also cheap, but are a little more difficult to make an entry hole in.

Keep in mind that your 10g tank will probably look a little bit cramped, but it's not like your snake needs to stretch it's legs. A young BP will actually feel more secure in a small environment. If your BP is 27" it may be a good idea to keep your eyes open for a larger tank or tub.

To address your lamp issue, pictures would help a lot! you may have to modify your screen top, or clamp the lamp to a shelf or something above your tank.

[mainbutter]

Well a 10 gallon might be too small for a water bowl and two hides, I remember thinking that I was glad I picked up a 20 gallon long tank when I was fitting my snake's hides and water bowl in.

Here's my setup, you can see how I set up two hides and a water bowl with some extra plants for decoration/extra cover.




If a 10 gallon is half this size, I couldn't fit those two hides in there with a water bowl. Granted for a snake the size of mine I could put some pretty dinky hides in there, but these aren't too big for her and will last her for a good long while.

[chinchillachic18]

yah i thought a 10 gallon seemed alittle cramped, i read that it stresses them when the tank is too big...? But i do have a 15 or 20 gallon i think. But then theres a problem with the lamps, how do u clamp it to the tank? or is that just bs

[JayBP]

You might want to think about moving up to a 20 gallon long tank.

[chinchillachic18]

ok ill post a pick. at least try to lol my camera is being a pain in the butt dont get mad at me though its still not very full

[chinchillachic18]

[mainbutter]

there isn't anywhere for me to clap on my tank, so I just let the lamp sit on the screen.

[chinchillachic18]

me too. so i figured that page was stupid...