Help! Can't get the set up correct

[starmom]

I have heard of people having two pre-cut sections and they put one in a bleach wash and use the clean one. I guess I'm lazy cause that sounds like a lot more work than just using paper and replacing it or using aspen and replacing it. And yes, the carpet can certainly harbor bacteria that could lead to illness. It can also be smelly and gross

[wilwarin712]

I have heard of people having two pre-cut sections and they put one in a bleach wash and use the clean one. I guess I'm lazy cause that sounds like a lot more work than just using paper and replacing it or using aspen and replacing it. And yes, the carpet can certainly harbor bacteria that could lead to illness. It can also be smelly and gross

Well, since I already started using the carpet and I can't really return them now, I might just try doing the alternating bleach water thing (the package came with 2 for that specific purpose). I'm lazy, too, so we'll see how long that lasts (my poor beta hasn't had a water change in over a month...I need to do that on my day off tomorrow, lol). Thanks again for all the advice and help. It really has helped put some of my anxieties at ease.

[starmom]

Glad I could help.... now go change your fish water

[RobbinRN]

I have my snakes in glass and it took a lot of tweaking and advice I found here. Everything everyone has said so far is what I would say too.

I have foil over part of the screens and plastic wrap over the other part. There is a small section for ventilation. In addition, my husband made me the homemade humidifier that is shown in a sticky here, but I don't know how to put the link in my post. I think it's in the husbandry section. I add damp moss during sheds for that extra bump.

I used the carpet when I first started, but tossed that pretty quick. Went with the newspaper/paper towel advice I got here and I love it! It's in sections so it's so easy to spot clean (and you can actually see the pee rather than just smelling it) since everyone's right...they pee a lot! It also makes weekly deep cleans a snap.

Trust me...you can't go wrong asking folks here...they know their stuff

Robbin

[ohyeahnow]

wilwarin712, I have the carpet as well with aspen on top to help with humidity. My tanks are wraped with reflextix. ( http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...cStoreNum=8125 ) I taped poster board to the glass first because the green, or blue looks nicer than aluminum. I also use this to cover the top to keep heat and humidity in. Cheap carpet http://www.reptilesupply.com/index.php?cPath=38_107

[jimmyfoxca]

I put a wet towel over 2/3 of the screen. You may need to get it quite wet. This is okay because the towel is rather absorbent and the screen acts as a barrier (due to surface tension), stopping the water from dripping into the tank (you would have to be reasonable with how much water you use). I use a black towel folded to fit the top exactly (without any over hang). This can be an attractive way to set up a glass enclosure with a screen top.

Keep in mind, this is okay if you do not have a butt load of snakes. Mainly because you have to wet it every 2-3 days and wash the towel every week (preventing build up of bacteria). Having said that, I think this would only work (even if you only have one snake) if you were willing to take the time (10 minutes every couple of days and the time to do a load of laundry) the snake needs/deserves to properly set up a visual enclosure.

There is also the option of buying a PVC enclosure with a clear front for viewing. This is a more expensive route to take but it sure does look great.

I know there are a lot of people who have MANY snakes on this site and it makes sense for them to use tubs/racks. However, there is a niche group of people looking for information on how to successfully set up display enclosures to show their pets off. Lets use the collective knowledge of snake husbandry, and help us out.

Jimmy

[wilwarin712]

Ok, so I taped black foam board around 3 sides of the tank, leaving one of the long sides uncovered so you can see in. I kept the carpet, but moved the heating pad to the bottom of the tank (it included little plastic feet to put on the bottom of the tank for airflow, too). I also doctored the screen top so that most of it is covered in tin foil and duct tape, but left a strip of screen about 2 in or so in the middle uncovered for ventilation. I also put a little of the damp sphagnum moss under each hide. The heat got up to 92 on the warm side and about 82 on the cooler. However, the humidity still wouldn't get up high enough, so I put a layer of aspen bedding down over the carpet and put the sphagnum moss on top of it under the hides. The rheostat is on its highest setting, but the warm side of the tank is sitting at 85 and the cool side at 78. The humidity is still only around 52. I'm misting more often than I think is healthy for my little girl. I'm running out of ideas here. I might try taking the carpet out and just trying the bedding and moss to see if that allows more heat into the tank to evaporate the water from the bedding and moss and get the heat back up as well. What do you guys think?

[starmom]

Honestly? I think you need a thermostat and maybe a larger wattage UTH.
I think that clearly the carpet or the aspen would work as substrate, but not both.
You could put containers of moss around the cage as well as the moss you have in the hides to help bump the humidity.
Understand that glass tanks are really challenging to get to work and to be a stable environment. Have you read this: http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...d.php?t=56846? It is a very good guide for glass tank set-ups.

If all efforts should prove fruitless, might I suggest this: http://www.reptilebasics.com/2x3-Cag...h-p-16286.html.

[Kaorte]

Are you using a probe to measure your warm side? If not, get one and put it directly above the UTH on the glass inside the tank. If you are just measuring the air temp it will not give you a correct reading.

[wilwarin712]

Are you using a probe to measure your warm side? If not, get one and put it directly above the UTH on the glass inside the tank. If you are just measuring the air temp it will not give you a correct reading.

i have a digital thermometer/agrometer sitting on top of the hide on the warm side. It's one I'd have to stick to the inside of the glass if i use the adhesive that came with it. I have a digital thermometer w/ a probe that I'm using with my beardie, but her tank is as stable as they get. I could move that thermometer over to the ball python's if you think it would work better.