Setting up a glass tank

[pitbulls4me]

So i wen shopping tonight for the snake we currently have. I bought an UTH, a Ranco thermostat, 2 accurite thermometer/hydgrometer, day bulb, heat lamp (its the infared kind, the ceramic ones were 40 bucks so i wanted to see if I could fine them cheaper), repticarpet, bedding, new water dish. I also made 2 hides that are next to identical, I also got some fake leaves and what not to make it look nice.

My questions:
Am I good with only one UTH? I have a 20 gallon long. Or do i need two?
I think I pretty much understand about putting the UTH on the tank with the thermostat and foil and what not. We are also going to foil the top of the tank (well 3/4 of it).

What can I use to wipe out the inside of the tank?

What is a good sealant for wood pieces going into the tank?

Is there anything else that i need that i havent gotten or am I not on the right track? I want to make sure I set it up right. I am also getting the other snake on monday so i will have to set up a tank for her as well. any input would be great!

[Kaorte]

You should be okay with one UTH as long as your ambient temp stays above 75.
You can use a 5% bleach solution to wipe everything down. Just rinse it until you can't smell bleach anymore and air it out a bit.
As long as you bake the wood for 30 minutes on 250, you should be fine. I don't think you need to seal it (don't quote me on that lol!)

Have you ever considered getting tubs? Then you don't have to mess with the foil all over the place. (I try very hard to convert people!)

So you are indeed getting the other snake from the store? If so, that is wonderful! I can't wait to hear how she is thriving in your care

[Argentra]

OK, first off - Good for you to set up the tanks BEFORE getting the snake.

Now then, you don't need the lamp and bulb at all unless your room stays really cold or you want the light for viewing. In that case, make sure you suspend the lamp at least 6" above the top.

Don't even bother with the repticarpet - that stuff harbors bacteria way too easily even if you clean it all the time. Just use newsprint or aspen.

As for your questions: Unless your room temp is below 80 you shouldn't need a second UTH. If the room gets below 78, then you might want the second UTH for the cool side, which means getting another thermostat to run it.

To clean the tank, Chlorhexadine is tops! For a FIRST cleaning, use a 1/10 bleach solution and rinse extra well, but for basic cleaning/disinfecting the Chlorhexadine is really tops. An online search will let you know where you can get it.

Hmm, sealing wood pieces... how do you mean? Like climbing branches? If the wood is really porous it shouldn't be used anyway, since it can harbor bugs and mites. Smooth woods are best, and really don't have to be sealed. To seal large holes, I use hot glue.

Sounds like you've got the right stuff. Just ditch the carpet and determine your room temps to see if you need the lamp to boost ambient or the second UTH for cool side.
Oh, and don't forget to cover the back and both sides with background as well as insulation.

[pitbulls4me]

I got the carpet because I read on here that it will help protect the snake if it gets under the bedding... but I will return it.

i cant use bleach as I am allergic to it... so will that chlorhexadine work? I can get that from my vet... we are buddies!

The room does stay pretty cool because it is in the basement. Snakes cant be moved anywhere else until we buy a house and could put them in different rooms. I thought about tubs but I wanted them to be kind of a display thing along with the salamanders. As long as my temps and everything are fine then I will stick with the tank. If I have issues I will definitely consider it. I already have two 20 gallon long tanks.. one was given to me for the new snake. The foil is a quick fix for now..

And yes I am indeed getting the snake from the store. I cant let things continue the way they are now. I get her Monday and then the following monday she has a vet appointment. It is my only day off so thats why it is a bit away. Also I think it will be good for me to observe her a bit to be able to tell the vet something. I am excited about her!
Do i really need the day light bulb? I dont plan on breeding or anything so I didnt know if the light filtering in was enough to make it day time to the snake. I know with some animals it will stress them if it is 'night' or 'day' all the time.

[Kaorte]

I got the carpet because I read on here that it will help protect the snake if it gets under the bedding... but I will return it.

i cant use bleach as I am allergic to it... so will that chlorhexadine work? I can get that from my vet... we are buddies!

The room does stay pretty cool because it is in the basement. Snakes cant be moved anywhere else until we buy a house and could put them in different rooms. I thought about tubs but I wanted them to be kind of a display thing along with the salamanders. As long as my temps and everything are fine then I will stick with the tank. If I have issues I will definitely consider it. I already have two 20 gallon long tanks.. one was given to me for the new snake. The foil is a quick fix for now..

And yes I am indeed getting the snake from the store. I cant let things continue the way they are now. I get her Monday and then the following monday she has a vet appointment. It is my only day off so thats why it is a bit away. Also I think it will be good for me to observe her a bit to be able to tell the vet something. I am excited about her!
Do i really need the day light bulb? I dont plan on breeding or anything so I didnt know if the light filtering in was enough to make it day time to the snake. I know with some animals it will stress them if it is 'night' or 'day' all the time.

If you have a thermostat, you don't need to protect the snake from the UTH, because that is what the thermostat is for!

Well, having a display is always nice, but with BP's I find you end up displaying a bunch of fake plants and not a snake . Maybe one day you will see the magical light of tubs .

I am glad that you are getting her in your hands finally!

You don't really need the daylight bulb. Ambient light from the room is sufficient. They are nocturnal anyway so they will just be asleep. If it gets too cold, you could get a space heater.

[Argentra]

Hey... tubs aren't always magical. They're a nightmare for me.

And, even though BPs hide all day, you can watch them at night or when they eat, and can always see them curled up in their hides. It's still nice.

The Chlorhexadine is a very good cleaner and should work just fine. As for the light, as long as there is regular room light that tells day from night, you don't need the lamp. BPs spend most of their time in the wild underground, so light cycles aren't really important to them.

[Bloodsong]

If you need supplemental heat and don't want to use the light as it will be a source of stress, you may want to consider a CHE. They emit no light, use less electricity, and last a good amount of time. Just have to keep checking it, since it emits no light, when it goes out you won't know except by temp drop.

Bloodsong

[pitbulls4me]

I will return the carpet today.. I guess I didnt really think about it.. duh!

I will also return the daylight bulb.

I am planning on getting a CHE but where I went they were 40 bucks and I wanted to see if I could find it cheaper. Thanks for all the info!

[Bloodsong]

CHEs are generally more expensive, but they cost less on the electric bill, last longer on average (by a LOT) than a light bulb, and don't stress out the BP. I think they are worth it, but it is a personal choice. From what I can understand, two to five years is the average on them. I bought my first three years ago, the switched completely over to flexwatt heating last year....never replaced a CHE.

Bloodsong

[dustin wagner]

i have some questions on my glass tank as well. in the "sticky" for glass vivarians, she recomended using plexy glass on the mesh to help control temp and humidity with only a hole for the CHE. however i also read you want fresh air to be able to circulate. I guess im confused now.

your inputs would be appreciated greatly!