(Part 2) Best products from r/ballpython

Enclosure
Glass tanks with screen lids are very bad for ball pythons, you should be looking at getting a tub set up (using a rubber maid/sterilite /iris tub & soldering or drilling holes into the sides - here is a good tutorial of setting that up ). Or you would be wanting to get a PVC enclosure. I have an Animal Plastics T8 for my ball python, it did take about five weeks for it to show up, though. So if you want to go this route, plan way ahead. The tub route is cheaper, but takes more DIY skills. The PVC cage route is more expensive, but very aesthetically pleasing. To make a glass tank work, I suggest covering three sides with foam board to help insulate, and covering most of the screen lid with saran wrap or foil to keep humidity in. Also you would want to ditch the aspen and get something like coconut husk.

Humidity
A ball python needs at the minimum 60% humidity. This is incredibly difficult to achieve in a glass tank with a screen top. A tub or PVC enclosure makes this super easy. Humidity should be measured on the ground with a digital hygrometer. The stick on humidity gauges that pet stores hawk are often inaccurate and can cause serious injury or even death if they come unstuck from the wall and stick to your snake. I use this two in one hygrometer / thermometer.

Temperature
Ball pythons need a thermogradiant w one end at between 88F & 90F & a cool end of 78Fish - the ambient temperature should never be below 75F, & should be around high 70's. In a tub or a PVC enclosure, you will want an under tank heater - heat tap, heat mats, heat pads. I recommend the flexwatt that you can get with the Animal Plastics enclosure or the ultratherm from Reptile Basics. If you have trouble keeping the ambient up in the PVC enclosure, you may want to get a radiant heat panel, which installs to the ceiling of the enclosure. For a glass tank, you will probably need a ceramic heat emitter installed over the cage to keep ambient temperatures appropriate. CHE sucks out humidity, so you will need to be extra on top of that. CHE gives off no visible light. Red lights are often given out like candy at PetCo/Smart places as good ways to provide heat at night. They are not. Ball pythons can see red light, and it messes up their day/night cycle. I don't have recommendations for CHE because I don't use them.

Thermostats
Any & all heat sources you have for your BP need to be controlled by a thermostat. Failure to appropriately control your heat source can lead to it quickly becoming 120F & injuring your snake. I highly recommend Spyder Robotics Herpstats. You can get larger ones w more probes so that you can control all your heat sources w one unit. They have a ton of good safety features & a lot of people on this sub can answer any questions you have on them. The cheaper ones are around $100ish. If that is too much for you, there are a lot of people who use the Jumpstart thermostats, but they have less safety features & can wear out quickly. They also make a loud clicking sound periodically. I cannot stress this enough, this is not a place to cut corners. You need a thermostat.

Thermometers
I already linked to my recommended combo hygro/thermometer. This thermometer is great because it has a small probe to measure "outside" temperatures. I use this probe to measure the floor on my warm side (I hide it on the ground under the substrate so I know the absolute hottest place my BP can get to). I place the unit itself on the cool side, so I know all my temps & the humidity on one unit. You will also want an IR thermometer gun (there might be better recs than this one). This is good for spot checking temperatures without moving around probes & also checking the temps of the prey items.

Hides
You want at least two similar, enclosed hides. Half logs are NOT suitable, they are too open & they stress out the BP, as they can't watch both ends at once for a predator. Some of the best hides are these ones from Reptile Basics. They are enclosed on all sides with just a small entrance. They are dishwasher safe & also very cheap. You want them to be similar if not identical, so that the snake does not have to choose between feeling safe & thermoregulating. You will want one on each side of the temperature gradient. Feel free to add more that are different for diversity in the enclosure. I also have some fake vines/leaves in mine so that she feels more invisible. Go to a craft store or the fish supplies for these, the ones marketed for reptiles are way overpriced.

Water dish
You will want a water bowl that is large enough for the BP to soak in. This should be changed daily, as they like to poop & pee in their water. You'll want something sturdy as they like to tip them over. I got some crock dishes from Reptile Basics. You don't need any water treatment for the snakes water unless you treat water for yourself. If you tap is safe for human consumption, it's safe for your snake.

Feeding
BP's eat every 5 - 7 days as hatchlings and yearlings, as adults they can go longer. BP's are NOTORIOUSLY picky eaters. The ideal IMO for a BP is a proper sized rat fed either pre-killed or frozen/thawed. I feed frozen/thawed rats from Perfect Prey. Just a heads up - they ship with fiber glass insulation & dry ice. I try to open the packages outside so my cats don't get into it. They come in freezer bags and I just store them in my regular freezer. If even one thing is wrong in your husbandry, your BP will likely not eat.

How Much To Feed
The feeding amount depends on the weight of the BP. You will want a digital kitchen scale - you can get one cheaply at any box store. While under 750g, you want to feed about 10%-15% of their body weight about every 7 days. Once they are in their second year you want to feed 7%-10% of their body weight, after they are in their third year, you want to feed about 5% every 7 to 14 days. I document all feeding days and the weight of the prey in my google calender.

You should be weighing your snake at least once a month to track how much you should be feeding. You should not disturb or move or handle your snake for at least 48 hours after feeding.

Frozen / Thawed
I get the rat out the night before the day I want to feed. I put it in the fridge. About two hours before I feed, I get it out of the fridge and put it on the counter to get it to room temp. And then I soak it in a zip lock bag in warmish water (I use a temp gun to get water around 110F) for about 20 minutes, and use a temp gun to make sure the rat is around 100F, and then I run the head under running hot water until its 110F. The head of the prey should be warmer so the snake has a target. I then use tongs to move it around in the enclosure to mimic it being alive. She (usually) strikes pretty quickly. If she doesn't, I leave it in overnight, and throw it out in the morning if she doesn't eat it.

I prefer frozen thawed cause I can buy cheaply in bulk. It's also safer. As BP's get bigger, they require larger prey - and rats have sharp teeth and sharp claws and can seriously injure your snake.

Myths of Cage Aggression
You do not need a separate cage for feeding it. This is a myth. The best way to reduce stress at feeding time is to feed in their regular enclosure. This minimizes the risk of regurgitation.

Substrate
Stay away from aromatic woods - such as pine. A lot of people like to use coconut husk, unprinted newspaper, or paper towels. There are pros and cons to each. I like paper towels, they are cheap and easy to clean up messes with. I use PVC enclosure so I don't need a substrate that helps with humidity like coconut husk. This should be spot cleaned whenever a mess is made. My BP likes burrowing under the paper towels. She creates "underground" tunnels. Aspen chips can mold super easily so not really recommended. If you have a chip type substrate and are worry about ingestion of substrate while feeding, put a plate down before hand.

Well it sounds like you're doing most everything right!

I'm not sure how much you've looked into thermostats but I'm currently using an Inkbird thermostat and a Hydrofarm and I like both of them! There's also the more reptile friendly ones like herpstat but your price range becomes $80+

Again, I'd recommend going with paper towel for his setup and possibly unplugging that unregulated heatpad... but I'm no expert! I'd also suggest leaving him alone for at least a week now that he's home beyond giving him water and checking to see if he's passed anything!

Thanks for being receptive to advice :) I'm super happy to help you can PM me if you need anything else! Also, Mojave isn't a recessive trait it's an incomplete or co-dominant trait. There's honestly so much to learn about morphs, literally thousands of combos!

Sounds like you've already got plans for the two primary concerns I'd address (one hide too large, aspen has a tendency to mold). How are you measuring your temps and humidity? I can't see any gauges in the photo.

A CHE will definitely be a better choice than a daytime lamp. BPs can see red light, so you want something that can be left on 24/7 without bothering the snake. I also recommend getting a lamp dimmer (often found at home improvement stores, or pre-installed on some ceramic-base lamps) to help you better regulate the output of the CHE.

Is the CHE your only source of heat, or do you have an under-tank heat mat as well? I'd recommend getting one, here's a good brand. It MUST be hooked up to a thermostat, but two recommended brands are inexpensive: InkBird and Jumpstart/Hydrofarm.

The reason I recommend a UTH is because heat lamps tend to drain humidity. So if you let the UTH do the bulk of the "hot hide heating", and use the CHE to manage ambient temps, the CHE won't have to work as hard or drain humidity as much.

As for increasing humidity: switch to a moisture-conducive substrate like cypress mulch or coconut products; use a larger water dish and place it under/on a heat source to increase evaporation; use damp sphagnum moss (I like to keep mine in a yogurt cup for easy re-wetting) throughout the enclosure, or place it under a hide to create a "humid hide".

Viago will probably outgrow his current tank. I'd recommend saving money now so his next enclosure can be a PVC enclosure. They look very nice and professional, almost like a piece of furniture, and are much easier to maintain!

I see a lot of people mentioning the Hydrofarm but I gotta say, if you want the most bang for your buck, pick up one of these. I have these for my rack and it is great, works like a champ. And it's only $16!

a ten gallon aquarium is approximately 20"x10", which means it's technically a suitable amount of space for a BP that's 30" or smaller. you should think very carefully about how much you want to use glass enclosures, though, as they make BP husbandry significantly trickier to maintain. glass is a poor insulator, which means you'll need more heat. the screen lids allow a LOT of air flow, which means 50%-60% humidity will be difficult to maintain.

>I was thinking of doing normal maintenance and handling through the two front exo terra doors and feeding through the top of the tank to see if the snake would expect food from the top and be less likely to strike at the doors.

you're way overthinking it. if your snake is likely to strike at the enclosure doors at any time, it won't matter at all which door you use for which reasons. snakes are just not conditioned that way. they don't become aggressive just for being fed in their enclosure, and they don't make mental connections like "when THIS door opens it's time to eat, but when THAT door opens it's not time to eat." unless your BP smells a rat, they won't automatically expect food, so they won't strike at you in hunt mode. if your BP is tame and comfortable in the enclosure, they won't strike at you defensively.

>Can anyone give me an idea of what size hides and water bowls I should use?

it really depends on the size of the snake. you'll probably need a relatively large water bowl to help maintain humidity, but at the very least it should be large enough for your snake to fit inside it if they want to soak in the water. hides should be just big enough for the snake to curl up inside with little/no extra space.

my 27" 270g BP has these medium hides and this large water bowl. my 50" 1300g BP has these hides and this x-large water bowl. because they are in plastic enclosures with minimal air flow - a 41.2 qt iris weathertight storage box and a 421D boaphile cage respectively - their humidity is consistently at 50%-55% just from the water bowls, with no need for moist substrate.

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_9nVRDbBCA7HHM

it’s honestly amazing. quality product for the price!

I have been using this in the kitchen for years and now I use it on my BP. Works great. 13,798 4.6 star reviews. My BP is about 1,200g. I place a large SS bowl on top and TARE the scale to zero. In goes the snake and I have a weight 1-2 seconds later. Looks like it is good to 5,100g, however if your critter is that big, I think you might need a physically larger scale. The round scale surface on this is about 6" in diameter.

https://www.amazon.com/Ozeri-ZK14-S-Digital-Multifunction-Kitchen/dp/B004164SRA/

I ordered this screen on Amazon. I’m sure you could find something at a hardware store. The ones I got are pretty sturdy, they don’t really bend and would be hard to cut. If you wanted to use zip ties you might look for something a little thinner.

For heat I use a 100w ceramic heat emitter in this dome lamp. CHEs work best with dimming or pulse proportional thermostats like Herpstats which are expensive. I was able to find an Exoterra version that was less expensive, but still more than an on/off thermostat.

Oh, and if you use tape anywhere for the screen, make sure it’s on the outside only. No adhesive inside. :)

I have multiples of this and love it. Takes a bit to acclimate but ends up accurate. Best thing is the readout is not in the enclosure like those acurites people keep using that are not designed to go into humid environments.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M252EWA

This is only an example, but I use this one for my 150W CHE that I use with my kingsnake. However, that one is only rated for 150W, so you should not get that one...it's just an example of the kind of light dome that will help you raise the ambient temps with your CHE. Just make sure it's rated for 250W and has a ceramic socket.

I didn't see you mention a thermostat, but if you don't have one, you definitely need one.

I use one that uses a probe to monitor the temp. It's actually this one. It works surprisingly well, and it's light enough that you can hot glue the probes down the back, and even glue it to the front of the enclosure to make it look nice. With that being said, sometimes he will still get the probes unstuck, but it doesn't happen very often, and the dry hot glue is a pretty harmless adhesive ime

Would something like this work for the digital thermometer/hygrometer? https://www.amazon.com/Zilla-Reptile-Terrarium-Digital-Thermometer-Hygrometer/dp/B004PBB1XU/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1497236584&sr=1-3&keywords=digital+thermometer+hygrometer+reptile

I have one of the thermometers with the probe that I have been using for the temperature and hadn't even thought of somthing like that for the humidity. Thank you!

And I will work on the hides and clutter this week. (His current favorite spot is actually in the middle under the water bowl, its darkest and definitely the smallest area for him to hide).

https://www.amazon.com/Zilla-Decor-Rock-Lair-Large/dp/B01N8ZQWF1

My girl went from having a tough shed to have a one-piece complete shed all in one go -- just by putting this inside with a little moss and spraying water every now and again... my boys first shed was fine before using it, and his second shed, using it, was in all one piece too.. I highly recommend it and it makes shedding easy if you check em at least once a day to see if their eyes turn - you can just throw it in when they're ready to use it..

Going to copypasta a post I did as I too use a 20 gallon tank, grain of salt, it works for me, I am no expert, just a fellow bp owner like you, this does not cover feeding or handling

Picture of the setup

Im using a 20 gallon long glass tank with this surrounding the sides and back, its a perfect fit. A day night timer hooked to a non heated light. I dont use heating that sucks the humidity out of the air by using a heat pad for both hides regulated by thermostats one for each pad. Substrate I use is coconut husk, this one lasted me a whole year and people say it wont mold as easily compared to other non coconut fiber substrates. The tank itself uses a screened sliding locked lid. I cant speak for how to lock down other types of lids for tanks. The screen however I covered most of it with 3 layers of foil followed by tape around the edges of the foil to keep it attached and sealed better to the screen. A hole for the non heated light was made and I used a cut up piece of a zipblock bag along with tape to cover over the hole for humidity reasons. Finally the hides are medium sized from reptile basics, I remember when he could easily fit in the small one, was such a tiny noodle and of course a simple plastic water dish big enough to soak in and aid in humidity.

For times when he is in shed though, I lightly spray down the substrate and sides and back of the tank once a day. I think just spraying the glass walls and keeping that large surface area wet is good enough though.

Other items include thermometer, fake plants, gram scale, and one ball python

Model #332 $ 349 - click order online - http://visionproducts.us/vp12wp/?page_id=18

Herpstat 2 $195 - http://www.spyderrobotics.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=26

80 watt radiant heat panel $89.99 - http://www.reptilebasics.com/80-watt-radiant-heat-panel

Ultratherm Undertank Heater $19.99 - http://www.reptilebasics.com/ultratherm-undertank-heater-uth-11-x11


Large Hide Box $6.99 x 2 - http://www.reptilebasics.com/large-hide-box

Large water bowl $3.99 - http://www.reptilebasics.com/large-water-bowl

Reptile Prime substrate $15.99 - https://www.reptileprime.com/purchase-here

Tweezer 18 " - $9.99 - http://www.reptilebasics.com/tweezer-18

acurite 06066m temperature and humidity probe $49.99 - https://www.amazon.com/AcuRite-06066M-Temperature-Humidity-Monitor/dp/B01MD1DJPY

Etekcity Lasergrip 1080 $18.88 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DMI632G/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Just to throw in some decoration...

Koyal Wholesale Grapewood Branch $20. 89 https://www.amazon.com/Koyal-Wholesale-Grapewood-Branch-24-Inch/dp/B00C0PCK2O/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_199_tr_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=HWE88KCVEHPM6K9ZW057

Rounding up to the whole dollar this comes out to around $781 before taxes and shipping so yes, less than the price of a biopod grand (these are not even shipping yet)

$999.95

https://www.thebiodude.com/products/biopod-grand-price-does-not-include-freight-shipping

more sites with prices

https://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/biopod/

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/biopod-world-s-first-smart-microhabitat-animals-pets

You can but any general reptile/pet store should carry some. Amazon typically has better deals though. Most go with the Zoo Med Eco Earth Bricks https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TNLIANQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3PNUN7H1KV96E&psc=1

One of those bricks should be enough to cover the bottom of your terrarium and with changing every 1-2 months $30 of substrate will last you a while

Just in case you need it, here is that Hydrofarm thermostat.

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPRTC-Digital-Thermostat-Heat/dp/B000NZZG3S

If you're using dial gauges for temp/humidity, switch over to something digital. THose analog ones can be off by as much as 10-15 deg.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/AcuRite-Digital-Humidity-and-Temperature-Monitor/16888914

Also, be sure you can spot check temps to make sure your thermostat is working properly. I use this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CVHIJDK/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687442&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B002YE3FS4&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0C5PQKCMKWJXVDH7H4QZ

Consider switching out the lights with ceramic heat emitters. No energy is wasted on visible light (which is completely unnecessary for BPs and can cause unneeded stress).

http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiCare-Ceramic-Infrared/dp/B0002AQCQO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452098477&sr=8-1&keywords=ceramic+heat+emitter+150+watt

And you might want to invest into some type of dimmer for those lamps/CHEs just in case your temps get high enough. Consider covering part of the top of your tank (does it have a screen top?) with a piece of plexi or something similar. That will help keep in heat and also help to keep your humidity at proper levels. you'll want to shoot for around 60%, and bump to 70% when in shed.

Flukers brand sells a 5.5 and 8.5 inch dome that have a built in dimmer that I like for use with my CHEs. I find it really convenient not to spend a ton on both parts, a dome AND a dimmer or thermostat.

On Amazon or Chewy.com, usually one of the sizes is around $10, it seems to swap around a bit over time which is cheaper, the other is usually around $20, so I have 2 of each now.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003H200QC/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1550070434&sr=8-5&keywords=flukers&dpPl=1&dpID=51yIKsky5IL&ref=plSrch

Here are the ones I got. They have a better model that’s about $10 more.

Get an IR Thermometer so you can measure the surface temperature. The surface temperature can sometimes be surprisingly higher than the ambient air temperature.

Fluker's Repta-Clamp Lamp 8.5-Inch Ceramic with Dimmable Switch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003H200QC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_vgRzDbYRCNEF6