Reddit mentions: The best terrarium heat lamps & mats

The dark green is stress coloration, and you should work to get her to a much less stressful environment ASAP. Like Flip said, chameleons are almost entirely tree-dwelling and as such require a lot of vertical movement options. Not having that is stressful to them, but don't worry. It's quite inexpensive to fix that issue. You can build in basically everything you need tomorrow in less than an hour and spending less than 20$. There are also a couple minor issues that I can see, but they're simple to solve.

Your three most vital points to hit (from what I consider most important to least based on what your current situation is), explained below, are:

• Get a vertical, 3 dimensional structure into the middle of the cage ASAP
  
• Get a lot of foliage woven into that structure so that your chameleon has places to hide and leaves to drink from
  
• Get a basking area and a top-to-bottom temperature gradient set up
  
  First thing you need to do is get some lateral structure in the cage. Go to a hardware store tomorrow and get a few small wooden dowels like these and then go nuts with structure. They're cheap, easy to cut to length, and can be secured with florist wire to the screen sides of the enclosure. For an idea on what kind of structure you need, you can check out what I did with my terrarium. A basic structure, especially with flat horizontal or gently sloped perches, will make it much easier for her to feel at ease. She's up high because that's where she feels most comfortable, but she doesn't have anywhere good to sit or sleep. It's really important to have a lot of climbing structure to give the enclosure a bunch of 3rd dimensional area for her to explore and hide in. Use the entire space.
  
  Once you've done that, you can weave in real or fake ivy or some other vine-y non-toxic plant. This kind of thing, for example. This provides much needed cover and a water source. Spray the ivy down and chameleon will lap it up from wherever it happens to be. You can bunch some foliage up in certain places to provide a deeper cover area. Not only will that let you somewhat control where the chameleon will spend much of its time, this will quickly give more security in the environment and will lower stress considerably - giving you the room (after a week or two) to begin attempting gentle socialization.
  
  Misted leaves are where it should be getting her water. Water should typically not be given in a glass. Standing water is not something chameleons run into in the tree tops, and while they can be trained to take water from the glass it is a major source of contagion. Crickets can jump in and drown, the chameleon can defecate in it, and standing water just kinda becomes bacteria soup after a while anyway. Diseases suck, so avoid possible infection vectors. The syringe method works, but can really stress a chameleon out a lot if it's not socialized with you. I'm assuming you're just giving a drop on the nose and letting it run down to its mouth where it will lap it up. Be aware that in doing that you've shoved massive hands into its face and then poured water on it, in essence showing yourself to be a large threat to be feared. Also if it's trying to scare you off by opening its mouth and you drop water in that way there's a possibility it may accidentally inhale the water, which can easily kill it. Having the vertical structure to feel more comfortable and possibly some (real or plastic) vegetation providing cover in that structure will go a long way toward making your chameleon feel secure while also giving it leaves to lick water off of. I think that you should go for fully plastic plants (rather than plastic-coated fabric ones) or real plants.
  
  Without being comfortable in the environment, it'll be reluctant to move from its relative safe spot up at the top there, so it's likely going to ignore the food you have in the pot. Once the chameleon feels secure and starts moving around the cage more, a more shallow feeding dish may also make it easier to spot food when it is offered. That can wait for now, though.
  
  Lighting aside, giving a lot more vertical space to climb is really important to get done ASAP. A household incandescent may work as a heating lamp in the short term, but having a directed light source is important to get fairly quickly. A reflector dome with a heating lamp is great for targeting a basking area, and will also give a heating gradient from the top to the bottom, allowing the chameleon to sit where it is the most comfortable. Heat bulbs are fairly inexpensive, though in my experience the incandescent bulbs almost never last as long as they should. I prefer halogen lamps, which are slightly more expensive to set up, but are a little more energy efficient and last much longer.
  
  When you plan your basking area, be very wary of the general "85-95^o" rule. Your chameleon can burn itself if it's too cold outside the basking spot but too hot inside it. Give it room to get closer or further away as it wants to. Juveniles especially need this because they can't thermoregulate (control their body temperature) very well and are often too "dumb" to get out before they're burned if their basking spot is too hot. I've seen cases where the chameleon will singe its entire belly by hanging upside down from the ceiling under the light because the spot was too cold and that was the next warmest option. Giving plenty of space both horizontally and vertically helps them learn to thermoregulate with much less risk of harm. In the tour of my setup, I show the basking area that I have created for Pasquale, and she uses all 3 dimensions when she's picking a spot to get comfy in. Sometimes she'll be up as high as she can be on the stick (a spot that hits almost 100^o !!!), sometimes she'll be almost entirely out of the spotlight on the downward-sloping stick at the back (about 80^o).
  
  You mentioned that you've ordered your UVB source, so that's good. If you have an exotics vet you plan to visit you can take it there to get the UVB output tested to make sure it outputs enough, if you want. If you don't have access to an exotics vet, if the vet you have available treats birds they should have a UVB meter. I would recommend testing myself, but it's probably not necessary if you don't want to. Like Flip said, placement of the UVB source is important, and I think your idea to open up the top of the cage is a good one! If you replace the solid top with something like window screen (metal or fiberglass), it will be strong enough to support things like lights while keeping the chameleon safe from possible contact burns (using what you used for the sides of the cage, the chameleon can possibly reach through and touch things. Very unlikely to happen, but I would personally take the precaution because I can't be sure.) and still letting the needed light through.
  
  The cage size should be fine for quite a while, though having more room to roam as an adult can't hurt. For now, though, it's very important to build an internal structure for the chameleon to climb on, lots of leafy foliage to hide in and drink off of, and a directed lighting source to provide a temperature gradient and a basking spot.
  
  I know that was a lot of information vomited at you through my fingers, so let me know if you get stuck anywhere or need some more clarification. Environment is like 3/4 of what goes into taking care of a chameleon, so I want to help you get yourself set up however I can. My brain is yours to pick :)
  
  Good luck!

your BP isn't just thin, she's emaciated. you need to put some weight on her, but you need to do so gradually. you also really need to feed her f/t before she gets injured by live prey. if your enclosure is meeting her needs, and you're not causing her stress by handling her unnecessarily, she should eat f/t for you just fine. i guarantee she wasn't eating f/t at petsmart because she was stressed due to poor husbandry.

i'm going to dump a TON of information on you. some of it may be redundant, some of it may be useful. first, three detailed care sheets, a tub setup tutorial, and product recommendations to cover all types of enclosures. then i'll give you a breakdown of how i handled my emaciated BP, simultaneously putting weight on her safely and switching her from mice to rats. you'll fine more generalized feeding tips in the third care sheet. read everything thoroughly, then come back with any questions.

since i don't see any mention of what your enclosure is like, i'll start with this: glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. it's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link.

• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-the-basics-and-then-some
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-common-problems
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-feeding
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.
  
  now for a suggested feeding regimen. if your BP will genuinely only eat live right now, you can safely start her on appropriately sized rat pinkies/fuzzies/pups. if their eyes haven't opened yet, they won't be able to bite her hard enough to cause injuries. once she fills out a little and can more comfortably skip a few meals, you should start working on switching her to f/t.
  
  at the time of rescue, my BP's weight was 140g, meals were one fuzzy mouse with an estimated weight of 5g, meal schedule was "once every few weeks". here's a breakdown of the meal sizes, schedule, and switch from mice to rats i used. this is all f/t, so dealing with live will be a little different.
  
  
• week 1: settling in.
  
• week 2: one fuzzy mouse, 5g, ~3% of BP's weight.
  
• week 3: two fuzzy mice, total 8g, ~5%.
  
• week 4: one fuzzy mouse, 5g. one rat pinky scented with the mouse, 5g. total 10g, ~7%.
  
• week 5: BP weight 155g. one hopper mouse, 10g. one scented rat pinky, 6g. total 17g, ~10%.
  
• week 6: one adult mouse, 14g. one scented rat pinky, 6g. total 19g, ~13%.
  
• week 7: one fuzzy mouse, 4g. one scented rat pup, 20g. total 24g, ~15%.
  
• week 8: BP weight 160g. one scented rat pup, 24g, ~15%.
  
  i continued scenting her rats for another couple of months, but that was more because it was easy [i have a corn who eats mice] than it being necessary. she was readily eating unscented rats within five months. a couple years later, i usually don't even have to warm up her rats beyond room temperature, though she does require some dangling with the tongs as she won't eat anything she hasn't "killed".

Red light isn't good, you'll want a heat mat (MAKE SURE you have a thermostat for it or it will get too hot) and possibly a ceramic heat emitter (also needs a thermostat) for air heat. What are the temps and humidity and how do you measure them? Glass tanks usually don't hold humidity well and often aren't good for bps. You need at least 2 good hides, one for each side. They should be snug and enclosed with only one opening, preferably identical, half logs don't work.

Someone should come by with a really good care sheet, read it, it has some great info. I know this might be a lot of information, but having a good setup is important and will save you headaches in the future.

Edit: I found the care sheet. Credit to u/_ataraxia.

Glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. It's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

• the basics and then some
  
• common problems
  
• feeding problems
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. They have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.

Here's u/ataraxia's classic link dump I found on a other post. Although the informstion is written for bps (most common snake people have trouble with it seems- mostly due to the humedity) but the suggestions could definitely help you for the humedity aspect needed for your boa.


You should definitely read it through.

i'm going to dump a bunch of helpful links on you. the first three links are detailed care sheets, then a tub tutorial, and the rest are product recommendations. read everything thoroughly, come back with any questions.

glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. it's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-the-basics-and-then-some
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-common-problems
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-feeding
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.

I highly recommend you read the below information. Guaranteed that you'll be completely redoing your set up after reading all of this.

Credit: u/_ataraxia

The first three links are detailed care sheets, then a tub tutorial, and the rest are product recommendations. Read everything thoroughly, come back with any questions.

Glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry, due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. It's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. Wood enclosures can also be suitable, if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. I'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-the-basics-and-then-some
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-common-problems
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-feeding
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.
  
  If you set up a good enclosure, and the temperatures and humidity are correct with no special treatment, the most work you need to do is feed every 1-2 weeks, spot clean the substrate and clean the water dish as needed [once or twice a week], and do a full enclosure cleaning every 1-6 months.

I am a bot programmed to automatically provide the following content by /u/_Ataraxia when summoned. Link to the most recent version of this content here

The first three links are detailed care sheets, then a tub tutorial, and the rest are product recommendations. read everything thoroughly, come back with any questions. Let /u/_Ataraxia know if any of the links don't work.

Glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. it's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

Ball Python Care Guides

• the basics and then some
  
• common problems
  
• feeding problems
  
  Set-up Recommendations
  
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. some popular brands include animal plastics [most recommended], boaphile plastics [i personally have these and like them], reptile basics, and vision cages, though you'll find many more with a quick google search. many people will use a tub at first and upgrade to pvc later.
  
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter[CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as pro products [most recommended] or reptile basics.
  
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.
  
  Copypasta version 7/24/2018 (c) /u/_Ataraxia
  
  I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

Most people recommend ball pythons, cornsnakes and kingsnakes (and those all are good choices), however it's ultimately up to you! For example, I got a red tail boa constrictor as my first snake and I've only seen one person recommend them as beginner snakes. And honestly, I was glad I got my boa, he's such a sweetheart and his care is very similar to a ball pythons, just on a bigger scale! Plus he's a reptilian garbage disposal, so I don't have to worry about him skipping meals.

I've also seen breeders recommend ratsnakes and gopher/bullsnakes because their husbandry is very easy and they're typically very good eaters. While they're known to be a little temperamental, regular handling will calm them down pretty quickly. I've also seen Kenyan sand boas and children's pythons reccomended, plus they usually don't get too big, and all the snakes I've mentioned come in various morphs so it would be fairly easy to find one thats to your liking!

Snake Discovery, Clint's Reptiles and Josser's Jungle are a very good start! They upload educational videos and they're extremely helpful with information and helping you decide what snake is good for you.

As for getting the actual snake, never buy from large chain pet stores. Always try to get them from a reliable breeder, and the best way to do that is reptile expos! You'll be able to find a bunch of different morphs of various species and you can get supplies and food for pretty cheap.

Another thing to keep in mind is the lifespan and the supplies they need. Bigger snakes need bigger terrariums which cost more, need bigger meals, etc. You will also need a heat mat or heat tape that's connected to a thermostat regardless of species. snakes are kinda dumb and will continue to sit on a warm spot even if it burns them, so thermostats are a must! I use this thermostat for all 3 of my snakes and it works great!

And don't forget to do lot's of research! Look into the snake species itself, it's temperature and humidity requirements, the tank/tub size, and whether or not there are any breeders or expos nearby! Anyway, I hope this helped in some way, and good luck!!

First of all. It's very good you recognize that you need help in learning how to care for the snake.

Second, here is a big link dump created by another regular user u/_ataraxia all credit for this goes to her.

the first three links are detailed care sheets, then a tub tutorial, and the rest are product recommendations. read everything thoroughly, come back with any questions.

glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. it's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-the-basics-and-then-some
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-common-problems
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-feeding
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.

u/ataraxia has amazing information for ball pythons. You should definitely read it through. Glass tanks are not ideal for Bps, so this should help. Here is her normal dump of information I took from another post.

i'm going to dump a bunch of helpful links on you. the first three links are detailed care sheets, then a tub tutorial, and the rest are product recommendations. read everything thoroughly, come back with any questions.

glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. it's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-the-basics-and-then-some
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-common-problems
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-feeding
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.

Reposting the famous u/ _ataraxia info:

Glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. It's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

• the basics and then some
  
• common problems
  
• feeding problems
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. They have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.

Sounds like you were getting outdated or flat-out incorrect information and those 'experienced snake owners' are likewise misinformed. There are very few snakes that legitimately have evolved to thrive on sand-based substrate (irony being the Sand Boa is not one of them; they live in sandy soil which is very different composition than straight sand). The Ball Python is native to the svannah/jungles of Sub-Saharan Africa. Its dirt, soil, and burrows. Not a majority or even significant amount of sand.

Additionally, if I extrapolate correctly from this singular picture, your BP is also in a glass enclosure and has a log-style hide. The former makes keeping humidity in the 55~80% range a difficult exercise, and the latter, is a stressor as BPs do best with a hide that has a single-entrance or is cave-like; the more points of contact, the better, and a single entrance means they can feel safer.

I'm going to steal _ataraxia's ball python dump and toss it below:

i'm going to dump a bunch of links to get you on the right track. the first three links are detailed care sheets, the rest are product recommendations. read everything thoroughly.

glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. it's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-the-basics-and-then-some
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-common-problems
  
• http://reptimes.com/ball-pythons-feeding
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
  
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
  
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
  
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
  
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter [CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
  
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
  
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
  
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.

At night time, you want it to be night time. Namely, as dark as you can make it in the cage. We are keeping ours facing away from lights that might get turned on late at night, which should hopefully keep things dark for our dragon.

As others have said, your concern at night isn't giving them light, it's keeping them 'warm'. Not at hot as daytime, but not letting things fall below 18C (65F). If your house does get that cold, you need a non-light emitting heat element for your vivarium.

You have a few choices there. Personally I've gone with a ceramic heat emitter. Here is an example of one off Amazon. Don't let their cheesy graphics fool you, these emit zero visible light. Make sure your dome fixture is up to the task! The one i linked is a 150W device. You will want to be sure that your dome light/housing and vivarium are able to deal with that heat!

Another alternative is to use an under cage heating element. Something like a flex-watt or the like just to give a gentle radiant heat over the whole cage. I'm not as familiar with this solution, so I cannot comment much on it's use. Just make sure your cage can take the heat, and that you aren't cooking things on the inside!

Awesome on you for reaching out to learn more and give your lizard better care! I wish you all the best as you upgrade your vivarium!

It is possible. Reading through the comments in this post, I see that you just got your noodle. Congrats!

But that as well will play a huge factor. Little friend is stressed out. Just give it a solid week of no touching and no feeding attempts. After that give it another go.

As for the temp. I’ll give you some basic:

-Coconut shedding substrate (replace after a week so that your snake gets comfortable to its surroundings first)
-Thermometers/hygrometer at the bottom of the tank
-Plug the headpad into a thermostat

After your new friend has eaten;

-moisten the new coconut substrate by mixing water into it and mixing it all up with your hands. Leaving dry substrate under its hides. This will be great to help with humidity, which you will see if your house humidity isn’t high, will be a struggle.

My house has an average of about 44, so I have to mix my substrate about every 2 days. I’m going to be looking into other options down the road, as I have done all the home remedies and mixing is my best option.

Hope all of this helps!

Short answer: yes temp and humidity will affect your snakes feeding 🐍 🐁 lol


Edit: replace substrate after a week from today I meant. Not once a week.

Edit two: a chill mod in here once told me to cover the top screen with tin foil while mixing the substrate. Best tip ever. Plus if you do it right, it looks nifty. Just make holes for your heat lamp and ventilation. It’ll take some time to perfect. But not long. Kay I’m done now

TANK + HUMIDITY- I think the tank is fine, I have my baby in a tank with a fogger that is set with a hydrotherm humidity and temp control. That mixed with a substrate that locks in moisture is perfect. Just dampen some paper towel and put on little less than half of the screen will help lock the moisture.

SUBSTRATE- looking at the one you have now is good, or if you want somthing more interesting what I do is mix coconut fiber with forest floor to get different textures for my snake. Not needed but always good. They both come in attached bags as a bundle. (Do boil before using to get rid of any bacteria)

LIGHTS- It is winter where I am so the days are ridiculously shorter. So a UBV light is necessary (for winter) to get the day/night cycle regular. Otherwise if they have some light in the room naturally lit by a window it will be ok with just that. But keep in mind it is winter if that affects the sun where you are.

HEATING- bottom tank heaters are a MUST and a Thermostat for them are a MUST. Bottom tank heaters get extremely hot and can burn your snake, set it to 90 degrees. Having digital thermometers at each end of the tank is a very good idea to know the thermal gradient. Ball pythons need a 80 degree ambient temp, if you find it hard to reach I'd get a ceramic bulb attached to a thermostat to insure its reached. A timer will be needed to turn it down at night for night cycles. A temp gun is also really handy if you cant figure out what the temps really are.

COMFORT/DECOR- It looks a little sparce in there, adding clutter such as branches or leaves with make moving around more comfortable and fun for your noodle.

BRANDS I USE AND TRUST.

Reptifogger-
https://www.chewy.com/zoo-med-reptile-fogger-terrarium/dp/154856?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Zoo%20Med&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtP_iBRDGARIsAEWJA8gsbQwYjXS0TPoY4HEuda3Nojf1_kQ04L5T9TcQxR8aLUwnAk4UzzsaAgmzEALw_wcB

Thermostat-
https://express.google.com/u/0/product/2421032572734622130_17130946698352747625_1218855?utm_source=google_shopping&utm_medium=tu_cu&utm_content=eid-lsjeuxoeqt&gtim=CMLV2q3mltjfuAEQmo2BpKjnmbn1ARiwq-8MIgNVU0QogNS34wUwp7JK&utm_campaign=1218855&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtP_iBRDGARIsAEWJA8gIg15q_VYFwOIY9ak6TMwGVU4WmH5a23XbLeya7j8yzRVd5DdWI3IaAvPdEALw_wcB

Thermostat with timer-
https://www.amazon.com/Creepet-Thermostat-Temperature-Controller-Germination/dp/B07L5DX88S/ref=asc_df_B07L5DX88S/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309839853592&hvpos=1o10&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8862487564019235064&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9019054&hvtargid=pla-625334679725&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=60444697623&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=309839853592&hvpos=1o10&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8862487564019235064&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9019054&hvtargid=

No one is a true expert so do plenty of research of theres too many comments saying different things. I have opinions based on experience so I may be wrong on some things. I'm still learning everyday and it's a cool thing. :) good luck!

If you have the money for it, getting each of you a mic like the Samson Q2U or Audio-Technica ATR2100 will go a long way in making the sound better. Another thing is to do some basic acoustic treatment. If you string up a heavy blanket behind each of you, and another on the wall that's in frame, it will cut out a lot of the echos and make you sound a lot better (no matter what mic you're using).

For video, I'm not sure there is much that can be done to the recording quality without spending a bunch of money on a camera, but there are a couple of things you can still do to make it look nicer. First of all, improve your lighting. Everything is well lit, but if you focus the lights more on your faces and have less light in the background, it will add a nice contrast to the scene (clamp style work lights are a cheap solution if you need more lights). The other thing is more audio based, but record the video and audio separately. Audacity is a free software for audio recording/editing, and if you can record it there as well as in OBS, you can have the audio only for a more 'traditional' podcast.

​

I know it sounded like a lot of critique there, but overall what you have isn't bad. There's room for improvement, but the only thing I would consider as needed would be some acoustic treatment. I hope this all helped!

You're going to want to pick up something like this. You set a temperature and an acceptable threshold (i have mine varying by only one degree), and it will automatically turn the heat lamp off and on to keep it at a consistant temperature.

I also have a under-tank heat mat for my hot side, which is the main thing used to warm my snake. I absolutely recommend getting one to put under your tank. Corns like to burrow and will get more benefit to having one on the hot side. I just use the heat lamp to keep the ambient air in the tank at an acceptable level. You will want to get a separate controller for the heat mat.

Edit: I also have an Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer just chilling in the tank to get a more accurate reading inside. Your tank atmosphere is going to usually be a bit different than the atmosphere in your room. I have the "inside" number reading the ambient temp of the tank, the "outside" number reading the inside of the under-tank mat (controller probe goes between mat and glass on the outside, and this prob sticks to the glass on the inside under the substrate), and it also tells me the humidity in the tank.

You want to keep your numbers as consistant as possible. I like to shoot for 85 degrees on the hot side, 75 degrees on the cool side, and between 40%-60% humidty. I hope this information helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

Edit 2: GoHerping does a great care guide video on YouTube, which is where I got most of my setup and care info from. There is also a link to their discord on the YouTube page that is full of friendly people that can answer a lot of your questions.

Edit 3: You're going to be better off using a Ceramic Heat Emitter instead of a bulb. It just produces heat and no light, which will be better with the controller ( you don't want the light isn't constantly turning off and on). Corns don't need UVB either, and do fine with just natural lighting (assuming the light in the room still follows the normal day/night cycle).

I believe this is the one I use, but it would need to be put on a thermostat to make sure it doesn't overheat. I have mine under the "warm" side of the tank with a hide over it so they can feel secure and warm their bellies. I use paper towels on top. Then then cool side is where I have the humid hide for shedding assistance :)

Aw, poor baby! She is very lucky to have a caring home! Unfortunately not all PetSmarts are created equal and it sounds like you guys had a run in with a bad one :( I'm very glad they gave her to you so you could get her back on her little feet! I have a few Cresties that used to love love love crickets and now turn their noses up at them, so sometimes their tastes do change as they age. Have you tried Dubia or Black Soldier Fly Larve ("Calciworms")?

>It gets direct sun from like 3-6pm, so it has some natural light.

I notice it's developing a lemon rather nicely, so if you've had that plant in the location for half a year or more, then it seems pretty happy. However, if it's a new plant (or was newly moved to that location), additional supplemental lighting could be beneficial.


>I was looking at like 150-300 W bulbs because I had no clue. I was also looking at the blurple ones because I also had no clue

150W Bulbs are definitely overkill unless they're incandescent, and most of the energy from those bulbs radiates out as heat. I personally prefer full spectrum LEDs because I don't want the inside of my house to look like a nightclub (blurple is hard on the eyes) and LEDs are more energy efficient, outputting more light and less heat.

>Does the housing you put the bulb in matter? Do you just use one of those cheap metal ones from Home Depot?

Keep in mind that since you already have a red/blue spectrum grow lamp in that picture in addition to the window, so if you want more supplemental lighting, you probably don't need to go the full 36W that I linked earlier. The 24W version is probably sufficient. It's a pretty big bulb, so just make sure you find a housing that is big enough to fit it and is compatible both with its E26 Socket and its Wattage. I know some folks who use this sort of thing with it, and home depot probably offers something similar.

This is the problem hedgie I posted about a few days ago. I bought a new, larger enclosure for him and moved him into today. He was a bit grumpy during the move as I had to wake him up for it, but he's loving the cage so far it seems. The blue "ball" at the bottom of the cage is his hide...which he sleeps under. Underneath it is a pet safe Heating Pad to help regulate temperature in that hiding spot. It's designed for small animals so it only gets up to about 100 F or so (just over human body temp) and is under his bedding to keep him directly off of it. It's been enough to keep him warm in his previous enclosure which is nice. The cage is an Amazon Basics Small Animal Cage, Large which is a bit bigger than the previous enclosure. I've got to clean up his wheel and get it mounted for him, but after that he should be more comfortable than he was before. Hopefully this helps his attitude.

Her tank is okay right now. That’ll be a money burner upgrade. I usually do 40 gals or 40 gal breeders but the dimensions sound fine. Sometimes petco or petsmart do $1/gal deals you could get a new tank then if you felt like it.

Get her more hides, some foliage and make sure that water dish is large enough that she could almost completely submerge, even if she never does. Here’s a cool looking example. You definitely don’t need to adhere to that level of creativity but you can do a lot with them.

Get a large heat mat and a thermostat. Controlling the temperature like that will save you grief. Sometimes I get heat bulbs to supplement heat but in that case I get ceramic. Don’t get bulbs that show light at night it disturbs the sleeping pattern of the snake. Temps should be 85 F on hot side low to mid 70’s on cool side. Belly temp is a lot more important than having just a lamp. If nothing else, heat mat.

GoHerping is one of my favorite dudes for these types of snakes. Here’s an easy full guide that I trust.

Edit: for cheap hides go to a dollar store and get black plastic pots for plants and cut a hole like a cave. Cheap and easy hide that works well! Just don’t make jagged edges. You can get those for under $5 for multiple, fake suction leaves at petco for $5 each package, thermostat is ~25 ish, lamp and bulb are about ~40ish total, or a pad for about the same

I've been told that heating pads aren't good because they don't heat the air well enough and a failure could burn your hedgie, so I stick with a lamp.

1. A thermostat is essential to keep the temperature regulated. I use this one. Look for one where the watts rating matches or exceeds your bulb's watts. Having the degrees printed on the dial is nice, but not really necessary. Place the probe at the furthest point away from the lamp. Edit: And it should have an automatic shut-off for failures!
   
   
2. You need at least one thermometer of course. I recommend one attached to the thermostat probe and one at the opposite end or maybe a bit closer to the center. That way you know if heat is being distributed evenly.
   
   
3. Next is your lamp. You'll want at least an 8" reflector dome, bigger distributes heat better. If you have a really long cage you might want two lamps. It's SUPER important that you get one with a ceramic or porcelain socket, NOT plastic. The one I linked is the one I use. The reviews are abysmal, but it's worked well with relatively light use for the last 6 months. The clamp is unusable though. For a while I had it laying flat on a metal grid on top of the cage. Now it's hanging from the cage wall with wire. The important thing is that it's secure and isn't touching anything that could melt or burn.
   
   
4. Last is your bulb, either a 100W or 150W ceramic heat emitter (CHE). Make sure you get one that doesn't give off light.
   
   And that's it!

Your ball python is nocturnal, you don't need to light it up. Light will not only stress your snake out but eat away at your humidity. There is ZERO reason to add lights to your enclosure. Check out Ceramic Heat Emitters. They produce heat, but do not produce humidity eating stress inducing light. I have CHE's on both my enclosures. The day light that fills my office is enough "day and night cycle" as some people seem to think it's needed.

Check out CHEs. They produce heat, but no light. http://www.amazon.com/BYB-Ceramic-Infrared-Emitter-Brooder/dp/B00IOBZT80/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1462043496&sr=1-4&keywords=ceramic+heat+emitter
You'll want to plug this into a lamp dimmer, cheap but very important. The dimmer will allow you to control the temp of your CHE. http://www.amazon.com/Lutron-TT-300H-WH-Electronics-Plug--Dimmer/dp/B0000BYEF6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462043561&sr=8-1&keywords=lamp+dimmer
This is a much much better alternative to a heat bulb, the red and the black lights are also not needed. Your CHE can stay on all the time, just make sure you have accurate digital humidity and temp gauges so you can keep things steady.


Your humidity should be at 55-65%, cool side 80-82, ambient 84-86, and warm side 88-90. If you're using a tank, blocking out three sides with black poster board or anything like that will help make your snake feel more secure and help insulate it a little. If you have a screen lid, using aluminum tape on top of the lid spare where the CHE in it's hood sits will help insulate heat and humidity inside the tank a bit.

Fluorescent tubes sure have the ideal shape. It's sad they don't have the ideal light output.
I can't really say what intensity is achieved at X distance, but it will be all your plants care about.
The best way to find out is to measure the light intensity with a LUX meter and regulate height of pots and distance to lamp, based on what values you are getting. Peppers will probably like 2-4x intensity compared to what your micros will prefer and that can be regulated by distance. If it's difficult to reach the intensity your pepper(s) will need to thrive, you can always boost with a 9-14w LED household bulb wherever a little extra light is needed. For example, a cheap and simple clamp light, together with a 1500lm LED bulb will provide a good intensity over a 1'x1' area. Those two examples were picked randomly. You can choose whatever brand and kelvin you like.

They require 88f minimum on the cool side, ideally 90f for proper digestion. Since they're cold blooded they rely on the temperatures in their environment to do basic metabolic functions such as digest. So I'd recommend grabbing an under tank heater, a thermostat to control it, and maybe a decent little thermometer, sounds like you're using a wall dial that can be tough to read and are always inaccurate. Getting the temperatures right is really important for keeping reptiles, otherwise they can get sick or worse quickly, but luckily once you have those temps set they're easy to maintain. Woudl recommend just double checking the link under "basic care" down on our side bar, it can fill you in on a bit more like the calcium supplements they need as well. If you have any questions let me know! I'm going to add a few links to the items I'm mentioning

https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/comments/9qig1m/gecko_belly_ive_had_my_gecko_about_two_weeks_and/

https://www.amazon.com/Century-T7-FBA_BNQ-T7H-Thermostat-Germination/dp/B01I15S6OM/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1540265142&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=reptile+thermostat&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Digital-Terrarium-Thermometer/dp/B000MD3MFA/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1540265132&sr=8-6&keywords=reptile+thermometer

K&H makes an outdoor weathersafe thin hard plastic mat that heats based on applied weight. It doesn't get Hot, just warm enough. They're used mostly in small rabbit and chicken farms, but can also be used for cats and hamsters, etc. And it's safe to put a thin layer of cloth over it.

I don't work for K&H. (I know I sound like a sales bot.) I have an outdoor cat that's been through winters before. This is what I got for her on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NVC7DO It has lasted 2 winters so far with no problems. Best of luck with your new little friends! I'm sure they'll.. Warm Up to you quickly.

Clamp lights are great, you can clamp them anywhere (also called can lights in some places Simple Deluxe https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E9IY6US/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_mb8ezb1KVT9QS). So you can stick it onto the tripod. Or if you have the PC on a desk and your webcam is placed on the monitor, pointed toward you, you can attach it to the desk, really anywhere. And if the light is too bright and your picture is blown out, throw on some white, heat resistant oven paper/parchment and attach it with a wood clothespin. This will diffuse the light, softening it and creating less harsh shadows creating a more pleasing look.

If you are going to be playing console games, like your Xbox, you will need a capture card such as the ElGato HD60s, Razer Ripsaw, or Aver Media. These capture the HDMI Out signal, pass it through to the tv, and then by USB takes the signal to your computer. Or if you want to try and play PC games, you will just need OBS. OBS is a good software to have anyway if you are using a capture card, you can add the capture card into an OBS scene, add your webcam, maybe some graphics and twitch alerts as well.

I've been using Eco Earth's coconut substrate with good success for a few years. However, a turtle expert I know doesn't like it because it can be "dirty" and easily ingested, and because it can pack down. She recommends orchid moss, which I'm going to try next. Amazon has a 1lb package of it currently on sale for $13.55. Whatever you use, you'll want to keep it damp.

You can keep your boxie indoors in a container over the winter. You'll need to provide him with 14 hours of light (preferably a UVB lamp) and probably some heat, as they generally do best in temps around 80 degrees. I have lights and heater on timers, so they mimic the outdoors. This is the lamp I use and here's the heating element.

If you decide to put him outside over the winter, make sure he has a safe, predator proof area to dig into of soft earth with plenty leaf cover for insulation. You can let him select the area, then add leaf cover, or you can put a pile of leaves and see if he climbs under. I like to know where mine go down so I can check on them during the winter.

You could try giving him a bath! That might help. Also please avoid lights. They can eventually hurt your baby’s eyes! Only use heating pads. The pinned post on this sub goes into detail about thermostats, (https://www.amazon.com/Century-Thermostat-Controller-Germination-40-108°F/dp/B01I15S6OM this is the one I use) and you need one to regulate the temperature your heat pad gets to so your Leo doesn’t get too hot or cold.

(the pinned post is full of info and absolutely everything you’ll need to know/purchase to give your guy a happy and healthy life 😊)

Edit if you knew all of this already I’m super not trying to sound condescending, just trying to throw out some tips!!

My recommendation is to buy a cheap reflector lamp and a high wattage grow bulb. If you want to go nicer (and more expensive) spring for a nice T5 bulb setup. As a first step, I would just do something like what I post below. It is effective and cheap. I really recommend not getting one of those tiny LED ones because they usually are super low power and help your plant less for your money.

https://www.amazon.com/Full-Spectrum-Hydroponic-Light-60W32/dp/B01L0GV2ZY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1493998601&sr=8-3&keywords=grow+bulbs+60+watt

https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Deluxe-HIWKLTCLAMPLIGHTM-8-5-Inch-Reflector/dp/B01E9IY6US/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1493998736&sr=1-2&keywords=reflector+lamp

In the past I've bought Solar-Glos from Exo Terra & have been decently satisfied with them. They last around 6-8 months before burning out & needing to be replaced.

I decided to give Mega-Ray a shot this last time & both bulbs I purchased back in April 2017 are still going strong.

Depending on how much you want to spend, I would recommend either of those brands.

I should also note, I take my little guys outside daily for real UV sunlight for a minimum of an hour a day, so I'm not as worried about a bulb that's losing it UV strength (A lot of people recommend replacing UVB bulbs every 6 months regardless of them burning out or not)

Good luck with your new lil baby!

So I'm a first-time grower, ambient temperatures are currently in the 50s, and what I'm (about to be) doing is somewhat unconventional. I'm offering it as an idea but I'm also hoping to get some critical input. Right now I've got grain jars (destined for a monotub) colonizing on my dresser, using a 1500W space heater to keep my entire room around 80F when I'm home. This isn't my long-term plan, though.

I was considering a heat pad, controlled by a thermostat, but I was concerned about overheating the bottom of the substrate. For all I know, these fears may be completely unfounded, so shroomers feel free to call me an idiot. Anyway, here's what I'm doing instead. (Same idea for heating both my spawn jars and my mono.)

I purchased the following:

• Zoo Med Reptile Lamp Stand, Full Size
  
• Fluker's Sun Dome Reptile Lamp - Large Deep Dome Fixture
  
• BYB - 150W 110V Ceramic Infrared Heat Emitter
  
• Zilla Reptile Terrarium Heat & Habitat Lighting Temp. Controller, 500W
  
  The idea is to have a 150W ceramic heat emitter suspended above the tub (or tray of jars). Direct radiant heat is apparently not good for our friends, and I don't know how well a transparent polypropylene lid will absorb the IR, so I'll toss some cotton garments on top of the lid to absorb the heat and conduct it gently into the tub. The thermostat's sensor will be embedded in the substrate, and I'll use temperature strips placed at various points to "calibrate" it.
  
  Given that this will be in a confined closet and the heat will be focused on my grow, I'm hopeful that 150W will be enough, at least to reach a decent fruiting temperature. And I figure this solution will be gentle on the little guys, won't dry the air, and won't pose a fire hazard. But I haven't heard much about people going this route, which leads me to wonder if there's a flaw I've failed to consider...
  
  Edit: MY IDEA SUCKS. In the close confines of my closet, the 150W bulb didn't take long to start melting the lid of my tub. I went and bought a $40 radiator at Home Depot like a normal human being.

My wife and I don't use heating pads. We have a dedicated enclosure for our hedgie and use central heat and air coupled with a heater and window unit to keep his temp at around 75°F. That being said, there are passive things you can do to help keep the room warmer. Blackout curtains help keep the room at a more constant temperature. Depending on the size of the room, a heater like this one can help stabilize it too. Heating pads can be useful, but if at all possible, it'll be safer to try and keep the ambient air temperature in the proper range.

​

Also, depending on what kind of enclosure you're using, you might want to use a ceramic heat emitter with a temperature sensor on it and use a battery operated thermometer to measure temp near hedgie level. We used to have this set up and kept the thermometer on top of Odin's hut so we could get a reading from somewhat higher than where he'd be. Once it's dialed in, the CHE with the temp sensor will keep your hedgie comfy and warm.

thanks for your help!

i really tried cleaning that filth of, and i already cleaned a lot of! but the thing is, its really hard. i wasnt successful with a toothbrush, so i used a sponge... i thought, with the clean water, it will get better over the time. i also read somewhere thats its fine for mud turtles to be covered like this, since the spend so little time with sunbathing.

i dont have to possibilty to use such a powerful bulbs, i just bought a lamp ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0016BOYZ4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ) that can use max 26 watt bulbs. any alternativs?

$5 and small size make for quite a nice benefit. I am actually looking at heating elements right now and the 'official' product for homebrewing is $50 (on sale for $30 some places). It's a 25 Watt, 110v heating pad effectively. I got to looking for other heating pads (I like pads as they are low profile) starting with those relating to 3d printing (too powerful), Plant Heaters (too weak), Reptile Heaters (can work!) and personal heaters (Too powerful):

• Homebrew Pad, ~ 11" x 11" - 25W - $30-50
  
• Large Reptile Pad, 8" x 18" - 24W - $25
  
• Different Large Reptile Pad, 11"x17" - 30W - $30 Has 11"x11" 12W version for $20
  
  There are likely others too but looks like a 1 fermenter pad is going to be $20-30 and mostly heat the item above. Heating the air in a fementer is likely the more cost efficient solution even if it takes more space than pads. Edit In relation to heating multiple fermenters in a space. A heating pad can work in a single fermenter mini-fridge if there is a flat surface to set your fermenter on. /edit *

Get some 100W LED daylight bulbs.

And one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Deluxe-Aluminum-Reflector-Included/dp/B01E9IY6US/

And also one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Toplimit-Standard-Splitter-Heat-resistant-86V-240V/dp/B00T5JD2P2

That's if you want super ghetto and super cheap. And/or super easy to say "oh it is not for growing weed, mom and dad. It is for my photography studio. which is a much more expensive hobby than growing weed."

pet stores are actually known to NOT (or rarely) carry thermostats, which is one of the reasons why a lot of people don't know you need them.

you can buy them on amazon, pay for fast shipping (this one is widely used)

same for the gun, any cheap one is fine (i use this one)

if you can only get one, definitely get the thermostat as it's one of the most important things

so at petsmart just pick up hides and the aspen bedding. ideally both hides should be the same. get a hide that looks pretty small! you would be surprised at how small my hides are compared to how big my snake is. they can really squeeze in there and feel secure. if the hide is too big, it won't make them feel safe.

i would recommend joining this forum, there are a ton of people there who have been keeping snakes 10+ years who can better answer your questions.

Okay well I have a few different options for you.

The setup I went with that works really well is to buy two softboxes ($65). This will get you really good lighting and you can add a rear or hair light to do 3 point lighting very easily later if you want to make it slightly better.

Before that I had 2-3 clip lamps ($8 each) which worked alright, but definitely not nearly as good as the softboxes. You will want to put some daylight bulbs in them and then cover the front with some paper to diffuse the light. This is probably your cheapest setup, but the quality difference is worth the extra price for softboxes IMO.

You can also go with LED camera lights ($37 each) but for the price you might as well get the softboxes and be done with it.

What you would want is something like this Whynter FM-85G 85-Quart DC Freezer There are other options and you might be able to get it local but this is an example.

By going to DC power you reduce the loss from changing from DC to AC. If you keep everything on DC you will not need to have an inverter but if you have the panels far away from the batteries you might want to go with a 24v system and step the voltage down after the batteries to 12v. If the batteries are close to the freezer the wires can be kept a reasonable size.

I would go with some GC-2 batteries check for them at sams club or similar. They are 6v so they will need to be paired for 12v. If you want to go for long term batteries look into Iron Edison. With any battery setup you will want to be able to control the temp some since it is outside, protect from sun and heat by covering it and adding a small DC fan, in the winter running a incandescent light or a reptile heater. Doing that will help keep things easy on the batteries.

Hello everyone,

Earlier this week I got my first snake, which was a female western hognose. Unfortunately, the previous owners seem to have provided lackluster care (here was the tank, bedding etc she came in).

I have since purchased a 40 gallon tank, got new bedding, purchased 2 hides, added a larger heating pad, light lamp, and have a thermometer I'll be installing on the heat lamp...

...but 24 hours after transferring the snake to her new tank, she hadn't shown herself at all.

At first she explored her new, larger surroundings. But then she buried and I didn't see her. Worried, I just found her on the cooler non-lit/non-heated side still not moving much (and generally not happy with my bothering her).

Concerns:

Here is a picture of the new setup. I used this ReptiChip substrate (coconut husk), which I'm a bit anxious about because it specifically mentions pythons and boas, not a hognose. I followed their instructions using water to expand the chips and add some moisture, but the moisture is collecting in the tank (picture at the base here).

When I tried to find her in the substrate, I noticed a small flying insect similar to a gnat. Not sure if this is relevant or this is just something I should watch out for.

1. Is the moisture collecting at the base of the tank a problem?
   
   
2. Is it normal for a hognose to spend time buried and feeling "anti-social" when first moved to a new environment?
   
   
3. Is this substrate okay? I only read after purchasing the ReptiChip that hognose may prefer shredded aspen.
   
   
4. What's the temperature for the heading pad and lighting area (I see this called a "basking area")? In the link above I see 90 degrees F
   
   
5. I got this thermometer. Is there anything else (humidity checker) that I need to purchase?
   
   Many thanks for all y'alls help. I apologize for my ignorance. In posting this (and quickly purchasing more/better products), I am doing my best to care for the animal.

Thank you for responding! I really want to know what I can do to help my snake, as I've been worried something is wrong..... I made a list with the exact things that I have bought!

I have this terrarium

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008N9LRCK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and this heating mat on one half (covers around 40% of the tank)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X8WLYD8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

with this thermometer that controls the heat (max is 93 F) and cool side is 75-80

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I15S6OM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and i made a humidity box (as shown by Youtube account SnakeEncounters) with this moss that I spray to make humid- I have seen my snake in there twice now, she likes to sleep there for a couple hours and leave.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CX5QB82/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and I use this hide (one on cool side, one on warm side)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MVKJ3B1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and this bedding

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009KJ0A2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and I use these vines to make the enclosure feel more covered and less "open"

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009YEB70/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1