Newbie question

[NightMayor]

Hey guys we just got our first Ball Python a couple weeks ago and I am wondering about some things.

how should i configure our set up?
I have a 20 gal tank 1 hide water bowl heating pad 1 100w day bulb and one 70w nite bulb.

How should i set up for heating and cooling zones?
where should i put the heating pad? under the lamp? under the hide? in the middle?

please forgive my ignorance but i want to be the best owner i can.

I have a couple 4x8 sheets of plexi glass i am going to make a custom inclosure with and advice would be awesome.

[LadyWraith]

I have mine setup in a 60 qt tub... 1 hide on each side of the enclosure and a water bowl. No lamps, just heat tape with a thermostat on the "hot side" with one of the hides. I keep the entire room about 78 and offer a gradient of 78-93, measured with a temp gun. After starting out with a fish tank setup then switching to a tub, I much prefer the latter.

[Sharlynn93]

I have mine in a 29 gal (she thinks she is aboreal and climbs alot, but same length as yours) just a heat mat with a thermostat (lamps will suck humidity)...temp grades from 74 to 90 from cool side to hot side...she has a screen lid that is 3/4 covered with plexiglass to keep her between 50 to 60% humidity (can be moved according to season to accomodate humidity) but we do plan on getting her into a better enclosure than a fish tank...this is just modified to accomodate until we build or buy a custom one...

[sharthun]

Hey and welcome!

[millertime89]

The size of the snake will help us to answer your question. A neonate should not be kept in a 60qt just as a 3500 gram female shouldn't be in a 20 aquarium.

Otherwise I would do a 78-85F gradient with heat tape controlled by a t-stat. 50-60% humidity. I personally wouldn't let the cool side go below 75 or the hot over 90.

[Mikoh4792]

Millertime a neonate can be kept in any size enclosure as long as there is adequate cover and a proper thermal gradient.

[TheFrogman]

Welcome to the forum, I don't have a BP so I cant help you but I just wanted to welcome you.

[millertime89]

Millertime a neonate can be kept in any size enclosure as long as there is adequate cover and a proper thermal gradient.

I didn't say it can't, only it shouldn't. Neonates can be especially vulnerable to shifts in their environment and a smaller enclosure is vastly easier to control the micro-environment in.

[Terranaut]

Millertime a neonate can be kept in any size enclosure as long as there is adequate cover and a proper thermal gradient.

I agree. I also heard that nature is pretty big and snakes seem to do ok there :)
Not the same as putting a big snake in a little enclosure at all.

I didn't say it can't, only it shouldn't. Neonates can be especially vulnerable to shifts in their environment and a smaller enclosure is vastly easier to control the micro-environment in.


I respectfully disagree. I find larger enclosure way easier to maintain both a heat and humidity gradient in than a smaller enclosure.

[millertime89]

I respectfully disagree. I find larger enclosure way easier to maintain both a heat and humidity gradient in than a smaller enclosure.

Interesting, care to elaborate on your setup? I heat the room to 75 and provide a hot spot of 85 with a fairly even gradient and have found the smaller enclosures have less of a temp swing in the extremities such as the top corners. It could be a result of the room heat though.

[Terranaut]

Interesting, care to elaborate on your setup? I heat the room to 75 and provide a hot spot of 85 with a fairly even gradient and have found the smaller enclosures have less of a temp swing in the extremities such as the top corners. It could be a result of the room heat though.

Sure.
My smallest enclosures are 2'x16"x1' and my largest is a 4'x2'x4'. I have many in between sizes. Keeping the heat gradient across the larger vivs is easy. I heat my hot/bask spot to x° (depends on species) and the cool side is room temp (also 75° in my snake room). The smaller vivs are hard to keep both the basking temp up without causing the cool side to get above 80°. Not enough room. I prefer my setup to have the hot spots slightly over hot and cool slightly under temp so the snake has every possible temp it wants available. Very tough in small enclosures. I have messed with heat tape location, size rhps you name it. Size seems to be the best thing.

[millertime89]

What are you running for heating on the smaller enclosures? Are you using racks at all? For my smallest ones (6 and 12 qt tubs) I'm using a fully enclosed rack with 3" heat tape under the tubs. Melamine seems to do a great job insulating and providing a nice even gradient.