Cage Problem

[Chris Stone]

I have a ball python 22inches or so..in a 10g aquarium...and i think i am keeping him stressed because i cant keep the temps steady...in that aquarium...i have an idea..of constructing a new habitat for him...i want to get a 3shelf bookcase...take out the shelves and turn it on is side...take a piece of plywood and place it as the backing of the bookcase...and then cut out 2 holes on each side for lamps...then make a sort of Frame like to put on the front as a door with wire mesh or something...would this hold heat better and hold humidity better ...and would it be a good size the measurements would be.....45 inches long and 24inches tall....once it was flipped over onits side

[sapphire_moon]

why are you having trouble keeping it heated? How are you heating it and how are you taking the temps?

If you do that you still need to put something on it to keep out moisture *sp?* or the wood will still rot, and you still need to use aquarium silicone (or aquarium safe silicone) to keep the moisture and snake nasties from getting in the cracks.
Screen and wire mesh are a bad idea for bp's. They will usually rub their nose on it and get sore spots.

Are you using just the one lamp (you do need a cooler end, unless you would be using the lamps so you could see your snake.) to heat it, or do you have a UTH?

As for humdity, all you have to do is mist the tank a few times a day. Otherwise a rubbermaid or custom enclosure will hold humidity better.

Some people might suggest covering up half the tank with a moist towel, but I wouldn't because it's only a 10 gal tank, it doesn't have that much air circulation as it is. You wouldn't want to cut off half of it!

Even if you can get the temps stabilized, you might want to get it into a larger cage anyways.....Just don't seem like an almost 2 ft snake would have enough room for 2 hides and a water bowl big enough to soak in, in a 10 gal tank..........

[tHeGiNo]

I would suggest using a rubbermaid.

[Reptiles]

i like rubbermaid 2..i keep alot of my snake in thows well some of them.thay do keep heat in good but something it makes a alot of water lol............ball pythons only relly need a heating pad if you use a cage like a 20gl..and most ball pythons dont need alot of humdity.

[tHeGiNo]

To stop the build up of water, all you have to do is drill holes around it.

[sapphire_moon]

you should drill holes anyways for ventilation! Ball pythons need a moderate amount of humidity atleast 60% when NOT in shed and atleast 80% when they ARE in shed!

And most times you need something like a lamp dimmer to keep the UTH from getting to hot. ( I measured mine one time without a lamp dimmer and it got to 110 degrees! and it was still going!) so you need somthing to controll the heat!