Rainbow Boa Housing

[DeesBalls]

ok 1st of all sorry, you guys prolly hate me but i'm soooo excited!!

so my fiance said i could get my new BRB. i am also getting rid of my KSB to the breeding im getting my BRB off of. Hate to part with her being my 1st snake, but aside from an albino ball python a BRB is my MOST wanted snake :)

with that being said the area where my KSB is at is where im plannin on putting my tub there. i now have things changed and wanted to double check with the experts out there:)

64qt tub....its 26"long x 16"deep x 18"tall
2-3 hides
humidity hide if i have room
water dish
UTH w/ dimmer switch
cypress multh/moss for substrate
and i am going to add a few branches

i will also have 2 thermometers ( one for hot and one for cold )

i will be getting her next week sometime i hope but im in the process of moving and might have to wait another week.

my question:
My UTH does not stick... what can i use and where can i get it to keep it stuck down? i dont want to use duct tape cuz i dont think its safe so any help with this would be awesome!! thanks guys

sorry again for all the BRB update/posts.
i attached a pic of the tub just for fun:)

[Nafun]

I hope you can maintain the temps with just an UTH. I only live like an hour from you and I had trouble maintaining temps this winter in a heated room with an UTH and 150w ceramic heat emitter.

I recommend you get a digital thermometer/hygrometer. You can get them at lowes for like $10. A hygrometer is very important. Doubly so for an area like Ohio with harsh winters, and triply so for a species like BRB that thrives in very very high humidity.

Oh, and if you don't already have one, pick up a temp gun. You can get one for like $25, and they're invaluable for telling you the actual temperature of where a snake is sitting or the actual temperature of a hide or basking spot.

[DeesBalls]

I hope you can maintain the temps with just an UTH. I only live like an hour from you and I had trouble maintaining temps this winter in a heated room with an UTH and 150w ceramic heat emitter.

I recommend you get a digital thermometer/hygrometer. You can get them at lowes for like $10. A hygrometer is very important. Doubly so for an area like Ohio with harsh winters, and triply so for a species like BRB that thrives in very very high humidity.

Oh, and if you don't already have one, pick up a temp gun. You can get one for like $25, and they're invaluable for telling you the actual temperature of where a snake is sitting or the actual temperature of a hide or basking spot.

i do have 2 digital thermometers with the probes on them i got at walmart for like 12 bucks each. as for the UTH i am very nervous about using it...
as for a temp gun... if i have thermometers do you still recomend getting one? i have a temp for the hot side and cold side...
as for humidity i do have a hydrometer but will be getting a newer one.

i hope i get an email from the guy today so i can go to cinci and get him tomorrow:):)

[Nafun]

Make sure it's an electronic hygrometer. Don't get one of the cheap dial ones you see in a pet store, get one designed for a house. The dial ones are unbelievably inaccurate *and* become more inaccurate over time. High humidity also hastens their inaccuracy. (They basically use a filament that stretches or contracts in high and low humidity the ability of the filament to stretch and contract decreases over time, and by the time it reaches you, the consumer, it will already be horribly inaccurate.)

Yes, I absolutely recommend getting a temp gun. Your snake is going to be living in its hides, and on its basking spot and climbing branches. Thermometers only tell you how warm it is where they are. I use two digital thermometers in my bp enclosure. But I can still only measure the hot side, cold side, and basking spot. Temp gun lets me check his hides.

Plus, a temp gun can replace every thermometer in every snake enclosure you have (not saying it should, but it can). But no amount of thermometers will replace the utility of a temp gun.

The temperature that matters is not just the air temperature, but also surface temperature where your snake is laying, and where he can get to. I have found a hot spot of over 120 degrees with my temp gun (now I have the thermostat probe in that spot, so it doesn't happen again.)

[DeesBalls]

okay will look into one of those... i will end up getting one. right now i have two thermometers and a crappy hydrometer..

i will be getting temp gun and good hydrometer. and of course the snake:) lol

[Nafun]

You want a hygrometer.
http://img.alibaba.com/photo/10835911/Digital_In_Out_Thermometer_And_Hygrometer.jpg

Not a hydrometer
http://themerrywino.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/hydrometer.jpg

[Kmef07]

Hey the guy you are getting the snake from used to sell temp guns pretty cheap and his are very good.
With my BRB in the tank I have her in I don't use a UTH at all. I just use a 2 ceramic heat emitters with a thermostat and it keeps it plenty toasty all year long and I'm in ohio. My tank is much larger than the tub he is going to have his in. (mine is 6'x4'x30") Humidity won't be a problem with a tub, because it will hold humidity great for him. Again my tank it much larger and with more places for air to escape and my humidity stays up great. I hope you get it soon!!!!!!!

[DeesBalls]

Hey the guy you are getting the snake from used to sell temp guns pretty cheap and his are very good.
With my BRB in the tank I have her in I don't use a UTH at all. I just use a 2 ceramic heat emitters with a thermostat and it keeps it plenty toasty all year long and I'm in ohio. My tank is much larger than the tub he is going to have his in. (mine is 6'x4'x30") Humidity won't be a problem with a tub, because it will hold humidity great for him. Again my tank it much larger and with more places for air to escape and my humidity stays up great. I hope you get it soon!!!!!!!

i am so glad you referred my to him!! i will be hopfully getting her wednesday!!! i have a 64qt tub. i dont want to use a UTH....

i will have a spare 10gallon tank to put her in, but that will be a problem for humidity...



You want a hygrometer.
lol oops... yes i mean a hygrometer... :D

[Nafun]

Be careful if you're using radiant heat (either heat bulbs, or ceramic heat emitters) with a tub. They can get hot enough to melt the plastic, or at least make it very soft and pliable. Also be sure the snake can't contact the bulb/emitter. *whips out temp gun* 412 degrees on my 150w ceramic heat emitters.

[DeesBalls]

i dont think i will be using a heat lamp with my tub... unless needed, but i will be carfull. if i do use one, it will be a very low wattage. like maybe 60W.

[Nafun]

You might look into heat cable. It's supposed to be safe for use inside an enclosure.

[DeesBalls]

You might look into heat cable. It's supposed to be safe for use inside an enclosure.

looking that up now... thanks man

[Nafun]

I've got some sitting around (got it from Reptile Supplies, Reptiles, Amphibians, Invertebrates, Cages, Feeders, and More (http://www.lllreptile.com)) says it's safe for high humidity environments, just don't put it in water. And says it's safe for use inside enclosures. I use it for keeping gerbil babies (snake food) warm during cold weather (as an UTH obviously, as my snakes don't like their rodents fried)

[Kmef07]

Oh I overlooked the fact the the tub might not be able to handle the heat. The brb's only need between 80 and 85 with 85 being the hottest you want to get them and then they can go down to around 70 at night. Humidity should be the least of your worries in the tub I kept mine in a 35 gallon glass tank until this winter when it's new cage was built. It was difficult to keep the humidity up in the aquarium, but I just put a wooden box over the lights and then the humidity was easier to keep in. the tub should hold humidity excellent though.

Post up some pics when you get the new snake!!!!!! Also you might want to get some mice from derek as he tends to have good prices if he has any extra mice or rats available. That reminds me I need to call him and pick some up soon!!!!!

[DeesBalls]

well my temps so far have been right around 84ish day and 69/70 night.... so hopfully everything will work out and i'll have her tomorrow!!!!!!