iso opinions on my tank

[TeaNinja]

this is how the tank was when i got it from the guy who was giving the snake away. dumerils are ground boas and he seems perfectly content, but it seems kind of bare. any suggestions on things to add? theres a heat pad on the bottom right of the tank also, as well as the lamp.
/and before anyone says anything about there being no top, i just have the lid off, its a screen with 2 clicking plastic latches. also this is only a 40 gallon, eventually im going to custom make him a good one thats bigger.

http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af184/teaninja/tank002.jpg
http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af184/teaninja/tank001.jpg

[infernalis]

You have the basics covered well.

There is no real need to go all fancy and add too much, it's a matter of personal preference, but not necessary.

[Lankyrob]

Only thing i would want to add is a hide on the hot side

[marvelfreak]

Maybe put a couple more inches of bedding in they love to burrow. Help them feel secure. I use to use newspaper and my Borneo never came out of her hide. I put reptile bark in her cage and she never in the hide anymore. She burrow and hide. You'll see just her nose sticking out.

[Nafun]

Only thing I would suggest is repositioning the heat light over the lid. Glass blocks infrared.

[Marica]

At least another hide on the warm side. I totally agree with lots of substrate, I frequently find mine just burrowed under the substrate everywhere in their vivs other than their hides. And, just because they're terrestrial doesn't mean they don't appreciate some arboreal coverage. I have a branch entwined with vine in each of my Dums' vivs and I have seen them slithering over them and curled up under them. Also, you probably don't need the lamp since the UTH you're using should provide the necessary heat. Heat lamps tend to dry out a viv quite a bit, though I read that your boy had no issues shedding so your humidity is probably fine either way.

[TeaNinja]

At least another hide on the warm side. I totally agree with lots of substrate, I frequently find mine just burrowed under the substrate everywhere in their vivs other than their hides. And, just because they're terrestrial doesn't mean they don't appreciate some arboreal coverage. I have a branch entwined with vine in each of my Dums' vivs and I have seen them slithering over them and curled up under them. Also, you probably don't need the lamp since the UTH you're using should provide the necessary heat. Heat lamps tend to dry out a viv quite a bit, though I read that your boy had no issues shedding so your humidity is probably fine either way.

that's kind of why i had the lamp on the outside of the tank instead of directly above the mesh, i figured if he wanted to warm up he could go to the warn side of the tank, where i had the heating pad and the lamp on the outside just helping the ambient temp alittle. and i hit the tank once or twice a day with a spray bottle, also a hide in the hot side and some branches are a good idea, thanks.

[Marica]

Sorry, I can't resist...here's a pic of my Sebastian on his branch. I got the branch and twisty vine from a pet store (think the branch was 'processed' by Exo Terra and the vine's from Fluker's). Though it's much easier on the wallet to go branch hunting and bleach or cook them as suggested by others in your other thread.

http://www.iherp.com/Gallery/91837/48110_100762_Large_0DwqNPYNEfK.jpg

[TeaNinja]

Sorry, I can't resist...here's a pic of my Sebastian on his branch. I got the branch and twisty vine from a pet store (think the branch was 'processed' by Exo Terra and the vine's from Fluker's). Though it's much easier on the wallet to go branch hunting and bleach or cook them as suggested by others in your other thread.

http://www.iherp.com/Gallery/91837/48110_100762_Large_0DwqNPYNEfK.jpg

nice, it looks good. its funny how our snakes look super similar but the actual markings are somewhat different.

http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af184/teaninja/snake2001.jpg

/edit
now that i look again, they are pretty much identical lol.

[Marica]

Yeah, their markings can be almost black when they're babies and some lighten more than others. Both of ours are young still, born this year and last, so it'll be interesting to see how their colour changes. Here's a pic of our other boy Johann who was born this year.

http://www.iherp.com/Gallery/91837/51667_108128_Large_qKIC0Nb2mABFxU.jpg

[TeaNinja]

Yeah, their markings can be almost black when they're babies and some lighten more than others. Both of ours are young still, born this year and last, so it'll be interesting to see how their colour changes. Here's a pic of our other boy Johann who was born this year.

http://www.iherp.com/Gallery/91837/51667_108128_Large_qKIC0Nb2mABFxU.jpg

he looks nice, im pretty sure mine is somewhere around 2 years old.

[Damion930]

Couldn't really tell if that thing in the top right is ur thermometer or hygromoter but id move it lower ither way to get a better reading of where ur snake actually dwells heat and warm humid air rise

[Nafun]

Couldn't really tell if that thing in the top right is ur thermometer or hygromoter but id move it lower ither way to get a better reading of where ur snake actually dwells heat and warm humid air rise

I'd recommend scrapping that thermometer and getting a temp gun for two reasons.

First, those generally stick on with an adhesive pad. I used one of those on my first snake. He decided it was furniture. Before I knew it, he had knocked the thermometer off of the glass, and stuck himself to the glass with the sticky pad. If I hadn't been right there, who knows what kind of damage he'd have suffered. You should never, ever, have any kind of double sided tape in an enclosure.


Secondly, those things are bloody worthless. They give you the temp on the glass where they're stuck. Your snake is not on the glass. Your snake is either burrowed into the substrate or hanging from a branch, or sitting in a hide. A temp gun can give you the temperature in any of those places, and give you the temp of the snake itself. No amount of thermometers will be able to do that.

A temp gun will only run you about $20, and it is absolutely worth it.

You can also get a thermostat for as little as $30. I highly recommend these as well. They take a lot of the guess work out of heating enclosures and give you peace of mind.

[Lankyrob]

I must admit i love my temp gun, would recommend one more than a temp guage anyday.

[TeaNinja]

Couldn't really tell if that thing in the top right is ur thermometer or hygromoter but id move it lower ither way to get a better reading of where ur snake actually dwells heat and warm humid air rise

the little thing on the top right isn't a thermometer, its a PIECE OF **** humidity reader, it sucks ***. the guy who gave me the snake didn't have a rheostat for the UTH and was like "i have no idea why he doesn't like the hot side of his tank, he barely ever goes in it" duh lol, im gonna get some new **** (including a different viv soon) cuz the guy didn't really have the necesary items to have such a pet, maybe that's why he gave him away, iunno.

[Nafun]

Dial hygrometers are absolutely useless.

Here's the science!

To register the humidity they use a filament that expands or contracts in response to humidity levels. This filament is connected to a spring, which is connected to the dial. They are calibrated in the factory, then shipped off.
However, the filament loses elasticity every time it expands or contracts. This means that by the time it arrives at a store, it is no longer accurate. Most will be off by at least 20% by the time you receive them. I've had them off by 50% right out of the box.

I recommend a digital hygrometer. They can be found in the garden section of any retailer for about 10 bucks. (usually with a dual thermometer with temperature probe included).

[Damion930]

Yeah i had a scare with that tape onece never again i have two digitals that sit at ither end of the tank and one with a prob so i can check other areas of the tank but am looking into a gun found two at lows 30_50 any sites i can get a cheaper one?

[Reptile_Reptile]

i had the sticky pad dial thermometer problem too but i super glued it on. and my hygrometer is useless too but it too is super glued and my snake uses them as a climb so i dont worry too much. but i recommend the garden section idea. (thats where i got my dual reader w/probe for both my snakes

[TeaNinja]

this is my new viv. in a few days when i get money im gonna set it all up and stick him in it when its ready.

http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af184/teaninja/newviv001.jpg
http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af184/teaninja/newviv002.jpg

/edit
i took the band aid off lol. thats just right when i got it home.