hey guys! looking for some advice on my python's terrarium and health.

[striker]

I just went and bought myself a baby normal ball python.

i currently have it in a 10 gallon tank with an exo terra heat pad under it's hide on left side and a dome lamp in the middle with a red 40 watt bulb. ( without the lamp the temperature was only hovering around 75-78 at ground level) (with the lamp it stays around 86-87) the temp sensor is located just to left of my hot side hide.

The right side (cold side) i have an lcd thermometer strip and is around 70-76
just outside the hide

The humidity is currently 60%.

i have one plastic alo vera plant, a medium sized grape log, a medium water bowl, exo terra temp gage, and standard petco hygrometer on the cold side of the tank.

does anyone have any tips on locations for equipment,specific types of equipment, methods or any sort of advice on how to keep my python the healthiest i possibly can.

thank you.

[aRepDysfunction]

sounds like you are on the right track, she needs at least 2 places to hide and feel safe. one on the warm side and one on the cool side. dont handle for a day or 2, then on average no more than once a day or less until she is eating steadily.

[Starbuck]

I would disagree, it does NOT sound like you are on the right track, but rather were told a bunch of bullcrap advice from an individual working at a petstore, trying to sell you a bunch of supplies and items you don't need.

If the 10G is a screen top, you might as well ditch it right now and get some fish for it, screen tops (and especially one as small as that) are not really appropriate for Bps.
Many members have had lots of success with plastic bins (the kind used for storage) with some small holes drilled into the sides.the problem with a screen top is that it lets all of the humidity (and heat) rise right out of the enclosure, creating an oven affect where your snake is chronically dehydrated and overheated.

If you like the display look of a glass tank, you could go with a front opening exoterra style, or get a plexiglass lid cut to fit your tank, with a hole cut out for SOME ventilation/a light if you choose to use one (i will get to the heating elements next).

The 'stick on the wall' style thermometers and hygrometers are notoriously inaccurate; your meter might be reading 60% when in reality it is only 30-40, or conversely 80-90. You are much better off getting a digital thermometer/hygrometer (like the type designed for a back porch or outdoors) from home depot or equivalent, or a more accurate dial style (also found from a home improvement store). You can check your temperatures, additionally ,with a temperature gun (it uses an infrared (?) beam to wirelessly check temperatures a certain distance away, this is good for determining a hotspot in the enclosure, and spot checking your thermometers.
To provide the heat with the elements you listed (a heat pad), you MUST have a thermostat, otherwise you have little to no control over how much heat the pad produces. Many BP owners don't use bulbs due to the convection effect i mentioned, but someone else should be able to comment on how you can do that safely. Other options are heat tape, flex watt, and radiant heat panels, all of these require a thermostat however. You should be able to get a cheap one (hydrofarm?) online for around 30$.

Otherwise, sounds like you have some good cover and hides, though more is better. As aRep mentioned, you will want a variety of hides on both the cool and warm side so your snake can feel secure and thermoregulate.

While you make the above modifications, you can use a temporary humid hide (take a sandwich tupperware or equivalent and fill it with moist (NOT dripping wet!) sphagnum moss or paper towels, and cut a hole big enough for your snake in the side, so he has a humid place he can retreat to temporarily.

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by Starbuck

I would disagree, it does NOT sound like you are on the right track, but rather were told a bunch of bullcrap advice from an individual working at a petstore, trying to sell you a bunch of supplies and items you don't need.

If the 10G is a screen top, you might as well ditch it right now and get some fish for it, screen tops (and especially one as small as that) are not really appropriate for Bps.
Many members have had lots of success with plastic bins (the kind used for storage) with some small holes drilled into the sides.the problem with a screen top is that it lets all of the humidity (and heat) rise right out of the enclosure, creating an oven affect where your snake is chronically dehydrated and overheated.

If you like the display look of a glass tank, you could go with a front opening exoterra style, or get a plexiglass lid cut to fit your tank, with a hole cut out for SOME ventilation/a light if you choose to use one (i will get to the heating elements next).

The 'stick on the wall' style thermometers and hygrometers are notoriously inaccurate; your meter might be reading 60% when in reality it is only 30-40, or conversely 80-90. You are much better off getting a digital thermometer/hygrometer (like the type designed for a back porch or outdoors) from home depot or equivalent, or a more accurate dial style (also found from a home improvement store). You can check your temperatures, additionally ,with a temperature gun (it uses an infrared (?) beam to wirelessly check temperatures a certain distance away, this is good for determining a hotspot in the enclosure, and spot checking your thermometers.
To provide the heat with the elements you listed (a heat pad), you MUST have a thermostat, otherwise you have little to no control over how much heat the pad produces. Many BP owners don't use bulbs due to the convection effect i mentioned, but someone else should be able to comment on how you can do that safely. Other options are heat tape, flex watt, and radiant heat panels, all of these require a thermostat however. You should be able to get a cheap one (hydrofarm?) online for around 30$.

Otherwise, sounds like you have some good cover and hides, though more is better. As aRep mentioned, you will want a variety of hides on both the cool and warm side so your snake can feel secure and thermoregulate.

While you make the above modifications, you can use a temporary humid hide (take a sandwich tupperware or equivalent and fill it with moist (NOT dripping wet!) sphagnum moss or paper towels, and cut a hole big enough for your snake in the side, so he has a humid place he can retreat to temporarily.

+1.

Only thing I'd add is that you could also use a plastic/wooden enclosure as well with a solid top.

Use radiant heat panels or heat mats/heat tape for heating. All heat sources MUST be hooked up to a thermostat.

A good thermometer/hydrometer is accurite from amazon/walmart/home depot...etc.


Found this on the internet. It's a pretty basic, and effective setup for a ball python

[formica]

Originally Posted by Starbuck

I would disagree, it does NOT sound like you are on the right track, but rather were told a bunch of bullcrap advice from an individual working at a petstore, trying to sell you a bunch of supplies and items you don't need.

If the 10G is a screen top, you might as well ditch it right now and get some fish for it, screen tops (and especially one as small as that) are not really appropriate for Bps.
Many members have had lots of success with plastic bins (the kind used for storage) with some small holes drilled into the sides.the problem with a screen top is that it lets all of the humidity (and heat) rise right out of the enclosure, creating an oven affect where your snake is chronically dehydrated and overheated.

If you like the display look of a glass tank, you could go with a front opening exoterra style, or get a plexiglass lid cut to fit your tank, with a hole cut out for SOME ventilation/a light if you choose to use one (i will get to the heating elements next).

The 'stick on the wall' style thermometers and hygrometers are notoriously inaccurate; your meter might be reading 60% when in reality it is only 30-40, or conversely 80-90. You are much better off getting a digital thermometer/hygrometer (like the type designed for a back porch or outdoors) from home depot or equivalent, or a more accurate dial style (also found from a home improvement store). You can check your temperatures, additionally ,with a temperature gun (it uses an infrared (?) beam to wirelessly check temperatures a certain distance away, this is good for determining a hotspot in the enclosure, and spot checking your thermometers.
To provide the heat with the elements you listed (a heat pad), you MUST have a thermostat, otherwise you have little to no control over how much heat the pad produces. Many BP owners don't use bulbs due to the convection effect i mentioned, but someone else should be able to comment on how you can do that safely. Other options are heat tape, flex watt, and radiant heat panels, all of these require a thermostat however. You should be able to get a cheap one (hydrofarm?) online for around 30$.

Otherwise, sounds like you have some good cover and hides, though more is better. As aRep mentioned, you will want a variety of hides on both the cool and warm side so your snake can feel secure and thermoregulate.

While you make the above modifications, you can use a temporary humid hide (take a sandwich tupperware or equivalent and fill it with moist (NOT dripping wet!) sphagnum moss or paper towels, and cut a hole big enough for your snake in the side, so he has a humid place he can retreat to temporarily.

/\ this!


and an additional note about the sticky thermometer on the hot side - setting the recommended basking temperature according to a sticky thermometer, is going to cook your snake, it measures ambient temps which are much cooler than the substrate temp directly at the heat source area (basking area), you need to measure the surface temp of the substrate, directly below the heat lamp


imo, get rid of the heat lamp, and use a heat mat (size approx 1/3-1/2 floor of enclosure) and a thermostat, you will find it much easier to control the humidity and temps

[striker]

Originally Posted by Starbuck

I would disagree, it does NOT sound like you are on the right track, but rather were told a bunch of bullcrap advice from an individual working at a petstore, trying to sell you a bunch of supplies and items you don't need.

If the 10G is a screen top, you might as well ditch it right now and get some fish for it, screen tops (and especially one as small as that) are not really appropriate for Bps.
Many members have had lots of success with plastic bins (the kind used for storage) with some small holes drilled into the sides.the problem with a screen top is that it lets all of the humidity (and heat) rise right out of the enclosure, creating an oven affect where your snake is chronically dehydrated and overheated.

If you like the display look of a glass tank, you could go with a front opening exoterra style, or get a plexiglass lid cut to fit your tank, with a hole cut out for SOME ventilation/a light if you choose to use one (i will get to the heating elements next).

The 'stick on the wall' style thermometers and hygrometers are notoriously inaccurate; your meter might be reading 60% when in reality it is only 30-40, or conversely 80-90. You are much better off getting a digital thermometer/hygrometer (like the type designed for a back porch or outdoors) from home depot or equivalent, or a more accurate dial style (also found from a home improvement store). You can check your temperatures, additionally ,with a temperature gun (it uses an infrared (?) beam to wirelessly check temperatures a certain distance away, this is good for determining a hotspot in the enclosure, and spot checking your thermometers.
To provide the heat with the elements you listed (a heat pad), you MUST have a thermostat, otherwise you have little to no control over how much heat the pad produces. Many BP owners don't use bulbs due to the convection effect i mentioned, but someone else should be able to comment on how you can do that safely. Other options are heat tape, flex watt, and radiant heat panels, all of these require a thermostat however. You should be able to get a cheap one (hydrofarm?) online for around 30$.

Otherwise, sounds like you have some good cover and hides, though more is better. As aRep mentioned, you will want a variety of hides on both the cool and warm side so your snake can feel secure and thermoregulate.

While you make the above modifications, you can use a temporary humid hide (take a sandwich tupperware or equivalent and fill it with moist (NOT dripping wet!) sphagnum moss or paper towels, and cut a hole big enough for your snake in the side, so he has a humid place he can retreat to temporarily.

I Do have a screen top tank but I have a towel covering on out 3/4 of the tank d you think that willl work?
Also I currently have an electric hygrometer/ thermometer . Also I am planning on getting a thermostat ASAP.

[striker]

Originally Posted by Starbuck

I would disagree, it does NOT sound like you are on the right track, but rather were told a bunch of bullcrap advice from an individual working at a petstore, trying to sell you a bunch of supplies and items you don't need.

If the 10G is a screen top, you might as well ditch it right now and get some fish for it, screen tops (and especially one as small as that) are not really appropriate for Bps.
Many members have had lots of success with plastic bins (the kind used for storage) with some small holes drilled into the sides.the problem with a screen top is that it lets all of the humidity (and heat) rise right out of the enclosure, creating an oven affect where your snake is chronically dehydrated and overheated.

If you like the display look of a glass tank, you could go with a front opening exoterra style, or get a plexiglass lid cut to fit your tank, with a hole cut out for SOME ventilation/a light if you choose to use one (i will get to the heating elements next).

The 'stick on the wall' style thermometers and hygrometers are notoriously inaccurate; your meter might be reading 60% when in reality it is only 30-40, or conversely 80-90. You are much better off getting a digital thermometer/hygrometer (like the type designed for a back porch or outdoors) from home depot or equivalent, or a more accurate dial style (also found from a home improvement store). You can check your temperatures, additionally ,with a temperature gun (it uses an infrared (?) beam to wirelessly check temperatures a certain distance away, this is good for determining a hotspot in the enclosure, and spot checking your thermometers.
To provide the heat with the elements you listed (a heat pad), you MUST have a thermostat, otherwise you have little to no control over how much heat the pad produces. Many BP owners don't use bulbs due to the convection effect i mentioned, but someone else should be able to comment on how you can do that safely. Other options are heat tape, flex watt, and radiant heat panels, all of these require a thermostat however. You should be able to get a cheap one (hydrofarm?) online for around 30$.

Otherwise, sounds like you have some good cover and hides, though more is better. As aRep mentioned, you will want a variety of hides on both the cool and warm side so your snake can feel secure and thermoregulate.

While you make the above modifications, you can use a temporary humid hide (take a sandwich tupperware or equivalent and fill it with moist (NOT dripping wet!) sphagnum moss or paper towels, and cut a hole big enough for your snake in the side, so he has a humid place he can retreat to temporarily.

I Do have a screen top tank but I have a towel covering on out 3/4 of the tank d you think that willl work?
Also I currently have an electric hygrometer/ thermometer on order. Also I am planning on getting a thermostat ASAP.

[Aaron_S]

You should also raise the temps on the hot side. I keep my collection at 96.

If you don't feel comfortable at that then stick to the low 90's. 92 ish.

[bigsnakegirl785]

The cool side seems kinda cool as well, I keep mine at 75-80F, and never let it fall below 75F. Correct me if I'm wrong, though.

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by bigsnakegirl785

The cool side seems kinda cool as well, I keep mine at 75-80F, and never let it fall below 75F. Correct me if I'm wrong, though.

Mine sits in the 80's as well.

[striker]

thanks for all the advice guys , the hot side is currently at 91, cold side is at 80. humidity 57% i just got my electric thermo/hygro meter.
this forum is great!
thanks again!