Building a new tank for my Ball, want to do it right and could use some help

[LadyWraith]

Originally Posted by rdubya

Hey all, hope you can help me with my new tank build. I'm looking to build a new one for my Ball python (murphy), he's about 5 years old now. I've been having a really hard time keeping consistent temperatures and humidity in my current tank which is an older 55 gal aquarium. - Yup. Large, screened enclosure... that will happen.

I'm having a new one built right now for him from someone locally, dimensions should be around 48x18x18. - I'd go with a custom build a little more suited to reptiles. A custom fish tank seems a little redundant to the 55 gal you're replacing.

I was thinking of getting 2 heating pads since the size of the tank is quite large and using them with a rheostat which is then plugged into a thermostat. The thermostat would then be connected to a heat emitter as well. - Skip the rheostat. Heat source plugged straight in to thermostat will do what you need. Look into something like Flexwatt... the size is pretty customizable, especially compared to heat pads.

What are your thoughts on this, overkill, or is plugging a rheostat into a thermostat not possible? - Not necessary.


What have you all done in terms of keeping humidity right? I've heard foggers will be too much for a ball python. I've been using just plain zoo med aspen while and spritzing the tank with a spray bottle when I can (sometimes I'm out of house for a few days though). - I do nothing. My BP is in a 32 qt locking lid tub with a couple lines of vent holes. Newspaper for substrate, a hide on each side (cool and hot), a digital thermometer to read ambient with a probe for the hot, and a medium water bowl on the cool side. Humidity is a constant 60% without misting or really any extraordinary maintenance.

If you check around the interwebs, you can find some great custom reptile enclosure ideas that will do everything you want with maintaining temps, humidity, etc.