Questions from a newbie

[Vengeance]

Was unaware that fans would do more harm then good, thanks for mentioning it.

[Slannesh]

I went away for dinner before clicking "submit post" and then when I finally did an hour later, you had already posted it. Is that ok? Or would you like me to delete my post????

That's exactly what I was talking about before. I could care less when you had dinner. I posted then a while later you posted. I'm glad we agree for a change. Delete your post if you like, but the sarcastic attidude certainly doesn't make me think any more highly of you. *shrugs*

[Slannesh]

I too agree that fans are not a good idea. If nothing else you'll get way more airflow than you need with fans that big which will make the humidity issue worse. The tanks I currenlty house my BP in came with one 3" Round vent on each side and one on the back as well as two on the top. So I get the cross ventilation that Jeff was talking about before without losing a ton of humidity.

Most plexiglass won't melt or discolor under moderate heating anymore than glass will. Just let the dealer know that you'll have a high wattage light bulb near it that's going to be on for 10-14 hours a day and they should be able to steer you in the right direction as to what to get.

[maiden_canada]

ok, use the 50gallon i don't care anymore. but make sure you have lots of hide spots, a humid hide on warm end would also be good, make sure you have lots of stuff for him to snuggle up in and feel secure. 50gallons are too big even if you do this, they are even a very good size for a large BP, but just make sure you have lots of hidespots, it would be a good idea to put a divider to cut off a foot of the aquarium, it will also be harder to keep a 50gallon at 60% humidity then a 15gallon

[MouseKilla]

First I'd like to suggest a modification that I'm surprised no one else has: just take the aquarium and put it on it's side. The moisture won't sublimate out this way AND you'll get better air circulation. There are about a million arboreal snakes out there living very happily in a "fish cage" put up on one end with a screen lid on the front. Having said that, I have my BPs in small tanks with screen lids on top and have no problems, light bulb over a big water dish, frequent sprays (1 or 2 a day) problem solved. The thing you have to remember if you do this and use a bulb as a heat source is not to try to shine the light through the glass, it may shatter from the heat, shine it through the screen from the front. An UTH is an easier solution and would bring your hotspot temp up to where you want it.

I'm personally starting to go the Rubbermaid way myself as my snakes are becoming less ornamental and more of a life altering addiction (MORE SNAKES!!! MORE!!) but don't let a few snobs tell you how to keep YOUR snake. Find out what conditions they need and use whatever you wanto bring them about. Some people pretend that they're here to protect snakes while simultaneously farming them in their basements. Lets' not kid ourselves, no one imported any BPs from Africa for the benefit of the snakes and we don't got out and buy one for anyone but ourselves either.

Last thing I want to tell you is that you should keep coming back here because this is great place to meet people that share an interest in reptiles, you can get some good info (take it all with salt though), and find great deals on animals, supplies and feeders. That's what makes this site good and it's why it survives despite the efforts of a minority of snobby members (sadly some have the moderator title, shows how much care was put into selecting them I think). Please don't let their arrogance put you off this site or worse, the hobby of herp keeping. Instead just remember that starting out everyone is clueless, usually because we've made an impulse buy with the help of an uninformed pet store worker, so a few years down the road when you're the expert you'll be more patient and less condescending than some of the superior A-holes preaching at you now.

[Jeff_Favelle]

Was unaware that fans would do more harm then good, thanks for mentioning it.

No problem man. This is relatively new stuff for everyone. A LOT of people had thought over the years that Balls needed the ventilation that other savanna-type reptiles do. But that just isn't the case. It wasn't a bad question though. I remember back in the day when I wanted to install computer fans in my Rainbow Boas cages!!! LOL! If there's one snake that would surely die from a fan, it would be a Rainbow Boa!!! Ha ha! Good thing I had breeders all around me to set me straight!

Keep asking questions man!

[Jeff_Favelle]

First I'd like to suggest a modification that I'm surprised no one else has: just take the aquarium and put it on it's side.

It will definitely be better. Trev (Boidkeeper) has done it successfully. It is still more work, but sometimes work is half the fun.

Not the best option, but again, the choice is entirely up to you.

[BoidKeeper]

Yup it's wroking well for me. My room is kept a 60% anyway so that helps. I'm soon switching to almost 100% rubbermaid racks though. However what isn't in the rack will be in a tank on it's side.
Cheers,
Trevor
PS
There's a pic in my gallery of what it looks like.

[MouseKilla]

I take it you are using some sort of humidifier to bring the whole room up to 60% humidity? I'm in the transition process between having cages strewn about the house and a dedicated snake room. Heating a snake room is bone simple but it seemed unlikely that anyone would take the time to individually mist all of their rubbermaids.

[tHeGiNo]

Here is my opinion on it: if ALL the huge huge big time breeders use rubbermaids, there must be something right about them. And if you just think using common sense, it is easy to determine why rubbermaids are the better choice. For ball pythons. Now, with that said, I know what everyone will say. "They have many many snakes, and must conserve room and money." Sure, I could see this being the reason with NORMAL ball pythons, which fetch around $100.00 in the states. But then you must remember that these guys have $10,000 dollar + snakes. I think, and correct me if I am wrong, but wouldn't it make sense to keep THESE, of ALL of their ball pythons, in the BEST, PERFECT conditions? I know I sure as hell would. It has been researched over and over and over and over and proved that rubbermaids are ideal for ball pythons. I do not see where there is point to argue. What I would like to know is, why use a tank? Just why? The only thing I can see is for personal pleasure. And that is too much of a problem in this hobby, putting the likings of the human before the needs of the reptile. It is quite sad, actually.

[Vengeance]

Don't feed the Troll

http://www.winternet.com/~mikelr/flame29.html

[Tigergenesis]

LOL.

[daver676]

Originally posted by Vengeance
Don't feed the Troll

http://www.winternet.com/~mikelr/flame29.html

In that case Vengeance, here be you.

http://www.winternet.com/~mikelr/flame63.html

[MouseKilla]

Gino,

The important thing isn't what equiptment you use, it's the conditions you provide. If you want recycle a Barbie dream house, seal it up as needed, install heating with a thermal gradient, provide water and sufficient humidity and everything else the animal needs to live what difference should it make to anyone else that it's a pink plastic house and Ken has snake feces on his pants? The snake doesn't give a rats arse what it looks like or what it's made of it just wants it's environmental needs met. There is no question that the easiest way to create this environment is to do what the breeders and serious collectors do (which, by the way, aren't necessarily the same) but if you can do it in your own preferred way and are willing to do the extra work who cares?

As for selfish snake keepers, I must wonder why you went out and dropped a few bucks to bring one home. Did you do it because you care about snakes and just had to get at least one home so you could shelter and feed it, or did you want a cool creature to look at and maybe show off? Maybe you are the one person who collects snakes for that reason but I suspect you do it for the same selfish reasons the rest of us do. Sure we like to take good care of them and make them happy but that's not why we spent the money. You spend money on posessions and that's just what pets are, posessions. Some people don't want to admit that but let's be honest about what we're doing here, if we wanted to spend money to do nice things for animals we'd give to the World Wildlife Fund but instead we shell out so we can OWN the animals. We do it for us, not for them.

[BoidKeeper]

In the summer I don't need one but I do in the winter.
Cheers,
Trevor