How do I keep my BP's cage humid? - Page 4

ErikBush97 · 06-04-13, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valid

You plug your UTH into the Thermostat and it regulate temps for you. It is very difficult to maintain temperatures with out one, regardless how often you check. I had one break o me, as as I live is a very arid dry area the temps in my tank rose very quickly (not sure where you live) - it caused my snake a lot of stress and more harm than anything trying to regulate the temps until I could get a replacement. They not 'cheap' but pretty much a one time deal and 100% worth the fee (and necessary). It just makes life easier for every one.

I live in Oregon (Pretty much always rainy and cold) so I don't think I'd have to worry about it getting THAT hot, but I'll invest in a thermostat just in case. Do they actually sell these kinds of thermostats at pet stores? Or is it a general use tool, that'd you'd get at like... a hardware store?

valid · 06-04-13, 12:06 AM

This is probably your best bet
Amazon.com: Hydrofarm MTPRTC Digital Thermostat For Heat Mats: Patio, Lawn & Garden

One of the cheapest, and very easy to use.

ErikBush97 · 06-04-13, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valid

This is probably your best bet
Amazon.com: Hydrofarm MTPRTC Digital Thermostat For Heat Mats: Patio, Lawn & Garden

One of the cheapest, and very easy to use.

Awesome! Thanks, man!

Mikoh4792 · 06-04-13, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErikBush97

Okay... It's getting pretty hard to keep up with everyone at this point.
Here's a setup update:
Glass Terrarium (Will change to a tub if needed)
One 5.0 UVB bulb (in fixture)
One UTH.
One side is 80-85 degrees, the other is 70-75.
Two hides
One water bowl
Some fake plants, one Pothos
According to the gauge, the humidity is fluctuating between 45-60% through out the day. And just one question, man. If I already have a terrarium, with correct heat/humidity, is it necessary to buy a tub? If you say yes, I will. It just doesn't really make sense. I'm not going to be stupid, and be like "Whatever!" if you say a tub is absolutely necessary, but I'd like to know why it is first.

It is not absolutely necessary. Tubs are easier to maintain for a ball pythom which makes them better. Easier is better in terms of keeping reptiles so you don't have to struggle in order to keep the right conditions for an animal. However, you can still make an ideal enclosure with a glass tank if you set it up properly.

70-75 is a bit on the cold side for a cool side. I would bump up the cool side a few degrees. I've gotten mixed reviews of 75 to 78 - 80-82 for a cool side.

80-85 should be the ambient air temperature around the general area.
I am not a ball python expert, but I actually have a collection of books from the past that I still read from time to time. They say you should still have a hotspot a little warmer of 88-95F. Some people say that they keep their ball pythons fine in 85-90F hotspots but 85 being the hottest seems to be inadequate. Maybe a successful ball python owner/breeder here can clarify this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErikBush97

I live in Oregon (Pretty much always rainy and cold) so I don't think I'd have to worry about it getting THAT hot, but I'll invest in a thermostat just in case. Do they actually sell these kinds of thermostats at pet stores? Or is it a general use tool, that'd you'd get at like... a hardware store?

Someone already posted the hydrofarm thermostat which I also have but I've moved onto proportional thermostats since I've found they keep a more steady temperature. With on/off thermostats you'll see temperatures rising and dropping a bit more.

I think the only things you need to fix is a cover for the screen top and to add a thermostat. If it were me, I'd cover 3 sides of the tank and leave the front pane open for viewing. That's what I do for all my glass tanks and it helps to give your snake a bit of security.

Terranaut · 06-04-13, 04:14 AM

And skip the UV light. Royals spend most of their time during the day in their hides so it is not needed. Like said above you can make a glass tank work but it is a pain where a tub or better yet if you budget allows get a real snake enclosure. If you surf a bit on here and read about people having shed issues with their royals you will see most if not all of them have glass enclosures with screen lids or modified screen lids. Again IMHO it is not worth the trouble when $25 will buy a great tub. Now if you have a couple hundred you could go tgis route and never worry about anything... ever

Mikoh4792 · 06-04-13, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terranaut

And skip the UV light. Royals spend most of their time during the day in their hides so it is not needed. Like said above you can make a glass tank work but it is a pain where a tub or better yet if you budget allows get a real snake enclosure. If you surf a bit on here and read about people having shed issues with their royals you will see most if not all of them have glass enclosures with screen lids or modified screen lids. Again IMHO it is not worth the trouble when $25 will buy a great tub. Now if you have a couple hundred you could go tgis route and never worry about anything... ever

Nice enclosures. What are you using to heat them? and what do you keep in the bottom enclosure to the left?

Terranaut · 06-04-13, 07:01 AM

Some use rhps and some heat tape. The one on the left? The big one? I have a breeding pair of JCP's in there but when the season is over the male come out (like now)
I have a few of these style of enclosures (the pvc's in the center)
This is Dutch's 3x2x16"

Mikoh4792 · 06-04-13, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terranaut

Some use rhps and some heat tape. The one on the left? The big one? I have a breeding pair of JCP's in there but when the season is over the male come out (like now)
I have a few of these style of enclosures (the pvc's in the center)
This is Dutch's 3x2x16"

That's awesome. It looks like you made a custom frame on the vision cage.

Where do you place the probe for rhp's? Do you use it to control basking temps or to control ambient temperatures? Because right now in enclosures I use with overhead heat sources, I let the probe control ambient air temps and put the basking spot higher or lower under the heat source to get the desired temperature. Just curious to know different ways of using thermostats.

Concept9 · 06-04-13, 07:19 AM

Hey Terranaut. Did you get the enclosures on the left from Kevin ?

If so, how are they ?

jarich · 06-04-13, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terranaut

And skip the UV light. Royals spend most of their time during the day in their hides so it is not needed. Like said above you can make a glass tank work but it is a pain where a tub or better yet if you budget allows get a real snake enclosure. If you surf a bit on here and read about people having shed issues with their royals you will see most if not all of them have glass enclosures with screen lids or modified screen lids. Again IMHO it is not worth the trouble when $25 will buy a great tub. Now if you have a couple hundred you could go tgis route and never worry about anything... ever

Im surprised we are still having this discussion on threads. It is the screen lid and not the glass tank that is often the problem. It cost me zero dollars to adapt my royal's fish tank to an enclosure that is both safe and completely perfect as regards all parameters for its environment (I already had the simple piece of plywood that was required). There is no pain involved, it holds humidity as well as any enclosure, heat better than any other type of enclosure, and is a more enriching environment than any tub ever will be. Ive never had a single shed issue, any kind of RI, or any other problem with the tank. Like you, I never have to worry about anything ever again.

As for the UVB, keep it in there. Studies have shown that they are healthier as a result of exposure to UVB light. You may not be able to see it, but their blood serum levels of Vit D metabolites are increased to normal levels when given access to UVB. Im not saying its essential for them to live and breed, but that studies of their blood chemistry show them to be healthier with access to UVB lighting.

Mikoh4792 · 06-04-13, 08:07 AM

I'm just theorizing and have no scientific credentials. That being said does keeping them dark all the time have some kind of negative effect on them? Even nocturnal snakes may come out during the day and experience seeing things in the light. Wouldn't adding a uvb light, whether or not snakes need the radiation, still be beneficial for creating a light cycle?

Terranaut · 06-04-13, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jarich

Im surprised we are still having this discussion on threads. It is the screen lid and not the glass tank that is often the problem. It cost me zero dollars to adapt my royal's fish tank to an enclosure that is both safe and completely perfect as regards all parameters for its environment (I already had the simple piece of plywood that was required). There is no pain involved, it holds humidity as well as any enclosure, heat better than any other type of enclosure, and is a more enriching environment than any tub ever will be. Ive never had a single shed issue, any kind of RI, or any other problem with the tank. Like you, I never have to worry about anything ever again.

As for the UVB, keep it in there. Studies have shown that they are healthier as a result of exposure to UVB light. You may not be able to see it, but their blood serum levels of Vit D metabolites are increased to normal levels when given access to UVB. Im not saying its essential for them to live and breed, but that studies of their blood chemistry show them to be healthier with access to UVB lighting.

I have a question for both you and the op. Where do you live. Ambient humidity plays a huge role in wether or not a top vented enclosure will work. I have no issues with glass at all although it is not a good insulator so I doubt it holds heat better than pvc or melmine. I would also love to see a link to this study. How much uvb was used? Where was the "normal" blood levels taken? Who funded it? Ect. I also do not like tubs and do not use them but I would rather see a snake in a viv suited for it's physical needs over one that does not but supports stimulation. Also when I say these enclosure are not proper I am generalizing as most people here with pythons in them do have issues. You are not the norm in this case.

**Aaron_S** · 06-04-13, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terranaut

I have a question for both you and the op. Where do you live. Ambient humidity plays a huge role in wether or not a top vented enclosure will work. I have no issues with glass at all although it is not a good insulator so I doubt it holds heat better than pvc or melmine. I would also love to see a link to this study. How much uvb was used? Where was the "normal" blood levels taken? Who funded it? Ect. I also do not like tubs and do not use them but I would rather see a snake in a viv suited for it's physical needs over one that does not but supports stimulation. Also when I say these enclosure are not proper I am generalizing as most people here with pythons in them do have issues. You are not the norm in this case.

I believe it was Josh who posted the numbers for insulators and it is proven that glass is a really good one. So yes, you may be wrong in that part.

Terranaut · 06-04-13, 11:32 AM

Really. Glass. Wow. If so then I stand corrected.

brylecc1989 · 06-04-13, 11:54 AM

I currently house a ball python about that size in a 20 gallon. I use one medium size UTH and literally just cover the screen top with a towel(this also hangs down the sides to give him a bit more privacy. Every week or so (more so when he is about to shed) I spray down his tank, damped his substrate (the exoterra coconut husk one that comes in rectangular blocks the name escapes me) and soak the towel so it kinda rains through the screen top for a while. Right after I do this humidity will be around 70%, and ill let it get down to about 45%-50% before I do it again. I've had him like this for 8 months and he sheds one piece everytime, eats, and poops. Essentially, if my snake needs higher humidity he can find it in his hides, especially the one above the UTH, because his substrate is damp. Same goes for the heat. If he wants more, he can lay in his hide right on top of the mat. If he wants to cool off, there's a hide on the other side of tank. Your temps and humidity don't have to be so constant if the snake has comfortable access to all the environmental requirements it may need in separate parts of the tank. Hope this helps dude. Although common, I love my normal BP he's so chill and quite curious once he gets relaxed. Enjoy him!!