Enclosure Advice needed

[chadvdw67@gmail.com]

Hi there guys, I am a noob here, and I am looking for some advice, I want to get a Ball Python soon, I have an enclosure, and its 90% setup, at the moment I have the temperature right, but I am struggling with the humidity a little. At first I was using heat pads connected to a thermostat, the humidity was good then, but ambient temps were low, and the hot spot got WAY too hot, then I put a Ceramic Heat Emitter in with a guard around it along with the heat pads all connected to the thermostat, then the ambient temperature was good, humidity was good, but still, the hot spot was too hot, now I have disconnected the heat pads and only have the CHE running on the thermostat, and the ambient temperature is good, hot spot is good, cold spot is good etc, but the humidity is a bit low, any ideas on how I can get it up a bit? I want to have the tank setup properly before I get a Ball.

Oh, and I must add that I put a piece of chipboard over the heat pads, I was advised to do this to prevent burning the Ball, any help you guys can give is greatly appreciated.

[Kakibos]

Simplest way is to use a bigger waterbowl and move it closer or further away from the CHE untill you get the required humidity you looking for.

[Westley Price]

Ceramic heat emitters are terrible for snakes that enjoy humidity. They dry our the air like it's nobody's business!

I would suggest rather remove it completely and stick to a heat mat. To adjust the humidity, rather increase the size of the water bowl and move in closer/further from the heat mat. Evaporation from the water bowl will increase humidity.

Another important factor in getting ideal humidity is substrate; with newspaper your humidity will always be low so look at something like aspen, E-mulch etc.

Well done for getting everything right BEFORE getting your snake and good luck getting all the husbandry sorted.

[chadvdw67@gmail.com]

Thanks Kakibos, I have my water bowl directly under the CHE, but I am going to put a bigger one in on the weekend as the one that is in there is pretty small, I will put a bigger one in under tje CHE and move the smaller one to the other side of the tank

I taped up 2/3rds of the vents on the tank, that has pretty much sorted the humidity, for now, I want to get another thermostat with a probe the I can put over the heat mat so it doesnt get so hot, that way I should be able to put the water bowl over the heat mat, that should sort it out hey?

Westley, with just the heat pads the ambient temps are to low, and the hot spot is way too high, it went to 50°C, dont want to slow my snake

Thanks for the input guys

[Westley Price]

I actually prefer ambient temps low as then the snake can choose where it wants to be. Just have hides on the hot and cool side.

What do you deem too low?

If you can, invest in a thermostat, place the probe on your hotspot and set it to your desired temps.

[chadvdw67@gmail.com]

Like 25° and that was on a day when outside it was 28°-29°, so in Winter its going to cause #$%^

I have a Thermostat, but it doesnt have a probe, the unit itself sits in the tank and takes ambient Temps, my hot spot is like 33-34 (surface temp) ambient is 28°-29° and the cold side is 26°-27° (surface temp)

Where can I find a Thermostat with a probe? I got the one I have now from Repzotix, its the only kind they have, if I can get one with a probe that will solve my problem I think

[Westley Price]

You are confusing a thermometer and a thermostat.

You have a thermometer in your enclosure. A thermostat has a probe that sits at the position where you want the temps controlled and it connects to your heat source. It then switches your heat source on and off to maintain the desired temp.

Here you go:

http://www.ultimateexotics.co.za/produc ... troller-2/

[chadvdw67@gmail.com]

Lol, no, I am not confusing them, I promise, I have 2 Hydrometer/Thermometers and 1 Thermometer, and a Thermostat connected to the CHE, it turns it on when ambient temps hit 27° and off at 29° but it has no probe

Thanks for that link though, going to order one now

[Westley Price]

Haha okay yeah that is not an ideal thermostat. Never seen one without a probe.

Post some pics when you are done.

[chadvdw67@gmail.com]

Will do, still want to put some more stuff in, bigger water bowl, more plant accessories and hides etc, its a BIG tank so I want to get it nice and cluttered up so I can get a nice young BP

Any suggestions on where to get a BP? I tried Con Prinsloo, but he has not got back to me, tried A&M but they also havnt replied, Just Ball Pythons dont really have much either, tried 1 or 2 other places as well but no one gets back to me

[TonyK]

Chad it's a sad fact none of the breeders ever bother getting back to people. The only time they seem to respond is if you are looking for high value snakes then of course they will go out of their way to make sure you buy from them .Have a look at the bigger petshop they usually have ball pythons available year round.

[chadvdw67@gmail.com]

Typical, it really sucks though, becuase you never know what doors a "small" sale may open, oh well, will just keep looking till I find another one I like in my price range

[immaculate geckos]

I have been following your conversation and am impressed by the amount of effort you are doing to make sure your terrarium is perfect.
If i may throw in my two cents it seems you are over thinking things......
Worry about the temperature on the floor low 30s. ball pythons are terrestrial by nature so will seek out the "hot spot" ( not saying they wont climb)
Never sacrifice ventilation for humidity open those air vents up... you can never have to much air.
If the larger water dish does not help get a spray bottle to spray the enclosure once a day. (If you don't have at least 10 min every day to spend on your pet. you probably shouldn't have it) if you put a hide over the hot spot humidity will also be higher inside it.

[chadvdw67@gmail.com]

Thanks for the kind words,

You are probably right in saying I am over thinking things, joined a group on FB to learn about balls and keeping them etc, and the people on that group are SUPER anal about everything, so I am trying to work by those standards, even though I probably dont need to

I orderes a thermostat with a probe on yesterday, so once I recieve that I will I will open up the vents and connect up the thermostat to the heat pads, I am almost 100% sure that will sort out the humidity issue, if not, so be it, I will spray the enclosure daily as needed like you say, I agree fully about making sure you have time daily to check on your animal/s

As for the hides, there are at least 6 in there at the moment, I am sure the snake will find one that it is happy with

[chadvdw67@gmail.com]

Ok, well I think I am done, going to get a BP on the weekend now, what do you guys think of the setup? Any places you think I can improve?