Question on First Ball Python Enclosure

[cr_reptile]

Hello!
I’m new here, and also a first time reptile owner.
I got my beloved lil girl in October from a reputable breeder, and she has so far not skipped any meals (other than the week of her first shed, which went great, all in one piece and a beautiful shed!).

She had been in her plastic tub with UTH for those couple months, and I recently was given an older aquarium by a family friend, so I figured it was time to give her a little more room as a nice in-between stage until I eventually get her a full sized PVC enclosure, so I cleaned, disinfected, and resealed it with aquarium silicone.

The picture I’ve attached has the basic info about heating / my current temp and humidity readings I’ve been getting. I live in Colorado, so it’s exceptionally dry this time of year as well as colder than normal (She’s in a basement room right now, with a heater that keeps the room around 65-70 daily).

The readings on the displays in the picture are kinda off because I had just opened and closed the enclosure before taking it.

Her substrate is a 70/30 mix of Forest Floor and Reptisoil, upon recommendation of my local Scales n’ Tails, who also were the ones who recommended the 100W DHP because of how cold the room gets. I’ve poured water into the corners to keep the humidity where it is, and made sure that the top layer is all nice and dry, so she’s not laying on anything wet.

I would love to hear from you all on your thoughts on her enclosure as it is, just to make sure that I’m keeping her safe and happy. If anything can be improved, please let me know! The only thing I’m slightly concerned about is that surface of her hide being up to 103F. I’ve seen a few assorted forums say it’s fine since it’s overhead heating, but I’d like to hear from y’all. Would it be better to adjust the location of the thermostat probe underneath the DHP (visible on top right).

Thanks and I look forward to being here!

[caron]

Well and Looks like you did a good on the tank but I would definitely adjust the heat. 103 is way too high for a ball python. 86 to 88 is an ideal range with a basking spot of no higher than 90.

Btw, we charge a “picture tax” so pictures please!

[cr_reptile]

Thank you for the info! I find it so difficult to parse which info is best when so many people have different ideas.
Just for my understanding of it, with overhead heating, the basking spot should be between 86-88, and the inside of the warm hide is just whatever it is as long as it’s warmer than the cool side?

Ah yes the tax!!!
Here she is

[mikelcctx]

Hi. Welcome to the community. Lots of helpful people here to guide you as you learn. Just to reiterate what’s already been mentioned, a basking surface temp of 89-90 would be ideal. A temp gun will get you accurate readings, and you can adjust your thermostat appropriately. Congrats on your new pet!

[cr_reptile]

Thank you so much!!
I have a much nicer temp gun than the one in the photo of her on my arm, so that’s what I’ve been using to periodically check the basking spot.

I think my confusion just came from basking spot vs inside warm hide, so knowing that it’s the basking spot that’s supposed to be between 88-90 makes it MUCH easier to dial in the temps haha.

[caron]

Oooh! She is a darling lovely girl!

[moabnoodle1]

Congrats. I have a few suggestions…

#1. Ditch the glass and do not run to common, cheap, toxic PVC. White, untreated HDPE is FAR less toxic. You can buy 1/2" panels and hot weld them together if you are even a little handy. I just made an epic 4x2x2 this way. Glass does not trap heat or humidity well. You don’t put coffee in it so you should not put a python in it. They need heat and humidity.

Water in corners could invite mold. Use 3 glass water bowls and put some Sphagnum moss in there. Consider doing a simple BIO-ACTIVE set up that uses plants in terracotta containers and some Isopods aka CUC. They will help keep things more clean so less frequent substrate changes.

I lowered my overhead Halogen into the enclosure so it is 12" above the basking spot. You must have a reliable thermostat. I bought a Herpstat 2 which is great.

Putting the enclosure near a corner and away from drafts might help. Basements are generally too cold IMHO…

Cover much of the top. Popular topic, read online about it. You def. still need “proper” ventilation though- ideally on the sides. Again, a fish tank set up is not great for many reasons. And snakes hate being picked up from above- you look like a bird of prey which def. stresses them out. As does being surrounded by all glass. They feel vulnerable like if you slept on the 50 yard line at a football field. You must, very definitely include more HIDES and also HUMID HIDES e.g., with a damp sponge inside one on cool side and one on hot side.

You build an enclosure first for the species- not for you. Not for how it looks, or as a decoration.

Your temp. probe is at the top. That does NOT give you an accurate basking spot reading…at all. So your 103F might actually be lower (a very good thing.) A slate stone will retain heat more.

I am not a big fan of UVB, but others may disagree strongly. Too much can be damaging as in blindness, etc. No one definitely seems to really know. If you use it, please do so sparingly.

Always consider where each species spends it’s time in nature. Resist those trying to sell 1000 different “needed” solutions to problems nature never had. In nature, they usually live in holes, shelters, under things. Not much exposure UVB in those places. Just use common sense.

You came to the right place. There are many smart, knowledgeable people in here. No one person has all the answers- certainly not me but just take a little from each person and before long, you will crack the snake keeping code. So far, as a newbie, you are doing great. Just keep going and learning, like we all are.

Happy Herping!

[cr_reptile]

Thank you so much for all this information!

I have a local company that is reputable and builds PVC enclosures for reptile stores, so when she gets bigger I was planning on buying one specifically made for reptiles with high humidity and such in mind! I definitely am crafty enough to set up my own, but i would feel way more confident purchasing something made for her by a professional, I really want to give her the best life I can and I’d rather not entrust that to myself when I am not informed enough to make a good one myself haha.

It is in a nice corner that is low-traffic, and I definitely will be picking up some materials to block off the sides and back to help with retention as well as a more closed off feeling for her, and I did use HVAC tape to seal off the entirety of the top aside from the uvb and DHP, but I have left a couple nice gaps for ventilation as well!

I will definitely prioritize upgrading to a proper 4x2x2 sooner rather than later, this was definitely set up as a temporary in-between stage, not a forever-enclosure. She has a hide on both the warm and cool side, but I am planning on picking up stuff for a humid hide this weekend as well!

I’d love to know more about the thermostat probe placement (the probe at the top).
I’ve read that it can be used in multiple places, provided you verify the actual temperature of things with proper temp guns / thermometers. It’s placed at the top right now, and the actual temperatures of the basking spot / hide I verify with both the temp gun / thermo/hydrometers.

Is it a better choice to put the thermostat probe closer to the actual surface of the substrate? That seems to be one of the pieces of info that I see the most conflicting thoughts on haha.

[moabnoodle1]

Cool. It’s just a probe. If you want to know the temp at the substrate, put it near there but it MUST be secure. If it gets moved into shade, the light can over compensate and burn the snake. They won’t move and will get burned.

No- trust me, hot welding (use something like a big blow dryer to melt plastic in the seams) was easy. Or, you could ask those professionals to simply make it out of HDPE. McMaster-Carr sells 24"x48" white sheets (no UV chemicals added.) I am just ont a fan of PVC which is why I made my own.

AI
PVC off-gasses various hazardous chemicals, especially when heated or burned, releasing corrosive hydrogen chloride (HCl), carcinogens like dioxins & furans, and volatile compounds such as vinyl chloride, phthalates, and phosgene, posing risks to health (respiratory damage, cancer) and metal machinery (corrosion). Even new products release VOCs, creating that “new plastic” smell, while industrial processes and fires are major sources of these toxic emissions, contaminating air, water, and food chain.

Corner is a smart idea. Not sure how you could cover sides and back since it is glass. I have a COLD VENT on left BOTTOM, just above 5" substrate and one at the TOP RIGHT- hot side…since hot air rises. I even have a PC fan up there (hot side) that I will briefly toggle on for 5 minute a few times a day to circulate air.

BIO-ACTIVE is a great idea too.

Be careful if HVAC tape has glue facing into the enclosure. Could be harmful…especially when warmed up.

Slate for the basking surface as it traps and retains heat.

[cr_reptile]

These are all fantastic, thank you so much!!!
I’ll start taking a look at making my own, I do like the idea of doing it myself.

I’ll also look into bioactive options, I’ve heard great things and it seems like something I’d love to do for her.

[moabnoodle1]

Sure. Feel free to reach out (if you can in here- not sure), if you go for it. I actually had a dual pain glass made for the front- 36" x 18." It traps heat and humidity well. It’s a window essentially 1/4"x2 with 1/2" spacer. I put it on a simple mitre saw rail. My top, lid is removable and I covered it all in Walnut veneer. It’s epic. I installed all my pieces inside if that makes sense- inside relative to the back panel- then hot glued them. The side I had to cut down to 23" to compensate for being inside as the top and bottom each added 1/2". The front panel was then glued on flush. It sounds tricky but was a lot of fun actually and easy. Not super heavy but FAR better than anything I could buy at a pet store. There are a couple of guys that make them out of HDPE but usually it is just the front panel and you will pay a lot. I bought 5, 1/2" HDPE panels- they were about $80 each. I cut out vents on the top and side. I even build a drop in bird house thing for the light and covered with wire at the bottom- NO SHARP EDGES.

Caution: If you do hot weld, just do it outside on concrete so you don’t start a fire. They can get up to 1100F, but I welded around 400F. Preheating the HDPE is important. Plenty of YT vids on it. Wear a respirator and goggles, gloves, etc. Safety first! You will be proud of yourself when it’s done. I get tons of compliments.

You got this!

[caron]

A I just want to point out something here. Is she actually in the tank now? And there should be Another hid on the cool side as well like the little black one.

If she has already transitioned to the tank and is still eating consistently then all is well. However if she is still in the tub I would keep in mind that some ball pythons have a bit of difficulty transitioning from tub to tank and tend not to eat consistently for awhile, especially since the majority of them are kept in rack tubs at the breeder’s facility. My motto is “If it ain’t broke then don’t fix it!”

Tbh I have only skimmed through this thread so I might be duplicating the same advice and if so I apologize. Good luck with your pretty girl cr!

[cr_reptile]

1. She is in the tank now! It’s hard to see, but there is another hide in the cool side, it’s underneath the propped up branch (she REALLY likes climbing it seems like).

2. She hasn’t had her first meal in the tank yet, but the first feed will be tomorrow, so we’ll see if she takes! If she doesn’t, do you recommend going back to the tub, or just sticking it out in the tank?

[caron]

Just wait and see if she takes her first meal in the tank. If she doesn’t you can always add some more clutter like fake greenery etc so she feels secure. But she may eat with no problem. I’m a tub keeper myself so I’m a bit different than tank/other enclosure type keepers.

[cr_reptile]

Edit:

Removed additional question to start a new topic with it.