Mr. Bojangles (640x480px)

[HockeyFan2kx]

Nevermind...

So you don't even know what the point was?

[ddbjdealer]

What's the problem man? You seem to have a problem with everyone's posts, and here you are, a brand new member struttin around king of the BP world. Why all the animosity?

[tigerlily]

Hey let's all play nice. Please remember this is a place to exchange ideas and try to come away with a better understanding of herps.

Yes, you need to have some part of a tank not covered. Stagnant air is very bad. I've had tanks and I had to constantly adjust how much of the screen was covered to keep the humidity in the 50-60% range. Shoot I have to put fans on, to make sure the humidity in the rack doesn't get too high, since there is little air movement in there.

[HockeyFan2kx]

Your calling someone a new memeber when your 3months wet behind the ears. Nice post

[tigerlily]

Ahem...

If we can't all get along, I don't mind sending people to their respective corners.

[HockeyFan2kx]

I can get along. I make love not war. I just don't think it's nice for someone claiming I have hostility in my post and trying to belittle me for being a new member when they are in fact a new member as well.

[IamKaervek]

Well, I went and picked up a new tub for Bo. I think this should suffice (beer added for size-reference):


I've got 3 bricks of coconut husk in there, and it's drying out under the heater and a heat lamp. It's pretty easy to over-estimate just how much water you need to get that stuff plyable! He's in his aquarium for the night, and just got done scarfing down some dinner (that's mouse #3, for those of us who aren't counting). He struck immediately after seeing this one, which I think means he was quite ready to eat again. I'll wait another 5 days before I try again. The last time he was fed was almost 5 days ago.

Anyway, I think this new tub will be just fine. I'll have to cut a hole on either side, and zip-tie some screen to the top. I imagine one side would be for the day-lamp, and the other for the night-lamp? Any suggestions on how to configure the lighting on this beast? I'm also going to give him a humid-hide on the "day side" of the tank - is this something I should only do during shedding, or at all times? Also, is the heat-pad I have stuck to the bottom of his aquarium safe for this tub, or should I rely solely on lights here?

Thanks so much for everyone's help! I'd be quite clueless without it, which as we all know, is no way to raise a pet!

[Cody]

I myself would skip the whole cutting a hole and adding screen to the top, as that'll just cause the humidity to be hard to keep. Same with the heat lamps. Heat lamps will just dry the enclosure out and will make humidity a task to keep up. Best way to heat a snake's enclosure would be belly heat, IMO. Get some flexwatt heat tape or a heat pad(and a thermostat to regulate the under tank heater), and pop it under the cage, and you should be good to go. As for air flow in the tub, just take a drill or soldering iron(if using a drill, be careful as the tub could crack easily with it) and put a bunch of holes on the sides. I use 3 foot by 2 foot underbed storage tubs for my snakes and I have 20 holes on the front side, 20 on the back side, and 4 on each short side, totalling 48 holes in the tub. You might find that more holes or less holes will work for you.

Also, that looks like a pretty large tub for the size of snake you have. I'd recommend filling up a lot of that space with decorations and hides to provide cover and make him/her feel secure in the new environment. (and yes I know the way the tub is in that pic is the unfurnished cage...just saying when you decorate it...yeah )

[IamKaervek]

Also, that looks like a pretty large tub for the size of snake you have. I'd recommend filling up a lot of that space with decorations and hides to provide cover and make him/her feel secure in the new environment. (and yes I know the way the tub is in that pic is the unfurnished cage...just saying when you decorate it...yeah )

Haha! Yeah, I'm definitely going to have plenty of hides (3 for now) and foliage/climbing structures for him

As far as the holes - what sizes do you recommend? 1/4"? And I'm assuming that when you say you have 20 on either long-side, that these are along the top of the tank from end-to-end?

[SatanicIntention]

I have the exact same tub set up for my incoming boa, Ruari(except the lid is clear). I do have another one of those tubs in the garage, and the lid is green. I think the red is very festive . I will try to get pictures for you of the heating arrangements.

On one side, I have two 2ft sections of flexwatt attached to a JC Controls T-stat set to 94, and on the other side I have a ceramic lamp containing a 60w CHE. I cut a square(about 12"x12") out of the lid using my soldering iron(NOT fun... took forever and a day).

I then cut a square of rubber/vinyl/whatchamacallit green stuff-coated hardware cloth(1/2" squares) and cut it so the mesh was 1.5"-2" bigger than the hole in the lid, all the way around(pictures will better explain). I then used the heavy duty, black zip ties to secure the mesh to the lid. The soldering iron works well to make the holes big enough for the zip ties to go through. Again, pictures work better to show how I did this.

You can get a ceramic based lamp from WalMart for $7-something. They work quite well and the dome is large enough to accomodate a CHE. Matt(justcage) has 60w CHE's for $20. That way you can use just the light from a window or a fluorescent tube set on top to light the enclosure.

I'll take pics, I promise!