Please critique my baby ball python enclosure!

TechnoCheese

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I got some really nice hides for Christmas, and I wasn’t patient enough to wait and put the doors on the front of the tub before setting it up, so here we are, lol.

There’s a heat mat connected to a thermostat, and a super low wattage heat lamp that’s mainly just there for the light and enrichment. I’m going to put metal mesh below the lamp. Substrate is orchid bark (reptibark) with some moss and a few places. There are 4 hides if you count the area behind the tree as one, including the wood and plant in The left corner that I turned into a hide.

The enclosure is a 50 gallon tub and it’s roughly 21x39 inches.
Anything I need to change before I get the snake(which will probably be in a few weeks/months)?
IMG_1821.jpgIMG_1822.jpgIMG_1823.jpg
 

EllieMay

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I got some really nice hides for Christmas, and I wasn’t patient enough to wait and put the doors on the front of the tub before setting it up, so here we are, lol.

There’s a heat mat connected to a thermostat, and a super low wattage heat lamp that’s mainly just there for the light and enrichment. I’m going to put metal mesh below the lamp. Substrate is orchid bark (reptibark) with some moss and a few places. There are 4 hides if you count the area behind the tree as one, including the wood and plant in The left corner that I turned into a hide.

The enclosure is a 50 gallon tub and it’s roughly 21x39 inches.
Anything I need to change before I get the snake(which will probably be in a few weeks/months)?
View attachment 260534View attachment 260535View attachment 260536

I don’t know a lot about snake habitats but I’m very proud to see the planning, effort and research that you do for the pets you have. There are few who do and especially not at your age. Can’t wait to see your new baby! Your teaching me as you go [emoji4]
 

Toddrickfl1

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Looks really nice for a Tortoise, sure you wanna snake? :rolleyes:
 

Tom

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Looks good to me. Once the front is on, run it with your thermometer to make sure its warm enough. Balls like it warm. I always kept mine at an ambient of 80 at night and up to 90 during the day. I kept several of them and never had one that didn't want to eat. In fact I took in a few that wouldn't eat for their previous owners, and they ate fine for me. I believe warm temps and high humidity had something to do with it.
 

Ben02

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You will probably already know but a humid hide will help shedding. It's good you plan before buying a critter, I remember seeing a mum impulse buy a royal python for her 6 year old daughter. whether or not that snakes still alive who knows.

Ben
 

Yvonne G

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What a good idea. I'm assuming you've turned the tub on its side and cut out the front. How are you going to make doors, and what material will you use?
 

daniellenc

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The bulb makes me nervous as snakes are great escape artists and can easily move the dome to wiggle out through the smallest opening. The light will only encourage your snake to hide more while it is on as well so not necessary at all. Otherwise it’s super nice!!
 

Yvonne G

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Macy: You can cut the wire larger than the opening for the light and screw it or bolt it through the plastic in several places, not just in the corners of the wire. I think that would keep the snake inside?????
 

TechnoCheese

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Macy: You can cut the wire larger than the opening for the light and screw it or bolt it through the plastic in several places, not just in the corners of the wire. I think that would keep the snake inside?????

The bulb makes me nervous as snakes are great escape artists and can easily move the dome to wiggle out through the smallest opening. The light will only encourage your snake to hide more while it is on as well so not necessary at all. Otherwise it’s super nice!!

Yep, I’m using fine metal mesh with a cut out a lot larger than the opening, and securely attaching it with either staples, bolts, or as an absolute last resort, tape on the top where it can’t get to it. I am extremely hesitant to use tape in case it gets all over the snake, so that probably won’t happen.
 

TechnoCheese

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What a good idea. I'm assuming you've turned the tub on its side and cut out the front. How are you going to make doors, and what material will you use?

I’m going to attach some home made glass rails to the side, and use some well supported plexiglass as sliding doors. I’ll make a post about how I did it when I’m finished for tortoise owners :)
 

TechnoCheese

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You will probably already know but a humid hide will help shedding. It's good you plan before buying a critter, I remember seeing a mum impulse buy a royal python for her 6 year old daughter. whether or not that snakes still alive who knows.

Ben

Yep, the tree hide has moss in it, and I plan to make that the humid one :)
 

TechnoCheese

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Looks good to me. Once the front is on, run it with your thermometer to make sure its warm enough. Balls like it warm. I always kept mine at an ambient of 80 at night and up to 90 during the day. I kept several of them and never had one that didn't want to eat. In fact I took in a few that wouldn't eat for their previous owners, and they ate fine for me. I believe warm temps and high humidity had something to do with it.

How high is high humidity? Like tortoise high? My research has led me to believe that temps should be no lower than 80 in the cool side with a hot side of 85-95 and humidity 60-70, and 80-90 while in shed. Should I boost both temps and humidity?
 

TechnoCheese

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Yep, I’m using fine metal mesh with a cut out a lot larger than the opening, and securely attaching it with either staples, bolts, or as an absolute last resort, tape on the top where it can’t get to it. I am extremely hesitant to use tape in case it gets all over the snake, so that probably won’t happen.

Also, the light is pretty weak and it’s mainly just there as a light source, because the room it’ll be in is dark most of the day :)
 

NorCal tortoise guy

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I’m going to attach some home made glass rails to the side, and use some well supported plexiglass as sliding doors. I’ll make a post about how I did it when I’m finished for tortoise owners :)
Make sure to secure the sliders in some way ( a Display case lock works well) or the snake will push it open
 

Tom

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I like higher humidity for them, but not wet substrate all the time. A proper humid hide works really well too.
 

TortoiseRacket

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I would recommend mixing in some eco-earth and bonsai soil. I use those in my bioactive crested gecko cage and they hold humidity but can be dry when you want them to. Hope that helps and that inclosure looks pretty sweet!
GoHerping does a lot of videos about ball pythons on YouTube. He may be able to help, too.
-Mickey
 

TechnoCheese

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I would recommend mixing in some eco-earth and bonsai soil. I use those in my bioactive crested gecko cage and they hold humidity but can be dry when you want them to. Hope that helps and that inclosure looks pretty sweet!
GoHerping does a lot of videos about ball pythons on YouTube. He may be able to help, too.
-Mickey

Thanks for the tip! And GoHerping is by far my favorite pet YouTuber, lol. Used him a LOT while I was researching.
 

Cheryl Hills

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I would recommend mixing in some eco-earth and bonsai soil. I use those in my bioactive crested gecko cage and they hold humidity but can be dry when you want them to. Hope that helps and that inclosure looks pretty sweet!
GoHerping does a lot of videos about ball pythons on YouTube. He may be able to help, too.
-Mickey
Does your bonsai soil have vermiculite or pearl lite in it? If so I would not use that. It can kill the baby tortoise.
 

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