Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I posted this a little further down but no one responded so im posting it again so maybe some new people will see it and have some advice(sorry to be a nag). I would appreciate ANYTHING that anyone has to say about the tank because i would like to order it as soon as possible and want to make sure i am getting the right thing.

I am going to be buying a new tank for my ball and i would like some advice if anyone has it. I am thinking about buying a boaphile plastic tanks measuring 36" long, 24" deep 11.5" tall. It is the 321D tank. I would like to have them install the low wattage flexwatt and a Florescent light. Does this sound ok to everyone? Is there anything else i should know? here are the links if anyone wants to check it out.
http://www.boaphileplastics.com/321d.html
http://www.boaphileplastics.com/lighting.html
http://www.boaphileplastics.com/heating.html

Thanks for any responses.

Rob Woods

That looks like a very nice cage Rob. The demensions will be plenty big enough for an adult ball, the enclosed structure should hold humidity well, the heat source looks good too. Only thing I would say is, if your investing in such a fine cage, go ahead and invest the additional funds to pick up a thermostat to plug that heat pad into. That way you can set it to ensure the floor over the pad does not exceed 90-95F.

Nice looking cage, thats probably why you didn't get any responces, it looks to be a nice cage and I had to really think to come up with a suggestion!

Show pics when you have them.

Good luck

Try looking into the racks Jeff makes I think it is the blanket rack. I use those same tubs for my adult ball pythons. MHO
-----
www.BallPython.Us

>>Try looking into the racks Jeff makes I think it is the blanket rack. I use those same tubs for my adult ball pythons. MHO
>>-----
>>www.BallPython.Us
>>

It may be that it is premature for me to chime in, since I have not had any hard data yet from racks (I am in the process of building one). I have been keeping bp in: 1. a glass aquirium 2. a plastic tub with a screen top 3. a 22 x 16 x 6 sweater box (by the way, the sweater box one is my best eater. . . eats every four days even in shed).

I am thinking about building a rack. When I first started wanting a rack, it was just for ease of chores. However, as I did more research, I found out that racks really can help in giving the best environmental conditions for a happy BP.

Many people have consistently said that since they moved to racks, their BP's have become 100% eaters. I take eating as a parameter of how happy a snakey is. If a BP is chronically stressed, I believe they can easily become reluctant feeders. If a rack turns a stubborn BP into a good eater, it must mean that the rack's conditions is allowing the BP to be happy.

What is the point of my rambling? Well, even though I am still in the process of building a rack and have no real personal experience, I just thought I'd share with you what I have found in my research on this subject.

Of course, you have to decide for yourself and ask more questions of the experts.

I know that personally, if I were you, before I invested the money on a good cage, I would look into a rack. Please don't get me wrong: I am not trying to tell you what to do. There is nothing wrong with the cage that you are thinking about buying!

Anyways, If you have been following my threads in the last two days, you would know that I have been putting together a blue print for a rack of my own. In fact, tomorrow I am buying the wood and likely the rack will be all finished and up and running tomorrow!

Here are some good rack links:

www.ballpython.ca (it has a rack that is nick-named "the eating machine because of 100% eating rate!)

forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=8724,8724 This place has a great rack.

Also, if you email me, I will forward you an email that Ross2K (hope you don't mind, Ross!) wrote me. He took the time to write a very succinct and clear instruction for one of his racks (which by the way, helped his bps become ~100% eating machines).

I don't think that it is a magic thing. Racks don't jsut magically turn non-eating snakes into eating ones. However, what racks do seem to do is allow for perfect husbandry! And that is more than anyone who owns/loves their bp can ever hope for!

cheeers.

p.s. please have a pleasant BP day!
-----
Longtang. I like snakes and rats.

Thanks for the help and advice. I have decided to order the tank from boaphile i described in my first post. The reason i am not getting a rack(sorry!lol) is because i only have one ball python and i am will not be getting anymore so i dont think a rack is worth it. I did a lot of research on different tanks and i concluded the boaphile was the best. So thanks again for the help. I will post pics after i get the tank and its all set up.

Rob Woods

>>Thanks for the help and advice. I have decided to order the tank from boaphile i described in my first post. The reason i am not getting a rack(sorry!lol) is because i only have one ball python and i am will not be getting anymore so i dont think a rack is worth it. I did a lot of research on different tanks and i concluded the boaphile was the best. So thanks again for the help. I will post pics after i get the tank and its all set up.
>>
>>Rob Woods

Hehheh:

Once upon a time, I was a one snake kind of man. I thought I was not going to get more. But now I have seven snakes: 3 ball pythons (will be getting more to fill my rack). I have also four hot snakes (3 pigmies and one copperhead).

Ball pythons will always be my first love because I love them and I like holding and handling and cuddling (weird, no?) with my snakeys. Hots are cool, but it is a different ball game

So, I smile when I read that you will only be keeping one. What you don't know is that ball pythons are like potato chips. Once you take one, you will take on more. Resistance will be futile! (heheh).

Anyways, you can't go wrong with a good display cage. This way, you can have one display and when you get your rack (which, trust me, you will , in order to house the many bps which are in your near future! ), you still can have one of your favorites out for display. Cheers. and good luck!

Anyways, my rack is already done! All I need now is to install the back heat tape! It only took me 45 minutes to assemble. I will post a thread on my rack and my experience with building my first rack!

here is the photo and the link to the photo.

click this blue line to see the picture page of the rack, flexwatt and BP's.

-----
Longtang. I like snakes and rats.

I thought the same thing this past Dec(Dec. 2002)when i bought a 50% Het Piebald. Now i got 23 Balls and 3 Corn snakes. Also have 5 more Balls coming when my rack is finished(6 Drawer rack from where your getting yours from).

Its one of those "I can't have enough Balls" thing... Well, good luck with the ONE, Ha Ha Ha... John