Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey ya'll. I am getting either a Jungle or Irian Jaya carpet and I have all the caging stuff planned out except lighting. i have to have a light because my room is in the basement, so should I use an incandescent bulb or a ceramic bulb with a flourescent bulb? How do you control the temperature with incandescent and ceramic bulbs? I can't afford a thermostat. Thanks for your help.

>>Hey ya'll. I am getting either a Jungle or Irian Jaya carpet and I have all the caging stuff planned out except lighting. i have to have a light because my room is in the basement, so should I use an incandescent bulb or a ceramic bulb with a flourescent bulb? How do you control the temperature with incandescent and ceramic bulbs? I can't afford a thermostat. Thanks for your help.

Just my opinion, obviously, but wait and save your money until you can afford a thermostat. It's important to maintain all reptiles in the correct temperature range, and if you cannot afford to do that, you cannot afford the reptile. It won't kill you to wait another month or two or whatever to save the extra $100 or so for a herpstat or helix.
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0.1 Albino Leopard Gecko - Tigger
0.1 Crested Gecko - Pooh-Bear

Well, I would do that but i am 13 and have now allowance. My parents will NOT pay for any of it. So, is there another option at all?

If you don't have a source of money, how are you going to pay for the cage and the snake, let alone the heating solution and thermostat? Beyond that, how are you going to pay to feed the snake? How are you going to pay for a visit to the vet when/if that's needed?

It seems to me like you should wait a few years until you're able to get a job; then you'll be able to answer all of those questions with a simple "with the money from my job."
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0.1 Albino Leopard Gecko - Tigger
0.1 Crested Gecko - Pooh-Bear

I estimated the cost of the snake and cage, which went to about $220 dollars. I have enough Christmas and birthday money for that. I might have another $100 for the thermostat. And when I said that my parents won't pay for anything, I meant the snake/caging, so they will probably buy food. So, I might be able to afford it. So back to the first post, how should I heat the cage?

>>I estimated the cost of the snake and cage, which went to about $220 dollars. I have enough Christmas and birthday money for that. I might have another $100 for the thermostat. And when I said that my parents won't pay for anything, I meant the snake/caging, so they will probably buy food. So, I might be able to afford it. So back to the first post, how should I heat the cage?
>>

Wow, that's a cheap snake cage. I guess I must be looking at nicer/more expensive stuff, cause I'd have figured that $220 as the low end on pricing for the cage alone. The setup I've looked at in the past is going to run me more like $360 with the shipping ($58 in shipping, ouch, this stuff is heavy/large) for cage flexwatt heat, and then I'll have to buy the thermostat on top of that.

Of course, I'm thinking in terms of final adult caging, because you'll need it eventually anyway. Unless you're looking at racks tubs for lots of animals, that usually means something like 3 feet long by 2 feet deep by 18 inches tall, at least (I'm looking at 4'x2'x2' because I like giving animals a bit more space when possible.

As far as heating goes, there are several reasonable options. Radiant heat panels are really nice, but tend to be somewhat costly; they're probably one of the best options. Also good is either flexwatt or heat cable mounted under an area of the cage floor (typically recessed in from the bottom to make heat transfer through the plastic or wood of the cage floor easier). Those tend to be cheaper options, with flexwatt in particular being pretty reasonable in price. ($20-25 or so.)

Lighting-wise, if they'll otherwise have no day/night cycle, you can mount a fluorescent in the cage and run it on a timer for that - obviously don't have the bulb directly exposed to the snake, but otherwise, it's no big deal.
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0.1 Albino Leopard Gecko - Tigger
0.1 Crested Gecko - Pooh-Bear

I found a respected breeder who lives in North Carolina (I live in Georgia), so shipping isn't a problem. He said if I got everything the snake needed, he would lower the price to $100. Then, the breeder recommended a place to buy a plastic 24'x 12'x 12' inch cage for $50. He lives in Tennessee, but shipping is cheap anyway. So then, all I have left is lighting and heating, substrate, a perch (which I will find in the woods and put in the oven to kill bacteria), water bowl, and a hiding area. Then, in two or so years, when the snake outgrows the cage, I can have a job and buy an apropriate cage. So thanks for your help!

The shipping I was referring to was for the larger cage that I mentioned, not the snake. Sounds like you've at least got a plan now - here's hoping it all works out beautifully for you.
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0.1 Albino Leopard Gecko - Tigger
0.1 Crested Gecko - Pooh-Bear

"Hey ya'll. I am getting either a Jungle or Irian Jaya carpet and I have all the caging stuff planned out except lighting. i have to have a light because my room is in the basement, so should I use an incandescent bulb or a ceramic bulb with a flourescent bulb? How do you control the temperature with incandescent and ceramic bulbs? I can't afford a thermostat. Thanks for your help."

Well here is what I get from your post, and my thoughts....

With a flourescent bulb, you can control the temps by what wattage the bulb is, depending on how large your enclosure is, you can change the temps by changing the watts of the bulb, meaning a 100w bulb will be hotter than say a 25w bulb, that is one way to control the temps. And again, it all depends on how large of an enclosure you are trying to heat up. Using a Dome inccandescent bulb is a widely used way to heat reptile enclosures, while there might be better options now, its something that will work.

The Ceramic heat emitters are also pretty good, but they usually come in larger wattages, several downsides, limited sizes/wattages, and they really should be used with a thermostat...as they turn on and just get hot...they also do not emit any light, so if your room is dark all the time, I would recomend having a flourescent light in additon to the ceramic heat emitter.

I know its hard being young, and having little to no money for everything, and it can be pretty overwelming, but just a freindly word of advice....the better prepaired you are the easier and more fun your expereince with carpets is going to be.

I think of it like fish tanks, not sure if you have ever had any of those, but its so hard to set up a fish tank and not be able to put a bunch of fish into it right away...there is a schedule, or procedure you have to do, but after patience and time have gone by, and you have followed and done what you need to do, in the end the results are pure pleasure. I know you want to set up an enclosure with the goal of getting a Carpet Python, I would just say...be patient...get what you need caging wise, and get a really nice setup built, that should also show your parents that you really care about this, and that your not just wanting a quick carpet python fix...most parents who watch thier kids research, and learn about something they are pasionate about, tend to want to help out a little more....I would also advise buying a carpet from a breeder...one that is well started, that can answer all your questions. Take the time to find one you like...rather than just buying one cause its cheap from a reseller. Often times, at least in my case, I would happily hook a young budding herpetoculturist up with on of my offspring if they could show me they truely where interested, had done the research, and had the proper setup...I would hook them up...it never hurts to let the breeder know your situation...

Best of luck...and remember...the more time/money you spend on the proper setup the better your expereince with Carpets will be...I don't mean you have to get the best of the best...just don't skimp on things like heating...its just a reciepe for heartache...

Take Care
David
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Executive Reptiles
Amanda Kingsbury & David Kendrick
www.executivereptiles.com

I HIGHLY suggest picking up a temp gun from someone like LLL or Proexotics...they are often times pretty cheap...but will give you a better reading on what the temps are. I use my temp gun on a daily basis...to make sure enclosures are at the right temps...Its one of those things that are an extra, but worth their weight on gold...I highly recomened getting one as part of your setup.
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Executive Reptiles
Amanda Kingsbury & David Kendrick
www.executivereptiles.com

I have been researching snakes for around 7 months and until recently, my mom just bluntly said no. Dad had a snake in college, so I think he kind of wanted me to get one.She wasn't scared of snakes or anything, but hated the rats in the freezer idea. Then, after going to Repticon in Atlanta, she has decided to let me have one. I am getting one from Will Leary so he is pretty trustworthy. Thanks for the temp. gun advice. I haven't even heard of that.

There was a typo in my last post. I said "She just bluntly said no". I meant my mom, but it sounded like my dad.

"I am getting one from Will Leary so he is pretty trustworthy."

Thats all you had to say...He is one of the best in the industry especially with Carpet Pythons, so you will no doubt be in good hands and get quality.

Best of luck...and post pics when you get your new addition...
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Executive Reptiles
Amanda Kingsbury & David Kendrick
www.executivereptiles.com

I'm glad to hear that! I will post pictures.