Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi All,

I've been making some designs for a tank (you can see them, although I'm afraid there not that clear, at www.geocities.com/vrggent2003/ballterrarium.html) for a Ball Python I plan on getting this summer. It will be 100cm L x 50cm W x 50cm H (in inches: appr. 40"Lx20"Wx20"H), or about I guess 60 gal (we don't use those measurements on the other side of the Atlantic). But I have some questions on how to heat it.

(1) What do I have to use? I'm planning on using a UHT and 2 standard incandescent light bulbs (spots) of 60W. Will that be sufficient? And does it make a difference if they're 220V or 12V (the standard voltages in Belgium)?

(2) As for the UHT. Since it will be made of wood, I presume I have to put it in between two glass panels? Am I right?

(3) And what about those red night-lights? Are these the same lamps that are being used in christmas trees or are it the ones used also for developing photographs, or still, the ones used for keeping the cantine-food hot (I'm a little confused on that)? Are they a must? And could I leave them on 24/7?

(4) How do I regulate the day-night temp difference? I know I won't be there every night, so is it safe to trust a thermostat connected on the UHT? Do I have to turn of the UHT at night? And is it possible to make a timer switch automatically between the regular bulbs and the night-light (if the night-light can't be left on all day)? (I'm not that much of an electricity man...)

(5) And finally (sorry for being a bore), how do I place all this inside the tank? I've read in an article by Melissa Kaplan that I should put the incandescent lights and the UHT more on one side of the tank, in order to create a basking spot and a heat- and light-gradient. Right? And then just putting the night-light in the middle?

I'm guessing it's just trying a setup, and then adjusting it, by changing wattage and placing dimmers, but I don't feel like taking the whole tank apart once it's built...

I've been reading articles on BPs for the past 2 years, and then I came upon this forum. HUGE!!! Worth far more than all those 'general' and repetitive articles without ever a real answer!!!

Anyway, thanks a million times for helping me out a little...

Gilles

I don't know if I can answer all of your questions, but here's a desciption of the cage I built:

4' wide, 2' deep, 2' tall Plywood with plexiglass doors (front) and sides

I use a water bed heater UNDER the tank. they're nice because they already come with a thermostat, and they actually need a lot of weight to work properly (they're supposed to heat water beds, y'know)

For my (one) light, I just cut out a hole in the size of it, so it'll fit nice and snug, they stapled some hardware cloth (wire mesh stuff) over the hole on the inside of the tank. For my size tank, I use a 100w bulb, or they can't feel the heat 2' below the bulb.

I hope that answered at least a few of your questions. I'm not a pro at building my own cages.
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-Irish
My Snakes

(4) How do I regulate the day-night temp difference? I know I won't be there every night, so is it safe to trust a thermostat connected on the UHT? Do I have to turn of the UHT at night? And is it possible to make a timer switch automatically between the regular bulbs and the night-light (if the night-light can't be left on all day)? (I'm not that much of an electricity man...)

You don't really need a 2nd light. The important heat is belly heat. Just put the light blub on a 12 hr on/off cycle (buy a simple timer) just to create day/night temps. And I leave my heat mats unattended all the time when I go to work. I mean, I check to make sure that the temps are correct with a cheap thermometer that I just lay on the floor over the UTH. But I haven't had any problems with any UTHs except the ones sold as "for reptiles." I buy human heating pads - they fun and adjustable!

(5) And finally (sorry for being a bore), how do I place all this inside the tank? I've read in an article by Melissa Kaplan that I should put the incandescent lights and the UHT more on one side of the tank, in order to create a basking spot and a heat- and light-gradient. Right? And then just putting the night-light in the middle?

In all my tanks, I put the UTH and the light bulbs (if I use them) on the same side of the tank. UTH goes under far 1/2 to 1/3 of tank, and the bulb goes on the far side over the UTH. That way it goes from warmest end to coolest end.

I'm guessing you know the hides/water bowls rule, right? One hide on both ends of the cage, so they can thermoregulate and still feel secure. And if you put a big water bowl on the warm side, and a smaller one on the cool side, it'll help with humidity.
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-Irish
My Snakes

I recently bought a UTH (the ones for reptiles), i'm just curious by what you said about having problems with them, should i watch out for something ??? what kind of thermometer do you place on the ground ?

Well, I had my reptile UTH for about a year, and it shorted out and burnt the CRAP out of my big female. I ended up losing her because of it. Now I check floor temps every day.

Any thermometer'll work. Just lay it on the substrate over the UTH and check it. You can use a therm. that you get at the petstore or hardware store, whatever.
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-Irish
My Snakes

ok now im worried bout the UTH. anyways i put a therm on the substrate, it reads 95-100 F , thats where the heating lamp and the pad are. i have the UTH installed with a dimmer, what should i do ?

Turn it down! Or turn off the lamp. At 100, you'll fry poor snakey. I never let mine get over 90.

I don't know how dimmer switches work, because I always use human pads with 3 levels. They're cheaper and adjustable! And I''ve had two of them for as long as the reptile UTH I had, and I've never had a problem. Of cours,e I'm not saying ALL reptile UTHs will short out, or even that they have a tendancy to. Just than mine did, and now I don't trust it.
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-Irish
My Snakes

On the "cage and habitat design"-forum, someone suggested putting the lights also on a thermostat. Won't that stress the snake too much if they keep going on and off? (light goes on, light goes off, light goes on, light goes off, light ... never mind - for the Homer fans)

And do you suggest a night lamp? What's the use of it actually? Giving heat or keeping some light in the tank so we can still see the BP (because if I've read well on this forum, they can't see in the red spectrum)?

Thanks a lot for all the advice you've given so far!!

Gilles

Yeah, the on/off thing would prolly stress it out. They need a 12 hour photoperiod, so. Just get a wattage that's appropriate for that size tank (I use 30/40 for a 10g, 60/75 in a 20g long - depending on how cold your house is.)

A night lamp is more useful for lizards, since they get heat from above. Since snakes don't need that kind of heat (belly heat is what's important), all you really need a light for (if you even use one, which is kinda a debate) is raising their daytime temps around 5 degrees and giving them the photoperiod (which can usually be acomplished just by being in a room that brightens up during the day, hehe). If you're planning on breeding, you need a lamp so you can adjust photoperiods depending on the time of year so you'll eventually get them in the Mood.

But . . . yeah. I don't always use lights, and I've noticed no difference in the health/stress levels of the cages that have a light vs. the ones that don't.
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-Irish
My Snakes