Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wondering I use to keep my snakes on my back porch due to I live in south florida so the temperatures are right.. But now im starting to deal with more exspencive animals and decided to keep them inside. Now my house stays freezing due to it being so hot outside its set at 72 degrees 24-7. Right now I just have a few small snakes so I keep them seperate in 10 gallons and I use a 60watt ceramic light bulb. Is this sufficient to keep the tanks warm enough in my house? I have a question about wild caught babies.. I can get wild caught babies for $9.00 a piece or less depending on quantity. Is it worth the time of getting them to feed at the cheap price, or am I better of getting CH or CB feeders for $ 30-60 a piece.. Im just collecting females now til I get a small herim. Then get a couple nice Het Males. Any insight would be great.. Also, anyone know of any South Florida reptile shows?
Jbugg

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Don't keep them outside that's just plain cruel. Put them in a room, cut the a/c off in that room if you have to, and fiddle around with the heating until you get it right. Remember that these are living creatures, and they rely on you to take care of them their health and comfort is as much if not more of a priority than yours, don't crank your AC learn to live without it or don't own reptiles. CH babies can be as easy as CB babies or they can be as difficult as WC adults. Are they worth it, depends on how dedicated you are if you get ones with problems. But the same can be said for CB babies.
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Tosha

"Stupid is forever, ignorance can be fixed." Don Wood

"Of course, that's only my opinion...and I believe I am God." =) Chris Bianco

7.33.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope John Paul)
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.0 Pool skimmer rescues for this season

Is this sufficient to keep the tanks warm enough in my house?

Is that a question you should be asking AFTER you already have your snakes?

Yikes.

Poor snakes.

Time to read a care sheet or three. I don't even know where to begin. The REQUIRED temp range for Ball Pythons is 80F cool end 90-92F warm end. How anyone here can predict what a light bulb will do in your house is beyond ESP. And Balls are NOCTURNAL snakes. Light bulbs to heat them is a pi$$ poor solution for heating. Heat tape or heat pads.

My head hurts. I can't fathom the replies that are sure to follow........

I have read care sheets plus I have been raising reptiles for years. I was just stating how I have things set up and how other people have thiers.. Of course Ball Pythons are NOCTURNAL but if you read my post it says CERAMIC BULB which doesnt give off any light.. So you think a shoe box in a rack is less cruel? I did not ask for a fight I asked for information.
Jbugg

"So you think a shoe box in a rack is less cruel?"

When i asked that same question...The response i got from an experienced breeder was this: "Your thinking like a human."

He was right...They do not want to be out in the open,and i've seen an improvement in their healthy appetites ever since.Those tubs in the rack are very secure feeling to them.It is also easier to control humidity in them,compared to screen topped aquariums.
Also,if you do want to keep them indoors...the glass will conduct the cold from the ac much worse than plastic will.Which makes it very difficult to keep a decent thermal gradient.(ie,92 hot end and 78 cool end)

Best of luck to you

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Charles Glaspie

Well when it comes to snakes wellfare SOMETIMES a "professional breeder" cant help you all they care about is the $$$$.Besides does the snake tell you he likes the rack more? A snake will most likely thrive in any situation that doesnt neccesarly make it the right situation. Keeping snakes in racks is the same thing as jail for a snake, your locked out from the world you dont get to see anyone you dont get to see light or the sun and the only time you communicate with anyone or anything is feeding time. They will sell any of thier snakes at anytime thats why they keep them its almost like stock or the well used word in the ball python world "Investments", they are pets people. Your probably right about the glass getting colder then plastic.. But like you said they like to hide and dont be out in the open but thats why they make hides.. I still stick by my words I think that putting a snake in a shoebox in a rack where the snakes cant barely see out and dont get any light at all though they are nocturnal and I dont think you can enjoy them when you cant see them unless you pull them out..Now if your in ball pythons just to make a quick buck then racks are for you they are economical in that way.. I know you all have to agree that ball pythons are curious animals and like to explore.. Well im finished so thanks for all the info.
Jbugg

It seems as if you already have all the answers.

So why did i even try to help?!...So you could come back and judge me?!!...bah!! ...some people.

Yeah thats right we are all heartless sob's with nothing in mind but money(thats sarcasm btw).I am now convince that you must be involved with P.E.T.A. ,with opinions like that.
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Charles Glaspie

Im sick of people replying who dont read the whole thing! I said in my last post's I have read caresheets and do know enough. All I asked was how some of the other people keep them.. Im not a fan of P.E.T.A. or whoever they are its simple logic.. I dunno you need to keep asking yourself why you waisted your time.. I never said anything about Reptile Breeders being (SOB'S) I simply said that if your not planning to breed the reptiles you probably wont want to keep them in a rack. I plan on breeding my snakes in the future just not on a large scale like some of the breeders out there. I want a albino ball python and being a single parent I realy have to budget my money.. So thats the only reason im trying to breed hets. Because I cannot afford to just go out and by my albino ball for $2,500. I give my hats off to some of them they create amazing animals. We went from debating about snakes to attacking each other character and its uncalled for. If anyone has some posotive insight it would be greatly appreciated.
Jbugg

I positively think you are keeping those snakes wrong.

The goal of the keeper is to mimic the ecological niche that the animal has evolved for tens of thousands of years to exploit. Ball Pythons are nocturnal burrow-dwellers that have no natural defences other than tough skin and the ability to wedge themselves into tight places.

Now....gee......how would one re-create their habitat in captivity? One guess, and its not sitting in aquariums on your back porch.

Well for wild caught animals in quarantine my back porch is sufficient. I dont see the problem the porch is screened in the temperatures outside are accurate and they cannot effect my CB inside. These animals lived outside before I recieved them. After 3 months and I see no signs of parasites or disease. I move them inside. This is how I keep my reptiles. MY CB animals stay inside always. I dont think they need a defense in a enclosed enclosure???? Ummm of course they need hides and I think that is the 4th time I have said this! So please know the facts before you make accusations.
Jbugg

Your first post stated that you kept your snakes outside and now that you are getting expensive snakes you wanted to know how to keep them warm in your cold house. Now you are saying that you quarantine WC outside and move them inside. So now I'm confused as to the real situation.

Keeping snakes outside (even WCs in a screened porch) is cruel. Period - you are subjecting them to too many changing elements it's going to stress them and cause problems. Especially if you have them in glass aquariums. Regardless of their value all snakes should be treated the same.

If you cannot properly house and quarantine snakes inside your home then you should not own them.

If you truly have read caresheets and know the ball pythons habits and proper husbantry then you would know that your arguement against using racks is unjustified.

We raise snakes because we care about our animals and find them facinating. We come to this forum to exchange ideas and learn and share. If people are trying to help you, you should not bite their heads off. Hopefully you have learned something and will go about providing a better environment for your animals.
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Tosha

"Stupid is forever, ignorance can be fixed." Don Wood

"Of course, that's only my opinion...and I believe I am God." =) Chris Bianco

7.33.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope John Paul)
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.0 Pool skimmer rescues for this season

As was stated above "you are thinking like a human"

Do they tell us they like the tubs better, yes, they eat better, grow better and are generally healthier to me and most everyone else that means they 'like' it better. I don't know anything that will purposefully go hungry or enjoy having RI's and improper temps.

As for making a "quick buck", no such thing as that in the BP world as many people find out. You have to spend the money to make anything and most are lucky if their animals manage to pay for their housing and food. How many of those big breeders have been doing this for year before they ever made a cent on it, now they can actually enjoy what they are doing and make a living at it but it certainly wasn't a quick buck, not unless they had a hell of a lot of money to start with and even then it isn't easy.
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Nita Hamilton
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Ball Pythons

I appreciate everyones opinion.. Why bring WC animals into my house fresh even though they would be in different rooms some diseases travel threw air, mites will spread from room to room ask anyone that has had problems with mites. Say what you want I am not going to introduce my healthy animals into a enviroment with possibly infected animals! Maybe if I had 2 houses I would keep the WC in a seperate house but until then the porch is sufficient for the 1st 3 months until I can verify thier health....I have not had any problems with them on the porch. Im not attacking anyone. Im explaining how I keep my reptiles. As far as the racks go if your so facinated with your reptiles would'nt you want them visible and not packed away in a rack.. Racks may be easy to temperature control but lets get real do they mimic the enviroment the ball pythons have been living in for 100's of years?? NO,only the Temperature is mimiced, important but not the only thing to be concerned with.. Though ball pythons are nocturnal they dont live there whole live in the dark I know I would want a basking spot.. All my snakes follow me when I come into the room in my opinion its part of the bonding process they see you and get use to you and ADAPT.
Now if I had 100 snakes a rack would probably be my best bet.
Jbugg
Everything above is my opinion like it or not deal with it!

"A person is smart, people are stupid!"
"Get over it and die happy!"

Hey JBugg...There is a reptile show next weekend (June 18) in West Palm Beach (actually Lake Worth, same thing) at the Studio 54 Banquet Hall on Lake Worth Road (behind the Taco Bell and Checkers). About the heating...I have a bunch of babies that I keep in separate 10 gal tanks. I line the tanks up right next to each other, and use the heat cable. I just get one long one and use it for all the tanks. I have heard of people using 60 watt lights in 10 gal tanks who have cooked their snakes! So please find an alternative to that. The glass tanks heat up and stay heated...Good luck!

Melody

I am just south of miami.. If possible could you post the address to the show.. Thanks for the response.
Jbugg

I dont know the exact address...but the website to the show (as well as other shows that are closer to you) is www.apshows.com

Melody