Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I would like some criticism on this intial price of a baby ball python for me, ( i can pick up the frozen rodents at a local expo that runs bi-monthly)

Initial Price of Ball Python:

Cage:
Young- 10 Gallon- Free/Already Have
Adult- 20 Gallon Long, or 30 Gallon- Make from Board and Glass, or buy for about $40

T-Rex Silver Dome Plastic Socket Reflector (8-1/2" $7.99
Zoo-Med Spot Lamp ( 50 Watt) $4.99
Dimmers (x2) $3.99 ea
UTH $14.99

Thermometer & Hygrometer Kit $7.99

Water bowl Free

Hide Boxes Free (Planter Pots?)

Straight Jaw Hemostat (5-1/2" $3.99

Substrate- Paper Towels- Next to nothing

Food:
F/T Mice-Small - 25 @ $.54 Each ($13.50)
Adult - 25 @ $.63 Each ($15.75)
Jumbo - 25 @ $.76 Each ($19.00)
Haier 1.8 Cu. Ft. Refrigerator/Freezer - Black $64.73

TOTAL: $160.91 w/o the cage
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Nic

1.0 Border Collie/ German Shepherd Mix
1.0 Maine Coon
1.0 Domestic Shorthair
0.1 Kitten (Tabby)
0.33 Fancy Rats (0.1 Dumbo)

Any hopefully soon some reptiles!

if you want to contact me: noseguardnoms@hotmail.com
Email me if you want to give me any more info

Buy a 40 or 50 gallon tank for about $60-80. Then you will never have to buy another tank as it grows up. I also recommend a ceramic bulb heater, definitely skip the UTH, more trouble than they are worth. They crack glass, short out, and occassionally cause severe burns. If you look around you can find ceramic bulb heaters for about $15 that last about 2 years and do not give off any visible light (they wont keep you awake or your snake asleep at night, while still providing heat). When you buy a BP, buy one that is captive bred, not captive hatched or wild caught and buy one that is young.

Good luck

under tank heaters...........work........put a dimmer or a thermostat on them and set correct temps .....

don't set flat on surfaces with heat pad under them and create a closed envirnment....raise the tank up...

or buy a plastic rack system with heat tapes built into it..
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I've had them crack the glass on the bottom of the tank when hooked up to a variable thermostat. Not worth the risk, you will never burn a BP with overhead heating (unless you put it in the tank...lol).

Check your local papers or, this may seem weird, but if you live in a big city, or near one, go to www.groups.yahoo.com and search for "Freecycle" and "whatever city you're in/near" I did this, and put a wanted ad for tanks and aquariums, I got so many responses from people wanting to give me all these tanks! I ended up getting 3 10 gals (for short term keeping feeder rats), 1 20 long, and this gorgeous almost 80 gal Oceanic tank (but made for reptiles, has 13 air vets on lid and sides). I was told it was a $600 tank brand new, it came with the heat pad, bowls, hides, climbing stuff...all free! The only problem is that it had red sand in it, so I had to take that out and disinfect everything, and put the cage liner down instead (which it also came with, it was under the sand). I use all belly heat for my snakes...just get a nice heat pad and a thermostat and rheostat on it, so you can adjust the temps accordingly. I have heard of people using both UTH and heat lamp, and cooking their poor snake. Stupid people make me so mad...Anyway, good luck!!

Melody

The web site that you want to go to for free stuff is : Freecycle.org

I just joined it in my area this weekend and it is great. They are world wide and you can find all kinds of great things that people no longer want. Not to mention that you can get rid of all the things you no longer need. If you don't find what you are looking for all you have to do is post a "Wanted" item like the last person did.

Good luck.