# snake set up



## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

i am buying a snake and a 25 gallon setup for all 35 bucks the snake is about a foot long and i am getting a 8x12 inch under tank heater made by Repti Therm and for bedding i am getting bed a beast i don't know if that is a good subtrate or not and if it isn't tell me what i sould get and i have a water bowl and some plants so he could climb up on if there is anything else i need juse post a message thanks~dan


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## Drunkenblade (Aug 15, 2004)

What Kind of Snake??

And

What do you need a UTH that big for??

25 gallon tank, get a UTH that is 1/3rd of the tank base..... you'll save a few $$$


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

a ball python


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## Drunkenblade (Aug 15, 2004)

Balls do quite well on Repti-carpet....







Couple of nice hides will work. I would get one of the water dishes with a hide under it and place it over/adjacent to the UTH... it will create some humidity. The other hide I would stick at the opposite end of the tank......


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## rbp75 (May 2, 2004)

bed-a-beast is a great substrate... for about 3 days, then it becomes ugly and messy, and gets in the water. and over you when you handle the snake.I wouldnt recomend it. Jungle mix, or reptic-carpet works good depending on the look you want.


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## Carnivoro (Oct 12, 2003)

Yup repti-carpet work great, but you can use reptibark,ect... if you want cool looking sustrate. if not,newspaper,paper towels work great too.
You can use a human heating pad too, is not expensive(saves some $) and do the same work of a repti therm. Just Keep the ambient temperature of the cage about 85 degrees. With a basking spot always of at least 90 degrees.
a humitity level of 65%/75% is fine.Put a hing place in the cool side and one in the basking side. 
They love to climb so you can add some vines,plants ect.
oh... feed him/she with frozen Thawed rats, mice if is a baby. or fresh dead. NOT live.

Good Luck bro!
Carnivoro


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## TANK (Nov 18, 2003)

All good advice. Just a couple of ideas. If you dont like the look of just newspaper (ive been using it for years) than I would also suggest the carpet. Go to either HomeDepot or Lowes and you can buy the indoor outdoor carpet for less that $5 for a 1' x 6' peice. Thats enough for THREE seperate liners for your cage. 
Also I would not recommend the "human" heating pad. They are not designed for under the tank applications and may pose a fire risk.
And I fully agree with feeding pre-killed food. Safer for your snake and easier for you to store!

Good luck and have fun!


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## PunkRockSkater39 (May 31, 2004)

hey dan, 
id use jungle mix for substrate an put in a couple branches mabe a log and a plant(fake or real).if u just put some time into it u could have a really cool tank.also when feeding u should probably do wat i do and feed it in a large sweater or boot box instead of its own inviroment due to the fact that if u feed it in its own tank they will get used to that and will always think u are going to have food when u stick ur hand in the cage there for it puts a bigger risk of being bit.I have always fed my BP live food but before i put the mouse/rat in to the box i would place it in a paper bag and knock it out so it is confused therefor factoring out the chance of it fighting back.thats just my 2 cents

~Brad


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## Carnivoro (Oct 12, 2003)

TANK said:


> All good advice. Just a couple of ideas. If you dont like the look of just newspaper (ive been using it for years) than I would also suggest the carpet. Go to either HomeDepot or Lowes and you can buy the indoor outdoor carpet for less that $5 for a 1' x 6' peice. Thats enough for THREE seperate liners for your cage.
> Also I would not recommend the "human" heating pad. They are not designed for under the tank applications and may pose a fire risk.
> And I fully agree with feeding pre-killed food. Safer for your snake and easier for you to store!
> 
> Good luck and have fun!


 ive been using human heat pad with rheostats of course for years, i use them in my personal collection and in the PR Zoo with all the enclosures and they do a very good work without any problem at the moment.

Carnivoro


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## Drunkenblade (Aug 15, 2004)

I use both commercial UTH and Human Heat Pads. with Human pads I never put anything on them (I had a small fire once.... snake was ok :nod: ) Human Pads I use have a clothcover that I use as a sort of pocket mounted on the Wall behind my in-house hatchling enclosures...... Works Great. I also would suggest that is there are breeders out there that use a ton of plastic shoe boxes.... That you look into Water Heater Heating Pads.... Home Depot Has them and they come in Different sizes. Cheaper than Flexwatt heat tape and all the wiring is done for you.(some come with a Temp adj)

I also use/used indoor/outdoor carpet.... my suggestion is that after cutting it to the appropriate size put it in the Dryer for a half hour or so (Med Heat). The heat will dull the microfine edges that may/will irritate tender bellies (Hatchlings, babies, juv?) all the loose faberic will end up in the lint trap... Clean it


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

alright i have some questions 
1 does the indoor out door carpet work? 
2 is it safe to use in the dryer? 
3 whats is cheaper the indoor/outdoor or the reptic-carpet for my tank? 
4 and brad what do i do with the snake after i have him in the box and 
5 after he eats do i just grab the box and slide him in the tank?
6 and how do i kill the mouse before i feed my snake? 
7 i was also looking at the DIY projects on ball-pythons.net and was planning to do the humidity thing in my cage would that be fine
8 also what are the best thermometer to buy?,do i also need a humidity thermometer? 
8 for bedding i read that sand is too dry for the snakes is this true?








plz answer all questions plz thanks a bunch~dan


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

where online could i buy the reptic-carpet


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## Guest (Aug 21, 2004)

Personally, for bedding, I always use shredded Aspen. If you choose Aspen, make sure you don't accidently buy the kind with cedar in it (people use it Hamster and guine pigs). The aromatic fumes from the shredded cedar will eventually kill a snake.

I tried to use dried Bed-A-Best once. It took a week of dragging a heavy bin of wet Bed-A-Beast into the parking lot where it could dry in the sun. (My neighbors are still scared and confused). When it finally did dry, it was very dusty. The snake was constantly filthy and the water dish was never clean. I quickly reverted back to Aspen.

For heat, I use ceramic heat emitters.


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## PunkRockSkater39 (May 31, 2004)

1-yes it does work but i would put in the extra effort with jungle mix soil
2-my dad said it should be fine if u put it on delicate or low
3-the indoor/outdoor carpet is cheaper if u go to Home Depot
4-after setting the snake in the box drop the mouse in the side of the box where the snakes head isnt.
5-give him/her about 2-3 mins after it has eaten and just pick it up with caution.
6-to knock out/kill the mouse put it in a paper lunch bag and bang against a hard surrface a few times.
7-in my opinion scince u live in Cali just mist the cage with a spray bottle full of water once daily instead...just as good and much cheaper.
8-get a reptile therm that sticks to the outside of a tank and yes do get a humidity gage
9-it depends what kind of snake but yes if it is for a BP.they are from they jungle so they need humidity,sand holds zero humidity unlike wood chips,moss,soil,ect.

Good Luck,
Brad


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## Carnivoro (Oct 12, 2003)

Good advice.
But:
4. The best way to feed your snake is in the same enclosure.


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## PunkRockSkater39 (May 31, 2004)

PunkRockSkater39 said:


> hey dan,
> id use jungle mix for substrate an put in a couple branches mabe a log and a plant(fake or real).if u just put some time into it u could have a really cool tank.also when feeding u should probably do wat i do and feed it in a large sweater or boot box instead of its own inviroment due to the fact that if u feed it in its own tank they will get used to that and will always think u are going to have food when u stick ur hand in the cage there for it puts a bigger risk of being bit.I have always fed my BP live food but before i put the mouse/rat in to the box i would place it in a paper bag and knock it out so it is confused therefor factoring out the chance of it fighting back.thats just my 2 cents
> 
> ~Brad


 like i said it reduces the risk of being bit if u do it my way...


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

does any one else kill their food if so share your technique on how you kill you food before you feed your snake


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

hey brad is your dad the coach for our football team this year


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## PunkRockSkater39 (May 31, 2004)

ya and chis nicholes dad is assaitant coach! U no he used to be head coach at MD high so we are going to have a great team this year


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

ya i kenw that but he wasn't head coach he was assistant


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

ne one know a website where i can buy all of my stuff and if i do mist my cage where can i buy a mister


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## PunkRockSkater39 (May 31, 2004)

get an old cleaner bottle,windex,lysol,ect. and rinse it out like 30 times real good then take some of ur fish tank stuff called amquel and put like a teaspoon ful of that a long with the water bootle halfful of water and shake it up real good and then repeat once more but after the secound time let it sit and after a day emty it and rinse it out again and u have a use able safe mister


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

-thanks


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

hey brad i thought of just doing the ruler thing where i put the ruler behind the head and pulling the tail to snap the spine so it can't move andi am going to try that spray bottle thing i might get the snake like next month


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## PunkRockSkater39 (May 31, 2004)

u could feed it 2 ur snake that way too...if u have the guts to snap its spine...its hard to bring urself to doing it


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## rbp75 (May 2, 2004)

> ne one know a website where i can buy all of my stuff and if i do mist my cage where can i buy a mister


go to home depot and buy a sprayer at the plant and garden section. their for spraying weeds and pesticides but they work great for misting an enclosure just give it a few pumps and spray away and you dont get a sore hand if your enclosure is large, and their clean, and come it different sizes.


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

thanks but does any one knoe a place online where i can buy my stuff


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

A lot of good advice offered here.

I differ in agreement on the carpet issue... I have seen problems from dermal abrasions to repiratory infections from gasses given off by some materials used in these "carpets".

Pre-killing food, I pre-kill 90% of my snakes feed, with the 10% being some pinkies and fuzzies used on some neonates...


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

hey crockeeper how do you kill your food before you feed them


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## Carnivoro (Oct 12, 2003)

i kill mines with dry ice and CO2.
but if is just one mice/rat, you can just knock it.
But you can buy frozen rats in a pet store for and is not expensive.

Carnivoro


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

can i just put it in a bag then put it in the freezer for a day then thaw it out and feed it to my snake


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## WolfFish (Jun 30, 2004)

mr.PIMP4969 said:


> can i just put it in a bag then put it in the freezer for a day then thaw it out and feed it to my snake


 That sounds a bit cruel, if you only have one snake it will probably work out cheaper to buy a bag of frozen ones from a shop. It will save you alot of bother too. To kill a rat just hold it behind the head and by the back legs, then pull quickly and snap the neck backwards it will kill it instantly (works on rabbits).
Good luck with your snake


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

i think i will just stick wit the ruler because i don't want to hold it


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## WolfFish (Jun 30, 2004)

mr.PIMP4969 said:


> i think i will just stick wit the ruler because i don't want to hold it


 You will hold it using a ruler too, why can't you buy frozen ones?


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

i used repti- wood chips with my snake... and sometime this fake grass carpet stuff from home depot...

make sure the heater takes up 1/3 or less of the tank so you snake can get out of the heat if needed


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## Guest (Aug 22, 2004)

To kill a mouse or a rat, I usually put it in a plastic bag and swing the bag, smashing it hard against a solid object like a door. Most of the time the animal is dead or knocked out cold immediately.

One time I tried using a paper bag. When I swung the bag, the bag ripped and the rat went flying across my apartment.


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## WolfFish (Jun 30, 2004)

Rats are actually really expenive, they cost the same frozen as if you buy a pet one. I was thinking about getting some to breed for my hawk, but is it worth the bother?


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

where can i buy frozen ones


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

and do you think i just put it in a plastic and shoot it with my paintball gun


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## rbp75 (May 2, 2004)

> where can i buy frozen ones


take your pic.

http://www.themousefactory.com/

http://www.bigcheeserodents.com/

http://www.rodentpro.com

http://www.frozenrodent.com/


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

hey rbp have you ever ordered from these sites


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## rbp75 (May 2, 2004)

> hey rbp have you ever ordered from these sites


yea, I cant remember which one though. I would assume they are for the most the same as far as quality, I would just check who has the best prices and packaging to suit your needs. When I ordered I got rats in packs of 15, but I think mice are in -packs of 25- 50 but not sure if you can get any less. they are usually vacume sealed and after opening you just need to keep them in a good freezer bag and they will stay fresh for a good while. The more you buy the more you save so if you have an extra freezer buy lots to save money. also If your snake is young you can buy a pack of fuzzys or hoppers and by the time it finishes the pack it should be big enough for the next size so you can buy more than one pack to save. buying frozen in bulk from a reputable distributer not only saves money but you are assured that the mouse or rat has been fed the highest quality foods and will have no problems with parasites.


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

i will buy the 25 fuzzies becase that is like 25 weeks till i am finished and that is almost half a year then i can switch to bigger food


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

but does anyone know where online i can buy the Repti-carpet,a water bowl i am making two hide boxes from a plastic shoe box but it is clear tho will that work out or should i buy spray paint i was looking at ball-pythons.net at the pictures and there was this guy that had like pvc pipes around the tank for the snake to crawl around on can i do that in my tank put like paint it a different color or will the fumes kill the snake


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## ZMonte85 (Nov 23, 2003)

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/ has Repti-Carpet.


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

i don't know where it is on there if you fine it give me the link


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

i also found that drsfostersmith also is selling frozen mice here is the link http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...5&N=2006+113675


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## Guest (Aug 23, 2004)

WolfFish said:


> Rats are actually really expenive, they cost the same frozen as if you buy a pet one. I was thinking about getting some to breed for my hawk, but is it worth the bother?


 That's a good question. The strategies, economics, and issues of breeding your own feeders is worth starting a new thread about.


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

where can i buy the repti-carpet someone plz give me a link


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

CrocKeeper said:


> I have seen problems from dermal abrasions to repiratory infections from gasses given off by some materials used in these "carpets".


 crockeeper is this correct i think your an expert on reptile care so your saying even tho the carpet from home depot is cheap it could hurt my snake so should i just buy the repti-carpet for my snake becase or just buy like reptile bark i don't really know i never hand any herps before thanks a whole bunch~dan~


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

I've gone back and forth on the substrate issue, from different types of wood mulch to newspaper to carpet and what I keep coming back to is paper towels. Impossible to ingest accidentally, easy to clean with and throw away, and just a little bit more expensive than newspaper.


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

hey brad how much would tongs sell me a snake and the 25 gallon tank


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

will paint fumes kill my snake


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## PunkRockSkater39 (May 31, 2004)

about how much together is 40$(snake)+55$(tank)= about 95-100 wit tax and crap


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

you only got your's for like 70 bucks


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## PunkRockSkater39 (May 31, 2004)

mr.PIMP4969 said:


> you only got your's for like 70 bucks


 I got mine for 80 with everything...but the tank was used,still in mint condition when i got it tho.For 80$ i also gat a monster water bowl, substrate,a fake plant,and a sandblaster grape vine branch.But i basically live there so i get really good deals.


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

is there any used terriums there that are for sale that are used


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

what about ur 25 gallon i will buy it off you comon cheap price dude give me a hook up man i gave that 20 gal to you for practily nothing from what i got it for


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## PunkRockSkater39 (May 31, 2004)

ya but kevin said u told him u ripped me off an u gpt that 20gal for 20$!


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

i never said that


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

ask henry how much i got it for


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## PunkRockSkater39 (May 31, 2004)

k


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

what about ur cage can i buy it i you paid 60 bucks for the snake and an extra 10 bucks for the cage the 25 can can i buy it for half since you got the other cage from that guy so mabe like 6 bucks


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## The Wave (Oct 22, 2003)

Carnivoro said:


> Good advice.
> But:
> 4. The best way to feed your snake is in the same enclosure.


 Can you explian this theory please ? just looking for the reason,i never have,i do not like the animal to think every time i reach into the enclosure it is feeding time (mainly talking about big reptiles) i know ball's are not big and mean but...............


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## rbp75 (May 2, 2004)

> QUOTE (Carnivoro @ Aug 21 2004, 03:51 PM)
> Good advice.
> But:
> 4. The best way to feed your snake is in the same enclosure.
> ...


I have to agree with carnivor. Any snake should not be handled after feeding for the safety on the snake as well as the handler, somthing that can't be done if you dont feed it in its enclosure. If you have a large snake you should never grab it from inside its enclosure anyway but use tongs or a snake hook to get it out. not to mention that a snake is probably most likely to bite during or after feeding as its feeding response is in high gear. This is my opinion anyway.


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

so i should feed it in the enclosure or not


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## The Wave (Oct 22, 2003)

rbp75 said:


> > QUOTE (Carnivoro @ Aug 21 2004, 03:51 PM)
> > Good advice.
> > But:
> > 4. The best way to feed your snake is in the same enclosure.
> ...


 Cool i see that point,i guess it has to do with how the snake is placed back into the enclosure after feeding and how long you leave it in the feeding container.I have yet to have a prob doing my thing,thanks for your input....


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

If your snake is going to stay under 3 or 4 feet in length and is non-venomous then feeding in its own enclosure and enduring the occasional feeding response bite is acceptable.


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

ok i will just feed my snake in it own cage


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