Martha Makes Her Debut and Monty is not impressed.........tee hee!!!

The thermostat is a $70 one from Petland.....something Terra-.....

What thermometers are you using? Are they digital ones with probes?

The warm side temp isn't reaching what it should be because the lamp can't shine down directly onto the substrate over the heat pad. The water bowl you have is WAY too big, you don't need one that size. A cat or dog food dish (like a crock bowl) would work just fine. Get a smaller water bowl and put it in the middle of the tank. This is what I'm talking about, I would get the 20oz. one that's 6" across:

http://www.reptiledirect.com/index.a...PROD&ProdID=62

The hide you have in Martha's tank looks way too big for her. They like small, tight hides. I would switch to a smaller one like this and get two of them, size medium or large (depending on how big Martha is):

http://www.reptiledirect.com/index.a...ROD&ProdID=957

Put one hide on each side of the tank (that way she doesn't have to choose between heat and safety. Put the warm side thermometer probe underneath the hide. You'll be able to read an accurate temp.

The substrate looks too damp still, so definitely let it dry out more. Also, do you just lay it in there or do you pack it down so it's even and tight against the bottom? I packed mine down so the heat could distribute evenly.

Do you have a pic of the thermostat? Exo-Terra doesn't make one to my knowledge, so I'm wondering if you have a Repti-Temp by ZooMed? If so, you'll have to adjust the dial to reach the temps you need. You may want to invest in a better thermostat, one that allows you to preset a temp to maintain at. You can get a Ranco for $70, the same price you paid for your current one.

If you can't afford getting new stuff, I have 2 hides exactly like those and a crock bowl I can send you to use.

I would add another hide to Monty's cage, he needs one on both sides. Make sure you place the thermometer probe underneath his warm side hide to get an accurate reading.

What is the temp of the room you keep them in?

My thermometers do not have probes, they just sit next to the bottom of the tank on each end. Only the thermostat has a probe. In the picture, you can see the probe for the thermostat, next to the thermometer (little grey square thingy). My thermometers are pretty accurate because they are reading the same temp as the thermostat probe when placed in the same spot. Should I put the thermometer in her hide, or the thermostat probe? It shows your thermostat on the warm side, but not directly under the lamp. About that water bowl..... I was just using it to put Martha in to warm her up this morning. As you can see, I've used it to make her a hide on the cool side of the tank with the wood chips. It's a good size for her, and she loves to sit "IN" it, but I don't think she likes to sit "UNDER" it, but it is there for her and it's perfectly fine I think. As well, I will look for something smaller for her to hide in on the warm side. The green water dish I will change when I get a smaller "warm" hide as there isn't any room left right now. I just made sure she has something to drink for now. She just molted a few weeks ago, and the humidity is at 80%, so she shouldn't need it in the next few days to soak in. As for Monty, I do have two hides for him. On the left, there is a half log hut for him to hide in (which he does use) but you cannot see it very well. It blends in so well with the wood chips. I do have to get another lamp as well because the humidity is still too high. Do you suggest I scrap the wood chips? They were expensive, and I like the smell, and they are safe. Maybe I can just keep them under their hides because I do not like them laying on the damp bark. Monty already has some brown spots on his belly from the past few days. He's now laying on the bark and is dry. Same for Martha. It would be great if you could send me your supplies, but I think the cost to ship them to me would be more expensive than If I went and bought them new. I could buy some bowls for about $5 each Canadian. Where are you from? The temp of the room I keep them in is about 70 to 73 deg. (it's my living room and is normal house temp). So the tanks have to work to stay warmer. I had my eye on a cheap 140 G tank from a friend, but we decided against it because if we are having trouble keeping a 40G breeder tank warm, then I could only imagine what it would be like, and what it would cost to keep one that is 100G larger just as warm. It's actually a fish tank, and so it really doesn't breathe all that well. We may still buy it, but for fish.....I think Martha will be quite happy in the 40G once I get it all set up properly. You have been a life saver to me. I wish we lived closer so that you could just come over and help me set up once and for all the first time. My poor snakes are suffering because of my screw ups and because I cannot get this stuff right. I know I am just a little bit overkill on some things, especially my pets. I want the best for them, and sometimes I go overboard and end up stressing them out. OK, that's enough for you to tackle for now. I hope I have answered all of your questions so you can get me the best info you have. I apologize if I am not following all of your suggestions correctly....it takes time for me to get things right sometimes.....tee hee.

Regards,cher

http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mat...71dscd&.src=ph

The cage looks better, definitely get a smaller hide for the warm side. It should only cost about $15 to send everything to you up in Canada. You don't need a bigger water bowl than that green one, she doesn't need to be able to soak as long as cage humidity is 60-65% and then 75% during shed.

The thermometers are measuring air temp at the edges of the cage, not the temp on top of the substrate underneath the lamp, which is where your snake lives. I would get a digital indoor/outdoor thermometer with probe to use for the warm side. Put both the thermostat probe and the thermometer probe underneath the hide. I think I have an extra digital thermometer I can send you as well. Do you need a proper heat lamp for Monty's cage? I have one of those too. Does he have a thermostat for the heating elements on his cage?

A 140g tank would be WAY too big for Martha. Ball pythons live in rodent burrows and termite mounds in the wild -- their instincts tell them that small, tight spaces are safe and big open areas are not safe (due to being exposed to predators). A giant open glass tank like that would leave a ball python feeling very insecure and stressed. The 40g is perfectly big enough for her for the rest of her life (unless she hits 6 feet and 3000+ grams, then you might up to a 50 or 60 gallon).

For now, put the thermometer and the thermostat probe closer to her hide, directly under the heat lamp. After an hour or two, check the temps and see if it's finally at 90 on the warm side. If not, then raise the dial on the thermostat up a few more degrees to compensate for it.

I have a lot of extra reptile stuff (hides, bowls, thermometers, thermostats, heat lamps) and could put together a package of everything you need to add/change. Find out how much it would cost you brand new at the pet store up there and I'll figure out a much cheaper price for my stuff. You need it, and I could use some extra cash plus it'll save you money in the long run.

yahoo!!!!!I could use some extra things......especially that extra thermostat. I do not have one for Monty's tank. I also do need a better overhead lamp system. I have a brand new blue light bulb, but do not have another set up for it. I am using my own little desk lamp right now which is working until I can come up with some $$$ for something better. It would cost me:

1. Different hide for Martha on warm side:$5-10 (possibly 2 if she won't go under the bowl on the cool side)
2.Thermostat for Monty: $60+
3.Thermometer with probe for both tanks: $15-20 each at Walmart
Total of about $110-120 plus 6% government taxes.
I would have to add shipping onto your stuff

If you can think of anything else, then let me know......what you see is what I have. The only thing I do have that I haven't shown is a heat rock that came with Monty, that I am appauled at. I cannot believe that they put that thing in with him. They were just asking for trouble. He's lucky he didn't get burnt. I am saving it to sell at a garage sale or something....I really don't know if other reptiles could use it or not, but I do know that it's not for snakes. They still sell them in petstores everywhere, and they are so dangerous for reptiles that are attracted to heat sources. The other thing that I am worried about is my snake's bellies. They are damp right now. Should I keep on drying the bark? Wow that stuff holds alot of moisture. You could grow a wonderful "plant" crop in that stuff...lol.

So I guess here is what I've learned from you today......that if I'm having trouble with acheiving my temps, then my substrate is too wet? If I'm having trouble with too high humidity, then my substrate is too wet? So really........my substrate is too wet???LOL LOL LOL> Thanks for all of your help Jen. You truly are a saint. I will pay it forward when I get the chance to help some poor sap who doesn't have a clue what in the hell they are doing......and possibly harming their reptiles. I love my snakes, and I have the most hope for Monty who needs to gain about a 1000 grams before next October. I really want him to be about 1500g before I mate him and Martha. I will have a year to learn all about it. I know that it will take that long to learn it, get set up, and try it. You said that you are trying it this year......I know you will keep me posted right? you should do a picture progress thingy. I've seen one on another website of all the signs and symptoms of each stage, what to look for, what behaviors are demonstrated, what positions are acheived by the snakes, how long everything takes, etc, etc, etc.....You would be good at that.....kind of like a "walk through" for breeding ball pythons. I am having Martha checked out by my vet on Friday at 1pm. Petland told me that she was seen twice by a herpetologist and a vet. The vet thing I kind of believe (I believe more that they had their own "person" see her and not a real vet) and second, we don't have a herpetologist in Alberta. Petland will tell you anything to get you hyped up and confident about your purchase. I enquired into a herpetologist when I had Monty to the vet for his first bout of pneumonia, and I was told that the closest we have is a biologist at the college here in our city that knows a lot about herpetology (snakes). I also have a friend, well acquaintance, here in town that used to be my nephew's grade 4 teacher. She is really into snakes and has a very broad knowledge base. She breeds them (pythons and boas) She has provided Petland with red tailed boas for 5 years now, and every few years she breeds some balls for them. There is one of her red tails sheds on the wall at Petland that is about 8 feet long. It's beautiful. I've never had a full shed off of Monty, and I am hoping to get one this time around when he sheds next. I am sure he would feel a whole lot better being able to just crawl out of his skin instead of having it soaked off by me everytime. He suffers each shed. The people I bought him off of said that it would take him about 3-4 weeks to get all of his skin off each time he molted. Well that might have something to do with fact that the humidity was only 30%!!!!!!! I shake my head everytime. I really want to email them and tell them how much they made Monty suffer (his name was Frank before I got him). I want to show them a picture of Martha next to Monty and tell them that this is what you have deprived him of over the past 6 years. He is so sickly compared to her. My hope is that he's not been stunted and will never recover now. IS THIS A POSSIBILITY?????
Take Care.......Cher

The substrate is probably still too wet, yes. You also might have it too thick, it should be about 1 to 1.5 inches thick. Barely above where the black plastic comes up on the outside of the tank. Also use your hand and flatten it down so it's even and compact. It absorbs heat evenly that way.

Your temps are off because your thermometers are on the edges of the cage, not directly under/over the heat sources. Once you get digital ones with probes, it should give you a better reading of the warm side. The ones you have can stay where they are on the cool side.

I doubt Monty is stunted, I rescued two 4-year-old females that were 828g and 937g each (and 4 feet long, so they were super-skinny). Both had been underfed but since they've been here and eating weekly, they're 1022g and 1267g now and still growing.

Here's what I can send you for $80 (no charge for shipping, it's included):

3 black reptile den hides (like the one I showed you)
1 ZooMed thermostat for Monty's cage
1 black dome lamp with 75w red lightbulb
2 digital thermometers w/ probes (for Martha's warm side and for Monty's)
2 crock water bowls

How's that sound? I figured you could use an extra hide for Monty, he'd probably like it better than a half log (darker and more secure).

That sounds good to me. Now we have a bit of a conversion problem. Is that $80 of your dollars or $80 of my dollars? I would think in all fairness that it would be U.S. dollars, which I will find out the current conversion for if you do not know. I don't want to send you cash in the mail, so I will send you a cheque, and once it clears, you can send me the stuff. I'll send you $90 since the conversion is about $88 American for $80 canadian. All I need is an address now so I can expresspost it.

I'm not sure if my bank will cash an international check, so I would go with a Canadian postal money order. I've had Ebay buyers send those before and the post office here will cash them for me. Drop me an e-mail and we can work out the details and I'll give you my address: jennifer.harrison@hotmail.com

Jen, I am having another problem...... The substrate on the bottom of the tanks is almost perfect and my snakes are laying on it and their bellies are wet. Monty already has some brown spots coming from his scales being too wet with no skin to shed off. Martha has pink marks on her belly from what looks like irritation. The inside of their hides on the warm side is dripping with condensation. I thought the husk was dried out enough, as it is almost light brown and barely makes your hand wet when you touch it. If I dry it out anymore, there won't be any moisture left. Should I try and dry it out a bit more? Here is what I also have done......I have put wood chips on the cool side of the tank (no coconut husk at all) and only put the husk on the warm side of the tank. Even with only HALF of the tank covered in about 2 inches of husk, it's still too moist. I am acheiving ok temps on the warm side (87-91 deg), but the cool side is still only reaching 80 deg. Should I cover the whole tank in bark and take the wood chips out? Do you think maybe it needs more ventilation (bigger hole cut where the lamps are?) I think maybe monty's tank needs a bigger hole. It's only about 5"x5". Martha's is about 7"x7".

These questions and problems of mine are neverending aren't they?

Cheers, Cher