Need a little help preparing for my new snake..

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KittyKatFish100

KittyKatFish100

Candiru
MFK Member
Aug 17, 2009
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Hey all, I'm proud to say that I will be getting a jungle ball python soon :) But I have a little problem, the tank I'm putting him in doesn't have a lid. How can I make a lid for it that will let heat from a light get into it? I'm not too worried about him getting out because he's only a baby but still, you can never be too careful lol :D
 
The easiest solution is to buy the conventional screen lids from the pet store, and most pet stores also sell lid locks that clip the lid to the tank. But if the tank has some strange dimensions, that might not be an option.

I would make a frame out of a stiff material (wood, metal, PVC, whatever you're good with) and fasten a sheet of moderately fine chickenwire to it. Make sure there's no harmful metals in it.
If you want to get fancy, you could do the same thing but have hinges in the middle so it's like a door. You also then have the option of doing full screen, or doing half plexiglass, which holds in more humidity.
 
Ok thanks, it's only a temporary tank so I won't be going too fancy with it.. but I'll be going to the pet store soon, hopefully they have a lid for it. It looks like a normal ten gallon tank to me.
 
Okay. The lid for a 20 gal long goes for about $15, so for a standard 10 gal it'd be less. And MAKE SURE you get some kind of locks. It's absolutely necessary. If you don't have them on there he WILL get out.
 
Ok, I think back when I had a ball python before we just put something heavy on the lid but I can't remember. It was a long time ago.. I don't remember what the tank it was in looked like or anything lol.. I do remember the snake, and he was awesome...
 
TheOneThatGotAway;4261605; said:
And MAKE SURE you get some kind of locks. It's absolutely necessary. If you don't have them on there he WILL get out.
Click to expand...

x2. Or you can put something heavy on top, like a big rock or the Harry Potter series.
 
KittyKatFish100;4261788; said:
Ok, I think back when I had a ball python before we just put something heavy on the lid but I can't remember. It was a long time ago.. I don't remember what the tank it was in looked like or anything lol.. I do remember the snake, and he was awesome...
Click to expand...

It would work, but you'd have to weigh down both ends, and it's annoying to take it on and off every time you want to handle the snake. I guess it's just a personal preference, in that case. Although you also have to make sure it really is heavy enough that the snake can't lift it. It shouldn't be too difficult considering it's only a ball python, but I know with a lot of the larger boas and pythons, generally speaking if you can lift it, so can they.
 
Well I went to the pet store and found a top for my tank for 11 dollars so I'm going to get that. Its just a screen so to keep in moisture could I wrap part of it with plastic wrap? I have a big rock to weigh it down too lol... but one thing, I don't know what kind of light to use for the heat source. They have plenty of clip ons but with the screen I don't know how it could clip onto the tank
 
You honestly don't HAVE to cover the lid to keep moisture in. You can just keep a sharper eye on the humidity and you may have to spray more often, that's all.

As for lighting, for my ball python I have a flourescent UVB bulb (ABSOLUTE necessity) in a real hood, which doesn't give off much heat, and an a regular 60-watt incandescent bulb in the traditional metal reptile heat lamps. The flourescent bulb gives him the UVB light he needs (think of it as Vitamin C is to us), and the incandescent heats the temperature to about 80 - 85˚. For the humidity I just spray the whole tank down with a regular spray bottle so it's at about 75 - 80%.
 
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