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[-Totenkopf-]

Hey guys,

Recently been looking to get a bredli or coastal as a first python. I've owned turtles, bearded dragons/water dragons in the long lost past but im after some information in regards to enclosure setups.

I acquired a display cabinet off the old man (was rolling around in the dust under his house) and thought that it'd make an okay enclosure. I've been fitting up lighting and what not to the enclosure and am wondering about the necessity of vents and their location and what not.

I've bought a vent but at this stage, as 3 sides of the enclosure are glass and the rear of it has a mirror across it the only location for fitment is in the roof. I assume this would let out too much heat though and have negligible effect on airflow in the enclosure. This leaves me with a couple of options. I can remove the mirror out of the back of the cabinet and fit the vent I purchased (probably look more aesthetically pleasing with the mirror left in though), or alternatively I could just drill a number of holes (~5mm?) around the wooden parts at the end of the cabinet.

How important is ventilation, is it absolutely necesssary? If so, which method do you think would prove best.

Also a quick question. I've got some camphorloral branches and bark in the enclosure. I've soaked them in bleach for some time but currently they have the typical camphorloral smell to them. I don't know if this is likely to subside as they dry out properly or if this will cause issues to the reptile.

At the moment heating is provided by a heat lamp and a normal incandescent bulb. I've made up a couple of cages for the lights but haven't fitted them yet. Need to think of a method that'll allow easy removal when bulbs blow. I'm still up in the air about nighttime heating. I'll either get a heatmat or a ceramic heat emitter (or infared light). Speaking of which. I've put the glass that used to constitute the shelf in the cabinet underneath the astroturf. Would it be okay to place a heatmat beneath this. I know its generally recommended not to have a heat mat in the enclosure. Is this because the animal can excrete fluids on it, or are there other reasons. If thats the only reason I assume it'd be okay to put the mat within the enclosure in this instance as there is a layer of glass between the animal and the mat. I still need to purchase a thermostat at this point. I don't mind if I need to hardwire the lightning and what not into it or its a type that'll take a plug, I don't really mind, are there any recommended models?

Anyway, the enclosure measures around 1200x400x550. I would like something a little deeper but this will do for a hatchling, and I'll look for something a little more spacey as he grows. Any advice tips or opinions are appreciated. A couple of pictures are attached.

Cheers,

James.