Newbie question

[Marty75]

Hi guys,

Just wanted a 2nd opinion regarding housing for my 1st reptile which I bought at Penrith on Sunday. It's a 10wk old female jungle puthon and after asking the seller on the stand what type of housing would be required he said all I'd need would be a click clack container, some paper towel as the base, a small bowl of water, a small heat pad underneath only a 3rd of the container and a small hide. Leave the snake be for 5-7 days to get used to the new surround before giving it its first feed. Apparently should be ok until approx 12 months of age.

Ive done just that and the snake seems pretty relaxed in the 7L Sistema. Looking forward to seeing if it will eat first time.

I don't have room for a decent enclosure in my new rental with no pets allowed (of course ) so am happy to leave it in the click clack for now.

Is that all there is to it? Ive read briefly here about probes, heat cords etc but the seller didnt think they were necessary. The seller also mentioned that some hatchlings can be hard to feed or get more defensive/temperamental if put into a large enclosure from the beginning?

Sorry for the gumbo question and thanks in advance. Will put up an update & pics after Monday which is when I'll attempt the 1st feed.

Marty

 

[Norm]

Sounds like standard advice to me except I would run the heat pad on a thermostat and cross check the temp with a separate thermometer. Other than that it all sounds good.

 

[Lawra]

[MENTION=19150]Norm[/MENTION] is wise

Also I might add that yes, the seller was correct in making you aware that some hatchies can become defensive and won't feed if in an enclosure that's too big. However it's moreso the open space than the size of the enclosure. If you do put it in one bigger than a click clack just make sure there are plenty of furnishings for it to wrap around and hide amongst.

In addition to a thermostat, it's also important what surface you put the heat mat on. Using a tile to contain and also evenly spread the heat is a popular method.

A second hide for the enclosure is also helpful so your python can hide at either end. I hope you enjoy your python and look forward to seeing pics

 

[Marty75]

Thanks guys, can anyone provide a link to a thermostat that would suit that I can buy online.

I have the 5W heat mat sitting on a dining table place mat and just straight underneath the plastic tub. I have seen the snake snuggle up on top of the heat mat a couple of times early in the morning and other times just slithering around the rest of the enclosure and tucked inside the small cardboard box away from the heat pad during the day. Should I do anything different heating wise as we move into the cooler months?

Also how important is it to have the container in a quiet part of the house where things like room lights not getting turned on suddenly in the dark at night etc or can snakes cope with a bit of hustle & bustle and suddenly going from dark to light at different times of the night etc?

Thanks

Marty

 

[The_Geeza]

7 ltr be ok for about 3 months then u will need to think about enclosure

 

[86JAP]

Thermostats will depend on your budget. I run a MicroClimate dimming thermostat which retail around the $160-$180 mark depending where you shop. For your click clack i would recommend a Habistat "Mat-Stat" available from The Herp Shop who are a sponsor on this site. They are $70 but are only good for heat mats or cords up to 100W. A more advanced thermostat like mine can be used for now and in a larger enclosure when the time comes.

There are cheaper digital ones such as the ebay "JET" series or the EcoTech ones from Pet Barn, these are the same thermostat just rebranded for Pet Barn. If you decide on one of these I would recommend getting the one from Pet Barn as when it fails the refund or replacement process will be easier.

For my 2 cents, get a decent dimming one (Microclimate, Habistat they each have multiple types) and save your self the headache of having cheaper one crap itself and getting left without a way of controlling heat.

Hope that helps
Sam.

 

[MrThumper]

I hope they mentioned to put holes in for ventilation....you don't want to create an oven.
Also, I'm with 86JAP....go Habistat. Personally the thermostat is something you don't want to go 'cheap' on. Seen and heard of a few playing up and if it goes it either won't heat or will stay constantly on.

Get a reliable one in the beginning and just move it from enclosure to enclosure as they grow


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Marty75]

Yep, plenty of holes in the lid.

Nothing like the smell of burning plastic in the morning

Do pythons need to remain in a dark place all night or can they handle interruptions with room lights being turned on and off?

Marty

 

[Norm]

@Norm is wise

Lawra you obviously don`t know me!

Marty75, my first python was kept in the busiest room of the house from a hatchy and is perfectly sane. Though you might want to monitor the behaviour of yours to see if its affecting it or not.

 

[Marty75]

Was I meant to get a PM in my inbox?
Nothing has come through.

Marty