Childrens python

[smyda]

Currently this is my setup and I’m having problems with heating. I’m not getting much of a gradient the hot side is 31-33 and the cold side is getting 28-29 would a heat mat be better in this situation?

 

[Harpo]

Yes, definately try a heat mat. I use belly heat with my stimmy 24/7. You could then remove those red lights and use a halogen bulb for daylight and day warmth (not 100% needed, depending on who you ask).

 

[smyda]

Yes, definately try a heat mat. I use belly heat with my stimmy 24/7. You could then remove those red lights and use a halogen bulb for daylight and day warmth (not 100% needed, depending on who you ask).

I have a uvb strip on the top of the tank so don’t really need that but with yours where do you put your heat mat?should I put it under the hide or just on basking spot

 

[Harpo]

As a rule, we get a heat mat or make a heat tile (with a heat chord) that covers only 1/3 of the floor space of the tub/ enclosure, there should be a hide also on that heat mat/tile, and another one at the cooler end also, water also at cooler end.

Does the UVB strip give off much heat?
I'd not bother with it at all till the snake can move out of the glass thing and into the actual enclosure....not advice, just my 2c.

Do you use the red lights for heat 24/7?
Halogen gives off near IR for good day basking (I think that's right) $2 or so, and would be ideal to use with your UVB, which gives off less heat, I believe.

Some say red light has it's downsides,
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Here's a pic of my stimmy using near IR (no UVB), basking front end whilst the back half of him is under the rock in a hide on the heat mat, all in that warm 1/3 end of the enclosure.

I'm a bit of a newbie myself - and I can be a confusing communicator sometimes, I hope I have helped a little bit, some folks on here can explain better and with more confidence than me. Hopefully someone will if needed.

 

[smyda]

The uvb bulb I have doesn’t have heat it’s just to simulate the day and night cycle and it came in the package I received with the snake. I asked the guys at the reptile shop about the red lights and they say it’s fine for them. I also asked them when I should move him into the 3 foot and they said to give it 3-5 months. With the heat I’m still playing around with it they said since he’s young and the enclosure isn’t big enough to have much of a gradient but I will still try to find a way that will work. I would also like to point out how beautiful your snake is I love Antaresia as a whole they’re just the most beautiful snakes you’re enclosure looks great too! Did you buy yours as a young? If so did you have any problems with them being a bit snappy? The reptile shop said he was around 1 year old and he had a reputation for biting all the workers haha, he’s usually fine when I pick him up but 10 minutes in to the handling session he just decides to bite me trying to eat me. I don’t really mind because he’s small doesn’t hurt too much I just thought his behaviour was a bit weird. Also sorry I’m my grammar isn’t the best, thanks!

 

[Harpo]

I have raised one or two snakes from that age and younger, a fraction of what others on here have done, there are some very very experienced folk on here.
I suspect yours is snappy because of living in a pet shop, it may have been handled too much against it's will and is wary (plus the busy, light, noise). Try to provide a stress free environment and let it settle right in, it will take months maybe, keep it fed well, and give plenty of cover for security - this will be easier when your snake moves to the bigger white enclosure.

If he shows signs of getting ready to bight after 10 mins, maybe reduce to 2-5 mins handling for a while, handle less often too maybe.

I asked the guys at the reptile shop about the red lights and they say it’s fine for them.

I recommend doing some research yourself. There is a few good facebook groups for this. There is a group just for lighting, check it out, also
"Advancing Herpetological Husbandry" is good. Check out "Animals at home network" on utube - Dillon's (canadian) informative. Also "Reptiles and Research" - he's hardcore though, but I like his crazy passion.

I recon switching to heat mat as the ONLY heat supply is worh a try. You should get a better gradient without the red lights adding ambient temps, maybe a bit less substrate too?

Good luck.

 

[Pythonguy1]

I suspect yours is snappy because of living in a pet shop, it may have been handled too much against it's will and is wary (plus the busy, light, noise).

 

[Jonesy1103]

The red globes just blow way too often for my liking. Harpos advice is pretty solid; the heat mats when used with good thermostat probe placement and adjustment provide well regulated heat in the exact spot the snake wants it. Position a hide directly above it. Have a nice shady, dark hide at the opposite end. Add some other stuff between the 2 to act as a thermal barrier and you will end up with a really good gradient. Things like rocks (real or fake) for thermal barriers and good foliage (most people recommend fake) for shade.

As for the handling;

My children's was not a good handler when I first got it but the people who had it before me weren't looking after it very well. It was grossly underweight and apparently they had been told it should be handled every single day, no matter what. No wonder it was cranky!

Now we only ever handle it when it's in it's inquisitive mood ie. in the few days leading up to a feed. That's when we see it out of the hides and it actively follows our movement around. I think it has learnt that handling on wednesday and thursday means a feed is on the horizon so it's a lot more tolerant now. I think we have established a routine.

After a feed we don't handle it (as it's usually in the warm hide for several days). And of course if we suspect a shed is coming up we leave it alone as well. But if she is out and about, tapping at the glass, or watching us intently, we simply open the door and more often than not she doesnt even shy away. If she does shy away or remains in the hide, not interested in checking things out, we leave her alone.

Previously she used to spend most of handling time trying to burrow into the couch; now she seems to enjoy wrapping herself around warm hands and looking about, not trying to escape so much. And whereas before she would seem upset within a few minutes now she lasts heaps longer; even to the point I have to pry her off to get her back into the viv.

So I think there are ways to improve their handling behaviour and its more about
1) waiting till its in an "exploratory mood"
2) ending handling before it shows signs of being upset
3) establishing a routine where handling occurs in the lead up to a feed
4) leaving the snake alone if its in hiding (it needs to know it has a safe place before it can feel comfortable exploring)

This is somewhat opposed to advice some people have recieved which seems to be along the lines of "you must force the snake to enjoy being handled by traumatising it on a daily basis and removing any sense of security it has in its own home" which unfortunately I have seen and heard a few times, which I dont think works. I think mine at least has benefited from the "quality not quantity" approach to the point that it sees handling and out-of-viv time as part of the normal cycle that leads to a full tummy

 

[CF Constrictor]

Jonesy1103 pretty much hit it on the head. IR bulbs are good for watching your animal after dark thats about it. I use normal 60 watt incandescent bulbs on a timmer and dimmer switch for day night cycle and aditional day heat. And heat cord under floor through thermostat or dimmer switch 24/7. Cheers.

 

[Jonesy1103]

Jonesy1103 pretty much hit it on the head. IR bulbs are good for watching your animal after dark thats about it. I use normal 60 watt incandescent bulbs on a timmer and dimmer switch for day night cycle and aditional day heat. And heat cord under floor through thermostat or dimmer switch 24/7. Cheers.

Yeh so what I went with for night time viewing was a 240 to 12v adaptor hardwired in by an electrician mate off a separate timer; and then a 12v LED multicoloured strip from Jaycar (which I set to red of course) and at night mine looks like this (see photo)

Smyda I hope this has all been helpful.
-Red lamps don't last and are costly
-Ceramic heat emitters are not considered much better (except for their longevity but they are not efficient heaters and also dont create a good localised hot spot really except in specific circumstances) having said that, due to design issues and prior ignorance I am still using one
- your snake will love a heat mat, put the thermostat temp probe right inside the hot hide I reckon but others will chime in if I am wrong
- with well controlled hot hide it will be much easier to make good gradient at the other side of the place whereas red lamps or Ceramics tend to bombard the place with heat
- add a low powered halogen pointing directly down on the hot hide, on a timer to simulate daylight hours, this will create a lovely daytime basking spot (low powered and small, probably the size of one of the globes above your cooktop for example; start small first and you can increase wattage later if you reckon its not enough)
-But mainly the heatmat for the hot hide, well controlled, will be just what your snake wants- and a place thats cold and dark to get away from all that

I have got 4 temp monitors going
1 is part of the heat and timer controller; this is in the hot zone
1 is from the petshop with temp and humidity (Krabooz brand for hermit crabs or something I think) this is in the cold dark zone
The other 2 are cheap Jaycar stuff but accurate enough; these are at the other 2 corners, and are really only in there because I dont have problems with my fridge anymore (the reason I bought them)

And also remember dont agonise about every single damn degree; snakes survive heat waves and cold snaps. Just dont cook it and dont freeze it, do your best of course but it wont know if its 25.8 not 26 or 31.8 not 32.

I have 32+ and 26/27 at my extremes and 28 and 31 elsewhere and my Childrens python seems content to slither to all 4 corners. They are somewhat hardy snakes which is why the Childrens are considered ideal for first timers like myself

Cheers

 

[CF Constrictor]

Ventilation and insulation are things to consider too. To much ventilation and not enough insulation can make it difficult to get a good temp gradient.

 

[Jonesy1103]

Ventilation and insulation are things to consider too. To much ventilation and not enough insulation can make it difficult to get a good temp gradient.

Yes dead right
I live in the tropics so average household temp is 26 degree anyway

Therefore my heating requirements are much simpler than for other regions.

 

[CF Constrictor]

Your lucky , it wouldn't cost to much to heat. My enclosures are custom made for a cold climate and are well insulated.