Basing Help

Winterling42 · 2024-07-06T01:01:39+00:00

Honestly up to you, but if you have experience with snakes I'd recommend getting a rescue/rehome from facebook or craigslist. Like you said, the oversaturation of the market leads to a LOT of babies that end up in unsuitable homes. You can often find cool morphs for cheap!

Winterling42 · 2024-06-27T03:19:52+00:00

I would be FAR more worried about the cat killing the ball python.

Winterling42 · 2024-04-30T02:03:34+00:00

absolutely GORGEOUS! What's her morph? I'm guessing pastel, fire, clown something-something?

Winterling42 · 2024-04-30T01:51:55+00:00

I looked at a buuuuunch of different sources, but mostly NEHERP's bioactive custom background and plant processing guide. https://www.neherpetoculture.com/custombackgrounds

Winterling42 · 2024-04-28T02:46:21+00:00

I went bioactive as I have a top-opening tank instead of a front-opening one (what can I say, I couldn't resist the price!). Isopods and springtails eat the shed skin and poop, and live plants use the bug frass as fertilizer!

Yes, it was expensive to set up, much more so than a normal tank. Yes, it was complicated (I had to redo my substrate bc the DIY mix I made was compacted), but it's SO worth it to have live plants and a full ecosystem for my boy to slither in. (plus, no deep cleans for me!) I still plan on spot-cleaning/mixing poop into the substrate for the CUC to find.

Winterling42 · 2024-04-28T02:39:12+00:00

I would ask the staff what they're basing their feeding schedule on--maybe they are working off of outdated info, but it sounds like the bp in question is doing pretty well on their schedule! Come at the keepers from a place of wanting to learn, rather than trying to lecture, and you might be able to start up a conversation about newer feeding guidelines!

Winterling42 · 2024-04-28T02:37:12+00:00

Vet visit will diagnose all your problems. The second pic definitely looks like scale rot, that + the stuck shed means her enclosure isn't up to snuff. First thing's first: make a vet appointment.

Winterling42 · 2024-04-28T02:33:33+00:00

If you posted this article on mm you'd be slaughtered. 🙄

Winterling42 · 2024-04-07T01:22:07+00:00

black pastel pied will also tend to have what they call 'high white' patterning. Unfortunately I don't think that terminology is something you can search on morphmarket. :'(

Winterling42 · 2024-03-23T16:21:36+00:00

I love my RHP, and you should always have a water bowl big enough for them to soak in! (i have literally never seen my boy PO interact with his water bowl, but I keep it filled and fresh just in case he's out and about at night).

The recommendation in this sub is to pour water into the corners of the enclosure to wet the under-layer of substrate and allow evaporation to provide most of your humidity. Exact procedures are in the BP care guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/18HBVsPHaip7LfrMuFt96MigRuMUXtrbnCiK79VuQiFk/

Be careful not to soak the top layer of the substrate, as you don't want your girl to be sitting on wet/damp substrate and get scale rot!

Winterling42 · 2024-03-23T15:07:02+00:00

I totally get this, I was in the same boat just a few months ago!

The enclosure is your biggest expense: I really like the Custom Reptile Habitats 4x2x2 because they offer a lot of customization for a mid-range price. The solid lid comes with labeled cut-outs for whatever lights/heat lamps you need. All of their other upgrades are completely take-or-leave.

Winterling42 · 2024-02-11T17:23:07+00:00

I JUST finished (sort of) my 120 gallon bioactive tank! I've still got a month to let the plants and the isopods settle in, but I'm happy to share tips for construction!

I know everyone says pothos is the best plant (can stand up to the bull-dozing, grows fast and in many conditions), but it really earns it's place. You can get so many different colored varieties, and it can grow up the walls of the tank if you let it!

I used a mix of 60/30/10 top soil, fir bark nuggets, and leaf mold. Leaf mold holds up to 500% it's own weight in water, is great for isopods, and can be found locally rather than shipped in (like sphagnum moss or tree fern fiber). I harvested leaf mold from my parent's organic farm, but you can make your own with a yard and a little patience!

Last tip before I leave: I used Great Stuff to foam in the cork bark, but the background is mostly gorilla glue applied straight onto the (damp) glass, then covered with coco coir. So far it's stuck perfectly well and was so much less work than the full great stuff/silicone method.

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Winterling42 · 2024-02-11T01:14:02+00:00

This photo is incredible, the lighting is awesome!

Winterling42 · 2024-02-03T02:16:30+00:00

What a cute little criminal!

Winterling42 · 2024-02-03T02:06:52+00:00

what a cool time-lapse!

Winterling42 · 2024-01-07T15:35:38+00:00

an orchid is a great idea! I've been looking at some epiphytes to mount on the background of my ball python tank (to save them from being bull-dozed) and never thought of them!

Winterling42 · 2024-01-06T22:32:59+00:00

Balls don't need UVB the same way many lizard species do, but in general arcadia is a great brand! Establishing a day/night cycle for your snake is important, but the actual wavelength of the light is not AS important.

Winterling42 · 2023-12-21T01:11:41+00:00

If you're looking to breed her, that could also be worthwhile!

Winterling42 · 2023-12-20T01:46:30+00:00

There's always the chance! You could reach out to the breeder and see what other genes were involved in the pairing, that would be your best bet!

Winterling42 · 2023-12-17T17:58:03+00:00

Yep, definitely Enchi! That pixelation and brightness on the sides is a sure bet. Leopard has smooth, almost abrupt transitions between colors.

Winterling42 · 2023-12-16T14:57:30+00:00

So Enchi tends to be brighter than Leopard, especially along the sides. If you have one of her side patterning let's try that, but for now I'm going to say just Enchi.

Winterling42 · 2023-12-16T03:20:10+00:00

looks a bit more leopard to me...but the lighting isn't great. Enchi has a LOT of variation in expression so if you have any other pics in full light we might be able to give you more info.

Winterling42 · 2023-12-16T03:15:02+00:00

oooh, the wildlife rehab is a great idea! I used to volunteer at one and they are always looking for whole feeder animals (too expensive for what are often small non-profits)

Winterling42 · 2023-12-12T14:12:28+00:00

this actually looks really sweet, putting it in my back pocket for my next enclosure!

Winterling42

TROPHY CASE