(Part 2) Top products from r/snakes

If you have a glass tank already, I would not get a ball python. They don't do so well in glass tanks as they have high humidity needs, and the screen tops don't hold in humidity and the glass walls don't hold heat it. It would be an uphill battle with constant stress on you and potential health issues for your snake.

Corn sakes and sand boas and hognoses do pretty well in glass tanks though, and a 40g long tank would be a good home for them.

I would suggest picking a species first, and then start researching. Some basics that you will need regardless:

1.) Hides, more than 1. Half logs can be pretty decoration but they aren't that great for a snake feeling safe in. A good cheap hide are these, which you can order online. These are well made, sturdy, dishwasher safe, and are enclosed spaces with only 1 entrance - my ball python and rainbow boa are both very happy with theirs. If you like aesthestics you can use foam and paint to make them look pretty cool using this tutorial or you can purchase some of these

2.) Heat Sources: You will need either ceramic heat emitters, under tank heaters, or both. I would recommend staying away from heat lights as you need to turn lights off at night and most snakes can see even red light. Ceramic heat emitters give off heat but not light. I don't have recommendations for these as I don't use them. I do have recommendations for under tank heaters, which are these, from the same place as the hides. You can also get heat tape from Reptile Basics and they are super helpful in making sure you have everything you need to set up with it. ZooMed or Zilla stick on pads are not that great and can break super easily. If you do end up with one of these, I suggest sticking aluminum foil to the adhesive and then attaching it with foil tape, this will make it re-usable. STAY AWAY FROM HEAT ROCKS.

3.) Thermostats. You will need 1 thermostat per heat source. This is NECESSARY. This is not something you can skip out on. Heat pads and CHE's can easily get hot enough to fry your reptiles. This is the model I am currently using for my heat sources, and other people here use them too. They don't have a lot of crucial safety features, though. I am saving up for one of these Herpstat's. You can get one with multiple probes for multiple heat sources, and it has a ton of good safety features. Tons of people here use these, so if you have questions about which one to get, someone here can answer you.

4.) Security: All snakes are escape artists. All of them. Even the one you don't see ever leave their hides. A stack of books or some rocks on the lid are not security measures. You will want to look into lid clamps, or a system that slides in and has a means of locking. I had my baby boa in an Iris Weathertight box which had 6 locking lid clamps while he was in quarantine. Now he is in an Animal Plastics t8 w sliding doors and I have a lock on them. If you have questions about if your set up will be secure enough, please post pics here and we can helpyou spot potential escape routes. Or you can just search "lost snake" or "escape" on this sub and see some of the ways snakes have escaped. But rocks and books are a guarantee to end with an escaped snake.

5.) Temp and Humidity Guages: These stick on ones are no good. They are dangerous and sometimes deadly - I don't care how cheap they are, or how much of a budget you are on, they are inaccurate and the adhesive WILL give way and your snake could get stuck to it. This is the one I use. I have the "outdoor" probe sitting on the floor of the enclosure on the hot side (under the substrate) and the unit itself sitting on the cool side. This lets me quickly see the temperature gradient and humidity.

6.) Substrate: This is going to be highly individual to what kind of snake you get and what its humidity needs are. Sand boas will need a ton more than a corn snake, for example. But pine is toxic, so avoid that. Figure out what kind of snake you are getting and plan for a substrate for them.

7.) What to Feed: you're gonna have to feed whole prey items. It is highly recommended that you feed either frozen/thawed or pre-killed. I order mine frozen thawed from either Layne Labs or Perfect Prey. I keep them in my freezer and I have a pair of feeding tongs I use to feed with. I usually take them out of the freezer and put them in the fridge the night before feeding day. When I get home from work I take them out of the fridge and set them on the counter (in a plastic bag) to get them to warm temp. Then I get some boiling water, put it in a bowl, put a plate on top of the bowl, and put the prey items on top of the plate. I do this until they reach approx 100F (use a IR temp gun if you have one), and then I run the heads under a hot water until they reach about 110F. I do this for both prey items for my ball python and my rainbow boa, even though my rainbow boa doesn't have heat pits, it's just easier cause I keep them in the same ziplock bag. I then use the tongs to dangle the prey and move it around to make it look like it's "live". Some snakes aren't picky and won't mind a room temp rodent, others will want a dance. My boa is a champ and will knock back food no problem. My ball python will want me to dance the rat around for twenty minutes while she gets into striking position and contemplates the meaning of life, the universe, and everything. Ball pythons are usually picky. Pre-killed means you buy the rodent live, and then kill it yourself, and immediately present it to the snake. You can achieve this with a euthanasia chamber or twisting the neck. Feeding live isn't really the greatest, as there is a chance the prey item will attack and hurt your snake. This is especially true of adult rats, which have sharp teeth and claws. In the wild, a snake could see a prey item and if it's not hungry, it could run away. In captivity, neither the rat nor the snake can run away, and this can lead to snakes being defensive and just trying to hide while a rat bites it fearing attack.

8.) How to Feed: In addition to this, you will probably hear about "cage agression" and needing a seperate tank to feed in. This is a lie. Your snake will not associate your hand / opening of the cage as "feeding time" unless it is the only time your hand is in there. And it won't be, you will be changing water, cleaning poop and urates, changing substrate, and more! After a snake has eating, they need at least 48 hours to digest their food. If they don't have this time, they may regurgitate the food. Regurgitation is an emergency medical event. In order to avoid this, after your snake has been feed, they should be left completely alone for 48 hours, no handling. If you feed in a seperate enclosure, this means that you will be moving your snake post-feeding. This also increases your chances of being bitten. Your hand may smell like rodent still, and your snake will still be in hunting mode, and may think your hand is seconds. So feed in your enclosure. It's less stressful for your snake, less stressful for you, and you have a much lower risk of being bitten.

That's a general overview, I may have left something out there, but I think you can get the general basics. Next you should pick a species and start asking here for more specific advise!!

I wish you and your future scale-child the best of luck!

Welcome,


Congrats on choosing a MBK, I just got a juvenile on Saturday! I've always wanted one but had trouble finding a young one. I have 2 corns, a hognose, and a Cali King. Ever since I got my Cali King, kingsnakes have been my favorites.

1. Tubs are generally better. They hold heat and humidity ALOT better than tanks. That being said, kingsnakes don't have high humidity requirements (~40%-60%), and I haven't had a problem while using something like Reptibark. I prefer tanks, because I'm selfish and enjoy seeing the snakes (when they're out). I don't really see a problem with it as long as you can keep the temperature/humidity requirements right.
   
   
   
2. I use Zoomed ReptiTherm heatpads, never had an issue with them, accomponied by this thermostat. A thermostat is a necessity with heat pads. They will get ridiculously hot and could burn your snake.
   
   
   
3. AFAIK they don't. Every breeder/keeper I've spoken to has said they never used a UVB light for their snakes and haven't had issues, snakes have lived long lives. I'm sure it can't hurt, but I don't use lights for mine.
   
   
   
4. I prefer going to reptile expos if you can find one in your area. Mostly because you can talk to experienced keepers to figure out the best way to keep your reptiles healthy. I usually order my thermostats/heatmats on amazon though.
   
   
   
   I hope you enjoy your new snake, welcome to the community, and I EXPECT PICS. Let me know if you have any other questions and I'll do my best to help.

the up front costs of setting up the enclosure vary a lot depending on whether you want utilitarian and cheap or aesthetically pleasing and expensive, as well as the quality of the equipment you use. using a corn snake as an example, since i think that's the most beginner-friendly of the three species you listed, you could set up an enclosure for an adult at anywhere between $50 and $500.

i'll give you some examples based on setups i have/had.

low-end:

• 74qt sterilute underbed tub with air holes drilled/soldered in the sides.
  
• luggage straps to secure the tub.
  
• ultratherm UTH [under tank heater].
  
• hydrofarm thermostat to regulate the UTH.
  
• digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer to monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature/humidity.
  
• cheap/free household items like cardboard boxes for hides, paper towels or newspaper for substrate, plastic food container for water, etc.
  
  mid-range:
  
  
• glass tank, generally in the size range of 30gal to 55gal. could be free, cheap, or $100+ depending on what size you get and where you find it. craigslist can get you really cheap tanks, and petco/petsmart have dollar-per-gallon sales often.
  
• an appropriately sized screen lid and sturdy lid clips for the tank. these things can be purchased separately from the tank.
  
• ultratherm UTH.
  
• hydrofarm thermostat to regulate the UTH.
  
• lamp and CHE [ceramic heat emitter] for ambient heat if your room temperature tends to be below 70 F.
  
• digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer to monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature/humidity.
  
• infrared thermometer to spot-check the temperature anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• two reptile basics hide boxes.
  
• metal or ceramic dog bowl for a water dish.
  
• shredded aspen substrate.
  
  high-end:
  
  
• pvc reptile cage. prices vary depending on the manufacturer. animal plastics is generally the cheapest but requires assembly. i have my corn in a boaphile plastics 421D cage, which is bigger than he really needs but i have a stack of cages so i needed size uniformity, and i like to give my snakes more than the minimum requirement of length+width of enclosure being equal to length of snake.
  
• UTH and/or RHP [radiant heat panel], can be included in the purchase of the cage. i only have a UTH because my room temperature stays in the 70-75 F range year round. i recommend an RHP if your room temperature tends to be below 70 F.
  
• herpstat to regulate the temperature. a herpstat intro+ is fine if you only use one heat source, a herpstat 2 would be best if you use two heat sources.
  
• digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer to monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature/humidity.
  
• infrared thermometer to spot-check the temperature anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• naturalistic style hides and water dish, such as this hide and this water dish from exo terra.
  
• additional hides, half-logs, driftwood, artificial plants, etc, to clutter up the enclosure and make it interesting.
  
• naturalistic style substrate like cypress mulch, coconut husk mulch [the big chunky pieces, not the soil-like coconut fiber], fir bark mulch, etc.
  
  then there are basic medical and emergency supplies. i recommend having these things on hand:
  
  
• a good disinfectant for the enclosure. this stuff is the best.
  
• a way to contain/transport your snake outside of the enclosure. this can be a cotton pillowcase, a snake bag, or a small plastic tub with a locking lid and air holes.
  
• uniheat shipping packs for providing heat during a power outage or evacuation.
  
• a spare UTH and basic thermostat, so you're not scrambling to find a replacement if anything breaks.
  
• povidone-iodine [betadine] and an antibiotic ointment without pain relief [neosporin]. these are useful in treating things like minor burns, cuts, scale rot, etc.
  
• provent-a-mite to tackle a mite infestation.
  
  as far as annual costs go, electricity is negligible for one snake, so you're really just dealing with food and substrate. for a corn snake, you're looking at $30-$40 per year if you buy mice from expos, local shops/suppliers, or online bulk suppliers, instead of the way overpriced petco/petsmart/etc. substrate costs depend on what type you buy, how big your enclosure is, how deep you keep the substrate, and how often you do full substrate changes, could be anywhere from $20 to $100 per year.

There are a number of resources for snake ID and this list is nowhere near comprehensive.

Globally, comprehensive species lists are available via Reptile Database Advanced Search. Reptile Database is mostly correct and up to date in terms of taxonomy. Another worldwide resource is Snakes of the World which, in addition to being comprehensive for extant snakes, also provides a wealth of information on fossil taxa.

Regional guides are useful. If you're in North America, the Eastern Peterson Guide and Western Peterson Guide are great tools, as is Snakes of the United States and Canada. While plagiarized and problematic, the book Snakes of Mexico is the best easily accessible information for the region. For Central America, the Kohler book as well as Savage's Costa Rica book are excellent resources. South America is tough but has a diagnostic catalog. Australia has Cogger as a herp bible. SE Asia has two guides one in German and one comprehensive. For Europe, you simply can't get better than the three volumes of Handbuch der Reptilien und Amphibien Europas. Africa is also difficult - no comprehensive guide exists but there are a few good regional guides like Reptiles of East Africa and Guide to the Reptiles of Southern Africa. Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar is a good source for that distinct region. For the Indian subcontinent, use Snakes of India

Remember, species names are hypotheses that are tested and revised - old books become dated by the nature of science itself. One of your best resources is going to be following /r/whatsthissnake, or (for North America) with the SSAR Standard Names List for the most recent accepted taxonomic changes.

Here is an example of a small personal herpetology library.

--------------------------------------------------------

I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, here and report problems here.

I like this book mostly because it was written by Bill and Kathy Love who are well known and respected corn breeders. www.cornsnakes.com is a very helpful forum website.

Some people say a corn that's under 3 years old should eat once a week while others like to feed very young corns more frequently. The Munson plan is sometimes considered a bit aggressive but I like it young corns close to this. When it says four to five days I'll usually feed pinkies every 5 days, fuzzies every 6 days, and hoppers and adult mice once a week. When they're young, they'll often shed about once a month.

The color is of a hypo lavender (I just picked up a little female hypo lavender myself! Her and her normal pattern for comparison ) and the pattern is motley. It may have sunkissed in there too and that reduces the head pattern slightly and tends to make them brighter. Males do tend to be brighter and smaller but there's no guarantee for that. Keep in mind that as babies, most corn morphs will change color slightly with each shed, so if you get a baby it's not going to look exactly the same as an adult.

There doesn't seem to be a required minimum for handling but some snakes do respond better to being handled less often as it can be stressful but it really comes down to the individual snake. Twice a week is typically fine but I wouldn't handle the snake at all once it starts to go into a shed or before it settles into the new home and is eating well.

Spot clean when you see poop and total deep clean once every couple of months though some people say every month. To me, if you're spot cleaning it doesn't seem necessary to do it every month.

If you keep them on aspen, I would be careful about misting as it can mold. You can give them a moist hide though they usually shed fine at 40% humidity which is pretty normal for most places.

Getting a bigger enclosure is fine so long as you make the snake feel hidden by "cluttering" the tank with foliage and hides.

Having a dog shouldn't be an issue so long as you keep the snake out of harms way. I haven't seen any of my snakes react to the presence of the dogs unless the dog tries to get close. Freezing, the "s" shape stance, and high tailing it in the other direction are good indicators of being stressed.

Carpet Python sounds like what you want. I don't know where you heard about feeding problems but generally Carpets are garbage disposals. Jungles and IJs are known to sometimes get stuck on mice but it's not super common. They aren't as sensitive as Ball Pythons are to stress and will not go off feed just because. They're extremely easy to take care of, easier than your Ball Pythons. Humidity is not as big of a concern and as long as you are changing water out regularly (every 2-3 days) and they are staying hydrated you will get nice sheds even in lower humidity.

I recommend you contact Nick Mutton @ Inland Reptile. He's not only the largest Carpet breeder here in the States, but also arguably the best. You will not get a mutt animal from him. All of his stuff is honestly represented and it is what he says it is. He has and provides lineage for all of his animals. He also wrote The Complete Carpet Python, the best book currently out on the complex (which i also recommend you purchase).

It looks perfectly safe, but I don't know if it would make a good hide... it seems a bit too open, so it'd be a neat decoration, but I wouldn't count on it making a good hide.

I have this one in my hatchling's tank. It serves much better as a hide (thought my snake much prefers his little coconut halves) and still looks really cool.

You could also use some adhesive-backed vinyl (black can also help create your BP feel secure) or another kind of plastic to cover much of the screen top of the enclosure to help keep humidity in. Could be a way to continue using your current tank if you're attached to it while keeping humidity up!

Also, this is slightly off-topic, but if you think you might be wanting to get a quick temperature reading anywhere in the enclosure, a temp gun can be a great tool to have. Certainly not a necessity if you're going to have a thermometer or two, but it can sometimes help in erasing any doubts you may have about the temperature in your enclosure.

This one is pretty solid and affordable. Pro Exotics make one as well but it's twice as expensive.

In the hotter parts of the year snakes tend to move around towards dawn and dusk, and are more likely to be moving throughout the night. Get out into good habitat for what you'd like to see and just spend time in the area. Big or diverse ecotype areas of habitat are usually best. Field guides or books like Ernst & Ernst is a good resource for specific habitat use and other natural history information that can help.

I'm in the same boat as the OP but I don't have a tank assembled yet! I'm looking at stuff to buy for it though, and I want my snake to feel as safe and comfortable as possible. is this appropriate for a corn snake? The reviews say so, but I figured I'd ask to make sure. I'm also looking at climbing sticks/etc and found this but I don't know how I feel paying $20 for a small stick, lol. Any suggestions?

Two changes - folks always want a thermostat. This thermostat is the same as the HydroFarm stat /u/_ataraxia mentioned, and is a good low end/entry level stat. It's literally the same exact piece of hardware with a different label. Most of my enclosures are on Herpstat thermostats with proportional control. These are sort of the high end of stand-alone thermostats. Some people have also gone on the more computerized, high tech route. If that's interesting to you, it works great, but it's definitely not necessary.

On/off thermostats are actually not suitable for light bulbs, because the bulb will go on and off all the time, sort of strobing. It's fine for non-light emitting heat sources like ceramic heaters and radiant heat panels, although proportional are still more accurate.

1. Yep! They won't cause burns unless the snake is able to rest against them, which isn't possible if they're installed correctly. They still need to be regulated with a thermostat however.
   
   
2. & 3. Yes you can, but unless you need the fluorescents for plants or something, I'd recommend going with LED strip lights. Something like this. I have them in mine. You can customize the color, which is nice, and since they don't produce very much heat you don't have to worry about installing guards and such like you would with fluorescents.
   
   

temperature sounds about right, cool side should be about 70° and warm around 86°.
I read a lot online, plus bought a book. I think the best info I found was linked on this reddit, plus these:

• http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/corn_snake_care_sheet.htm
  
• https://www.amazon.co.uk/Corn-Snakes-Herpetocultural-Library-Kathy/dp/1882770706/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1492589590&sr=8-2&keywords=corn+snakes
  
  
  also something I forgot to mention but is dead important: check these things:
  
  
• you are allowed to keep snakes in the place you live (not just the state, but also in your building/flat)
  
• there is a reptile specialised vet within reach. Normal vets might not have a clue how to help a sick snake.
  
• you can get frozen mice where you are, either from a shop or delivered.
  
  EDIT: and make shameless use of this subreddit. Whenever I had questions, even silly ones, I received good explanations, info, and help here. It's a pretty awesome corner of the internet.

If screen top, cover with 3 layers of foil, use tape on the outside only, where snek cannot touch tape, to make a better seal, leave a hole for excess humidity or lamp, hole i think works best on the warm side, oh and a water bowl on both ends of the tank

glass sides and back can be insulated with foam, or foil, black foam looks better, works better and is exactly the measurement for the 2 sides and back https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GAD5G4

the analog dial is usually inaccurate and everyone here is afraid of them after this owners corn snake got stuck to the adhesive that fell off http://i.imgur.com/CRHSzgK.jpg

Top budget thermostat

jumpstart

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NZZG3S

and most popular light dimmer switch

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-TT-300H-WH-Electronics-Plug-Dimmer/dp/B0000BYEF6


Jumpstart is best for the UTH (under tank heater) and dimmer works well for the overhead heat to control the temp. ceramic heat emitters (CHE) are recommended as they do not produce light at all and can be kept on 24/7

Both need thermometers or IR temp gun to verify surface temperature.

Excellent temp and humidity sensor. External probe goes in tank and is wireless


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M252EWA


Get rid of that stick on thermometer. Once your snake gets big enough it will rip that right off

If you're keen on doing some work to save money and have some tools lying around, you could build your own enclosure for much cheaper than premade ones. There's plenty of tutorials and the materials (usually wood or acrylic) are fairly affordable. The long term costs of owning a snake are pretty negligible, it's the initial cost that's going to be pretty high.

Aside from the enclosure, you also need; a heat mat (ex), a thermostat (ex1 ex2), thermometer and hygrometer (ex), substrate (ex1 ex2), 2 hides (ex), water dish (ex), ceramic heat emitter (ex), cleaning supplies (ex), and a mist bottle (ex).

Those are all just examples and some of them might not work for you, but it should give you an idea of what to look for. Things that aren't "technically" a requirement but are highly recommended are plants/decor and a light (UVB if you want to spoil them) to provide a day/night cycle. If you're wanting a Ball Python, options are practically endless on MorphMarket. Just make sure you do your research on a breeder before buying.

Unfortunately, there are more important criteria to consider when setting up a new snake aside from what you like the look of-like what will work best in the enclosure and what will give the snake the best quality of life. Just having it pushed against the back isn't a very efficient solution; after all, it can be moved, and in a clear glass tank, it can still feel exposed. Many experienced keepers also recommend having two identical hides so the snake doesn't have to choose between security and temperature, but as far as I'm concerned, as long as you've got two appropriately sized single-entrance hides, you should be okay. I use these with a few of my snakes, they work well too.

Have you read any of the care sheets online and on the sidebar regarding these things?

If you're using bulbs, go with ceramic heat emitters. They dont emit light, and can be used 24/7 to maintain heat without disturbing sleep.

It would be a good idea to get a heat lamp that has a dimmer built in so that you can scale how much power is going to the bulb. Like this

You will also need thermometers, hygrometers, and thermostats.

So the tank looks something similar to what I have (just smaller). Does the lid slide into place? That's what it looks like in the picture at least. I have that, but I also have three locks on mine. One of them is similar to this here. The other two clips are these on amazon .


Now the size of the tank all depends on the snake. We started our retic in a 20G, but have switched him into a custom built enclosure once he outgrew it. From what I have seen, the length + width should be a tad bigger than your snake. I prefer to give them extra wiggle room to grow into, but that's also because all my snakes are super young.


I use these thermometers also from amazon. We place one on the cool, middle, and hot side. Or just the cool and hot side depending on the tank size. My toads use something different though. Since it is a tank, we had trouble keeping humidity in, but getting a larger water dish and using this tape on the OUTSIDE of the tank (so part of the screen and some of the sides) have helped tremendously. We also use a cheaper humidifier from Walmart in the room due to our climate.


I do use heat lamps at the moment until I get switched over to something else. The bulbs we use emit zero lighting and we have them connected to a temperature control thing, also found on amazon.


Now for water, you will need to get reptile drops to take out the bad stuff in tap water. That can be found online or at a local pet shop.

You would just have to modify everything for whatever type of animal you want to get. Also, the small little cage is for crickets. They go into the tubes and that's how you feed them to toads/lizards. Also, I would suggest purchases a snake from a breeder/reptile expo versus a pet store.

It's okay! Take a deep breath. :) The plastic concern is about the socket that the bulb screws into, inside of the dome. If the socket is plastic, you'd need a different dome fixture, not a different tank.

I suggested a chick brooding fixture because I figured you probably have access or Tractor Supply or a feed store, but if not that's no problem. They sell them at hardware stores too. Here is an example from Home Depot. It doesn't specifically have to be this.

Here's an example of a ceramic bulb

If the tank lid / screen is plastic, I do not know if you can put the dome directly on the lid, sorry. I would clip or hang the fixture so it isn't sitting directly on the tank if you can. This will also make it easier to open the lid.

Looks good. I do strongly suggest you get a thermostat for at least the UTH. Its pretty risky without one.

Also, those analog thermometers/hygrometers are worthless, especially way up on the side of the tank. Even if they were accurate, which they often aren't, its pointless monitoring the top of the tank where the snake isn't at. Pick up a digital point-and-shoot thermometer like this one so you know the real temperatures.

Okay. Thank you. So would a bulb like this work?

https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-25156-Reptisun-Fluorescent/dp/B00A8RI8TK/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?keywords=uvb%2Breptile%2Bbulb&qid=1568919448&s=gateway&sr=8-12&th=1&psc=1

I have ball pythons not sand boas, but what I use for ambient heat is a CHE (ceramic heat emitter). You would need a dome with a ceramic base because they can get very hot. I use this one , and the CHE can also be found on Amazon like this one . I also have mine on a dimming thermostat, since on/off thermostats can wear out the bulbs, but those can be pricey. I know some people will just use the dimmer knob for the dome, but you will need an infrared heat gun to check surface temps and adjust to make sure it’s not too hot, and check it regularly as it won’t adjust itself if your ambient temperature in your room fluctuates.

here is the thermostat that I have always used. it’s a good price and I haven’t had any issues with it

and here are the thermometer/hygrometer combos that I use. one on the hot side, and one on the cool side.

Well the CHE screws into the fixture. A CHE is basically just another kind of bulb that doesn't give off light so you need a fixture to screw it into and then the fixture gets plugged into the thermostat and the thermostat gets plugged into the outlet.

There are two basic kinds of fixtures for this. This type is what you want if you have a metal mesh lid on a glass tank. It will be on top of the lid aimed down into the cage. This type is used for wood or pvc cages with solid ceilings. The fixture will be mounted inside the cage on the ceiling and then have a metal safety cage installed around the fixture/bulb.

I use either the repti sun https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-25156-Reptisun-Fluorescent/dp/B00A8RI8TK/ref=sr_1_5?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1506132317&sr=1-5&keywords=uvb+reptile+light

or the 5.0 exo terra https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Repti-Glo-Fluorescent-Terrarium/dp/B00101JI2Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1506132360&sr=8-3&keywords=uvb+reptile+light+exo+terra

I personally think the repti sun has a better light temperature which is the term they use for what color the light is and how it makes things look. The exo terras I use were just on sale.

Complete Carpet Python :)

It is ok. To me nothing is black or white, everything is gray. It is the way things are.

Anyways, here is the link to the book from amazon http://www.amazon.com/Stolen-World-Reptiles-Smugglers-Skulduggery/dp/B00AZ82KD2

The complete carpet python for those who keep or are interested in carpets

For multiple days, you need to have a backup plan. You can go a couple hours with some reptile warmers. But that's not gonna do a few days. Maybe one day. After that, you need to have a plan like a friend's house you can bring them to. Especially if the blackouts happen frequently.

He should have a warm spot of 85 degrees and a cool side of mid to low 70's, but your humidity seems fine. Are you measuring humidity with a digital or analog hygrometer? Many people get these https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Economy-Thermometer-Humidity/dp/B004PBB1JE from their local pet store, but they can be wildly inaccurate. If you have analog, switch to digital right away. To get rid of the shed, place some moist paper towels or moss into one of his hides.

Would this also work? Mainly asking because Amazon is much more convenient and Reptile basics is currently out of stock.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UCDIBJ2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_1JQAzb4VQN1WQ

Thermostat

And for an UTH just get one from zoomed, I've never had a problem with theirs before.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M252EWA

The acurite hygrometers are just fine. They take a bit of time when first placed in to acclimate but they are accurate

Well the velcro itself is probably not that bad, but if the adhesive that the velcro is glued to the glass with is the problem. Thats why you shouldnt have any kind of tape in an enclosure. But even if thats fine you want to measure hot spot temperature and the stick on measure ambient temperatures.

This is the kind of thermometer im talking about. You dont see them often cause they are hiden beneath the substrate.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M252EWA

Analog hygrometers for reptile cages are just garbage.

Buy a food scale then. This is cheap, and will work fine

I put the wrong link sorry
SUPERNIGHT (TM) 16.4ft 5M Waterproof Flexible 300leds Color Changing RGB SMD5050 LED Light Strip Kit RGB 5M +24Key Remote+12V Power Supply https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ASHP1CM/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_h0ZVtb07WAPD4V37

But this is all you need now
SUPERNIGHT(TM) 100V - 240V To DC 12V 5A Switching Power Supply Adapter For LED strip Light https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008FKDK2M/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_R1ZVtb1PTAQM68XJ

Or anything similar

Never had my corn do that yet in any of his hides.

I actually just had to get him bigger hides, and got him these: https://www.amazon.com/Reptile-Hide-Box-C--Medium/dp/B00UCDIBJ2

The medium is a little small for him, but the size below would've been definitely too small. He fills up the hide about 65-70%, and still has some growing to do before he's a full adult. (Another foot, or so).

The only thing he absolutely goes CRAZY for, is moss. If I give him a mossy container, he refuses to leave it. I have to open it up and dump him out before he'll leave it. For this reason, I only offer it to him around shedding time, as I don't want him to get scale rot or something.

Going shopping tonight and tomorrow. Was ordering some things on amazon and was wondering what size of a hide I should get, reading the article you gave me said there should be no dead space in there hide. Here are the two I am looking at [One] (https://www.amazon.com/Reptile-Hide-Box-C-Medium/dp/B00UCDIBMY/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1492216546&sr=1-3&keywords=reptile%2Bhide&th=1) [Two] (https://www.amazon.com/Reptile-Hide-Box-C-Medium/dp/B00UCDIBJ2/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1492216546&sr=1-3&keywords=reptile%2Bhide&th=1) And if you dont mind I would like to send you pictures of my completed closure to get your final word on it