hello!
thank you for asking up here for assistance/opinions on this!!
--I would be honored to assist - to the best of my ability
let's look point by point as you have this here;
1) I have my python housed in a 55 gallon - I found it very difficult to get the correct climate at first but easily maintained once I did...
** I have half the top covered with a towel/blanket during colder months and about a quarter covered the same manner year round for humidity
** I offer three hides -- and yet he preferred to create his own den using his substrate (actually it's pretty kewl)
** I have a heating mat under tank -- see below
** jungle vines of various sizes -- he is way too big these days to hang on them, just crushes them, but he does still enjoy rubbing along them and for atmosphere really I guess, I have his plastic plants and the leaf-vines all around his water dish.... it does contribute in a minor way to keeping heat/humidity up
--- really they say you need nothing more than the 20 gallon for the whole life of an adult python.... and some actually prefer the smaller enclosure
-- the python, for the most part, feels very secure and safe in small, tight spots...
--- I would suggest that though you switch tanks out, keep a look out after a couple of weeks adjustment time for whether or not she appears as content
* a week or two to adjust first as it will take time to get used to it... no need to "jump the gun" either way though
quote; Small Ball Pythons (16-28 inches) will do pretty good in a ten gallon size enclosure . An absolute minimal cage for an adult Ball Python (30-48 inches) would be a long twenty gallon A long thirty gallon would of course be preferred.
link: http://www.kingsnake.com/ballpythonguide/
2) substrate-- Great question!! and touchy subject... where the last answerer finds repti-bark problematic in being too moist... I had the opposite issue..
I have two substrates in for my python (five-six yrs of age now)
------I have coconut fibers - only a little on the warmer side of the tank
----- I have repti-carpet throughout the whole tank
** the coconut has been great in not being too wet, nor dry while having no moldy yuckies and is 100% (ok.. I never believe anything is one hundred percent... so let's just agree that is their claim.. mine is "I like it personally" fair? kay)
*** the repti-carpet is great.. machine washable... I clean it with baking soda and vinegar and no other detergent.. no stench or problems... wears extremely well
3) as I said above I have a heating pad/mat -- under tank--
** I have actually had the same one now for the life of my "Baby" and I check it weekly now -- it is five to six years... it still gives consistent good heat without issue... it is the large sized one
** I have nocturnal light for heat -- okay to watch him too... but only for fall-winter... spring and summer the temps are up and the extra heat is not needed
---------reasoning for mat/pad; the only other answer (when I started typing at least) says above heat is best... now, everything I have ever been taught, read -learned says different.... belly heat to digest... no rocks (obviously)
----- since I am not a vet, pro and the formal training I had was through a few animal shelters and pet store (long enough ago to know) I thought it best to look this information up again today ---- I would not want to offer incorrect/poor info
here is what I have found;
quote:
Well you can just run a heat mat on one side of the enclosure 24/7, belly heat is more important to snakes than just basking out in the light, plus a heat mat generally runs on a lower wattage than a bulb will, although if you wanted to light up the enclosure in the day time you link: http://www.repticzone.com/forums/BallPython/messages/336215.html
this one is regarding rubbermaid tanking system suggests mylar heat tape NOTE: advises to place Under tank -- which suggests again to me that "belly" heating
if by rubbermaid cage your refering to the rubbermaid shoe and sweater boxes i have used these for wears with my bloods and other little monsters.go through a group at the store and see which ones have the best fitting lids. in my setup i was not lucky enough to have a shelve to put them on so i just stacked them, invest in a good quality proporstional thermastat ane mylar heat tape and just put it under one end of the cage feel free email me with your questions
peace link; http://forum.kingsnake.com/bsnake/messages/6056.html
kingsnake python troubleshooting advises;
I addition to the lamp, I use heat mats all day every day to provide belly heat of about 82-85 degrees F on the warm side of the tank.
and
Q: What's the best way to heat my snakes cage?
A: AVOID "hot rocks" at all costs! I use either under tank heating pads or clip lamps with aluminum reflectors to heat one end of the cage. (Housing)
http://www.kingsnake.com/ballpythonguide/
---- I would have to say, you have the heating set up great... no need to change or advise you on changing anything... just to monitor the set up for a few days to see if you need to get the next size up in heat mat -- or a second small one placed near even
4) she likes to bask... and sounds like she is very comfortable!! that is great!!
5) --- looking in you would see the following;
quote:In general, female hemipenial homologs do not evert, as do male hemipenes One other pointer that may help to ascertain sex in the confusing cases that are sometimes encountered when probing snakes: males typically probe to identical depths on each side, while females may probe unequal depths, varying several subcaudals between the right and left sides, owing to differences in size, condition and stretch between female hemipenial homologs
-- males have their "privates" - hemipenes- tucked toward the tail it uh-umm... looks it is more like the letter "Y" -- although at times there can be uuhhh, more --
** having a snake probed is still the most accurate manner to sex but there are differences;
scale count -- from the underside *** I apologize, I can not find reference online here to this one and can not remember which is wich or even the specific name of the scales you would count... I believe it is the male that has more though...
--- does the tail "blunt" or "taper"
--*blunted tail --- looking at the tail end from the vent back approximately if the tail goes from fat to thin in an abrupt manner you are most likely looking at a female
--** tapered tail --- if the tail end very 'sleekly' goes to the end; getting slightly thinner more like a "V" shape you are most likely looking at a male
counting
------- although most times a female will have no ventral spurs they can/do have the trait/characteristic to have one or two still
*** both males and females of the royal ball python species have ventral spurs... the males are more prominent - larger
quote:
In most cases, the size and shape of spurs are an indicator of the sex of a boa or python, but this is not always an accurate means to determine sex with certainty. We have seen large adult, sexually-active male pythons with no apparent spurs, and occasional older females may have what seem to be quite large spurs.
http://www.vpi.com/publications/determining_the_sex_of_snakes
"popping" is one way to determine sex - note if done incorrectly "nothing" will pop out-- yet might still be male
probing:
I would not suggest you probe your snake unless you have not just read about it, but also been taught! as it can cause some major damage!
but to accurately answer you to the best of my ability, I do need to include this method...
example of what I would consider more of a minor damage (I AM NOT SAYING THIS IS MINOR - I am stressing the fact that even the smallest damage when done incorrectly is MAJOR!!)
quote: Smaller diameter probes also increase the chance of puncturing the female hemipenial homolog. This apparently happens with some regularity, and whenever sexing snakes, especially pythons, we have found it strongly advisable to probe both sides of the cloaca. Most people are right-handed and they tend to direct probing to the left side of the cloaca only. We occasionally find the hemipenial homolog on this side to be perforated in captive female snakes that are missexed as males; generally we find the hemipenial homolog on the right side of a female to be intact. We haven't observed perforated hemipenial homologs to cause medical problems; however, it does not appear that they ever repair.
http://www.vpi.com/publications/determining_the_sex_of_snakes
---- Uless you are planning to breed I would not ever suggest or recommend "probing" as well... would you wanna have someone do that to you? ok...
if you were told by the store/breeder she is a 'she' she most likely is.. although human error I realize there is that "question"
I hope this has been of assistance to you
thank you for taking the time to read this
have agreat day
much luck