Screen Lock Question

LadyParvati · #1 (**permalink**) 06-28-2008, 02:47 PM

My husband & I are brand-new python owners ourselves. Not brand-new snake owners, though--with my sons, we have kept wild-caught rough greens, rat snakes, water snakes, rattlesnakes, & copperheads for short periods over the past two decades, and I spent the last two years taking care of one of my son's friend's Pueblan milk snake (apricot morph--really pretty snake) while he was on a mission trip.

Now my husband & I have decided to get our own snake, and when we went to the store to look, he saw a baby ball and said he really likes pythons, so we got the baby ball. I'm wondering if anyone can give me some info about clips & locks. I read that the Zilla small clips aren't strong enough to keep a python from escaping, so I ordered the large size. However, they don't seem all that strong, either. I can lift the screen top up at least a half inch pretty easily. So now I'm wondering--what type of clips do I need? Our new baby is about 21" long now, but I know it's (don't know which sex it is yet) going to grow.

Jason · #2 (**permalink**) 06-28-2008, 09:48 PM

Beat to ask at your LPS for a locking screen lid, work better then any clips for a BP or any pet imho. 1/2 an ich is plenty of room for him / her to get out of

LadyParvati · #3 (**permalink**) 06-29-2008, 08:27 AM

Neither of my LPSs have locking screen lids--they just have plain screen tops that need clips. I ordered a hinged lid from PetSmart. Bad thing to do? Maybe I should return it and get a locking screen lid. I was pretty sure 1/2 inch was unsafe; thanks for the confirmation. We've been using packing tape to hold the lid down more tightly.

LadyParvati · #4 (**permalink**) 06-29-2008, 09:13 AM

I've looked online & I can't find any screen covers that have locks already. I can find R-Zilla locks--locking screen clips--that apparently rachet down & can accept a padlock. Do the R-Zilla locking screen clips work? The ones I can find are here: R-Zilla Locking Screen Clips w/ Light Mount | Pet Solutions

Pavel · #5 (**permalink**) 07-05-2008, 01:02 PM

Well whle you're looking, put some heavy books/weights on both ends of the tank lid.

For my pueblos tank, though it is hardly an elegant look, I have it battened down with those adjustable cargo straps (NOT the bungee cord type). I'll try to get a pic latter if you're not sure what I mean.

LadyParvati · #6 (**permalink**) 07-05-2008, 05:31 PM

I know what you mean--the woven straps that are NOT elastic. We have some of those but I hadn't thought of using them. We haven't moved the snake into the big tank yet; we just finished the planting a couple days ago and are still waiting for some thermostats & so on. So he's still in a 20-gal with lots of packing tape & spring clips.

We did get some of the locking clips--the ones that screw onto the lid and ratchet down. What do you think of those?