Need Help ASAP

[willm17]

Hey everyone,

I just recently got a pinstripe male, he's around 800 grams or so, and it's been a couple years since I've owned a ball, so I'm still getting into the swing of things. I've got him in a sterilite tub, using newspaper as a substrate, and I have a hydrofarms thermostat and heating pad attached to the bottom of the bin with foil tape. My issue is, my tub won't get up any higher than like 82 on the side with the heating pad. My humidity is fine, maybe even too high, but I'm worried about this temperature deal. I don't know if the hydrofarms heating mats get hot enough, or if I should insulate the bottom of the mat...idk. I've tried raising the tub onto spacers to allow air underneath the mat, but that doesn't make a difference whatsoever. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you

[bcr229]

There's a difference between ambient air temp and surface temperature. What is the surface temp of the tub - not the newspaper - directly over the heating pad? You'll need an infrared thermometer or temperature gun to read it.

[BCS]

I am not entirely sure how many people do it, but as long as the mat itself reads 92F, it will be fine. With a heat mat, it does not do the best job raising ambient temperatures. I use a rack system with belly heat. The end of the tub is the hot spot. The floor of it reads 90-92F but my ambient temps never reach above 86F. I think this is pretty normal for people who do not have a controlled snake room. If you raise your heat mat to match ambient temperatures, you risk burning your snake. You can add a heat lamp to a plastic tote easily by getting screen mesh and cutting a hole in the lid that matches the size of the lamp but it really is not necessary IMO. Others my chime in with their thoughts though.