How is this set-up??

[filipradcliffe]

I have a BP in a 20ga Glass Tank, with Repti-Bark. (from left to right) Has a plant, wood branch, waterdish, and Hide Log. I have a white incandescent light which I have 12 on and 12 off, and I have a red incandescent light which is on 24 hrs (by Zilla: white&Red Incandescent heat lamp pack). I have analog guages which are placed about a half-inch from top of tank. Tank has screen top. My BP likes to stay on the branch (angled from ground to top of tank at slant) which is where the Red Light is placed and is always on. I have a heat pad under the hide log (on right side) but my BP never goes there ever. Just likes to stay on the left where branch/plant (looks like a tree) is. I've seen him move around to explore and drink, but most of the time likes to stay at that spot...I have my analog temp guage on the left side, which reads 78-80 and my humidity guage on right side goes from 50% until i spray which then reads around 70-80. Any opinions?

[Eric Doane]

What kind of heat mat? Is it on a thermostat? You need to have 2 identical hides, so there is one on the cool end and the warm end. You may want to get an acurite digital thermometer hygrometer. You can pick them up at walmart for about $13. They have a remote temperature probe that you can put under the hide and monitor hot side temps. If you cover half of the screen top with a towel or some foil, you will hold humidity better.

[jmitch]

no need for the 12 on 12 off light. Bp are nocturnal so no white light is needed. I recommanda uht if you dont have one. Besides that sounds good to me.

[Spyderco1116]

You may also want to replace that log with something that is enclosed all around without an opening on both sides. That maybe the reason why he doesn't go in there. Like someone else said regarding 2 hides, one on the cool side (78-82 degrees) and one on the hot spot (88-92 degrees) I think everyting else was coved by someone else. Oh... and if you have the room a humid hide (some kind of plastic container with a hole cut in the top filled with damp moss or paper towel) will give him the option if he wants to retreat somewhere with more humidity. This will also help out when during shed time. Hope I helped.

[filipradcliffe]

Thanks for the all the help. I just added another analog (...) thermometer and hygrometer and placed it opposite of the previous ones. I covered the top with foil also. The humidity in left side is 60 and right side is 65. Also the temp on the left (with red light) is 85 while the right (with lamp and heat pad) is 95. I've read around saying BP aren't usually Tree climbers, but since i've had him (5 days now) he's always been up in the tree. I know i should get another hide for cool side, but do you guys think that the tree he is in is as good?

[cmack91]

IMO, the tree cant substitute for a hide, its just a bonus for when its out and about, you still need a hide

[filipradcliffe]

Update on my BP enclosure.
Went out got another hide (half log small), showed it to my BP and has been in there for the past couple hours. Placed it on the cool side. My temps read: 85F, 60% (Cool/Day) 80F, 60% (Cool/Night) 95F-100F, 60% (Warm/Day) and 80F, 60% (Warm/Night). With the Warm/Day, I believe it is up to 100F just because the Large Hide Half Log is right under the Thermometer which is under incadescent light. So thermometer is reading from light and the heat radiating from the top of the Half Log Hide. Under the Half Log hide is a Heating Pad. I dont know the temp inside log, but would you think it would be fine for my BP if he decides to ever go in? And thanks for all the help everyone. I feel so much better that the temps and humidity have been constant and that my BP went in the small hide log rather than being in hes tree the whole time

[Ezekiel285]

Yea he is fine to go in there. Now that he has some hiding options he can thermo-regulate better and choose his own temps. If he gets too hot or too cold he will move.

Edit: i thought that you were worried about cold side hide. Since its the hot side one i would get one of the thermometers you can point and get the temperature to make sure. As long as you have the hot side regulated he should be ok, but its better to be safe than sorry. I picked up a cheap infrared thermometer at a pet store that does the job. For now he will probably be fine, as long as he can get away from the heat.

[Eric Doane]

If the heat mat you speak of is an under tank heater, it NEEDS to be on a thermostat. They can get to 120°, which is way too hot for your bp. You can get a hydrofarm thermostat from amazon for about $32 shipped. For the hides, you want them to be the same so that your snake doesn't choose security over thermo regulating. They should be something that will be story of snug around the snake and enclosed so it feels safe. I use the cheap plastic cereal bowls and cut an entrance in them for smaller snakes.

[filipradcliffe]

Its the Zoo-Med 8 watt Small UTH. I just felt inside the enclosure and i could feel it but wasn't burning or even hot. It was just warm. Here are some pics of my enclosure: