heat question HELP

[MarkLeishman]

My basking spot is around 94.7f at 10pm roughly
Is this too hot?

At night i tend to turn the light off
And it drops to roughly 75.4f

Is it best to keep the light on?

Ps i will get a thermostat and uth when i can afford one as im strapped for cash atm

[The Serpent Merchant]

94.7 is pushing it. I would try to keep it between 88 - 92 degrees 24/7.

75.4 is way too low. You need a heat source 24/7. If you are using a white heat lamp, leaving it on all the time isn't the best option. I would suggest you pickup one of these infrared heat lamps: http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...AvailInUS%2FNo

[MarkLeishman]

Any advice on how to lower the heat without a thermostat

The bulb i have in is a red infrared bulb

I fed my snake today and got a new bulb
*the last one was too hot aswell!* but the other bulb was stupidly hot
Think it went to 100 and i turned it straight off

And it seems to be spending alot of his time behind the big log under the heat
So i assume it cant be that bad?
Should i leave the bulb on overnight? 94.7 is the highest ive seen for the 9 hours ive had it on btw?

Thanks
Mark

[The Serpent Merchant]

I would leave it on.

A simple lamp dimmer that you can buy at Walmart/home depot/etc. for $10 - $15 will allow you to manually turn down the heat some.

This is what you want: http://www.homedepot.com/buy/lutron-...l#.USKt9qXqo_s

[BHReptiles]

I would leave it on.

A simple lamp dimmer that you can buy at Walmart/home depot/etc. for $10 - $15 will allow you to manually turn down the heat some.

This is what you want: http://www.homedepot.com/buy/lutron-...l#.USKt9qXqo_s

That's exactly what you need. I have one of those on a heat lamp and it works wonders! Just check it a few times a day and adjust it as needed.

[axeman569]

With the dimmers, you need to check them as the weather changes too. It allows the same amount of electricity not temp. As it gets colder in the room, the temps will drop and vice versa.

[jbuck33311]

I have hand reptiles for a while now, and recently added another addition in the hopes of breeding, but I have a question regarding heat sources.

I live in south Florida so cold isn't an issue, but I really want to do right for my pythons. I have heard many discussions on heating a tank, and want to get your opinion on what really is "best". I have a 40 gal Long tank and have been using heat lamps. but the more I read, I see people saying UTH is a better heat source..do you agree. I see the benefit in regards to belly heat and heat rising and makes sense and just want some final thoughts as I am looking to make a habitat that is beneficial for my pythons. I have also read negative things regarding heat lamps as the light some say isnt good for pythons as they dont really require light and too much light is bad for them. Do you feel that the ultimate setup would be a UTH under half the tank with a smaller Ceramic heating lamp for possible use on colder nights? Also placement of the lamp ..what do you suggest.. the UTH and ceramic heating element on the same side of the tank as the "hot" side and then another hide on the opposite side of the tank for the cool side? Your thoughts and suggestions are most valued. I use thermostats currently and would continue of course with the UTH.. but let me know your thoughts..

Thank You

[The Serpent Merchant]

I have hand reptiles for a while now, and recently added another addition in the hopes of breeding, but I have a question regarding heat sources.

I live in south Florida so cold isn't an issue, but I really want to do right for my pythons. I have heard many discussions on heating a tank, and want to get your opinion on what really is "best". I have a 40 gal Long tank and have been using heat lamps. but the more I read, I see people saying UTH is a better heat source..do you agree. I see the benefit in regards to belly heat and heat rising and makes sense and just want some final thoughts as I am looking to make a habitat that is beneficial for my pythons. I have also read negative things regarding heat lamps as the light some say isnt good for pythons as they dont really require light and too much light is bad for them. Do you feel that the ultimate setup would be a UTH under half the tank with a smaller Ceramic heating lamp for possible use on colder nights? Also placement of the lamp ..what do you suggest.. the UTH and ceramic heating element on the same side of the tank as the "hot" side and then another hide on the opposite side of the tank for the cool side? Your thoughts and suggestions are most valued. I use thermostats currently and would continue of course with the UTH.. but let me know your thoughts..

Thank You

There is no such thing as a best heat source. Everyone has different environments that have to be dealt with in their own way. What works for me might not be ideal for someone else. The best heat source is whatever achieves the proper temperatures and allows you to maintain humidity in the proper ranges. All heat sources have their pros and cons.

Check out this thread that compares all of the major types of heat sources used in the hobby:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...t-Thermometers

All that said, a UTH to create the hot side temperature and 1 or 2 CHE's to maintain air temperatures sounds like a good option. The CHE's will be hard on humidity, but in a 40 gallon glass tank you are going to be fighting an uphill battle no matter what. I would place the CHE(s) centered on the tank and not on one side or the other. You want the CHE(s) to heat all of the air in the cage to 78-82 degrees. The UTH will easily be able to create a basking spot of 88-92 degrees as long as the substrate in your tanks is 1/2" thick or less.

Good thermostats are key. Make sure that you are using the best thermostat you can afford. (There are recommendations in all price ranges in the thread I linked to above on cage heating)

[jbuck33311]

Thanks for the info, I know the word "best" isnt the right word to use lol..So what is your feeling on UVB lighting ? From the responses, I am going to swith to a UTH on my hot side with a smaller CHE for ambient air temperature.. yeah humidity is an issue with a glass tank, but I seem to maintain it around 50-55% which is good. I also use foil on the top of the tank to try and retain some of the heat/humidity.
Thanks again for the responses

[The Serpent Merchant]

BP's don't need UVB. I would strongly recommend against 5.0 or 10.0 UVB bulbs.

2.0 Full spectrum bulbs are great for viewing, but remember they are for you and not the snake.

I use these personally: http://www.reptilebasics.com/fluores...n-2.0-bulb-18/