Easy Heat Lamp Question

[Skep]

I have a UTH for my Ball Python, but that heat alone isn't enough to keep the ambient temperature where it should be, so I also have a heat lamp for him. I was wondering if I should put the heat lamp over the same side that his heat pad is on, or would that make his hot side too ​hot?

[patientz3ro]

I have a UTH for my Ball Python, but that heat alone isn't enough to keep the ambient temperature where it should be, so I also have a heat lamp for him. I was wondering if I should put the heat lamp over the same side that his heat pad is on, or would that make his hot side too ​hot?

Depends.
1. How hot is it now?
2. What size is the cage?
3. How many watts is the bulb?

The easy answer is to connect the heat lamp to a thermostat and set the temp where you want it.

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[Skep]

On the hot side underneath his hide the temperature is around 88-92 F.

The cage is a 32 qt sterilite tub.

The heat lamp is 75 watts with a red bulb, I leave it on 24/7.


I've been wanting to hook the heat lamp and/or heat pad up to a thermostat, but I'm not exactly sure how it's done?

[jclaiborne]

On the hot side underneath his hide the temperature is around 88-92 F.

The cage is a 32 qt sterilite tub.

The heat lamp is 75 watts with a red bulb, I leave it on 24/7.


I've been wanting to hook the heat lamp and/or heat pad up to a thermostat, but I'm not exactly sure how it's done?

For the heat lamp I would use a dimmer switch. Are you saying your UTH (heat pad) is not hooked up to a thermostat? If not how are you measuring your surface temps?

[Skep]

Well I took the probe from my thermometer/hygrometer combo and placed it underneath the hide to read the temperature.

[jclaiborne]

Well I took the probe from my thermometer/hygrometer combo and placed it underneath the hide to read the temperature.

Ok, how thick of a layer is your substrate? What UTH are you using? Some people get away without using thermostats, but why risk it? There are pictures on here of what an unregulated heat pad can do to a snake and it isn't pretty. Do you have any pictures of your setup?

[Skep]

The layer of substrate is about an inch. I'm using a Zoo Med heat pad. Is there any way to hook that kind of heat pad up to a thermostat? No, I don't have any pictures of my setup at the moment.

[jclaiborne]

The layer of substrate is about an inch. I'm using a Zoo Med heat pad. Is there any way to hook that kind of heat pad up to a thermostat? No, I don't have any pictures of my setup at the moment.

Yes you just tape the thermostat probe directly to the heat pad, plug the heat pad into the thermostat dial it in and you are set. It is really that easy. You can use aluminum tape to hold the prob on. I myself use Kapton tape though.

[Skep]

Okay, thank you so much. I will go out and get those things as soon as possible.

[patientz3ro]

For the heat lamp I would use a dimmer switch. Are you saying your UTH (heat pad) is not hooked up to a thermostat? If not how are you measuring your surface temps?

Depending on the bulbs and/or fixture, a dimmer might not work very well. I put my heat lamps on a dimmer before I built the Penthouse, and it was a friggin NIGHTMARE! They wouldn't come on until the dimmer was almost all the way up, and then they just lit ALL the way up. Irritated the crap out of me. On the bright side, it DID make me go buy a Tstat!

Okay, thank you so much. I will go out and get those things as soon as possible.

Good answer! Why can't everyone be this easy to convince?

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