Uh oh, another question from BKD

[BigKenjDogg]

Alright, here we go. Is it true that if you use a heating lamp and a heating pad, they should be on opposite sides of the tank? Also, could you use two heating pads at a 2 different temperatures?

[rex322]

Also, could you use two heating pads at a 2 different temperatures?

i thought about that to. but i dont think it would keep the ambient air temp wamr enough. only the ground temp. im not sure if it matters. someone else would know. and no, you dont have to be on the opposite side, i have one on both sides incase i need it.

[gozetec02]

They must be on the same side of the tank. The idea is to create a warm side and a cool side so your ball python can regulate its body tempreture by moving from one side to the other. You dont need 2 heating pads again the idea is to create a thermal gradient. If you set one pad at 90* the further you get away from the pad the cooler it gets but never under 80*.

1 heat pad only and whatever side the pad is on is the side you have the heat lamp on.

[Tigergenesis]

Your main source of heat needs to be a reptile or human heating pad to provide belly heat of 90-95 on the warm side. It may become necessary to use a heat lamp for supplemental heat on the warm side - depends on your situation. But the lamp should be supplemental not the only means of heating the warm side. Now, again depending on your situation, you may need help getting your cool side temps up to the proper range (80-85) and in that case you could go with a heat lamp on the cool side. Or I guess you could go with a second heating pad - but each heating pad would need to be set on a seperate thermostat to regulate the correct temps.

I use a UTH on the warm side and an infrared heat lamp for the cool side. My cool side ambient and floor temps get too low w/o the lamp. But with my setup I've acheived a criss-cross effect that provides my bp with proper ambient and floor temps w/o me really trying to worry about ambient temps: my warm side belly temps and the cool side ambient temps are in the recommend warm temp range of 90-95, and my cool side belly temps and warm side ambient temps are in the recommended cool temp range of 80-85.

You'll have to find what works for you. But very important is remember to measure with a good digital thermometer w/ probes (stickons are crap) and measure in the right spot - under loose substrate or on top of newspaper/carpet, etc.

[BigKenjDogg]

The reason I ask is because I was looking at redtailboa.net, specifically their ball python caresheet and this is what it said:

"You should provide a heat gradient by means of a incandescent light and/or heating pad on one side of the cage. If you use both, make sure they're on the same side of the cage."

So, i'm a little confused at the moment. Also, when we're talking about temperature, is that air temperature? or ground temp?

Also, what bulb wattage do you use?

[Tigergenesis]

I don't know why they say that - not like it's a 'no no' to put them on the same side. Some people need to in order to achieve the desired temps.

I just read their care sheet, and they also said "Temps should drop around 10-15° F at night. However, the temp in the cage should drop no lower than 73-75°F " - not true. They can drop, but not required at all.

I personally, take the temps as belly temps - since that's what's most important for digestion (especially since we're talking about bps). I don't really worry about ambient temps much.

My infrared heat bulb on the cool side is a 100 watt (I use 150 watt in the winter). You may not need that high wattage yourself. I also have a tree stump and branch directly under the lamp where the temps can get pretty high, but my bp likes to 'bask' at night under it sometimes.

The key is to have a gradient and to provide choices of temps for your snake to choose from. Even on my cool side the temp is actually different in different spots. Choices are very important.

[Marla]

TigerG nailed it. One UTH or two or an UTH and a heat lamp placed as needed for your particular setup. That may mean heaters under both sides set at different temps or just one under one side or whatever it takes to get your temperature gradient right. It will vary according to your ambient temps and humidity locally. Air temps will have a proper gradient if your floor temps have a proper gradient.