Ball python Temps?

[Nathan7004]

I am very paranoid right now, his temperature seems to be around 90 or 92 and the heat pad doesn't really feel like it's that hot. He's in a small tub that seems perfectly fine for him since he's just a baby. But I don't know why I'm really scared about his Temps, they seem to be fine though. Where exactly should the heat pad go? I have it placed on the far side of the tub and im using aspen bedding. The temp at the bottom of the tub is 90 but should that be perfect? Any tips? What are signs of him doing well?

[KMG]

If the uth is on a tstat and setup correctly you are good. The uth can go under the tank where ever you want it. The uth goes OUTSIDE the tub on the bottom with the tstat probe between it and the bottom of the tub.

The substrate over the uth needs to be thin. Always take the temp reading on the bare tub floor over the uth.

[Nathan7004]

I'm using a dimmer, i use a dimmer with my leopard gecko and it works great, should i get a digital thermometer instead of using an analog?

[KMG]

Dimmers can work but the best setup is using a good quality tstat. I like Herpstat. When you consider how long they last vs price they are a good deal. Do it right the first time and get a good one.

The issue with a dimmer is they are not aware of the changes around them. If the room gets hot the dimmer doesn't know it and makes the uth hotter than it should be. A tstat in that same situation with a tstat keeps the uth at the desired temp because it knows the room got hotter. It works the opposite in a cold room.

A dimmer is best for rooms that have little to no fluctuation in temp throughout the day and year.

[KMG]

The analog will work fine for your ambient temps but you should get a IR temp gun to measure the surface temps. They can be had pretty cheap on Amazon.

[Nathan7004]

Ok i placed the analog on the very bottom of the tub right on the hot spot and im getting 90 to 92, thats perfect right? How big should the hotspot be? Sorry for all the questions! Lol

[KMG]

I would say that trying to use the analog thermometer like that is not giving you the correct temperature. It is made to measure the temp of the air, not surfaces. I would say that if it is saying the hotspot is 91 it is actually much higher. I would reduce the dimmer to drop the temp. When I got a temp gun I found the numbers I thought I was providing were actually off. A temp gun really took my keeping to the next level and much more accurate.

You can also get temp guns at the hardware store but they may be more expensive than the el cheapo ones online.

The hotspot should be large enough for the snake to get its entire body over it.

[chrid16371]

Definitely get a digital thermometer with probe and put it under substrate like KMG said. Even though the tub doesn't feel hot doesn't mean it isn't. As humans our body temp is higher then bp hot spot so normally it wouldn't feel hot unless its actually hotter then our body temp. If you walked outside for 20 mins in 20 degree weather and came back in and touched it then it would feel hot due to your body temp being lowered from being outside.
I use lamp dimmers and yes like KMG said you do have to keep an eye on them due to the changes in temp in your home. I'm constantly monitoring temps so its not a big deal to me. I would be checking all the time with 3 temp guns in all my herps enclosures even if I did have a thermostat. I want to upgrade and get a few herpastat 4s but the price drags me down a little. Especially bc I need 3 of them.

[KMG]

Definitely get a digital thermometer with probe and put it under substrate like KMG said. Even though the tub doesn't feel hot doesn't mean it isn't. As humans our body temp is higher then bp hot spot so normally it wouldn't feel hot unless its actually hotter then our body temp. If you walked outside for 20 mins in 20 degree weather and came back in and touched it then it would feel hot due to your body temp being lowered from being outside.
I use lamp dimmers and yes like KMG said you do have to keep an eye on them due to the changes in temp in your home. I'm constantly monitoring temps so its not a big deal to me. I would be checking all the time with 3 temp guns in all my herps enclosures even if I did have a thermostat. I want to upgrade and get a few herpastat 4s but the price drags me down a little. Especially bc I need 3 of them.

Have you seen they are coming out with a Herpstat6? Pretty cool!!!!

[chrid16371]

Have you seen they are coming out with a Herpstat6? Pretty cool!!!!

No I didn't. But thanks for letting me know! I'll look into it. I'll only need 2 then. If only they would come out with a 12 lol