Do ball pythons really need an UTH?

[Holly_Berry]

Hello, So I'm new to owning a ball python, and I have a question about he needs the UTH. I'll explain a little about him first. He's just a typical pet store ball python that I received from a friend who could no longer care for him about a month ago. He was in horrible conditions with no humidity and not enough heat, dry sheds, and very underweight. My guess is that he is around two years old, He's also just a little over two feet, and 482grams. I have him in a 40-gallon tank with a screen top which is on legs that raise it about an inch off of the desk it's on.
Right now I have a ceramic heat bulb that is 100 watts, which I just leave on all day. His heat temps stay around 80-90, and the humidity stays around 60, which goes up to 80 when he sheds. I also have a small heating pad for a 10-20 gallon tank half of which is under his water dish with about an inch of substrate between the two. He never actually goes and lays on top of it, But should I move the heating pad elsewhere for him? Like under the rock, he hides in. I've read that they need belly heat to help digest their food, but I've also read that they don't. Any tips for the UTH is very welcomed.
Thank you.

[AM1GROSS]

interested here, from what i was reading you should get one of those infrared thermometers so you can tell what the temp is, if his hiding spot is hot enough then you should not need the uth, but i could be way off here however this is how i understand it. some one correct me if i am wrong... do you know what the temp is on the cool side? the UTH might be what is giving you your humidity levels as well, so again from what i understand and if it was me i would check the temp where he lays and if it is where it needs to be, and your cool side is where it needs to be then i would leave it alone... again someone chime in here if i am way off...


Mike

[O'Mathghamhna]

UTH is a great way to warm your snake without drying out the tank. They tend to preserve humidity better than heat lamps, and way better than CHEs. That being said, you must not *ever* simply put a heating pad under the tank by itself. At a minimum you must use a thermostat to regulate the temperature. Even with substrate, BPs are known to burrow, and just because the substrate feels warm to your hand, that's not a proper way to gauge temps and your snake is likely to get a burn. So if you would like to use a UTH, make sure you do the following:

Elevate the tank to ensure proper air flow. If you simply attach a heating pad to a tank and then rest the tank on the floor, you run the risk of overheating, and it takes a little longer for the heat pad to cool if it gets too warm.

Put the probe for the thermostat between the OUTER bottom of the tank, and then put the heating pad on. So tank, probe, pad.

Set the thermostat to a proper temp, anywhere around 90 is fine, and allow the pad to adjust accordingly.

Very imortant step: verify the temps by using a temp gun on the INNER bottom of the tank (so push the substrate aside, put the heat gun to the bottom of the tank from the inside, and get a reading). If it's higher than 94 or so, set it lower, or you run the risk of potentially burning your snake.

It's also important to have the UTH plugged into a source that will shut it off in the event of a power surge.

Hope this helps! Good luck

[Morjean]

On a side note, you're making it sound like you have the UTH inside of the tank, forgive me if this isn't the case and it just sounded like it --- an UTH should ALWAYS be OUTSIDE of the tank, between the table (or whatever the tank is on) and the tank. There should be at least a centimetre of space between the heat pad and the tank, so heat doesn't build up. The thermostat probe goes in between the heat pad and the tank. Having it beneath two centimetres of substrate inside the enclosure is not safe. Its also important that you have a thermostat, and the probe for such has to be on the CENTER of the pad.

If you have the heatsource inside of the tank, or directly beneath it without that centimetre, you run serious risk of burning your snake, even at lower temperatures!

EDIT Aaaand again I was beat to it, someone else was faster AND provided more information

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[Scottywelsh]

Long story short get an infrared gun to measure temps. Make sure nothing your snake can get to is much above 90f. This includes right underneath the CHE.
Bps don't need heat mats. They don't have heat mats in the wild so why should they need them in captivity is the way I look at it. And yes your heat mat if you use one should be under the hot hide to make the hot spot.
(If you have the heat mat inside) .Putting heat mats inside the viv is something ALOT of people do so that is YOUR choice and no one else's. I wouldn't personally do it but alot do so again that is your choice.

Also unless you are doing alot to keep your humidity up then it's hard to believe that you have a 100w che on full on aspen substrate with a screen top and have 60% humidity. . . I do not mean any offence by this it just can be difficult to achieve.

[chrid16371]

If your using a heat mat such as a Kane or intelletemp heat mat they can go inside enclosure, a heat mat set at 94 or lower inside or outside will not burn a snake. The heat mat MUST BE REGULATED WITH A THERMOSTAT or rheostat. If you don't have a way to regulate the uth you must unplug it.

How are you taking temps? If your using the analog ones they are very inaccurate. You need a digital thermometer with probe like the acurite 00891 or you need an ir temp gun.

No you don't need to use a uth for heat. Other choice are ceramic heat emitters, radiant heat panel, red bulbs, or ambient by running the temp of the room around 84 24/7. No matter what you choose to heat you need a dimmer at least but a thermostat is highly recommended.

Also read the care sheet in the link below and make any adjustments!

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet


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[Scottywelsh]

Forgot to mention thermostats. Every heat source needs to be on a Thermostat.
Temps are best to be constantly monitored so a digital thermometer under the substrate on the hot side and then one on the cold side is best IMO.
I don't monitor ambient. There is no accurate way to monitor ambient so I think it's pointless. As long as you have a warm and cool side then your good.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Do they need an UTH? No
Just remember any heat source should be regulated.
You should also use a quality thermometer and hydrometer to check your husbandry.
If you are using stick on analog gauges, they are trash junk.
You should also be measuring the SURFACE temperature that would be the hottest surface your animal can touch.

[chrid16371]

Your che can be your only heat source but you still need a dimmer or thermostat. You would still want a ir temp gun or the acurite 00891. If your going to use the che as your only heat source you have to take your temps on the ground where the middle of where the che hits. If you buy the acurite you can put the probe on the hot side ground and the rest of the unit on the cool side so you can have your hot side, cool side, and humidity all on one device. Again if your using the analog style temp and humidity gauges you are getting inaccurate readings.

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[LittleTreeGuy]

Do they need an UTH? No
Just remember any heat source should be regulated.
You should also use a quality thermometer and hydrometer to check your husbandry.
If you are using stick on analog gauges, they are trash junk.
You should also be measuring the SURFACE temperature that would be the hottest surface your animal can touch.

^^^ This, 100%.