Setup & Temps

[Archer]

I'm getting my first BP on Friday and have been setting up his home for about a week, I'm finally done!

My setup
20 gallon screen top (Exo Terra) Terrarium with 7 silk hanging plants and 1 ground plant, a large (resin) raptor skull, towels on top of the screen (I am going to replace them with Thermawrap), medium sized ceramic water bowl on cool side, eco earth substrate, 2 digital thermometers (probes in hides), 2 hygrometers (one in middle, one on hot side), 150W CHE in 150W reflective bulb holder (with a ceramic socket) on 600W pulse proportional thermostat.

Hot side
Ambient temp: 84.4F
Top of ceramic hide (hottest surface): 97.5F
Inside of ceramic hide: 88.3F

Cool side
Ambient temp: 79.5F
Top of 2nd ceramic hide: 86.2F
Inside of 2nd ceramic hide: 81.7F

The Humidity goes between 50% and 60% and generally averages at 55%, without misting.
My only worry is the hottest surface temp, it is pleasantly warm to touch and doesn't feel as if it would burn anything, but then again snakes are cold blooded animals so maybe it would?
I don't imagine that a BP would spend much time on top of a hide anyway (and if he did it would probably be for a good reason i.e. temps being too low on the hot side), is there anything to worry about?

[PitOnTheProwl]

Top of ceramic hide (hottest surface):[/FONT][/COLOR][COLOR=#000000][FONT=HelveticaNeue] 97.5F

Too hot....

[Eric Alan]

...is there anything to worry about?

Neurological issues.

Remember, warm to the touch to you means warmer than body temperature which on your hands is roughly 90 degrees. Over 95 becomes dangerous to the well-being of your snake. Even in the seemingly short term.

[Archer]

I moved a few things around, now the hottest surface reads 89.2F and the other temps stayed the same.
Does anything else need to be adjusted or am I all set?

[Slim]

What are the plants hanging on? If the answer is suction cup hooks, ditch em' all.

[bcr229]

What are the plants hanging on? If the answer is suction cup hooks, ditch em' all.

Or just remove the suction cups and hooks, and lay down the plants as ground cover for your snake to hide under.

I would also just put 3-4 plants in and keep the others in reserve, because you know they're going to get pooped on and need cleaning.

[Archer]

The plants are hanging by (strong) suction cups, they don't have hooks. They're fake and made of silk so are pretty easy to clean. Are there any particular reasons as to why I shouldn't use them?