Ok, I've been trying my best at setting up a ball python hatchling cage and I'm having all the worst luck and I need some advice.
I have a 20 long with a meshtop (taped with foil to keep in humidity) with a Flukers heat mat (the only kind I can get ahold of that is any good) and a thermostat with that, a heat lamp with a 75 watt bulb a a human heat pad I was trying to use to add a little extra heat, a temp gun and a hygrometer. I can not return any of this and I spent a fortune on it so if we can work with this stuff I'd be so happy.
Anyway, I can not keep heat nor humitity up in this cage. I have the heat mat taped to the bottom but it does not tape very tighly against the cage so the temp varies a little in different spots on the mat. Also I was using paper towels as substrate but the temp is different by up several degrees under an over just one sheet of paper towel! If I use two sheets I end up with 90*F on top of the paper towels and 96-97*F on under them. I know BPs like to burrow under substrat so how do I keep temps good above the substrat without risking burning them if they go beneath? Also the temps seem to drop instantly by 10 degrees off the mat and barely effect the opposite side. So I added a heat lamp in the middle which works well there but the opposite end of the cage stays at 73*-75* and I tried using a human heat pad, but it is getting too hot and if I plug it into the thermostat it won't work becaue the thermostat's probe is on the other side controlling the heat mat. I'd prefer not to use a human heat pad any way. Also, because of the heat lamp the humidity drops to 40% even with a water bowl in there. If I mist the tank it goes to 55% but drops quickly everytime I open the cage.
Also I just dropped the end of my temp gun in the water bowl and now it is not working correctly, do any of you know how to fix it? It is a PE-mini, is there anything I can do apart from buying a new one? They are so expensive too!
I already e-mailed Matt from MGreptiles and he recommended two sheets of flexwatt and two thermostates, but I don't think I can afford that considering I should only need that much extra heating for 2-3 months. I also don't trust flexwatt very much. I spent so much on this set-up and I need to save some to actually buy the BP, so any afforable suggestions? I'm at my witts end with all this.
I wa shoping to get a BP by this weekend, but I'm thinking that probably won't happen.::cries::

EDIT: By the way, the temp in the room the cage is in is 71 degrees. I can't do much about that because it is winter and heating expenses are crazy.