Can't Get It

Ok so here is my setup:

Hot side:
http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...6/SSPX0169.jpg

I have a 10-20 gallon ZooMed heat pad set to around 95 degrees.

Cool Side

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...6/SSPX0170.jpg

No heat pad on this side but I do have a heat lamp, BUT my temps are only at 72 degrees.

Now I do have tin foil on 2/3 of the tank and 2 water bowls. My hygrometer is at around 35% and the central temp is only 75 degrees. Now these are All Living Things dial readers but should be good enough. But im at a lose why are my temps sooo low?
Do I need a 1-5 UTH on the cool side set low with the heat lamp in the middle set low as well to keep the humidity up?

Tank is a 20 gallon long tank also. Hot and cool sides have zilla digital readers with the readers them selves in the hides.

HELP is needed just got him today and don't wanna have probs with him the first night!!!:(

A couple things you could do. You could raise your room temperature for a while until you figure out a better way. I have 40 gallon breeder for my male and on the cool side I keep a 75 watt infrared bulb and that keeps my temps at about 81...I also keep my room at about 75 though. You could also get a ceramic heat emitter, I don't use one but I hear they're good as long as you have a thermostat to hook it up to...Or you could get another under the tank heater for the cold side thats smaller then the one on the hot side.

Ceramic Heat Emitters will suck the humidity out quick. Trash the dials and get an Accurite from Walmart, the one with the secondary probe and humidity gauge. Also you measure from snake level, not top of the tank. I tested my Zilla Digital readers and they where off by upwards of 10*f, returned the immediatly and got the Accurite.

I built an acrylic top for my tank when Nova was still in her 40g breeder (jesus that was hard to keep temp and humidity with the screen) and my humidity worked out well but the biggest UTH still had a hell of a time keeping temps. All of my snakes(and the girlfriend's snake) are in tubs now (not enough room for me to have a display snake as of right now, plus my RTB is going to be my display snake and the heating options for their setup are more open and reliable).

For right now you may want to mist the tank heavily until everything is moist, not damp, and periodically mist a little throughout the day. While my girlfriend's snake was in a tank we had to mist 6-7 times a day with a good 3inches of substrate (aspen).

Best of luck!

OH OH! I also stuck the probe part of my Accurite to the inside of the hot side hide when I did tank display with Nova and durring Leviathan's short stay in the tank until I got his tub set up.

First, where you have all the gauges and probes in your picture is way too high. Everything that measures temp and humidity has to be at snake level for it to be worthwhile.

Well, I would say get a bigger heat bulb, but it sounds like you're having problems with the humidity and heat bulbs destroy humidity, so you don't want to make anything worse. I'd say get the 1-5 heat mat and set it on low, then move the probes/gauges to 1-2 inches above the substrate (or below the substrate for the one inside the cool hide) and see where you're at. Only use the heat bulb if you have to. Mist every other day or so.

Otherwise, your set-up looks nice! Good luck! :)

Unless you have accurate digital thermometers and hygrometers you are not getting accurate readings. The temps and humidity could be up to 10* or % different then what it reads.

Alright soooo I'm returning the Zilla tom b/c they aren't reading right idc if they are opened. And ill buy the Accurite tom.
I just checked the cool side now is at 80 degrees. So i don't need the UTH for the other side. Or should I use it on occasion and get a UTH for the other side too?
Does spraying the aspen down with water (misting) help the humidity.

Misting the tank will help alot. Another substrate that keeps humidity really well is Cypress Mulch. Some might recommend coconut fiber, but if it's not used right it can do more harm than good.

as for the temp. you could add 1/8" -- 1/4" foam core board or insulation around 3 sides of the tank, this will help hold in some heat. And i suggest painting them black, this will make ur little guy feel more secure and hopefully less stressed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jdwatermann

as for the temp. you could add 1/8" -- 1/4" foam core board or insulation around 3 sides of the tank, this will help hold in some heat. And i suggest painting them black, this will make ur little guy feel more secure and hopefully less stressed.

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As far as the less stressed, he does have three sides covered.

Yes he does, it's the background shown in the pictures. It's on the sides and back.