How to get my temp up..

I have setup a 10gl in anticipation of a baby ball. I have cypress bedding, hides, a screen top that is 90% covered with foil and foil tape and a Zoomed UTH. It is unregulated at the moment meaning it's just plugged in and going on full power. It's been setup like this for a day or so. The hot side temp of the substrate is only 84. How do I get it up? I could put a CHE on top but that would be too much. I mean it's only a 10gl so there isn't a lot of hight.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lferg

I have setup a 10gl in anticipation of a baby ball. I have cypress bedding, hides, a screen top that is 90% covered with foil and foil tape and a Zoomed UTH. It is unregulated at the moment meaning it's just plugged in and going on full power. It's been setup like this for a day or so. The hot side temp of the substrate is only 84. How do I get it up? I could put a CHE on top but that would be too much. I mean it's only a 10gl so there isn't a lot of hight.

---

what are you using to measure that temp? That is really low for an unregulated UTH. They usually run at around 120 or so if left to their own bidding. You need to regulate that thing or you may severly burn your snake. They will and do burrow under mulch

How thick is your layer of substrate? And what are the temps of the glass right above the UTH? You might be using too much substrate, and it's pretty dangerous to measure only the substrate surface temperature, because if the glass is too hot and the snake pushing the substrate away like mine do, it'll eventually reach the bottom and burn itself.

Overall I have roughly half an inch of aspen shavings on the hot side, slightly more on the cool side, but inside the warm hides, theres typically a patch without any shavings at all and thats where my balls usually lie. I do have a single sheet of newspaper below all the aspen though so thats what hes on. Newspaper ensures he doesnt get entangled in any wires I run under the substrate or tape holding it down. I put my thermometer probe under this newspaper.

You're going to need to get a bigger tank pretty soon, 10gal isn't going to last you long.
You need a thermostat for the UTH, even though the temps are only at 84. I was checking mine, and it's gotten up to 150 degrees unregulated. The reason why the temperature is so low is probably because of the bedding, the heat isn't getting through all the way. The issue is that if your bp decides to dig, it'll get burned. The cheapest "thermostat" is a lamp dimmer, but it's about the biggest pain in the butt ever, since you have to constantly check the temps as they will rise and fall with the room temperature.. One that's highly recommended on this forum is Hydrofarm for heat pads, available on amazon for $30. Once you have a thermostat, remove some of the bedding, or even start with paper towels (makes everything so much easier until you get the hang of it), so that more heat can get through. Good luck

It's maybe and inch to an inch and a half. I am measuring it with a Ryobi temp gun. I do not have anything to measure the ambient temp yet. I have Acu-rite and two Ranco thermostats on order. I was just trying to get things going as much as I could before I actually get the snake. I just pushed the bedding aside and the glass was 106. So yea, I guess I missed the obvious on that one. I have a Neodeshia 36" cage but I think thats too big for a baby. I'm getting a 2011 hatchling.

Yeah, if you're worried your snake won't get the heat you could use less substrate on the warm side. Maybe half.

I didn't know any better when I got my first BP. I didn't know about thermostats. I was lucky that my baby didn't get burned. I had a thick layer of substrate and he didn't burrow in it. Thanks to the threads here I have the UTH regulated. The pet store peps didn't say a thing to me about a thermostats. Wait until you get your thermostat before you get your BP. Don't take a chance.

Does anyone have a link to the exact hydrofarm thermostat that everyone is using? Also is it pretty good?

Here you go. I am using it and for me it works great. My hot zone it right where I want it all the time.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NZZG3S