need better heating...

These last couple nights have been cold, and it's just getting colder. My heating is not going to be enough for the winter. I have a small UTH and a ceramic heat lamp (with thermostat). I want to switch over to complete UTH heating. I don't have much money to spend on this, and I don't know how to set it up. Would you be able to recommend a bank account friendly option? Are there any posts on here with photos of how the heating is set up in detail?

I have a 30 gallon glass tank (with blacked out walls, don't know if that makes any difference). I use paper towel substrate.

I've heard if you tape styrofoam on the outside of the tank around the sides and back it helps with insulation. The UTH and CHE should be plenty...I'd think anything more than that would fry your critter...

What you need to do if you have 1 BP is this have him in a tub (they are more heat efficient then Glass tanks) have a UTH on the cool side and one the hot side, along with a thermostat on each side as well one set between 78-82 the other between 88-92.

That is the best way to keep 1 snake during the winter if your ambient temp is very low.

Glass in fish tanks are not an insulator. If it was acrylic it would have more insulating properties but still not as good as a tub that is the right size for the animal. If you still want to use a tank then go to home depot and in the isle where you have insulation and foam panels they have a foam style 4x8 sheets of hard foam insulation that is used for insulating between vynil siding and plywood. Its made by dow and is blue on one side and foil on the other with foam in the middle. Its cheap. Get that and cut it to match the sides and the back of your tank. You can also cut a piece for the top of the tank leaving an inch gap on one side for air. You can easily attach it to the screen top on your tank. This will stop the thermal transfer from the glass and insulate the tank well. Use a hot glue gun or foil tape to adhere the insulation to the outside of your tank.

I run set ups in cool rooms all the time. Typically below 68ºF in the winter. I'd disagree that a tub is the way to go they are about the worst for insulation out there. It is easy to prove see how quickly the temperature changes when you hold your hand behind a lid. Almost instantly. Glass has great thermal mass that is a start. The best would be custom designed enclosures.

In absence of that I'd stay with the glass tank the troubles are two fold heat rises and the top is open. The other problem is the volume of air inside is in height. To be honest insulation might work but I'd suggest a bigger change that can make a big difference it will take a bit of fiddling with but it should resolve the issue.

Side turning the tank will help hold heat a bit and insulation will add to that. The problem is the CHE will have to go. I'd replace it with a flourscent light inside the enclosure it will add ambient temps in a huge way. Fixing it is hard and complex but I have used hot melt glue and magnets (1 inch by 1/8 rare earth ones and six of them if you can find a supplier. They have a 20 lbs pull apart each so six is 120 lbs total my snake after six months has never moved it yet.)

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...arium-Solution

The real example is this exact set up is this morning in a room that is 63ºF the UTH is holding the hot hide at 90º and the surface cool end in at 79º and ambient air is 83º. It works if you have the time and effort to set it up.