Air Temp Vs. Ground Temp?

I'm a new BP owner. I had a Cal King years ago but the equipment and technology have changed alot since then. I'm alittle confused about using the IR temp gun. I thought my temps were good until I got the gun. My probe is mounted near center just a bit on the warm side about an inch off the substrate. Once I used the gun I found that with the air temp in the suggested range the ground temp was to hot. I raised the heater stands and now that I have the ground temps in the ideal range on both sides the air temp is registering in the high 70's at night and low 80's at day. Is that air temp fine as long as the ground is good?

40 gal tank with ceramic heater on warm side with a ZooMed double deep fixture near center a bit on the cool side. I keep my rooms cold so I added this with a 60 watt day bulb and a 50 watt night bulb on a timer to give it a small temp drop at night and add just a bit of heat. Also has a UTH. No thermostat yet but its in the works.

Snake background: I just got him from a family that son lost interest in it. It was a Christmas present in 2011, so its still pretty young. just after I got him I fed it and a few days later it started the shed cycle so it has not been to active for me to be able to tell if the temps are good. It has just been going between the hides evenly.

you need to unplug the UTH until you have a thermostat, that UTH can easily kill your BP

Checkout this thread I wrote on heating cages: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...04#post1845904

and the BP care sheet is also a good read: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

Temperature guns only measure surface temperatures. probed thermometers can measure surface temperatures or surface temperatures. When using a UTH you want the probe on the floor of the cage so you can measure the temperature of the UTH (since they don't change the temperature of the air in the cage.

a 40 gallon tank is way too big for a young BP.

You shouldn't drop the temperatures at night. you should provide a 78-82 degree cool side and an 88-92 degree hot side 24/7. No part of the cage should ever get above 95 degrees or below 75 degrees.

I have read the care sheet with about a dozen others. I have really enjoyed how each one is a little different. None have said the temps are ground or air. That's what I'm asking. If my ground temps are within the desired range and the average air temp is 80, am I good?

I know the tank is a bit large but it iswhat they bought so therefor its what I have for now. The previous owner did not have the proper set up and I'm trying to provide him the best environment I can by getting the proper lights and other equipment to make the correct environment even though its to big. I'm not worried about this because he shows no signs of stress. The week before he entered the shed he explored and handled great. He has also been eating like a champ even though I switched him over to f/t from live.

The UTH stickyness doesn't hold the UTH on the bottom of the tank and is sitting in the void between the tank bottom and the glass stand top. This keeps the temp down. On the bare bottom with the substrate removed it shows 90-92. I'm still gonna get the thermostat to be safe. With it not heating the tank with direct contact the thermostat is still gonna leave the UTH on, because don't I want it at about that temp? With the substrate over it at a two inch depth the temp is in the 81-85. Then the top of the rock hide it at 85-89 and the climbing branch going over that is at 90-91. This all goes back to my question of: am I striving for proper air or ground temp?

If the ground temperature is 90 degrees on the hot side the rest of the cage including the air in all of the cage can be 80 degrees.

I suggest getting some aluminum foil tape to attach your UTH. This picture shows the proper way. Do not cover all of the UTH with foil tape or else the UTH can overheat.

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0439.jpg

For UTH's to be effective the substrate layer needs to be 1/2" or less thick.

Thanks for the help. The foil tape is a good idea. I think I will unplug it for now and see if it makes a difference. Maybe its not doing anything for me.

My guess is that right now it isn't. But when set up properly they are great.