need help heating tank

We just got our first ball python today at a reptile show and we are wondering what would be the best way to use a heating pad or heat tape. This is the enclosure we have him in

http://i1161.photobucket.com/albums/...st1980/484.jpg

and a pic of our new little guy

http://i1161.photobucket.com/albums/...st1980/488.jpg

as of right now we were using a 75w black night bulb but that got way too hot....so we unplugged it. the temps in his enclosure now are between 90-80. tomorrow i plan on getting a smaller watt night light bulb.

thanks :D

Get a red or blue IR bulb, DO NOT USE BLACK LIGHT IT WILL BURN YOUR SNAKE (SUNBURN)

Get a dimmer, they are super cheap, plug the light into the dimmer and dim to the temp that you require.

IR (red/blue) they cant see, you can use it in the day or night, blue is a bit better if you can find it.

To simulate daytime just turn the room's light on, regular lighting is fine, turn it off when its night time before bed.

I see no hides, you need one at the cool side and one at the warm side, also the tank is quite big and might stress the little guy out.

You need to get a hygromiter (measures humidity) and 2 thermomiters (digital) one at cool and one at warm side.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by southwind

Get a red or blue IR bulb, DO NOT USE BLACK LIGHT IT WILL BURN YOUR SNAKE (SUNBURN)

Get a dimmer, they are super cheap, plug the light into the dimmer and dim to the temp that you require.

IR (red/blue) they cant see, you can use it in the day or night, blue is a bit better if you can find it.

To simulate daytime just turn the room's light on, regular lighting is fine, turn it off when its night time before bed.

I see no hides, you need one at the cool side and one at the warm side, also the tank is quite big and might stress the little guy out.

You need to get a hygromiter (measures humidity) and 2 thermomiters (digital) one at cool and one at warm side.

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This isn't true, blacklight heatlamps cannot give a snake a sunburn as the glass the bulb is made of blocks out all of the UV rays. Actual uv fluorescent tubes have to be made from a special type of quarts glass so UV rays can pass through.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

This isn't true, blacklight heatlamps cannot give a snake a sunburn as the glass the bulb is made of blocks out all of the UV rays. Actual uv fluorescent tubes have to be made from a special type of quarts glass so UV rays can pass through.

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Ahh, that's very cool I was unaware of that!

Thanks :)

To the OP, there are many ways to heat a cage, which one is best for you depends greatly on the air temperature/humidity levels in the room that the cage is in. Heat mats and flexwatt are basically the same thing. Bith MUST be regulated by a thermostat and carefully monitored by a thermometer to be used safely. heat lamps (I prefer infrared heat lamps) can also be very dangerous is used improperly.

For more info check out this thread I wrote on cage heating: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...t-Thermometers

And just to make sure that everything else is right I strongly suggest that you check out this thread: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

the skull is a hide....but i will get another tomorrow. i was wondering how to heat the bottom with a melamine cage. i have read that I can use heat tape under a vinyl tile and seal it with silicone? is this true and would this work well. does he need belly heat or can it just be over head heat?

Overhead heat alone is fine, there is no need for under tank heating.

But heat lamps do have their own set of problems to deal with worst of all is how they zap the humidity out of cages.

awesome!! thanks. could i mist the cage to keep humidity up? that is what i do for my tortoises. how often should i mist?

You need to get a hygrometer so you can monitor the humidity level in the cage... the cage needs to stay around 60% humidity all the time. (yes, misting the cage will help to keep humidity up)

I would recommend that you not user that scull as a hide. The eye sockets will become a hazard as the snake grows. These hides are the best on the market (and cheap)

http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes

The small size should be about right.

thank you. he doesnt like the skull anyway. we got him a new hide today. i have thermometers that also keeps humidity that i use for my tortoises and they seem to work well. thanks again for all of your help.