Need help with temperatures

Hi, just got my first bp on Saturday, and I'm having a few problems with keeping the temperatures right. She's a baby and I'm keeping her in a 20 gal glass tank. Humidity is around 50-55% and warm side is around mid to high 80s which I'm trying really hard to get up. I was using those cheap thermometers that you attach to the walls of the tank, but I've now found out that those are inaccurate. I've now been using a digital thermometer(the kind with the laser you point to a surface) but doesn't this just read the surface temperature? So I know it should be around low 90s on the warm side but isn't this ambient temperature? and how would I accurately measure ambient? Which do I really need to pay attention to? Sorry a little confused with this. She also regurgitated (I think) her last meal which I assume was due to low temperature and stress. I have an appointment with a herp vet on Wednesday, but I don't know if this is necessary. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

Your ambient temps need to be 78-82, or close to it. It can have some flex but needs to stay close. Steady is always best.

If your ambient temps are good then you need a nice hotspot that is 88-92, and this is surface temp.

As for a thermometer many people use the Accurite indoor/outdoor one from Walmart. Put the probe on the hotspot. This way the probe will tell you the hotspot temp and the unit will show the ambient temp.

What are you using for heat? What seems to be the issue keeping steady temps?



If it did regurg you need to wait 10-14 days until you offer prey again. It needs time to rebuild the stomach fluids lost.

Couple things:

1. Are you using an under-tank heater? Your ambient temp should be roughly 80 degrees, but you need a hot spot on one side which should be between 88-94 degrees. You really need a UTH controlled by a rheostat or thermostat-with-probe to generate the proper hot spot temperature. Mid-to-high 80's is a bit too hot for ambient temp.

2. I measure my temps with an Acu-Rite indoor/outdoor thermometer, which you can pick up at Walmart for like 12 bucks. Attach the sensor probe to the warm side right above the UTH, and leave the unit on the cold side to measure ambient temperature/humidity.

I only recently got my temps correct for my baby BP and I'm worried he may be badly stressed by my failed attempts to control temps without proper equipment. You should definitely get a digital thermometer with a probe, as well as a heating pad with a rheo/thermostat as soon as possible. Humidity seems fine.

I'm a noobie too so others should feel free to correct me if I'm off base!!

I do have a UTH but I don't have a thermostat to control it so I'm not using it right now. I'm using a heat lamp with a 75 watt bulb. Last time I checked my ambient temp is around 80 and surface temp of hotspot is 86 and cool side is about 77. Does the acu-rite measure both surface and ambient? I'll try to get one.

The breeder I bought from told me he feeds all his snakes on Tuesdays, and she regurgitated yesterday. Is this a serious issue or should I just try to feed her in two weeks and she'll be fine?

The temps sound good. Good call on waiting for a tstat.

Being a new snake the regurg could just be from stress. If it was me I would get things stay and then try to feed again. If it happens again and you're temps have been steady I would see the vet.

As for the thermometer the probe measures the surface temp and the unit itself will tell me ambient temps.

Hard to say really. They need that hot spot of 88-82 for proper digestion. You need to get the proper temps stable. Definitely wait the 2 weeks before feeding and hopefully your temps will be sorted out by then

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Ok some updates-

While I was cleaning out the regurg from her tank I noticed what I think were some fairly large pieces of aspen bedding stuck to it (I'm keeping her on paper towels). So I'm guessing that she swallowed some of her bedding when the breeder fed her and that is why she regurgitated. She also took a pretty big poop last night and it seemed really watery though-don't know if that's fine.

Also regarding the temps, today I measured about 88/89 on hot side, and about 76 on cool so I think it's getting better. I don't really know ambient temp until I get a probe thermometer. I also noticed that she spends most of her time sitting on top of the hot side hide. I measured the temp and its usually 90-95 on top of the hide and 88/89 on the ground of hot side. I'm guessing this is fine?

Still not too sure if I should even bring her to the vet-I think I'll wait two weeks, try to feed her again, and see how that goes.

Temps sound good.

The substrate should not have caused the regurg. I would bet it was the stress of shipping and getting a new home. Most breeders don't feed right before shipping because of this.

Thanks for the help. I was also wondering what a suitable drop in temperature at night would be? Or should I be keeping the heat lamp on 24/7? It does get pretty cold in my house at night. And when I get a thermometer should I be putting the probes under the substrate?

No need at all for a night temp drop. Yes the probe would go under the substrate

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