New BP, temperature questions.

So after waiting about 3 months and saving up money on my own I finally got my new 6 month old Mojave Ball Python, Legolas! He's only been here for a few days so I've only held him a couple times (At the expo where I found him & at home before putting him into his new home.) I've been waiting for him to get all settled in to his new habitat before I gradually start to handle him more. This is my first BP, first snake actually, so it's super exciting for me. I've read thousands it seems of articles upon articles for tank setups & husbandry & what not. But the one thing I've been stressing myself out on is the temperatures. It seems like one site says one thing, another says something completely different and so on. Right now the warm side is about 86 and the cool side stays around 75/77 degrees Fahrenheit. Is this too low? I have a UTH hooked up to a thermostat & then a dome light w| a Ceramic Heat Insulator (Don't get that confused with a Ceramic Heat Emitter) I don't have problems with humidity really although sometimes it gets low during the night. The humidity stays about 50/60% & I know during shed it should be higher.
Anyway, I have a glass tank so it is kind of a pain but I just want to make sure the temperatures are okay or if I need to bring the thermostat up more even though it's already pretty far (It's a dial so, I don't know the exact temperature it's set on, but the dial's pretty far to the hot side on it...if that makes sense.) If the temps need to be adjusted, it would be nice if someone could give me a range so I don't forget. Any help is appreciated! I want the best for my BP so I'm basically stressing myself out trying to make sure everything is perfect for him. :P

Are you measuring your temps at the substrate level, or the air temp? What are you using to measure with? At first blush, your cool side temps seem spot on, and your warm side seems a couple degrees low, but a lot of it depends on where you are measuring.

I actually have 3 thermometers, I measure the substrate level on both warm & cool side & then I have one for the air temp. Normally the air temp & the cool side thermometers are about a 2-3 degree difference.

Ok, then as long as your thermometers are fairly accurate (digital, not round dial analogs) then you are really close to optimal temps. I consider 90 degrees at the substrate to be optimal for the warm end, but as you've already mentioned, there is no real agreement on what optimal is. I will say that if you can maintain anything north of 86 degrees on your warm side, that your snake should be just fine.

Alright, then I should be fine. Thank you! Eased my mind a little. I'll raise my warm side up to get it to 90 if possible and go from there.

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Originally Posted by goshelby

Alright, then I should be fine. Thank you! Eased my mind a little. I'll raise my warm side up to get it to 90 if possible and go from there.

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You are welcome! And, Welcome to BP.net! Hope to see you around the boards :gj:

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Originally Posted by Slim

You are welcome! And, Welcome to BP.net! Hope to see you around the boards :gj:

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My temps are about the same with my new pick ups. Did you get your mojave at midwest reptile show at fairgrounds? I picked up a new mojave and pastel there.

Nope, I got him at a reptile show in Valparaiso, IN.


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