Cool side is too cool

So I recently got my first ball python, my second snake with my corn being my first. He's a 3 year old pinstripe I got on Craigslist. I keep him in a 40 gallon breeder with an 11" x 11" ultratherm UTH. There's a hide on both sides as well as several plants. I'm currently using aspen but I'm about to switch to cypress. My problem is while the hot side is good, 88° to 92°, the cool side is only around 70° to 72°. He actually spends most of his time in the cool hide but I'm pretty sure that 72° is too cold for the cool side. Does anyone have suggestions for raising the temperature?

Possibly set up a low wattage red heat light? I couldn't imagine in a tank that size you would need more than a 40 to 60 watt to bump it up a few degrees.

How are you measuring these temps? Additionally, what is your ambient temps in the terrarium on hot and cold sides?

Photos of the terrarium would be very helpful.

I'd recommend a dome with a 100w CHE (ceramic heat emitter). The CHE bulb will last longer than other bulbs especially if you have it on 24/7.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Misha

How are you measuring these temps? Additionally, what is your ambient temps in the terrarium on hot and cold sides?

Photos of the terrarium would be very helpful.

I'd recommend a dome with a 100w CHE (ceramic heat emitter). The CHE bulb will last longer than other bulbs especially if you have it on 24/7.

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Do they really last longer? I've always used red bulbs and I've heard ceramics were more reliable but haven't given them a shot. Are they as effective at heat output as bulbs? I may pick one up and swap out my reds if they're effective and safe.

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Originally Posted by magicmed

Do they really last longer? I've always used red bulbs and I've heard ceramics were more reliable but haven't given them a shot. Are they as effective at heat output as bulbs? I may pick one up and swap out my reds if they're effective and safe.

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Honestly, I thinking they're a lot better than the red bulbs. The ones that I was using for about two years never went out and still work. They heat up very quickly and they don't produce any light so that was always a plus for me.

The only downside is that they're a bit pricey.

Hmm, do they get any hotter than bulbs? I mean the elements themselves? I guess I'm asking if there's a higher fire risk? I saw some in the pet shop for around 20. I'll pick one up tomorrow with the food. What wattage on ceramics would you recommend for a 20 gallon long? ( sorry I didn't mean to hijack your thread op, but I have this problem on cold days and all I have found to do was add a bulb on those days as a higher watt bulb would make warm side too hot, I'm hoping a ceramic might help that?)

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Originally Posted by magicmed

Hmm, do they get any hotter than bulbs? I mean the elements themselves? I guess I'm asking if there's a higher fire risk? I saw some in the pet shop for around 20. I'll pick one up tomorrow with the food. What wattage on ceramics would you recommend for a 20 gallon long? ( sorry I didn't mean to hijack your thread op, but I have this problem on cold days and all I have found to do was add a bulb on those days as a higher watt bulb would make warm side too hot, I'm hoping a ceramic might help that?)

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Yes, since they're ceramic they do get very hot. Not sure if they get hotter than other bulbs though.

I'd recommend getting a 100w and a dimmer to adjust the heat. That way if you upgrade to a bigger enclosure, you don't have to buy a bigger bulb. Also useful on cold days.

I measure the temperatures with a non-contact infrared temp gun. The ambient temperatures are 70° cool side and 75° hot side. I think I'll go with heat lamp with a CHE or infrared bulb as suggested. I have an extra lamp that's a Fluker's 5.5" w/ dimmer but while it works overall, the dimmer switch doesn't. Would it still be safe to use or should I get a different one?

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Originally Posted by jcmb223

I measure the temperatures with a non-contact infrared temp gun. The ambient temperatures are 70° cool side and 75° hot side. I think I'll go with heat lamp with a CHE or infrared bulb as suggested. I have an extra lamp that's a Fluker's 5.5" w/ dimmer but while it works overall, the dimmer switch doesn't. Would it still be safe to use or should I get a different one?

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Depending on what wattage bulb you get, you might need to get a new dome. I looked up the one you have and it's only rated for a 75w bulb.

I picked up a Zilla Mini Halogen lamp with a 25 watt red night time bulb today. With it, I was able to get the ball python's temps right about perfect. Thanks for all of the input I received.