Temp and Humidity Problems

Hi! I recently purchased a ball python, and am keeping it in a 30 gallon Exo Terra terrarium, with a 30 gallon sized heat pad (Yes it has a thermometer on it, on max heat). I live in New England, and humidity is a rarity. The heat pad itself is unable to heat the tank to over 77 degrees, so I bought a 75 watt infrared bulb, which now seems to be over heating the hot side. Also, the humidity is hovering around 35%, and when sprayed goes up to 45% for about 30 minutes before falling again. I covered the top of the screen with foam board to see if it would help, but the humidity is still low. I am also using a moisture retaining substrate, but that doesn't seem to help. Could I possibly get some recommendations on heating and humidity control? Thanks!

How are you measuring your temperature??? The heat pad is not intended to heat the entire tank, only the glass that it's touching. The temperature at that location should be 90-92°F.


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So the temperature under the substrate, on top of the glass, should be 90-92, or should the temperature of the substrate surface be 90-92?

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Originally Posted by JaredFC

Hi! I recently purchased a ball python, and am keeping it in a 30 gallon Exo Terra terrarium, with a 30 gallon sized heat pad (Yes it has a thermometer on it, on max heat).Should be on a THERMOSTAT I live in New England, and humidity is a rarity. The heat pad itself is unable to heat the tank to over 77 degreesAn UTH is only for a regulated hot spot for your animal to lay on. Unregulated it is well over proper temperature and you are gambling on burns. Unplug it until you can get a thermostat to control it., so I bought a 75 watt infrared bulb, which now seems to be over heating the hot side.Are you gathering ambient or surface temperatures? A temperature gun will give you an accurate surface temperature and you actually want to know what the temperature of the glass is UNDER the substrate on the UTH side. Also, the humidity is hovering around 35%, and when sprayed goes up to 45% for about 30 minutes before falling again. I covered the top of the screen with foam board to see if it would help, but the humidity is still low. I am also using a moisture retaining substrate, but that doesn't seem to help. Could I possibly get some recommendations on heating and humidity control? Thanks!

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The UTH is on a thermostat, I mistyped. I am using a temp gun. So should the glass under the substrate read 90-92 or the surface of the substrate itself?

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Originally Posted by JaredFC

The UTH is on a thermostat, I mistyped. I am using a temp gun. So should the glass under the substrate read 90-92 or the surface of the substrate itself?

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Under. Your snake can and will burrow so you always want to get your temperatures from the hottest surface they can touch.

Alright that makes much more sense. But now, what should the surface substrate temp be like, and what should the ambient temp be like on the hot side?

Don't worry about the surface temp, ball pythons live underground and they burrow. Just put a thin layer of substrate over the glass on the hot side with a hide on top of that, and your snake will be happy.

Then cover up the whole tank with either a piece of Plexiglas or something like aluminum foil or Glad Press n Seal to keep the humidity inside.

If your room temp is low you could put another UTH on the cool side set so the glass is 80-82*F.

Alright sounds good. There's just so much different information out there, with one place that told me to have 3 inches of substrate, which is obviously incorrect. Would covering the entire lid with cling film halt air circulation and lead to mold build up? And so ball pythons, as long as they have their heat pad, can live comfortably with 75 degree ambient temp on the warm side? Sorry about all of the follow up questions, I'm just over protective. Thanks!

An under-tank heater doesn't increase the ambient in the whole enclosure, but if you put a hide that is snug for your BP over it then it will trap some heat under it and help your snake stay warm. This is why I suggested two UTH's.