Heating options - two UTH vs. UTH + CHE

Hello!

So I have my herpestat with two plug in areas on order, and I'm trying to decide how to best maintain heat in my set up. I have a 40g front opening tank, many hides, humidity helping substrate + humidity hide ready to go, but no noodle yet so I'm still trying to figure out what's gonna work best before getting him!

For the tank owners, would two UTH be more beneficial ( set at low and high heats recommended for balls on each side of the tank) to maintain heat gradient, or would I be better off with a CHE and UTH. I know I'm going to need additional heat with a tank, I just want to make the best choice. We typically will keep the ambient in the room around 70-75 but that won't be enough.

I have a thermostat, two accurite temp/humidity readers and a temp gun, to make sure it is all read accurately!

Hi, a CHE will always be superior to an UTH because a CHE also raises the ambient air temperature and not just the temperature of objects within the enclosure.

The UTH is only more suitable if you're using racks and tubs.

But you won't need multiple heat sources as long as your one heat source is in the warm end, is suitable for your enclosure size and controlled by a thermostat.

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Just depends on ur location and house/room ambient temps, I have 11 tanks in one room three of them with overhead lamps and the rest with uths BUT I’m in Florida and we keep the house at 76 through out the day and my vent to the room is closed so it warms up to 79-82 through out the day. Che will kill ur humidity so I suppose if you can counter act it then that’s good to go.


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If your ambient room temps don't remain high 70s- low 80s you will need an additional heat source.

Your UTH is there solely to provide a hot spot to aid in digestion and not for ambient temps.

In order to raise ambient temps you will need one of three things: a heat bulb, a CHE or a Radiant Heat Panel (RHP).

When I had a 40B I used an UTH under one side and a night style heat bulb on the other which worked decently well. I also used two natural bath sponges that had suction cups to hang them with and once every day or two I'd rinse them and re-wet them. That helped keep the humidity up since in winter the humidity in my apartment can drop into the single digits when the heater's on a lot.

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Originally Posted by scallahan1

Hello!

So I have my herpestat with two plug in areas on order, and I'm trying to decide how to best maintain heat in my set up. I have a 40g front opening tank, many hides, humidity helping substrate + humidity hide ready to go, but no noodle yet so I'm still trying to figure out what's gonna work best before getting him!

For the tank owners, would two UTH be more beneficial ( set at low and high heats recommended for balls on each side of the tank) to maintain heat gradient, or would I be better off with a CHE and UTH. I know I'm going to need additional heat with a tank, I just want to make the best choice. We typically will keep the ambient in the room around 70-75 but that won't be enough.

I have a thermostat, two accurite temp/humidity readers and a temp gun, to make sure it is all read accurately!

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If your Room temp never goes under 70*min then 2 UTH's would work. Ball Pythons in a aquarium style tank will always be on the substrate/ground. I have large enclosures that allow climbing but we are talking about your set up. A 40G breeder is 36" long so I would run a Hot UTH and a Cool Side UTH. Id make sure the Mats just about meet eachother so the entire floor of the enclosure is heated. Like a Zoomed XL 24 watt Hot side and a L 16 watt Cool side.
There are several ways to heat as others have mentioned and they are all good idea's. The reason I suggested 2 UTH's is because it would allow you to maintain Humidity better in a glass enclosure. You would also have a water bowl over the heat source which I find helps evaporate water much better and not dry the air out. Heat Bulbs/CHE's in a glass tank I think are a Pain and I hate having to try and hang/ place heated bulbs on top of enclosures etc.. It always bothered me having a Hot Bulb running 24/7 especially if i had to go away for a couple days etc..... I kept a Burmese Python with only Belly/Floor heat for most of its life without any problems. My home in the winter is even cooler than your saying, mine is 65 at night during the winter and summer because I cant sleep if its warm but the snake was always the temp of the floor 80-90 depending on what side he was on.
In the end you have to do whats best for you. Enclosure Ambient temp is very important depending on your homes temp and the kind of snake you have. Your talking about a ground snake and a home no cooler than 70-75 otherwise my recommendation would be different.
Id also use Cardboard or Black thick Construction Paper around 3 sides (and the top if its a front opening enclosure without a CHE ontop) to help him feel secure and it helps the glass a little bit stay warmer.



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