need help please :D

so, I am getting a BP soon and we have the heat mat and it's thermostat and two thermometers. I noticed that the heat was only coming from the wall where the heat mat was (I wanted it underneath the terrarium but my dad insisted on putting it on the wall of the terrarium so we did) the heat wasn't warming the rest of the warm side hide and the middle of the terrarium was still 70 degrees Fahrenheit! I thought we could get a second heat mat and put it on the bottom of the terrarium. but what do you think? (by the way the temperature I have the heat mat set up to is between 87 and 95 degrees) thank you for your help please stay positive in comments. if I did something wrong, inform nicely please, I haven't gotten the snake yet we're just testing the equipment to see if we might need new or different things.

Heat mats do next to nothing for ambient temperatures and are really there just to create a hotspot for your snake. I would move your UTH under the tank where it belongs, under the warm hide. You can always get a second one set at a lower temp to go under your cool hide, but again this doesn't do anything for your ambient temperatures. If you were heating the room to create ambient temps that would be different, but if the inside of your enclosure is sitting around 70 it sounds like you're not doing that, and won't be able to get away with just a UTH. I would recommend picking up a CHE for your ambient temperatures. There are plenty of ways to insulate a glass enclosure if that's what you're using, but that won't matter if you don't have a heat source that's going to increase the ambient temperatures in there.

Is there any reason you have a 8 degree variant on the temps you have your UTH set to? Personally I set mine to create a warm spot right at 90-91, tested daily with a temp gun.

yeah, we're still testing it and trying to find out what works better. also I understand up to zero of those abbreviations so I am very confused at the moment

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Originally Posted by BoopsTheBallPython

yeah, we're still testing it and trying to find out what works better. also I understand up to zero of those abbreviations so I am very confused at the moment

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UTH- under tank heater, it's your heat mat
CHE- is a ceramic heat emitter, it's a bulb that produces heat but no light

it's hard to use any lamps because I'm not using a glass terrarium, it's a black big tote with air holes on the top. if we cut a whole for a lamp then the snake could possible escape. unless we find a way to put it inside?

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Originally Posted by BoopsTheBallPython

it's hard to use any lamps because I'm not using a glass terrarium, it's a black big tote with air holes on the top. if we cut a whole for a lamp then the snake could possible escape. unless we find a way to put it inside?

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https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...e-Basics-*DUW*

Take a look a look at this it should get you squared away for the most part.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BoopsTheBallPython

so, I am getting a BP soon and we have the heat mat and it's thermostat and two thermometers. I noticed that the heat was only coming from the wall where the heat mat was (I wanted it underneath the terrarium but my dad insisted on putting it on the wall of the terrarium so we did) the heat wasn't warming the rest of the warm side hide and the middle of the terrarium was still 70 degrees Fahrenheit! I thought we could get a second heat mat and put it on the bottom of the terrarium. but what do you think? (by the way the temperature I have the heat mat set up to is between 87 and 95 degrees) thank you for your help please stay positive in comments. if I did something wrong, inform nicely please, I haven't gotten the snake yet we're just testing the equipment to see if we might need new or different things.

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Sorry to say your dad is mistaken- heat rises, & UTH (heat mat) NEEDS to be under the bottom so the heat rises into where the snake can be over it. If the UTH is incorrectly installed on the side, most of the heat will go straight UP & away, & do nothing for the snake, unless of course you can teach him to stand up next to it or somehow stick to the side like a gecko. ;) (& you can't)

You will need to also check the temps. very carefully once the UTH is properly installed- it's not about what you set the thermostat to- you need to check what the temp. is inside where the snake can make contact, because he'll either be safe, healthy & warm if it's correct (88-90* maximum), or burned (injured) & needing the vet if it's too hot. A few degrees matters greatly.

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Originally Posted by BoopsTheBallPython

... it's a black big tote with air holes on the top...

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Black tote? You mean no room light gets in? You don't want to keep a snake in darkness.

Lights are risky inside- can be dangerous to mix electric light with an exploring snake that has a water bowl to crawl through & splash- snakes try to crawl on anything they can reach.

lol that's what I told my dad we are getting light strips to put on the cap to the tote and it has a remote so right when I wake up I will just press a button and KABLOOF there is light:)

It will be cheaper and easier to use a tote like this than to try to retrofit lighting:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hefty-25-Ga...Lid/1002612460

Note the four latches holding the lid, they will help prevent escapes.