Heat question

OK, I've rejected the 55-gallon tank in favor of a 20-gallon for my new and first python. He's in shed now, with clouded eyes and dull skin. I'm keeping him in an upstairs room where it's warm--mid 80s--but not warm enough, and relatively humid, 70 percent, which I'll dial back when he loses his skin. I'm ordering a UTH and am looking for advice on which one to get. Will a Cobra mat with a ReptiTherm 500R do the trick? I'm thinking I can add more fixures come winter if needed with that setup, perhaps even a CHE if it comes to that. Does the Cobra work well under the tank (which I think I would prefer)? If it goes inside the tank, how does that work--under substrate (I'm using newspaper) or above? The one from ReptiTherm that has an adhesive doesn't seem like it would put out sufficient heat. Any other recommendations on UTH? Thanks.

The Cobra will work fine, and a similar one that you might consider is the Ultratherm. I prefer those much more than the Zoomed or Reptitherm. You'll want to place it under the tank and never inside it, and it's a good idea to have a small air gap underneath the tank. The Reptitherm 500R will be okay, but I'd recommend a better one if you can afford it. The Johnson and Ranco thermostats are much more reliable, but the top of the line would be a Helix or Herpstat.

Thanks. That's a huge help. I waited to land a good-paying job before I finally got a snake. I need a paycheck or two before moving up to a Herpstat (which seems affordable at a little more than $100), but my new friend needs reliable heat now.

I use exto-terra UTH on my 20 longs with the stat you mentioned using in your first post (forgot name but has 500 in it lol).Temps are keep perfect at a affordable rate.I have never used the cobra but was told they are a higher wattage so you would need a higher wattage capable stat.I hope this helps

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Originally Posted by joepythons

I have never used the cobra but was told they are a higher wattage so you would need a higher wattage capable stat.I hope this helps

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Not true. Even the largest UTH uses only about 60-70 watts, and the cheapest of thermostats can handle that wattage. The high watt thermostats such as Johnson or Ranco are used for space heaters or a lot of UTHs.

Well, I decided to splurge earlier than I had planned and went with the Herpstat. Should be here in a few days. Eighty-five bucks isn't going to amount to the proverbial hill of beans in the long run, and I figure this snake deserves the best. It should be here by the weekend. In the meantime, I'm thinking about sticking a small ReptiTherm pad under one end, without a thermostat. I figure I'll leave it on for an hour or so, get it to full power, then check it by touch. Can't imagine it would get too hot to burn him, but I don't want to take the chance. The enclosure now is a uniform 80 degrees. Which is the greater sin: A small pad without thermostat or too-cold environs for a few days?

Part of my concern is his recent history. He's spent the last couple months in a ten gallon with another ball while his owner, forced to move in with his non-snake-loving parents, found him a new home. No heater or thermometer or hide or anything else except a towel in the cage. Nonetheless, he appears and acts very healthy. He's six years old, I'm told, and a bit over three feet long. Watched him feed before committing to him--he took a frozen mouse, no problem. He doesn't seem to mind being handled and is very inquisitive. I've had him out for a couple hours this morning because I thought he could use my body heat. He's crawling all over me and my laptop as I write this.

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Originally Posted by digcolnagos

I'm thinking about sticking a small ReptiTherm pad under one end, without a thermostat. I figure I'll leave it on for an hour or so, get it to full power, then check it by touch. Can't imagine it would get too hot to burn him, but I don't want to take the chance. The enclosure now is a uniform 80 degrees. Which is the greater sin: A small pad without thermostat or too-cold environs for a few days?

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I would use a dimmer in the mean time so you have some form of control. The UTH can and will get hot enough to burn the snake in just a few minutes.

Yes, I discovered that--but not the hard way. Before putting him back in his cage, I felt the bottom of the glass, and yowza! Unplugged the unit and will get a dimmer switch today and install this evening. In the meantime, I think he should rest. I'm trying hard not to handle him too much, but it's incredibly difficult. We spent the whole morning together, and he seemed quite comfortable and at ease just wrapped around my neck for nearly an hour while I used the computer and went about my business. Thanks for the help.