Can someone please answer a couple questions

I bought a young bp sunday, and the place that I bought my suplies told me that I should use an under tank heater, and have her cave placed on top of that, then to place a heating lamp on top the tank shinning down on top the cave, its a 75 watt red bulb, and her cave is the kind that she can bask on top of. It seems that she prefers to stay on the cool side of the tank, and just goes in the cave periodicly to warm up, I have yet to see her bask on top the cave, and I have not seen her even notice the water in the tank, which I keep fresh everyday. Does this sound like normal ? Im a little worried about her.

I am heading to work, so I will not be able to read responses till I get home tonight, thanks.

Should the cave bee on the cool side?
Should the water be on the warm side?

She should have two identical hides - one on the warm side, one on the cool side.

You should use a digital thermometer to measure the temps at ground level. And the UTH should be controlled by a quality thermostat.

It sounds like the warm side is too warm for her. You want to shoot for 90-94 degrees on the warm side, 80-84 on the cool sie.

Also, I would get rid of the heat lamp all together. The rely on belly heat more than anything. The lamp is likely just sucking out precious humidity.

Be careful with and UTH if it's not on a thermostat. They can create hot spots on the floor of the enclosure. Get a IR Temp Gun to check the floor temp in different spots where the UTH sits.

Also, if you are using a glass tank with a screen top, you will play heck with trying to keep the humidity right. Trust me, I played that game and thought I would be able to keep it right, but I ended up buying one of these:

http://www.reptilebasics.com/Mini-Cage-p-16232.html

Keeps the humidity where I need it, and my juvenile BP actually seems more at ease in this cage than he was in his larger 20gl tank.

You definately need to have ways to measure the temperatures and humidity.

I am pretty new to this whole thing and have been on a tight budget so I currently use an Accurite Thermometer (with humidity gage) and a desk lamp dimmer. Both of these can be picked up at Lowes or Home Depot for $10 each. While its not a herpstat its a start in the right direction.

I am learning that husbandry is pretty easy provided you know exactly whats going on in the habitat. Then it just takes some creativity to find ways to hold in humidity and whatnot.

What everybody else said about 2 hides is definately true also. George uses both of his (although last night he decided to use one of them as nothing more than a bathroom).

Don't worry about him not noticing the water, I have only seen my snake drink like 2 or 3 times in the 2 months I have had him (i'm sure he does more than that though). The water is more for humidity than anything.

Good luck with your new pet! They are so much fun, but be prepared for the addiction. You will get more snakes, its just a matter of what type and when.

Thanks for the help, I cut up a little card board box for another hide untill I can buy another like the one I have, and she has been camping out in there.

Im a little confused, If I cant use the lamp or the under tank heater, I saw somewher that a heating stone will burn ther bellies. So a pad with a thermastat built into it is my only choice ? Sorry bout the spelling.

Thermostats are an external unit and not built in to anything. They come with a probe that you attach to the heat source so that the heat source can be regulated. RBI has some good ones: http://www.reptilebasics.com/Thermostats-p-1-c-250.html.

You could also maybe use a radiant heat panel for heating (http://www.reptilebasics.com/RBI-Rad...p-1-c-283.html). These are overhead units and heat very well, bump ambient temps, and do not dry out the air.