Advice Needed on my current tank arrangements

You may just need to break down and get a second UTH and a second thermostat. Set one for the hot side and the other at 10* lower for the cool side. If using a large aquarium type cage like that 2 UTH will do the trick. Then you can get rid of the lamp completely. Cover the screen about 85% with something. Plexiglass, foil, duct tape (only on the top surface if using tape) etc.. This will cure all your problems.

And PRESTO! You have just made a huge tub for your snake!

Cover the sides and back of the glass with black posterboard or some dark decorative aquarium wallpaper. Paint them black etc. Your snake will feel much more comfortable and you will not be risking him getting sick by having him stressed and cold.

I am a bit confused. Are you using the UTH for the hot side or the cool side? Is the lamp on the same side as the UTH?

You could get a dimmer for the lamp and use that for the cool side and use the UTH for the hot side. Make sure you have a probe measuring the temp of the UTH.

Your flukers thermometer/hygrometer should be towards the bottom of the tank where the snake spends most of its time,not at the top.

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Originally Posted by Foschi Exotic Serpents

You may just need to break down and get a second UTH and a second thermostat. Set one for the hot side and the other at 10* lower for the cool side. If using a large aquarium type cage like that 2 UTH will do the trick. Then you can get rid of the lamp completely. Cover the screen about 85% with something. Plexiglass, foil, duct tape (only on the top surface if using tape) etc.. This will cure all your problems.

And PRESTO! You have just made a huge tub for your snake!

Cover the sides and back of the glass with black posterboard or some dark decorative aquarium wallpaper. Paint them black etc. Your snake will feel much more comfortable and you will not be risking him getting sick by having him stressed and cold.

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Now the question is .. another 10-20 gallon uth or 5-10 gallon uth or heat tape?

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

I am a bit confused. Are you using the UTH for the hot side or the cool side? Is the lamp on the same side as the UTH?

You could get a dimmer for the lamp and use that for the cool side and use the UTH for the hot side. Make sure you have a probe measuring the temp of the UTH.

Your flukers thermometer/hygrometer should be towards the bottom of the tank where the snake spends most of its time,not at the top.

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I am using the UTH for the hot side. The lamp and UTH are on the same side.

Your right i need to move that thermometer thank you

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Originally Posted by jzoot3d

I am using the UTH for the hot side. The lamp and UTH are on the same side.

Your right i need to move that thermometer thank you

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I would also move the lamp to the cool side. The UTH can take care of the hotside temp just fine. The lamp should just be used to increase ambient temps if you live in a particularly cold house. If you use a dimmer with the lamp, it will also help keep your humidity a little higher.

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

I would also move the lamp to the cool side. The UTH can take care of the hotside temp just fine. The lamp should just be used to increase ambient temps if you live in a particularly cold house. If you use a dimmer with the lamp, it will also help keep your humidity a little higher.

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This is true but the lamp would need to be on 24/7 to keep the temps from falling too much at night. This will also feed the low humidity problem. A second UTH to prevent ambient temps from falling will prevent this. Maybe a ceramic heat emitter?

For my ball python set ups, I always had two identical hides, one on the cool side and one on the hot side. For my hot side I had the temperature stay at 90- 95 degrees, and my cool side stay at 85- 80 degrees. As for humidity, I always kept it at 50- 60%. I used the expandable substrate eco-dirt because it held humidity great, although, the coconut husk substrate is just about the same, just a little more expensive and you don't have to expand it. I did use a red bulb during the day to keep the air temperature a little higher, but I had a timer to run it from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. so at night it was just the under the tank heat mats.

Is there a reason I havent heard of anyone using mylar as a heat reflectant/insulator?

:) I sent you a copy of my Tank Setup Tips via PM. They'll tell you what you need to do to get a tank working right and consistently as a snake cage. :D

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOU HELP.
Great advice from everyone