Temp Gun vs. Digital Thermometer

Gen, it certainly wouldn't hurt to try a Rubbermaid, and you'll need to make that decision soon to have time to get set up, but it's possible you're worrying too much. Let me ask you this: where is your water dish, what material is it made of, and how big is it? That may seem like a silly question, but if the dish is plastic or at one end or too small, it may be that getting a 8" or 9" terra cotta or glass dish and putting it right in the middle will solve your problem with the middle being a bit cool. Humid air holds heat better than dry air, so if your water dish conducts heat well and is ~2/3 on/under the heat source, the air in the middle may be humid enough to hold the heat for a gradient better.

Gen you could do as Marla said and just make sure the water dish is wide and shallow enough and is partialy over your heat source to give more humidity to the air. Once youve got your humidity where you want it, you could always take your time setting up a rubbermaid enclosure and than you'll be able to use this one as a spare (or get more snakes ). Plus you wont have to put off the arival of your new baby Ball.

I've got a zoomed repti rock water dish. It's made of "foamed polystyrene" whatever that is. I don't have it directly in the middle, a little more on the cool side with most of it over a heating source. It measures about 7" by 5", sort of an oval shape.

By the way, I'm well aware of the fact that I'm worrying too much. :) My boyfriend keeps telling me I'm a crazy person, but I can't help it. I appreciate your advice, keep it coming!

Gen, I'm pretty sure that's not going to conduct the heat as well. Maybe try adding a small dish to the warm side or middle, but make it a heat-conductive material -- metal, glass, ceramic, anything like that. I'll bet if you get the humidity solved, the temp problem gets better.

I will try it out and let you know how it goes. Any ideas on where to get a good dish like that?

Definitely let us know how it goes. If you want a small dish, try a terra cotta dish for under a pot from WalMart, Home Depot, or a garden store -- the 3"-4" ones typically are under a dollar. For something bigger, there's terra cotta and ceramic dishes for under pots for up to about $8 at those same stores, or a Pyrex 8" pie dish for about $3. It might well be worth it to get a couple in different sizes, like a 4" and an 8" so that when the ambient humidity changes you are prepared.

Thanks, you're the greatest!!

LOL Glad to help! I want your bp to be happy and you to be able to relax and enjoy him and your spring break! :)

I can honestly say that I am feelin Gen on this whole issue! I had a thread about this in the BP Husbandry section. There is sumthin about the glass tank with the screen top! These things are psychotic & they are takin us to nuts-o-ville with them! My UTH keeps my warm side in the vacinity of 88-94F but i had to put a water cup, a humidity mat AND a wet towel over there to keep the humidity right around 50%. Now Hissy is goin into shed & keepin the humidity over 70% on the warm side is a constant misting struggle. The cool side tho, without a supplemental heat lamp, is 73F & like 80% humidity!! I don't even put the wet towel over the cool side! So, I had to toss a heat lamp over the cool side. I just leave the heat lamp up higher so that the heat isn't overbearing. Now the temp on the cool side is around 77-81F & the humidity never drops below 66%. And the thing is, I only have a 20 gallon & it's a 20 gallon tall, not wide!! I don't have enough room for a new snake or reptile of any sort so once Hissy gets a little bigger & I feel like she is too big for the 20 gallon tall (I don't wanna hear this "they can live in a 20 gallon until they are 3 feet long" crap) I will be switchin to a Rubbermaid fo sheezy! Until then, i will continue to go psycho over the temp & humidity conditions of my tank!

By the way, let us cross our fingers that Hissy's shed (her first from start to finish with me) is a good one. As some of you may remember, I bought her in mid shed &, as is all too often the case with pet stores, her tank was WAAAY too dry so the shed was miserable! She was very relaxed with me holding her today even tho she was in shed so i was really happy with that. We have made a ton of progress! I soaked her twice today! I also used vinegar & water to get that nasty ass hard water film off her tank, so thanks to those who suggested it. I didn't realize she was gettin ready to go to shed mode until i picked her up to spend some time with her & the light hit her eyes. Baby blues & cloudy. Here is to a successful shed! I figure that there is no better test for how well you are keeping the living arrangements than a shed!

OK, I am rambling now.

Good sheds and lack of RI and neurological symptoms are ususally the best indicator we have that our snakes are doing well, so you're right Eddie. I hope this one goes well for her. A humid hide is the easiest way to make sure they have enough humidity available when it's a struggle, so you may want to think about providing one of those when she's in shed. Also, I'm glad the vinegar and water worked for you. Vinegar is useful for cleaning glass of any kind.