Setup Tips - Heating?

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Originally Posted by cayley

I think I'm gonna go the thermostat route just because where I live we've been getting snow followed by t-shirt weather followed by snow. But also I checked the inside near the floor of the terrarium and its reading 80 on the junky thermometer (which I'll replace). Is there a way it could be under heating or is it just the ambient air?

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you're trying to make your environment perfect before bringing a snake home: that's very responsible and something we don't see enough of around here. :gj:

a thermostat is REQUIRED with a UTH, non-negotiable. that thermometer is only (and most likely very inaccurately) reading the ambient temperature on the outside of the enclosure since they are not placed on the inside. however an ambient temp of 80° outside means the inside is probably a little warmer; that's a good temp, however it is most likely an inaccurate reading. a UTH does NOT affect ambient temperatures whatsoever; they are used to provide belly heat only.
so 1. get a digital thermometer/hygrometer
2. get that UTH regulated via lamp dimmer (linked above) or a thermostat. i know more about thermostats than i do lamp dimmers, but just so you have options: here's a link to a cheap thermostat i've used and have had great success with. get whatever works best for you.

i just want to warn you that getting your enclosure up and running is going to take a lot of tweaking and possible upgrades, let alone a snake will outgrow that tank faster than you'd think. just something to think about. :)

EDIT: LOVE the pink hide! lol

The hydrometer and temp can go in the cold side it isn't as bad as not having one but yea definitely get wired digital for the warmth inside he hut also can I see ur snake?


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by cayley

I think I'm gonna go the thermostat route just because where I live we've been getting snow followed by t-shirt weather followed by snow. But also I checked the inside on the floor of the terrarium (on top of substrate, in hide, over heating pad) and its reading 80 on the junky thermometer (which I'll replace). Is there a way it could be under heating or is it just the ambient air?

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Cayley that "Sticky" I posted for you tells you everything thats important for a Glass/Plastic terrarium setup. Look at that post and read it several times and look at those oictures to see how to get your HOT SPOT temp otherwise your going to get every Tom, Richard and Harry telling you different things you can do... The reason that is a "Thread Sticky" is because its the correct way. Your doing good just start by getting that UTH to 90 degrees.. That is #1 otherwise your snake has No Heat.
Stress (Snake with new home) and Low Temps can be #1 in causing RI and without Vet money there goes your snake. Take it slow and read that sticky and about the products we all use.

K! So now I have:

ReptiTemp Rheostat
Exo Terra digital precision thermometer with remote censor
Exo Terra heat wave (small)

And I've told the breeder to drop snake off at noon tomorrow, so that I can regulate the temps :) also the heat wave is for if my other one just isn't bringing up the heat and I need to replace it. Kept receipt in case :)

Thanks everyone!

Good that you tried to set up before getting the snake but honestly something that small is going to be hard to get any type of temp gradient. If I was going to go the route you are, I would just use tub with a locking lid from Target, Home Depot or any store like that. You can get a 32qt Sterilite for like $6. This is what I use for snake transport if I loose power or have to keep them secure for hours.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...e3c303cf_z.jpg

Something like that with a UTH on 1 side will give the snake a hot spot while having a cool spot too.

As for 70F, that's too cold and UTH does not heat the air. You need to either run your house warmer or buy a space heater for the room. Other than that, there really is no way to heat a tub since overhead heating like a CHE requires you to cut a hole in the top and then screen it very tight so the snake cant get out and trying to use something like a RHP on a little tub is not practical.

Anyways good luck and I didn't read all the posts here so if I repeated stuff, sorry.

Oh 1 more thing, be sure to weigh the corners down. None of my other snakes have gotten out this tub but my retic did figure out how to push the corners up enough to squeeze out. Found him in the morning curled up under a swivel chair sleeping lol.

@Sauzo : It's funny that you suggested that one! I actually have a whole bunch of those bins meant for under the bed, they are nice and long and skinny and I was thinking of transforming one into his container when he gets bigger! I would've totally used one of those but I really didn't feel like DIYing anything... haha. I'm gonna DIY his bigger terrarium though for sure.

@Vgto88: He's being delivered to me tomorrow. Here's a photo that I have from the breeder. :)

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ps3wlja8y1.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...psqcouxfgn.jpg

The only way to raise your ambient temperatures is to raise your room temperatures.
A regulated UTH does nothing for ambients.

UPDATE: I actually managed to balance the heat! Snakey will be here in about a half hour. I'm going to film a short video holding the snake so that you guys can check it out, and hopefully I'll have it up sometime today on a progression thread :) Thank you all so so so much for the help, I really appreciated being walked through it. <3 You are awesomeeee.