tank setup discussion split from petco employee thread

I have a 20g fish tank with an basic UTH that covers about 1/2 of the bottom. I control the heat by controlling the thickness of the substrate. At the hottest point under the hide the substrate is very thin - only 1/4 of an inch.

well he stays in the middle of the cage because I can only put him on a desk now and he doesn't like the vast open spaces he can see at all edges.

He's got a number of places he can hide. There is a bunch of cork bark, grape-wood and peet moss that he uses to find hiding places.

He has burrowed down to the glass many times and it hasn't hurt him. I can place my hand on the bare glass below and it feels hot but not so hot I have to pull my hand away.

If you can outline a basic setup that doesn't cost alot I might get it. it takes alot of fiddling and attention to keep his cage right this way. But, you know its not like the outdoors in Africa is controlled by a thermostat. I'm sure there is a fairly decent range of temps that or OK or else BP's would be extinct.

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Originally Posted by bearhart

I have a 20g fish tank with an basic UTH that covers about 1/2 of the bottom. I control the heat by controlling the thickness of the substrate. At the hottest point under the hide the substrate is very thin - only 1/4 of an inch.

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The UTH should only cover 1/3rd of the bottom, 1/4inch of substrate over an unregulated heating pad can be VERY dangerous if the snake moves some of the substrate around and touches the heating pad. UTH's can easily get over 100 degrees and need to be controlled to produce no more than 95 degrees at the glass. You said your ambient temps are room temp? what is that? do you keep your house at 85 degrees? unless you do, you need a heatlamp to keep ambient up to 85 degrees as well.


EDIT:
I would recommend getting a heatlamp along with a t-stat. between the UTH, the heatlamp and the t-stat you will keep your ambient up and you won't have a possible fryer should the UTH go beserk.

heatlamp $10
Light $10
T-stat $36-200+

I would recommend checking this site out:
http://www.mgreptiles.com/thermomain.html

my stuff is all asunder right now so I can't post pics.

The cold side is just room temp which generally varies between 71 and 75.

http://www.animalinstinct.co.uk/acat...ghting_24.html

Also have a 50 watt red heat lamp that goes over the warm side. Cute little guy is basking in it while he looks at me right now. :sunny:

Dang he's cute!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bearhart

my stuff is all asunder right now so I can't post pics.

The cold side is just room temp which generally varies between 71 and 75.

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71-75 IS WAY TOO COLD FOR A BP!!! It needs to be 80-85 ambient. you make mention of africa, and remember not much of africa stays 71-75 degrees...

yea - heat pad is probably just over a third. 40% or so.

dual lamps maybe?

Its sems like a lamp keeps the air above the substrate about 80-85 degrees. That would be perfect for the cool side.

I have to admit its kind of creepy when he hangs out over there. I get him out and he's just too chilly.

If that's whats needed to get the ambient up to 80-85 then YES!

Have you tried the following?
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=32800

hey Derek, wanna split the thread???

"Glass vivariums are open on all sides. To allow your snake to feel more secure in its environment we recommend you cover over all but the front glass in some fashion."

This became very obvious to me today. Before he had alot of stuff around the outside of his cage. Right now, we're in temp quarters and he's got open space all round except the front that faces me. I can tell he doesn't like it because of the way he looks out and always stays at a location that hides his view of the great abyss.