new to BP's

What are you measuring your temps with? if it is those stick on dial thermometers, chances are your temps are already too hot and your humidity is fine. If you can I would try to find an accurite thermometer hygrometer combo unit. You can find these at walmart, the home depot, or lowes. They look like this: http://www.weatherconnection.com/scr...91p.gif&type=p

Also, you most likely don't have a rheostat or a thermostat working with the UTH to keep it at a safe temperature. You must must must control all of your heat sources because if you don't you could burn or cook your snake, and that is no good ):
Reptilebasics.com sells some nice thermostats for around $80. It is expensive, but it is pretty necessary. Reptilesupply.com also carries a more mainstream dial thermostat. I have used one in the past and they work pretty well. They aren't perfect, but they will get the job done.

As for hides, basically and plastic container that is opaque is good. Just cut a small opening and you are good to go. Make sure your BP fits snugly inside. I would recommend getting two identical hides, one on top of the UTH and one on the other side of the enclosure. Then you can just stick the water bowl in between them.

I do have a digital temp guage w/inside and outside temp to measure both ends but I have yet to get a good hygrometer so I just may go to walmart today to get the combo you suggested. Also I do not have a thermostat on my UTH so is it advisable to turn it off until I do? Here as some pics so you can better correct my setup. I will be getting better hides when I go the the temp/hygro combo. check out the substrate..im not sure what it is.

http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/w...r/IMG_2200.jpg

http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/w...r/IMG_2201.jpg

No, I would leave it on, just watch it very carefully. Most popular brands won't get hot enough to burn, but they can by power surges. She needs another hide on her cool side. And becareful with that branch. They aren't tree snakes, but sometimes forget. My baby fell off hers a couple times so I took them out.

I would get rid of the mat in the bottom. I think it would be too easy for messy stuff to get underneath it, and too hard to clean. You should be able to go to the pet store and get some aspen really cheap. Or a hardware store, and look for some cypress mulch. Both will hold humidity really well. If you get some cypress be sure to check it for bugs. It's usually used for planting, and not cleaned very well.

Here is a cheap thermostat to invest in.

http://www.cheappetproducts.net/Rept...BE-P69363.html

I hope this helps. She is a beautiful girl :D And welcome!!

Ok thank you for your advice :)

Welcome to the wonderful world of bps! I would also ditch the mat as it looks difficult to keep clean. You can use newspaper or aspen among other substrates. As was said before, I would get a digital thermometer/hygrometer unit. They are about $12 and Walmart carries them (accurite brand). If that's a cardboard box it will work, but you won't get tons of mileage out of it as bacteria can build up pretty easily on it. What are you securing the lid with? Enjoy your new bp!

I think part of the reason why you are having trouble with humidity is because
1. the dial gauge you have is toward the top of the tank, and the snake will never go up that high. All of your readings should be taken at the snakes level (it makes sense right? :P)

2. That tank is HUUUUGE, and by huge I mean tall huge. Ball pythons are ground dwelling snakes so chances are your BP will never use the top 12" of that tank. That is just how they are. They are perfectly content in a 20gallon long for their entire life, maybe even a 30gallon long if they get particularly big.

Ok I got a digital therm/hygro and I'll be getting substrate soon. I know the tank is big but its what she came with so I guess it will have to do for now. Thank you guys very much I really appreciate all the advice.